Research Interests:                                  
Marine bioluminescent bacteria and their ecology, physiology and luciferase kinetics; particularly their life in fish guts, feces and seawater. The evolution of luciferase kinetic classes and arginine requlation of luciferase synthesis (lux operon). Thiothrix and
mixotrophic sulfur oxidation. 

Student Projects:
Relationship of LuxA sequences to luciferase kinetic classes; Lux regulatory genes in new isolates of luminous bacteria.

Representative Papers:                     
Luminescence 14:161-169, 1999
J. Biolumin. Chemilumin 13:147-156, 1998
Appl. Environ. Microbiol 58:2341-2343, 1992

Research & Student Interests/Projects:

Molecular Pathogenicity of Pseudonomas aeruginosa:

(a) b-lactam resistance, (b) regulation of alginate production, (c) biofilm formation, (d) quorum sensing; In vivo animal model for chrome respiratory infection and alternative and complementary. 

Representative Papers:

Microbiology1999 Jun;145(Pt6)1349-57

J. of Bacteriology 179(11)3711-3720

Clinical Microbiology 1999, 5:5S8-9

Research Interests:                                      
The biology, ecology and etiology of coral diseases, including identification and characterization of coral microbial pathogens, and the effects of coral disease on the reef. 

Student Projects:                                          
Microbial physiology of pathogens associated with black band disease of corals and coral plague; microbial ecology of coral disease pathogens; microbial ecology of coral disease pathogens; microbial motility patterns (phototaxis and chemotaxis); Chemical microenvironments associated with coral pathologies and microbial pathogen metabolism (micrelectrodes); Reef studies of coral population dynamics in terms of disease events

Representative Papers:                            
Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 13:438-443                                                       
Nature. 392:557- 558.
Bulletin of Marine Science. 61:485-490.