Undergraduate bioengineer: Detecting pathogens with a fragile molecule

Cornell junior Bart Nogal, left, explains how his RNA research will help detect pathogens to Cornell alumnus Karl Ruggeberg '74 at the student poster session at the "Power and Promise of Life Sciences" forum in New York City, March 19. Blaine P. Friedlander Jr./Cornell News Service

By Blaine P. Friedlander Jr.

The danger presented by quick-response pathogen detectors now being developed is the possibility that they will show false-positive readings. RNA research conducted by Bart Nogal '04 could reduce that risk to near zero.

As a material for rapidly detecting pathogens, such as E. coli and Cryptosporidium parvum, DNA is heat stable and sturdy. Despite this hardiness, using DNA in a detector "could result in a false-positive reading when you are trying to find harmful live pathogens or a bio-warfare agent," said Nogal, a biological engineering major from Buffalo, N.Y. "RNA, on the other hand, is a very fragile molecule and only present if the pathogen is alive. It requires minimal handling and it is not prone to false positives."

RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is the organic compound in living cells concerned with protein synthesis. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a major constituent of chromosomes within the cell nucleus.

Nogal does his undergraduate research in the laboratory of Antje Baeumner, Cornell assistant professor of biological and environmental engineering, where two types of rapid-detection are being explored: a dipstick method that is similar to a home pregnancy test and a microfluidics method for water.

Nogal's work on RNA is integrated with the foundation for the microfluidics method. He presented his research at a scientific poster session at the Cornell life sciences forum at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, March 19.

His poster explained the process: Tainted water is introduced into the detection device; RNA amplifies the pathogen by multiplying it; the amplification then creates a biological signal to note the pathogen's presence.

Nogal developed this method after researching scientific literature and looking for a suitable material. The RNA isolation method, he said, makes the rapid detection accurate, fast and foolproof.

But there are many obstacles in handling RNA. "Working with bacterial RNA is very hard," he said. "Your working environment has to be very sterile and you have to establish that RNA loss is minimal when it passes through a microfluidic channel."

Of the cutting-edge research he conducts, he said: "I like the engineering aspect that might improve the way things are done. I love it. I love this work and making something faster and better."