Episode 7: Synthetic biology exploited to neutralize mustard gas

MRS Bulletin Materials News Podcast · Apr 12, 2019 · 3m

Sophia Chen of MRS Bulletin interviews Jared DeCoste, a researcher with the US army, about the research team's work to counter the effect of mustard gas. First, the researchers alter E. coli’s DNA to produce an abundance of the molecule protoporphyrin IX. They then mix the protoporphyrin IX with another type of molecule called a metal-organic framework, which then behaves like an absorbent microscopic sponge that detoxifies sulfur mustard, or mustard gas. Read the abstract in MRS Communications (doi: 10.1557/mrc.2019.22).TranscriptSOPHIA CHEN: Today we’re talking about new research out of the…