Welcome! ::. Sigma Xi McGill-Montreal Chapter .::

updated: 8 March 2009

March 2009

Prof. Nathalie Tufenkji
Bonding with Bugs: Bioadhesion in Environmental and Biomedical Processes
Monday, 30th March 2009
Public Lecture: 6:00 P.M.
McGill University
Otto Maass Chemistry Building
Room 10
_____________________________
Council Meeting: 4:30 P.M.
Ruttan Room
_____________________________
Member Reception: 5:30 P.M.
Ruthan Room

February 2009

Prof. Sylvain Roberts
Global warning - Recent facts about the ozone layer and global warming Monday, 23rd February 2009
Public Lecture: 6:00 P.M.
McGill University
Otto Maass Chemistry Building
Room 10
_____________________________
Council Meeting: 4:30 P.M.
Ruttan Room
_____________________________
Member Reception: 5:30 P.M.
Ruthan Room

January 2009

Prof. Micheal von Grünau
Vision on the go: How well can we see when we walk?
Monday, 26th January 2009
Public Lecture: 6:00 P.M.
McGill University
Otto Maass Chemistry Building
Room 10
_____________________________
Council Meeting: 4:30 P.M.
Ruttan Room
_____________________________
Member Reception: 5:30 P.M.
Ruthan Room

December 2008

Sigma Xi
Christmas Party and Special Lecture: Dr. Alex Koukoulas
Going Green: Opportunities and Challenges for the Green Revolution
Monday, 15 December 2008
Université McGill
Otto Maass Chemistry, Room 10
6:00 P.M.

Followed by the Party!!!
Ruttan Room 7:15 P.M.

November 2008

Prof. Jean Paris
The Forest Biorefinery, an Opportunity for the Canadian
Pulp & Paper Industry, not a Panacea
Monday, 24th November 2008
Public Lecture: 6:00 P.M.
McGill University
Otto Maass Chemistry Building
Room TBA
_____________________________
Council Meeting: 4:30 P.M.
Ruttan Room
_____________________________
Member Reception: 5:30 P.M.
Ruthan Room

October 2008

Prof. Patrick Ayotte
Life and death of a snowflake: Molecular beam studies of elementary heterogeneous atmospheric chemistry processes
Monday, 27th October 2008
Public Lecture: 6:00 P.M.
McGill University
Otto Maass Chemistry Building
Room 328
_____________________________
Council Meeting: 4:30 P.M.
Ruttan Room
_____________________________
Member Reception: 5:30 P.M.
Ruthan Room

September 2008

Dr. Steven J Melnick PhD.,M.D.
Pharmaceutical Medicine in Crisis! A search for harmony between Western and traditional medicine systems
Monday, 22nd September 2008
Public Lecture: 6:00 P.M.
McGill University
Otto Maass Chemistry Building
Room 10
_____________________________
Council Meeting: 4:30 P.M.
Ruttan Room
_____________________________
Member Reception: 5:30 P.M.
Ruthan Room

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30th March 2009

Nathalie Tufenkji
Assistant Professor
Canada Research Chair
Department of Chemical Engineering
McGill University

PDF Poster

FIELD TRIP ANNOUCEMENT

Bonding with Bugs: Bioadhesion in Environmental and Biomedical Processes

Microorganisms have a strong tendency to stick to surfaces or interfaces. The bioadhesion process has important implications in a wide range of biomedical and environmental applications. Adhesion of pathogenic microorganisms to mammalian cell surfaces or biomedical devices is the etiology of a broad spectrum of pathologies including endocarditis and urinary tract infection. For this reason, medical and dental research in this area is focused on preventing and controlling the formation of infectious biofilms – structured communities of microorganisms enclosed within a self-developed matrix of polymeric substances and adherent to a living or inert surface. I will discuss our work aimed at preventing binding of infectious organisms to medical devices and to mammalian cell surfaces using an active component of Vaccinium macrocarpon – the North American cranberry.

Bioadhesion and subsequent biofilm formation is also of importance in a wide range of environmental and industrial scenarios. Biofouling is a widespread problem that affects the performance of bioaugmentation systems for in-situ bioremediation, water distribution pipes, and water treatment membranes. Some environmental processes, such as bioreactors and riverbank filtration systems, rely on bioadhesion and biofilm formation for proper functioning.In my lecture, I will discuss recent advances in the characterization of the complex microbial adhesion process from the nanoscale to the macroscale.