On April 27, 2016, Konkuk University (KU) announced that Professor Han Seung Kim of the Department of Environmental Engineering published the cover page article titled “Production of electrically-conductive nanoscale filaments by sulfate reducing bacteria in the microbial fuel cell” for the June 2016 issues of Bioresource Technology. A KU research team led by Professor Kim identified that sulfate-reducing bacteria produces nanoscale filaments that can transfer electrons directly to extracellular electron acceptors. Although previous studies have suggested that dissimilatory iron reducers transfer electrons directly to insoluble electron acceptors via bacterial nanowires, the study by KU’s research team was the first to prove that sulfate-reducing bacteria could also produce nanoscale bacterial appendages for extracellular electron transfer.
Dr. Numfon Eaktasang, who received her doctoral degree from KU, was listed as the first author of the article. A Thai national, Dr. Eaktasang received a bachelor’s degree from Thammasat University and a master’s degree from the Asian Institute of Technology, and came to KU to pursue her Ph.D. After returning to Thailand in 2013, she is conducting environmental engineering research at Thammasat University. Regarding the article, Dr. Eaktasang said, “[It is] a testament of KU’s excellence in education and research, and I am delighted that my 5-years of research at KU was recognized.”