Presenting research at 2023 Undergraduate Research Poster Competition.

Author: Jed Johnson | Major: Biochemistry | Semester: Spring 2023 

Jed Johnson is a Bodenhamer Fellow in the Fulbright College of Arts & Sciences studying Biochemistry. Over the past year, he has performed research in Dr. Ingrid Fritsch’s laboratory, which seeks to investigate chemistry in ultrasmall volumes. Jed’s research was awarded a second-place ribbon in the 2023 Undergraduate Research Poster Competition.

I have had the wonderful opportunity to conduct research in Dr. Ingrid Fritsch’s lab in the Analytical Chemistry Department over this past year. The goal of my project is to characterize the manipulation of microliter solutions on a chip utilizing magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). MHD is the phenomenon in which the nonparallel interaction of an ionic current density and a magnetic flux generates a force, which can be harnessed to move solutions with extreme precision on a miniaturized scale. This project has many potential applications, such as use in chemical separation or “lab-on-a-chip” point of care analysis devices. The small-scale analysis also decreases chemical waste, requires less energy to operate, and allows for easy transportation.

I was introduced to Dr. Fritsch’s work in a slightly atypical manner. In my Chemistry II course, we were required to give a presentation over a paper published by a professor in our department. I was intrigued by Dr. Fritsch’s paper about MHD as it combined many topics that I had learned in my courses that semester: electrochemistry from Chemistry II, Lorentz Force from University Physics II, and vector computation from Calculus III. After presenting her paper to my class, I reached out to Dr. Fritsch to learn more about her research, which has led to my current project mentioned above!

Working on such a small-scale has its challenges. From straining my eyes attempting to solder miniscule pins on an edge connector to analyzing data for hours on end, I have had some frustrating moments in the lab. Any worthwhile project or endeavor, however, requires patience and persistence. Stepping back, reassessing the situation, and creating small, achievable goals with deadlines has helped me progress through my project thus far.

Of course, I could not have overcome these challenges on my own. I am grateful for the help and guidance from both the graduate students in the lab and from Dr. Fritsch. The graduate students walked me through “bootcamp” to learn the basics of various electrochemical techniques and the instruments in the laboratory. Dr. Fritsch allocates an hour each week for a 1:1 individual meeting where she provides potential solutions to difficulties faced in the lab, helps interpret data, and offers guidance for future experiments. Her unwavering support and encouragement have helped me navigate my project thus far. I have also been able to present during weekly group meetings to hone my presentation skills and receive constructive feedback from the lab members. I would like to thank the Fritsch Lab for being such an amazing group to work with!

So far, my research has proven that MHD is feasible on a novel chip design, but extended pumping in a single direction is limited. Thus, I plan to continue my research on this project next year, focusing on extending the MHD pumping capabilities of the chip by implementing an automated magnet-switching device. Next Spring, I plan to complete and defend my Honors Thesis. I encourage all who are interested in research to browse their department’s directory and view the professors’ research projects. It is never too early to reach out and get started!