Dr. Pereira grew up in Massachusetts. As an undergraduate student, he attended Columbia University in New York City, where he received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering . He did graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.receiving M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Engineering. His Ph.D. thesis was in the area zeolite catalysis.

"I started at Argonne in 1992 as a post-doc in the Waste Form Development group of the Integral Fast Reactor program. I became a full-time staff member in 1994 in the same group."

"[Currently] I work on solvent extraction processes for treating spent nuclear fuel as part of the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative... [which] may lead to a totally closed nuclear fuel cycle, [reducing] the amount of nuclear waste that must be disposed in a geologic repository."

In connection with the GenIV nuclear energy program, this project may provide the blueprint for the energy future in the U.S. in the area of nuclear power production.

nuclear reactor
solvent extraction
separations
radionuclides
fuel cycle
spent nuclear fuel

Paula Moon
Chemical Engineer

Dr. Moon grew up in Costa Rica where she completed elementary, high school and undergraduate studies. She has three degrees in chemical engineering: a Bachelors degree from the University of Costa Rica, and Masters and Ph.D. degrees from Illinois Institute of Technology, in Chicago.

She arrived at Argonne in 1993 as a laboratory graduate student doing I research for her masters and Ph.D. degrees After receiving her Ph,D, she became a post doc. Currently she is an assistant chemical engineer.

"I'm doing research developing a column and a process for direct capture of histidine-tagged (his-tagged) proteins. The DOE Genomes-to-Life program and NIH structural genomics initiatives are focused on understanding the nature of protein structure, activity, and interactions.
To reach this goal, increased throughput in proteomics... and protein production is needed. The R&D goal is to demonstrate direct capture of his-tagged proteins from whole cell broth without the need for centrifugation or ultra filtration of the lysed cells."

His-tagged proteins are used in most structural genomics laboratories for standardizing protein production technologies.
This column Dr. Moon is developing is assembled with functionalized stainless steel porous membranes. These membranes incorporate polymers conjugated with nickel or cobalt functionality and are assembled in an automated column which will permit high throughput production and purification for these proteins. Future adaptations could provide a new paradigm for isolating proteins and for purification of biopharmaceuticals.

ionic bond, capture, porous, conjugated,
whole cell broth, cell lysate,
recombinant proteins, his-tagged proteins,
functionalized membrane,
affinity techniques,
high-throughput,
biopharmaceuticals

Eric Landahl
Physicist

Dr. Landahl grew up on the Southwest Side of Chicago, near 111th and Western Ave. He attended the Chicago Public Schools K-12: Clissold Elementary School, Keller Middle School, Morgan Park High School (class of 1990).

He was awarded an Illinois State Scholarship, and a CPS scholarship, which helped make it possible for him to attend the University of Chicago, where he receive BA Degree in Physics in 1994. While he was an undergraduate, he worked part-time at Argonne as a co-op student.

Dr. Landahl received a MS degree in Physics from DePaul University in 1996, and continued his graduate work at the University of California, Davis (and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) where he received a Ph.D. in Applied Science in 2001. He was a visiting researcher at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center between 2001-2003.

I started at Argonne at the age of 17, while still a CPS student. I worked a summer in the Ceramics Group at Argonne. I continued to work in various groups at Argonne as a co-op student through college. After graduate school and a post-doc in California, I returned to Argonne in summer 2003 to take a staff scientist position.

He reports his most interesting current research is "taking snapshots of atomic motion using x-rays and lasers," which could lead to better materials and chemicals for computers, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles.