Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Chemical Sciences Division

Staff Scientist

 

University of Tennessee

Center for Environmental Biotechnology

Adjunct Professor

 

Mailing Address                                                                              Contact Information

ORNL, MS-6194                                                                               865-241-6013

Oak Ridge, TN 37831                                                                      kuritzt@ornl.gov

                                                                                                skim4@utk.edu

Research Interests

My laboratory carries out research in three major areas (1) microalgal biotechnology; (2) strain development for commodity chemical applications; (3) liposome delivery of plant protein complexes.  I also have a number of collaborative projects with engineers and physicists on the development of nanotechnology applications.

(1) In the area of microalgal biotechnology, I am studying degradation of pesticides by cyanobacteria and cyanobacterial products and biomass utilization.  These studies identified the ability of cyanobacteria to degrade lindane and other pesticides and organic compounds and linked the ability to degrade lindane to photosynthesis and nitrogen metabolism.  We also identified cyanobacterial species, which are a source of biopolymer effective in radionuclide sorption.  Using predictive protein modeling and targeted mutagenesis, I generated a collection of Chlamydomonas PSII insertional mutants, which enables the study of the electron transfer in the vicinity of Qa.  My academic interests involve development of genetic transformation systems for different microorganisms: we work with yeast, green algae, cyanobacteria, Gram-negative and –positive strains and with cell lines.

(2) Strain development efforts stemmed from major DOE interests in thermophilic ethanol and oil upgrading through PAH degradation.  To meet the challenges, we generated strain collections, isolated new strains and used directed evolution to produce enzymes better suited for engineering applications. This work was performed in close collaboration and under the requirements of chemical and biochemical engineers.

(3) Liposome delivery of plant protein complexes is a project in collaboration with Dr. Greenbaum.  We are developing methods of reproducible generation of liposomes of predictable sizes, control of orientation of protein complexes in the membranes and evaluating effects of the proteoliposomes on cells.

Other Expertise

I am also interested and actively work in international technology evaluation and transfer: I was awarded a number of grants and contracts for the evaluation and transfer of technology from Russia and NIS, and currently two Russian products from those efforts are being commercialized in the US. I am also serving as a collaborator and advisor on a number of conversion and technology development projects in Russia, Ukraine, Republic of Georgia, and Egypt.