Areas Monica Santa-Maria is Knowledgeable in:
Bioenergy research
Biotecnology applied to waste management/ treatment
Biocatalysts to replace hazardous chemicals in industrial processes (textile, feed, food and beverages, leather treatment, etc)
Techniques Monica Santa-Maria Uses:
1. Define the problem
2. Determine tools to be used (i.e. Biotech, engineering, physics, etc.)
3. Look for information (literature review)
4. Generate hypothesis and devise a strategy
5. Test hypothesis in the laboratory (using my expertise)
6. validate solution
Monica Santa-Maria's Problem Solving Skills:
- Quantitative laser confocal microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM)
- Experience in biomass pretreatment and saccharification
- Plant tissue culture and plant and microbial transformation
- Biochemical assays to determine enzyme activity and kinetics
- Protein purification and protein ID by LC-MS
- Recombinant DNA technology and functional genomics
- Surface chemistry modification by self-adhesion of silane monolayers
- Microencapsulation by spray-drying
Monica Santa-Maria's Problem Solving Experience:
- - I identified root-specific promoters by screening a sweetpotato genomic library to be used for targeted expression of recombinant genes.
- - I identified the effect of plant cell Ca2+ that dramatically enhanced the thermal stability of recombinantly produced hyperthermophilic α-amylase and achieved improved starch self-processing in sweetpotato plants expressing a hyperthermophilic α-amylase in the storage roots.
- - I selected optimal biocatalysts by evaluating biochemical properties of hyperthermophilic amylolytic enzymes produced in E. coli and tobacco cell cultures.
- - I devised a method for microencapsulation of protein, cells and chemicals by spray drying (patent pending), and tested improved delivery of encapsulated cellulolytic enzymes in high solid saccharifications.
- - I developed a system that integrates atomic force microscopy (AFM), quantitative laser confocal microscopy and biochemical assays to query structural features in cellulosic substrates that are impacting cellulase action in ongoing hydrolysis reactions.