Projects

#1

LOUIS PASTEUR : FROM PARIS TO THE PETRI DISH

LOUIS PASTEUR (27 December 1822 - 28 September 1895)

Louis Pasteur was a brilliant French chemist and microbiologist who made groundbreaking discoveries that revolutionized medicine and science. He's best known for his work on pasteurization, a process of heating liquids to kill harmful bacteria and extend their shelf life. He also developed vaccines for diseases like rabies and anthrax, and his germ theory of disease was crucial in proving that germs cause infections, leading to vast improvements in hygiene and surgical practices. Pasteur's work laid the foundation for modern bacteriology and immunology.

Louis Pasteur était un chimiste et microbiologiste français de génie qui a fait des découvertes révolutionnaires qui ont transformé la médecine et la science. Il est surtout connu pour ses travaux sur la pasteurisation, un processus de chauffage des liquides pour tuer les bactéries nocives et prolonger leur durée de conservation. Il a également développé des vaccins contre des maladies comme la rage et le charbon, et sa théorie des germes a été essentielle pour prouver que les germes sont à l'origine des infections, entraînant d'énormes améliorations en matière d'hygiène et de pratiques chirurgicales. L'œuvre de Pasteur a posé les bases de la bactériologie et de l'immunologie modernes.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO FERMENTATION

Louis Pasteur's contributions to the study of fermentation were revolutionary. Before his work, it was believed that fermentation was a purely chemical process. Through his experiments, Pasteur proved that it was, in fact, caused by living microorganisms, specifically yeast in the case of alcohol. He demonstrated that different microorganisms produced different products—yeast produced alcohol, while bacteria produced lactic acid, which soured wine and beer. This discovery led to the development of pasteurization, a process of heating liquids to kill unwanted microbes and prevent spoilage. His work established the field of microbiology and provided a foundation for the food and beverage industries.

Les contributions de Louis Pasteur à l'étude de la fermentation ont été révolutionnaires. Avant ses travaux, on croyait que la fermentation était un processus purement chimique. Grâce à ses expériences, Pasteur a prouvé qu'elle était en fait causée par des micro-organismes vivants, notamment la levure dans le cas de l'alcool. Il a démontré que différents micro-organismes produisaient différents produits : la levure produisait de l'alcool, tandis que les bactéries produisaient de l'acide lactique, qui aigrit le vin et la bière. Cette découverte a conduit au développement de la pasteurisation, un processus de chauffage des liquides pour tuer les microbes indésirables et prévenir l'altération. Son travail a fondé le domaine de la microbiologie et a jeté les bases des industries agroalimentaires.

FATHER OF MODERN VACCINES

Louis Pasteur's work in the field of vaccines was revolutionary because he was the first to create vaccines in a laboratory setting by weakening, or "attenuating," microorganisms. This was a major scientific breakthrough because, unlike the smallpox vaccination which used a naturally occurring weaker virus, Pasteur's method was a controlled, repeatable process that could be applied to many different diseases. He developed vaccines for fowl cholera, anthrax, and most famously, rabies.

Pasteur's journey into vaccine development began with an observation about fowl cholera. He noticed that chickens injected with an old, weakened culture of the bacteria didn't get sick and were then immune to the disease. He successfully applied this principle of attenuation to other diseases, including anthrax, which was a devastating disease for livestock. His public demonstration at Pouilly-le-Fort in 1881, where vaccinated animals survived a lethal dose of anthrax, was a monumental success that solidified his reputation.

His most famous vaccine was for rabies, a universally fatal disease at the time. He successfully developed a vaccine by drying and weakening the spinal cords of rabid rabbits. In 1885, he administered this vaccine to a young boy who had been bitten by a rabid dog, saving his life. This was the first human test of a laboratory-developed vaccine and a monumental medical breakthrough.

While Edward Jenner pioneered the concept of vaccination with his smallpox vaccine, which used a naturally occurring weak virus (cowpox), Pasteur is called the "Father of Modern Vaccines" because he laid the scientific foundation for their development.

His key achievements that earned him this title include:

Pioneering "attenuation": He was the first to demonstrate that a weakened form of a pathogen could be used to create immunity. This was a method that could be applied to many different diseases.
The Germ Theory of Disease: His work proved that diseases were caused by microorganisms, providing a scientific basis for why his vaccines worked and leading to the new field of microbiology.
Creating laboratory-produced vaccines: He shifted vaccination from a hit-or-miss empirical process to a controlled, scientific one, paving the way for the development of countless other vaccines.

Le travail de Louis Pasteur dans le domaine des vaccins a été révolutionnaire car il a été le premier à créer des vaccins en laboratoire en affaiblissant, ou en « atténuant », les micro-organismes. C'était une percée scientifique majeure car, contrairement à la vaccination contre la variole qui utilisait un virus naturellement plus faible, la méthode de Pasteur était un processus contrôlé et reproductible qui pouvait être appliqué à de nombreuses maladies différentes. Il a développé des vaccins contre le choléra des poules, le charbon et, le plus célèbre, la rage.

Le parcours de Pasteur dans le développement de vaccins a commencé par une observation sur le choléra des poules. Il a remarqué que les poules auxquelles on avait injecté une culture ancienne et affaiblie de la bactérie ne tombaient pas malades et étaient ensuite immunisées contre la maladie. Il a appliqué avec succès ce principe d'atténuation à d'autres maladies, y compris le charbon, qui était une maladie dévastatrice pour le bétail. Sa démonstration publique à Pouilly-le-Fort en 1881, où des animaux vaccinés ont survécu à une dose mortelle de charbon, a été un succès monumental qui a solidifié sa réputation.

Son vaccin le plus célèbre fut celui contre la rage, une maladie à l'époque universellement fatale. Il a réussi à développer un vaccin en séchant et en affaiblissant les moelles épinières de lapins enragés. En 1885, il a administré ce vaccin à un jeune garçon qui avait été mordu par un chien enragé, lui sauvant la vie. Ce fut le premier essai sur l'homme d'un vaccin développé en laboratoire et une percée médicale monumentale.

Alors qu'Edward Jenner a été le pionnier du concept de vaccination avec son vaccin contre la variole, qui utilisait un virus naturellement faible (la vaccine), Pasteur est appelé le "Père des Vaccins Modernes" car il a posé les bases scientifiques de leur développement.

Ses réalisations clés qui lui ont valu ce titre incluent :

Pionnier de l'"atténuation" : Il a été le premier à démontrer qu'une forme affaiblie d'un agent pathogène pouvait être utilisée pour créer une immunité. C'était une méthode qui pouvait être appliquée à de nombreuses maladies différentes.
La théorie des germes de la maladie : Ses travaux ont prouvé que les maladies étaient causées par des micro-organismes, fournissant une base scientifique pour expliquer le fonctionnement de ses vaccins et ouvrant la voie au nouveau domaine de la microbiologie.
Création de vaccins produits en laboratoire : Il a transformé la vaccination d'un processus empirique et hasardeux en un processus scientifique et contrôlé, ouvrant la voie au développement d'innombrables autres vaccins.

#2

EXTRACTION AND APPLICATION OF PIGMENT PRODUCED BY BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM AIR FOR DYEING OF TEXTILE.

• The use of synthetically obtained dyes in textile industries leads to environmental pollution
and poses many health hazards associated with synthesis and processing of the same.
• There is a high water and energy consumption during such processes.
• Also, the harsh constituent chemicals of synthetic dyes can come into contact with
consumers during their use of the textile products.

OBJECTIVE

• With the world focusing on achieving a sustainable future, innovations for obtaining natural
pigments from microorganisms for their use as dyes for textile industries is an emerging and
exciting field of research.
• This research aims to have a positive impact on the environment and sustainability, while
discouraging the usage of synthetic dyes in the textile industry.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

• Petri plates containing Nutrient Agar were exposed to air for 15 minutes for air sampling.
• The pigmented isolates were sub-cultured.
• Solvent extraction by alcohol and water was performed.
• Isolates producing soluble pigment were identified and the dyeing capability to cotton was
evaluated.

APPLICATIONS

• Pigments could be used as natural dye for imparting colours to various grades of textile
materials in dyeing industry.
• Role in food industries as food coloring agents.
• Role in the pharmaceutical industry as antibiotic, anticancer, and immunosuppressive
compounds

RESULTS

• Environmental isolates of bacteria, producing visible colours in the culture plate, when
grown in laboratory were used for the extraction of the pigments.
• The pigments were then processed to obtain their concentrated form.
• The fabrics were dyed using a suitable mordant and checked for wash fastness.

CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION

• This emerging field for the application of bacterial pigments for dyeing the textile can bring
revolution to the textile industry and reduce its negative impact on the environment.
• Pigments produced by bacteria are of traditional use by some communities and have been
a subject of intense research in the present decades because of its potential for applications.

REFERENCES

• Shirata, A., Tsukamoto, T. 2000. Isolation of Bacteria Producing Bluish-Purple Pigment and Use for Dyeing. JARQ 34, 131 - 140.
• Sarkar, S. L., Saha, P. 2017. Exploring Textile Dye from Microorganisms, an Eco-friendly Alternative. Microbiology Research Journal International.
• Kramar, A., Kostic, M. 2022. Bacterial Secondary Metabolites as Biopigments for Textile Dyeing. MDPI.