Chemistry undergraduate student Hassan Mohamed won second place for the Undergraduate Fellows Student Choice at the 2024 IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Statewide Research Conference.
A student in Professor Ken Cornell’s lab, Mohamed’s award-winning research poster is titled “Efficacy of Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma in Inactivating Pathogens on Plant Seeds.” Mohamed conducts research using plasma devices for virus and bacteria inactivation, and reducing contamination on plant seeds and surfaces. The goal of his research is to prevent the spread of harmful pathogens in agriculture, protecting both crops and consumers.
“The goal is to address significant agricultural problems such as reduced germination rates and foodborne illnesses caused by bacterial contamination on seeds. By using cold atmospheric pressure plasma, we can effectively reduce seed contamination without harming seed vitality, paving the way for safer and more sustainable agricultural practices.The fact that the cold atmospheric pressure plasma we use only requires air and water as inputs makes it an environmentally friendly and sustainable solution,” said Mohamed.
Mohamed presented at the conference to complete his 10-week tenure in the Idaho INBRE Summer Fellows Program and is passionate about the research he is completing in Cornell’s lab.
“This research is important to me because it aligns with my passion for sustainable agriculture and food safety,” Mohamed said. “Knowing that our work could potentially reduce the reliance on harsh chemicals, conserve water, and ultimately save lives is incredibly fulfilling. It’s not just about making food safer; it’s about creating a healthier, more sustainable future for everyone. Saving lives is a core motivation for me. By reducing foodborne illnesses and improving food safety, we can directly impact public health and well-being. The potential to save lives through our work is incredibly inspiring and drives me to push the boundaries of our research.”
The Idaho INBRE Summer Fellows Program fellowship is a competitive monetary award for students to conduct mentored research. The program pays each awarded INBRE fellow to work full-time in an established faculty laboratory for 10 weeks during the summer. In addition to conducting guided research, INBRE fellows will attend professional development and scientific seminar presentations and will prepare a poster highlighting their work to be presented at the Idaho INBRE Statewide Research Conference in Moscow.
The project described was supported by an Institutional Development Award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under Grant #P20GM103408. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIH.