PreMiEr Spring 2024 Seminar Series - Dr. Shalani Prasad
2024-04-04 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Please join the NSF Engineering Research Center for Precision Microbiome Engineering (PreMiEr) and host Duke University for a talk by Dr. Shalani Prasad of the University of Texas – Dallas.
Title:Non-invasive tracking host inflammatory response due to infection and chronic disease
Abstract: Inflammation is a biological response of the immune system that can be triggered by a variety of factors, including pathogens, damaged cells and toxic compounds. These factors may induce acute and/or chronic inflammatory responses in multiple organs, potentially leading to tissue damage or disease. Both infectious and non-infectious agents and cell damage activate inflammatory cells and trigger inflammatory signaling pathways. Hence, there is a widespread interest in designing technologies that will enable tracking of the human body’s inflammatory response due to non-infectious and infectious triggers.
In this work we demonstrate the viability of passive perspiration, a functional biofluid toward tracking the human body’s inflammatory response. Cytokines are biomarkers that orchestrate the manifestation and progression of an infection/inflammatory event. Hence, noninvasive, real-time monitoring of cytokines can be pivotal in assessing the progression of infection/inflammatory event, which may be feasible through monitoring of host immune markers in eccrine sweat. This work is the first experimental proof demonstrating the ability to detect inflammation/infection such as fever, FLU directly from passively expressed sweat in human subjects using a wearable “SWEATSENSER” device. The developed SWEATSENSER device demonstrates stable, real-time monitoring of inflammatory cytokines in passive sweat.
We have expanded the tracking of Inflammation to chronic disease with inflammatory bowel disease being the disease model. This work demonstrates the first proof-of-feasibility of multiplexed cytokine and inflammatory marker detection in passively expressed eccrine sweat in a wearable form-factor that can be utilized toward better management of inflammatory bowel disease.
Open to the public, but registration is required for non-PreMiEr members.
Non-PreMiEr members can register for the seminar series through this link.

PreMiEr Annual Meeting
2024-05-29 10:00 - 17:00
PreMiEr Members are invited to the second Annual Meeting of the PreMiEr ERC at Duke University.

PreMiEr NSF Site Visit and Evaluation
2024-05-30 08:00 - 17:30
PreMiEr faculty and scholars are required to attend the Year 1 NSF Site Visit and Evaluation.

PreMiEr REU: NSF GFRP Workshop Session 1
2024-06-04 12:00 - 13:00
For PreMiEr Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and interested scholars, a panel discussion on the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) hosted by current PreMiEr graduate students.
Non-REU participants should reach out to Dr. Megan Lott, melott@unc.edu, if they are interested in attending.

PreMiEr REU Boot Camp: Day 1
2024-06-05 09:30 - 17:00
PreMiEr Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Boot Camp Day 1. Non-REU participants from within PreMiEr are welcome to attend. Anyone from the ERC interested in attending one or more of the sessions either online or in person should contact Dr. Megan Lott, Lott, melott@unc.edu for details.
9:30 AM Welcome (Dr. Kristen Rhinehardt)
10:00 AM Introduction to PreMiEr (Dr. Jill Stewart)
11:00 AM Meet the Mentors (On Zoom, with Breakout Rooms)
2:00 PM Introduction to Microbiology (Dr. Mizpha Fernander)

PreMiEr REU Boot Camp: Day 2
2024-06-06 09:30 - 17:00
PreMiEr Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Boot Camp Day 2. Non-REU participants from within PreMiEr are welcome to attend. Anyone from the ERC interested in attending one or more of the sessions either online or in person should contact Dr. Megan Lott, Lott, melott@unc.edu for details.
9:30 AM Biology and Microbiomes (Dr. David Singleton)
10:30 AM Ethics and Comprehension in PreMiEr Research Areas (Dr. Joseph Graves via Zoom)
11:15 AM Hands-on Scanning Electron Microscope Demo (Dr. Holly Leddy)

PreMiEr REU Boot Camp: Day 3
2024-06-07 09:30 - 17:00
PreMiEr Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Boot Camp Day 2. Non-REU participants from within PreMiEr are welcome to attend. Anyone from the ERC interested in attending one or more of the sessions either online or in person should contact Dr. Megan Lott, Lott, melott@unc.edu for details.
9:30 AM DCI in Science and Engineering (Dr. Karis Boyd-Sinkler via Zoom)
10:00 AM Introduction to Data Analytics (Dr. Anthony Fodor via Zoom)
11:00 AM Scientific Reading and Writing (Dr. Megan Lott)
1:30 PM REU Evaluation (Dr. Glenda Kelly)

PreMiEr REU: Innovation Lunch and Learn
2024-06-11 12:00 - 13:00
Led by the PreMiEr Director of the Innovation Ecosystem, Dr. Ibrahim Mohedas, this series targeted to members of the PreMiEr REU program and any interested ERC scholars or faculty explores aspects of technology development and translation in a relaxed environment.
Non-REU participants interested in joining should contact Dr. Megan Lott, melott@unc.edu, for details.

PreMiEr REU Journal Club
2024-06-13 12:00 - 13:00
Led by the PreMiEr postdoctoral scholar Dr. Megan Lott, this series targeted to members of the PreMiEr REU program and any interested ERC scholars or faculty explores published manuscripts of interest to the mission and goals of PreMiEr.
Non-REU participants interested in joining should contact Dr. Megan Lott, melott@unc.edu, for details.

Duke University Graduate Boot Camp (Virtual)
2024-06-26 16:00 - 17:30
Presented by PreMiEr, ATHENA, and the Pratt School of Engineering:
For students interested in pursuing a Master’s or PhD in Engineering and/or Computer Science.
Virtual Session
4pm – 5:30 EST
Insights: Get information to help you decide if graduate school is right for you
Funding: Learn about graduate admissions, funding opportunities, and how to develop a strong application
Connections: Meet faculty and graduate students in your areas of research interest.
Apply by June 21st: duke.is/GradCamp6-2024

Summer REU and RET Final Presentations
2024-07-19 09:00 - 12:00
Members of PreMiEr are cordially invited to attend the virtual final presentations of our summer 2024 Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) and Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) participants!
9:00 am | RET participants – Lesson plan presentations
10:15 am | REU participants – Research presentations
11:15 am | Breakout room conversations with participants
A Zoom invitation will be sent to your email.

Fall Workshop Series - Biology & Microbiomes
2024-08-26 13:00 - 16:00
For PreMiEr members and affiliates – check your emails and newsletter for instructions to register.
Taught by Dr. Misty Thomas of N.C. A&T, this workshop is intended to give a broad overview of biological topics related to microbiome research. The intended audience is PreMiEr members with expertise outside of biology or microbiology, or those looking for a refresher on those topics.
Virtual (Zoom) | 1 – 4 pm.
Registration closes: August 21

PreMiEr Fall 2024 Seminar Series | Dr. Karis Boyd-Sinkler
2024-08-29 12:00 - 13:00
The NSF Engineering Research Center for Precision Microbiome Engineering (PreMiEr) invites you to the next installment of the PreMiEr Fall 2024 Seminar Series on August 29th from Noon to 1pm on Zoom:
Dr. Karis Boyd-Sinkler
Co-Director of Diversity and Inclusion for
the NSF Engineering Research Center for
Precision Microbiome Engineering (PreMiEr)
Duke University
Unlocking Mental Resilience: Balancing Stress and Academic Pressure
This presentation aims to explore strategies to help build mental resilience while navigating the varying challenges of higher education. We will delve into the science of stress, its effects on mental well-being, and the balance between healthy motivation and overwhelming pressure. Attendees will learn practical tools for stress management, including mindfulness techniques, time management strategies, and self-compassion practices, all aimed at fostering a balanced and sustainable approach to academic success. The session encourages a proactive and inclusive discussion on how to create academic environments that promote resilience, reduce burnout, and help individuals thrive amidst pressure.
This series is open to the public, but non-PreMiEr members must register to receive the Zoom link. You need register only once for the entire series.
Register at https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0Pzn6Zv6XjNwKlE

PreMiEr SLC Journal Club
2024-09-05 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-09-19 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-10-03 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-10-24 12:00 - 13:00
The PreMiEr Scholar’s Leadership Council invites all scholars in the ERC (undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and research staff) to join in a spirited discussion and analysis of a published manuscript of relevance to the center’s vision and mission. Please check your emails or contact Megan Lott (melott@unc.edu) with any questions or for the Zoom link.

Waccamaw Siouan STEM Day
2024-09-07
Lake Waccamaw, NC
5 PreMiEr participants needed to help kids with hands-on STEM activities.
Contact Holly Leddy if interested in volunteering.

Fall Workshop Series - Overview of microbiome lab techniques
2024-09-09 13:00 - 16:00
For PreMiEr members and affiliates – check your emails and newsletter for instructions to register.

Virtual (Zoom) | 1 – 4 pm.
Taught by Dr. Cynthia Gibas and Dr. Jessica Schlueter of UNC Charlotte, this workshop is intended to give an overview of lab techniques relevant to sampling and analyzing microbiomes of the built environment.
Registration closes: September 2nd

Fall 2024 DCI Book Club
2024-09-10 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-09-24 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-10-08 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-10-22 12:00 - 13:00
The PreMiEr Diversity and Inclusion leadership presents the Fall 2024 Book Club selection: We’re All Neurodiverse by Sonny Jane Wise.
Meeting biweekly during the semester, each meeting will discuss 1-2 chapters of the book.

September 10: Chapters 1 & 2
September 24: Chapters 3 & 4
October 8: Chapter 5
October 22: Chapter 6
November 5: Chapter 7
November 19: Chapter 8
December 3: Chapter 9
Additional dates TBD

Those who registered should have a Zoom link on their calendars.
Sign Up Link: https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eD60jWqOsEQRczA

PreMiEr Fall 2024 Seminar Series | Dr. Rob Dunn
2024-09-12 12:00 - 13:00
The NSF Engineering Research Center for Precision Microbiome Engineering (PreMiEr) invites you to the next installment of the PreMiEr Fall 2024 Seminar Series on September 12th from Noon to 1pm on Zoom:
Dr. Rob Dunn

Senior Vice Provost for University Interdisciplinary Programs
William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Department of Applied Ecology
North Carolina State University
The future of human mutualisms, including those in our homes

For ecologists and evolutionary biologists, mutualisms are mutually beneficial relationships between or among species. For most of prehistory and parts of history, these mutualisms have been measured, tacitly, in terms of the fitness benefits to each partner. That is, does each partner have more children that survive to reproduce than in what when going it alone. Obviously, in our modern contexts, this is no longer the metric we seek to use. But what then? How do we judge our relationships? Dunn asks this question while also highlighting the extent to which non-human species have often been as much in control of human mutualisms as have humans. This is true for human-honeyguide as well as human-dolphin and human-whale mutualisms. It is arguably the case for history human-yeast-grain mutualisms. Dunn concludes the talk by turning back to daily, indoor lives in which mutualisms still abound but, intriguingly, are controlled as much by tacit aspects of traditional knowledge (this is how one makes sourdough bread) and subconscious decisions as they are by conscious decisions. What does and should this mean with regard to how we engineer new mutualisms in our homes? Dunn does not answer this question. In fact, he answers none of the questions he poses but instead opens them up for discussion, after the talk, but, also, over the next decade or so.
This series is open to the public, but non-PreMiEr members must register to receive the Zoom link. You need register only once for the entire series.
Register at https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0Pzn6Zv6XjNwKlE

Duke University Graduate Boot Camp (in person)
2024-09-18 - 2024-09-20
Presented by PreMiEr, ATHENA, and the Pratt School of Engineering:
For students interested in pursuing a Master’s or PhD in Engineering and/or Computer Science.
In-person Session
September 18-20, 2024
Insights: Get information to help you decide if graduate school is right for you
Funding: Learn about graduate admissions, funding opportunities, and how to develop a strong application
Connections: Meet faculty and graduate students in your areas of research interest.
Save the date!

CANCELED - PreMiEr Fall 2024 Seminar Series
2024-09-26 12:00 - 13:00
THE SEMINAR FOR SEPTEMBER 26TH HAS BEEN CANCELLED

Hoke County Schools Indian Education STEM Day
2024-10-05
PreMiEr Community Outreach Event

Fall Workshop Series - Overview of microbiome informatics
2024-10-07 14:30 - 17:00
For PreMiEr members and affiliates – check your emails and newsletter for instructions to register.

Virtual (Zoom) | 2:30 – 5 pm.
Taught by Dr. Anthony Fodor of UNC Charlotte, this workshop is intended to give an overview of topics related to analyzing bioinformatic data sets related to microbiomes of the built environment.
Registration closes: September 30th

PreMiEr Fall 2024 Seminar Series | Dr. Caitlin Proctor
2024-10-10 12:00 - 13:00
The NSF Engineering Research Center for Precision Microbiome Engineering (PreMiEr) invites you to the next installment of the PreMiEr Fall 2024 Seminar Series on October 10th from Noon to 1pm on Zoom:
Dr. Caitlin Proctor

Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering & Environmental and Ecological Engineering
Purdue University
Holistic Considerations for Stagnation in Plumbing

Stagnation in plumbing has been linked to a myriad of physicochemical and microbial water quality issues. While many studies on plumbing stagnation were conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic to assess real-time risk associated with building closures, these lacked control, knowledge of plumbing materials, and appropriate controls. This talk will highlight a study that used a fully controlled plumbing testing facility with four identical systems operated with daily, weekly, biweekly, and monthly flushing to assess the role of building operation in water quality changes holistically. Stagnation played a major role in scale formation, chemical leaching, and microbial community changes, with clear implications for sulfate metabolisms. By understanding these reactions mechanistically at-scale, we create a better context for controlling this sensitive ecosystem.
This series is open to the public, but non-PreMiEr members must register to receive the Zoom link. You need register only once for the entire series.
Register at https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0Pzn6Zv6XjNwKlE

PreMiEr Fall 2024 Seminar Series | Speaker Dr. Paul Turner
2024-10-31 12:00 - 13:00
The NSF Engineering Research Center for Precision Microbiome Engineering (PreMiEr) invites you to the next installment of the PreMiEr Fall 2024 Seminar Series on October 31st from Noon to 1pm on Zoom:
Speaker: Dr. Paul Turner

Leveraging evolutionary trade-offs in the development of phage therapy

The rise of antibiotic resistance warrants exploration of novel approaches to target and kill bacterial pathogens. Phage therapy offers a possible alternative, but a downside is the ability for target bacteria to evolve phage resistance. I develop phages that steer evolutionary ‘trade-offs’: these viruses bind to virulence factors of target bacteria to select for phage-resistance that compromises the function of structures responsible for bacterial pathogenicity. This approach is demonstrated in personalized medicine, where phage ‘steering’ in patients provides clinical benefits, such as changing the infecting bacteria to become re-sensitized to chemical antibiotics and decreasing their ability to cause tissue inflammation.
This series is open to the public, but non-PreMiEr members must register to receive the Zoom link. You need register only once for the entire series.
Register at https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0Pzn6Zv6XjNwKlE
