Preparing for the Future
Frank and Panesun Tukur are both PhD students in the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering studying to make a difference in medical and environmental fields. They’re also brothers, and they’ve both come to UNCG after attending the same undergraduate school in Nigeria!
“Panesun and I both obtained a Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Adamawa State University, Mubi, Nigeria. While at school, we both served as department senators in the undergraduate student union. Upon graduation, we taught high school chemistry in the same school for a while and currently we are pursuing a PhD in nanoscience at UNCG. It really feels good to have him around,” Frank said.
In similar words, Panesun also expressed his gratitude for having the chance to study with his brother in the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering: “Having a sibling in the same program makes me feel at home. Although we pursue different research directions, having each other’s perspectives on scientific as well as social problems has been very helpful,” he said.
Introduction
Frank Tukur is the eldest in a family that includes four other siblings. He grew up in northern Nigeria where he attained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemistry from Adamawa State University in Mubi. His background had a major influence on his academic interests in developing life-saving medical devices.
“Growing up in northern Nigeria where access to quality medical resources is limited has initiated my early interest to improve the quality of life by building a cheap, portable biosensor for disease diagnostics,” he said.
He came to UNCG for several reasons, including the reputation of the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, UNCG’s cultural diversity, and the mild weather here in North Carolina. He also tells the Graduate School that a friend at North Carolina A&T University influenced his decision, directing him to the joint program shared between both schools.
“As soon as I saw the research and all the available state-of-of-the-art equipment, I couldn’t resist. As I further discovered the multicultural inclusion and the mild weather condition in North Carolina, I was convinced that UNCG is a must-go school for me and [I] have never regretted making that decision,” he explained.
Likewise, Panesun Tukur also holds advanced degrees in Chemistry, and he was motivated by his brother to join him in the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering for his PhD. He claimed that his undergraduate degree offered him a fundamental knowledge of nature and the relationships between natural forms. His research interests are structured around the utilization of advanced nanomaterials for clean energy generation and environmental remediation applications.
Research
Frank’s current research is focused on the idea of creating inexpensive, small-size medical devices that can offer affordability, portability, speed and accuracy. To achieve this desired effect, Frank is studying the unique properties and behaviour of metallic nanostructures using light. He aims to examine these factors to generate an understanding that allows him to build a portable device with sensitivity high enough to detect diseases like cancer before the onset of symptoms.
“In the words of my senior colleague Dr. Taylor Mabe, I would say that I hope for my biosensor research to do what the glucose meter did for the diabetic: to save lives,” he said.
Some of Frank’s earliest publications were motivated by his maternal grandfather who considered himself a traditional folk medical practitioner. This means that he provided herbal medicines to the local community to treat or prevent illnesses. However, Frank explained that most herbalists have no means of confirming what is wrong with their patients. Instead, prescriptions are usually based on the patient’s testimony and other observed symptoms.
In one of Frank’s undergraduate projects, he decided to use the scientific method to confirm his grandfather’s usage of the Nauclea latifolia plant to treat ailments such as jaundice, diarrhea, hypertension, and tuberculosis.
“The plant extract showed inhibitory activity against disease causing organisms like Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumonia, Shigella, dysenteriae, and Staphylococcus aureus, with zones of inhibitions of 10-25mm. The finding was later published in the Asian Journal of plant science and research,” Frank said.
In a recent publication from 2020, Frank discusses historical inefficiencies in detecting the presence of anti-insulin antibodies in our blood stream at low concentration levels. The presence of these antibodies indicates a risk for Type 1 Diabetes: “the biomarker fights against the body’s own insulin cells which results in insulin deficiency and consequently type 1 diabetes.” In effect, traditional methods and devices have not been as helpful as they could be in detecting these biomarkers. But Frank’s research advances the possibility of using a carefully fabricated nano ledge sensor to detect these biomarkers at a faster and more efficient rate.
On the other hand, Panesun Tukur’s research takes an environmental approach. His work centers around clean energy and remediation processes to undo pollution damage to the environment. He uses computational techniques to predict the potential efficiency of nanosystems in applications to energy and the environment.
“I feel that the work I do is very challenging but fascinating as it relies on the critical development and extensive probing of novel nanosystems that facilitate clean energy generation and also environmental remediation processes,” he said.
He also added that he hopes his knowledge will lead to a world where energy is cheaply generated and where the environment is free of anthropogenic chemical pollutants.
The Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering
When asked about his time with his PhD program, Frank spoke to the friendliness of the faculty and their willingness to help students with anything they need. He also appreciates the hands-on training opportunities and access to important equipment and resources related to his research. There’s also an impressive flexibility to take courses of relevance from both UNCG and N.C. A&T – part of the joint opportunities shared between the programs.
“I must admit that I like the ‘wow’ expression I get when people ask me which school I go to and I say the Joint school of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. They say only smart students get in there and who am I to say no,” he said.
Frank also discussed the importance of finding a research area that interests someone, and it’s important to have a clear idea of what you might like to see from your time in the program: “Go for it if you love it. But before starting the program, have a clear research goal, a target and a timeline.”
Similarly, Panesun described the interdisciplinary and collaborative atmosphere in the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering as fascinating, and he pointed out that students have countless opportunities to approach scientific issues of concern. For Panesun, his advice to anyone considering the program is to pursue their interests and take the next step: “Discovering new limits through rigorous experimentation could be daunting and hard. But always stay focused on your goal. Learn to draw motivation from the impact that your research will make.”
He also mentioned the excellence of his Faculty advisor. Panesun described his advisor as committed to helping students reach their maximum potential. There is also plenty of support to push students to be the best version of themselves: “My advisor is simply the best any graduate student could ask for.”
Post-Graduation Aspirations
For both Frank and Panesun, there is also an important focus on the future, and where they’d like to see themselves after graduation. Their research is critical to shaping a better place for everyone, and there are plenty of opportunities for continued success. For example, Frank mentioned that one of his goals is to see his research become a usable product, and he’d like to be a PI or CEO of a biomedical device startup company. Likewise, Panesun also wants to further expand his research after graduation, and he would like to continue his journey in academia, helping to train and mentor a new generation of students.
“One of our goals is to inspire young people from our community to keep their dreams alive, with the hope that in due season, they shall be standing right at the door of success if they don’t give up,” Frank said.
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