Jay Louise Nadeau, Scientist
Center for Life Detection
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Mail Code 183-301
4800 Oak Grove Dr. Pasadena, CA 91109 (818) 354-0522; (818) 393-4445 (FAX)
nadeau@mail2.jpl.nasa.gov
Ph.D. in Physics, May 1996
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Joseph I. Kapusta
Dissertation Title:
Correlated Density Matrices in Finite-Temperature Quantum Field Theory
(Published in whole in Physical Review D)
B.A. in Biology, 1990
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Itasca Directors' Scholarship for
field research in ecology, summer 1990
Department of Education Graduate Fellowship
January 1991-June 1994
Aneesur Rahman Dissertation Award for best thesis, May 1996
Burroughs-Wellcome Research Fellowship, August 1997-present
(Caltech initiative in Computation and Molecular Biology)
Member of the Engineering Staff, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
December 2000-present.
Currently
Funded Projects as Principal Investigator
1. "Miniature Electronic Dynamic Ion Channel Sensor (MEDICS)," Biomolecular Systems Research Program, NASA Code U, July 2001-June 2004. Funding level: $500 K/year for 3 years. Purpose: engineering of a stable millimeter-scale biosensor based upon ion channel proteins for detection of specific biosignatures. Work includes: MEMS design and processing; genetic engineering of ion channels; discovery of novel ion channels from extremophiles. Collaborators: Prof. Dennis Dougherty, Caltech.
2. "Researching Extraterrestrial Life with Ion Channel Sensors (RELICS)," ASTID proposal, NASA Code S, 2002-2005. Funding level: $300 K/year for 3 years. Purpose: theoretical investigation of membrane proteins of bacteria that may be developed into biosensors for ion channels. Examples include chirally-selective amino acid binding proteins and ion-binding proteins such as siderophores. Collaborators: Prof. Hagan Bayley, Texas AMU; Prof. Alexandra MacDermott, University of Houston Clear Lake.
3. " Astrobiology and Life Detection Institute for Informal Educators," ASTID Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) proposal. Purpose: to develop a display at the Minnesota Science Museum that presents JPLÕs Astrobiology efforts to the public. Funding level: $50 K/year for 2 years.
4. "Quantum dots for in situ life detection technology," BioNanoTech, NASA Code R. Purpose: development of CdSe nanocrystallites as fluorescent sensors for space-flight and in situ life detection experiments. Funding level: $200 K/year for 2-3 years (subject to annual review).
5. "Biofunctionalization of Nanoscale Cantilevers for Sensor Development," Director's Research and Development Fund (DRDF) (JPL/Caltech internal funding). Purpose: development of Bio-NEMS sensors. Funding level: $100 K/year for 1 year.
6. "CHemistry and Imaging of Martian and Earth Soils (CHIMES)," Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets (ASTEP), NASA Code S. Purpose: development of a flight-ready wet chemistry instrument suite for in situ detection of organic and inorganic biosignatures Funding level: $350 K/year for 2 years (chosen 10/02; to begin early 2003).
JOINT APPOINTMENT:
Visiting Associate in Mathematics and Physics, California Institute of Technology, May 2002- present. Project: "Bio-NEMS"; PIs: Prof. Michael Roukes and Prof. Scott Fraser. Purpose: biofunctionalization of nanometer-scale devices for sensing of bacteria, viruses, and organic molecules.
STUDENTS AND POSTDOCS SUPERVISED
Jeremiah Kloepfer, JPL Postdoc, April 2002-present. Quantum dot characterization and synthesis; ion channel sensors.
Martha-Helene Stapleton, Caltech senior undergraduate, July 2002-present. Biofunctionalization of gold surfaces.
PAST POSITIONS
Graduate Research Assistant, University of Minnesota
1992-1996. Projects involved computer simulation, numerical integration, and the development of analytic techniques for summation of finite-temperature Feynman diagrams.
Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Scripps Research Institute
1996-1997. Computer simulations and analytic approximations of water and
ion flow through peptide nanotubes.
Postdoctoral Scholar, California Institute of Technology
Received a Burroughs-Wellcome physics/biology grant to inhibit neuronal signals in selective brain regions.
American Physical Society
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Chemical Society
Single-channel and whole-cell electrophysiology; immunocytochemistry; fluorescence, confocal, 2-photon, electron, and atomic force microscopy; ion channel cloning and mutagenesis; all modern techniques of molecular biology; bacteriology and virology, including Biosafety Level 3 containment; surface and linker biochemistry; electronics; quantum dot synthesis and characterization; some MEMS techniques.
Proficient in French and Russian.
Working knowledge of several computer languages and operating systems, including C, FORTRAN, Pascal, Mathematica, UNIX, and VMS.
RECENT PRESENTATIONS
REFERENCES
(Direct supervisor)
Kenneth H. Nealson
Wrigley Professor of Geobiology
Dept. of Earth Sciences, USC
Science Hall, Suite 223
3651 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0740
Phone: 213-821-2271/ FAX: 213-740-8801
(Supervisor, Caltech joint
appointment)
Scott E. Fraser
Professor of Biology, California
Institute of Technology
M/C 139-74
Pasadena, CA 91125
Phone: 626-395-2790/ FAX:
626-449-5163
(Program manager for funded
work)
Darrell L. Jan, Ph. D.
Advanced Environmental
Monitoring and Control Manager
Biomolecular Systems Research
Program Deputy Manager
Environmental and Biomedical
Technology APM
Life Detection Science
and Technology
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
M/S 180-604
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109
Phone: 818-354-4542 / FAX:
818-393-5269
(Thesis advisor)
Joseph I. Kapusta, Ph.D.
Professor of Physics, University
of Minnesota
116 Church St. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone:
612-624-0506
/ FAX: 612-624-4578
kapusta@physics.spa.umn.edu