Dr Paul Molino

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) in Biology and Environmental Science, University of Melbourne

PhD Biology, University of Melbourne

Research Interests

My PhD focused on studying the biology of marine biofouling diatoms, including the developmental biology of marine microbial biofouling layers on a range of antifouling and fouling release coatings.  I employed the Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) as a tool with which to study the physical properties of the adhesive mucilage secreted by biofouling diatoms, revealing key differences in the viscoelastic properties of the adhesives secreted from different diatoms species, as well as unique cell – surface interactions on substrates of differing surface energy.  I also investigated the role played by both bacteria and diatoms in the development of the initial microbial biofouling layer on both toxic antifouling, and environmentally friendly fouling release, coating technologies.  I studied the development of these microbial films over several weeks, both in a tropical (Cairns, Australia) and temperate (Melbourne, Australia) environment, using several techniques, including epifluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and a fully turbulent flow chamber to study the nature of the modification of the coating surface. 

Since joining the Bionics Group at IPRI I have been working on characterizing the interaction between proteins and cells with conducting polymer materials.  Aims include measuring the effect of electrical and mechanical stimulation on protein – surface interactions, as well as muscle cell proliferation and differentiation.

Key Publications

  1. Molino, P. J., Campbell, E., Wetherbee, R. 2009. Development of the initial diatom microfouling layer on antifouling and fouling release surfaces in temperate and tropical Australia.  Biofouling, 25: 685 – 693.
  2. Molino, P. J., Childs, S., Eason Hubbard, M. R., Carey, J. M., Burgman, M. A., Wetherbee, R.  2009.  Development of the primary bacterial microfouling layer on antifouling and fouling release coatings in temperate and tropical environments in Eastern Australia, Biofouling, 25: 149 – 162.
  3. Molino, P. J., Wetherbee, R.  2008.  Mini Review: The biology of biofouling diatoms and their role in the development of microbial slimes. Biofouling, 5, 365 – 379. 
  4. Molino, P. J, Hodson, O. M., Quinn, J. F., Wetherbee, R.  (2008)  The Quartz Crystal Microbalance: a new tool for the investigation of the bioadhesion of diatoms to surfaces of differing surface energy. Langmuir, 24, 6730 – 6737. 
  5. Molino, P.J., Hodson, O.M., Quinn, J., Wetherbee, R.  2006.  Utilizing QCM-D to characterize the adhesive mucilage secreted by two marine diatom species in-situ and in real-time.  Biomacromolecules, 7, 3276 – 3282.

Phone:
+61 (02) 4298 1449

Email:
pmolino@uow.edu.au

Last reviewed: 19 October, 2009