What are your major research interests?
Interactions of biological organic molecules with inorganic ions in aqueous solutions and at mineral/water interfaces resulting in:
- biomineralization such as bone growth in the human body
- modulation of crystal nucleation, growth and dissolution
- assembly or rupture of cell membranes at mineral surfaces of relevance to the fate of inhaled dust particles in the lungs and to the design of biocompatible mineral-based biomaterials
- the chemical composition-structure-activity relationships between silicate based bioglasses and bioceramics and their ability to nucleate hydroxylapatite at their surfaces, of relevance to designing improved biomaterials for orthopaedic and dental implants.
- Fate of toxic metals and metalloids in the environment, determining their mobility versus retardation by reactions at mineral-water interfaces
- The chemical and physical behavior of nano precipitates and nano co-precipitates.
To address the above research areas, our research group uses an array of experimental and computational tools including bulk analytical techniques for solution analyses, spectroscopic and microscopic approaches to determine molecular-level interactions, microcalorimetry to determine thermodynamics properties such as enthalpies of reactions, and ab initio Quantum Mechanical and classical Molecular Mechanics/Molecular Dynamics Methods to interpret reactions at the molecular level.
What drew you to the University of Wisconsin - Madison?
UW is a cutting-edge University, with a top research departments in almost every scientific field. Importantly, the boundaries between Departments at UW are extremely porous and fruitful inter-Departmental collaborations have proved extremely easy to establish. This is a great advantage in my research which straddles the fields of Interfacial Biogeochemistry, Biomedical Engineering and Materials Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry. The atmosphere at UW fosters fantastic opportunities for developing research ideas.
Why is recognizing a field of Geology and Health important?
First, let me say that I am delighted that the Biogeosciences Division at GSA is leading this discussion on Human Health and Geology. It is my opinion that processes in biogeochemistry have a profound, albeit largely unnoticed, impact on the general public. I use the term biogeochemistry to encompass environmental geochemistry, biomineralization in the human body, geomedicine, and medical mineralogy and geochemistry.
We humans create minerals within our bodies both normally and pathologically. Our bones and teeth are examples of normal mineralization, and they are composite materials composed of nanocrystals of the mineral hydroxylapatite (Ca5(PO4)3OH). The formation of calcium ureate and calcium oxalate crystals associated with kidney stones and gout are examples of pathological mineralization. Moreover, it is almost redundant to say this, but we often forget that, we are constantly in contact with our natural environment, and that consists of the minerals, water, air. For example, prolonged exposure to inhaled dust particles can cause severe respiratory disorders and even lung cancer. Another example is that geochemists have focused to date on the fate of inorganic toxic elements in the environment. New concerns now need to addressed such as the potential transport and fate of prions in the environment. Thus, the interactions of minerals and water with the human body within the body and in the external environment are ubiquitous and affect our health.
Until now, researchers in the medical professions have tended to study such diseases. In recent years, it has become apparent that emphasis on the biological side is insufficient, and the characterization of the minerals themselves, of the mineral/solution interface, and of nanoparticles is critical to understanding how minerals interact with the human body. Biogeochemists and Mineralogists are ideally trained and already have spectroscopic and modeling experience to deal with these complexities.
It is therefore important to recognize the huge potential contribution that Geochemists and Mineralogists can make to the field of Geology and Human Health. It is not only the scientists and practitioners who need to be made aware of this, but also higher-up Administration Officials within Universities such as Deans and Provosts, the general public, and policy-makers in Washington D.C.
Where is this area of study headed next?
As I mentioned above, in my opinion, the growth of this area lies in characterizing mineral/solution interactions at the nano-scale, and in complex systems. It is also my opinion that a greater understanding of the molecular-level interactions can be gained via increased application of molecular modeling tools, both quantum mechanical and classical, and combining the insights with experimental results. This connection is vital for developing an improved understanding of reaction mechanisms that control normal and pathological responses of the body to minerals inside the body. These advances can only be made by creating a dialogue between biochemists, molecular biologists, biomedical engineers, epidemiologists, biogeochemists and mineralogists, so that we can understand each other's scientific dialects and share insights.
Is there an important distinction between Geology and Health, Geomedicine, and Medical Geology?
Geology and Health is a very broad, umbrella term. Some of the other terms sound a bit vague (to my ear!) and do not directly convey the specific problems and areas of relevant research. If one must make up different names, then I would add Medical Mineralogy and Geochemistry to the list. Whichever term one uses, it is my opinion that one of the most intriguing questions and the greatest advances will lie in understanding the reaction mechanisms by which biological organic molecules interact with minerals or dissolved inorganic species in the human body. In this regard, of all the different terms listed above, I feel that the Medical Mineralogy and Geochemistry term is the last vague and conveys most clearly the specific area of research.
There are, of course, other equally important areas within the broader umbrella of Geology and Human Health such as Hazards Prediction. Prediction and Early Warning Systems for volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, hurricanes, land slides, and other natural disasters could save millions of lives. These areas, however, are not necessarily within the purview of the Biogeosciences.
What advice would you give to students of Geology and Health?
This is a truly Interdisciplinary and emergent field, so it is difficult to give advice. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the field, it may be easy to feel lost. The key, I think, is to have strong fundamentals in the chemistry, physics, and mathematics along with expertise in biochemistry, physical chemistry, geochemistry and mineralogy. I would also encourage students to read, read, read as widely as they can, not to hesitate in asking questions even at the risk of "sounding dumb" because many new areas of research and breakthroughs come about by asking the "dumb questions".
What other countries are doing research in this field - what is their focus?
Unfortunately, I am not entirely up on the International efforts in this field because it is to date a scattered community that has not had an umbrella organization or conference. I do know, however, that there are individuals or groups within the geological community in the UK and Japan who are focusing their research and outreach efforts on volcanic eruption predictions. Recently, a handful of books have been published in Europe and in the USA on this emerging area. And, of course, scientists in practically every country in the world are working on understanding processes such as bone and tooth growth, on designing improved biomaterials for implants in the body, and improved methods of targeted drug and cell delivery such as oxide sol-gel encapsulation.
Additional Issues in the Field
The fact that Medical Mineralogy and Geochemistry is an interdisciplinary and emergent field makes it an exciting one to be in. At the same time, it can be extremely challenging to secure funding for research, and find the appropriate reviewers and journals for research papers in this field. These problems exit because the research problems in Medical Mineralogy and Geochemistry do not neatly fit into the existing programs and research categories defined by funding agencies based on older definitions of research areas.
I strongly feel that new programs or sub-programs with existing one need to be created to handle research proposals, and new sources of funding need to be made available rather than simply shifting money around from existing programs. New funding is especially important for programs within Agencies that have had the fore-sight to foster the growth of our Medical Mineralogy and Geochemistry in recent years, such as the Geobiology and Low Temperature Geochemistry Program at NSF Earth Sciences. And new programs in the field could be created by joint funding between federal agencies with new sources of funding. This is why it is critical to bring this new field to the attention of the public and D.C.
Along similar lines, it is important for geochemists to acknowledge that the boundaries of our field have expanded and to accept Medical Mineralogy and Geochemistry as a part of Biogeochemistry, when it comes to reviewing papers for publication in the top-notch journals of Geochemistry and reviewing research proposals. The same is true for Administration officials and the broader Faculty within Universities when interviewing candidates for Faculty positions and for graduate student positions within Earth Sciences departments.
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