Scholar/Research Associate                        

Visiting Scholars

Postdoctoral Fellows                        

Past Graduate Students Who Completed

Undergraduate Students with Thesis/Report

Past Undergraduate Students without Thesis

Visiting Students       

Middle and High School Students

 

 

CURRENT MATHEE CREW 

 

For Fall 2008 Mathee Lab consists of 15 individuals:

Senior Fellows (3)

1

08/07 -

Research Assistant Professor

Lisa Schneper, Ph.D.

¨     Lab Co-director

2

09/07 -

Post Doctoral Fellow

Olivier Caille, Ph.D.

¨     Working on collaborative experiments in Harvard with Steve Lory

3

12/08 -

Post Doctoral Fellow

Senthil Kumar, Ph.D

Students: Graduate (3), Undergraduate (5) and High school (2)

4

Sp ’06 -

PhD Candidate

Melissa Doud

¨     RISE Scholar

¨     Recipient of Fall 2008 CFF Traineeship grant ($1500)

¨     Recipient of summer NIH-BRI/MBRS 2008 Award ($3000)

¨     Gave a talk at the 2008 North American CF Meeting (10/2008)

¨     Presented a poster at the 2008 American Society for Microbiology Meeting (6/2008)

¨     8th Comparative Immunology Symposium: Immunodiversity: Cellular and molecular interactions. Placed third in the “Best Presentation Award(3/2008)

¨     10th Annual Biology Research Symposium. Placed second in the “Best Presentation Award(2/2008)

¨     Presented a poster at the 2008 Asian Conference in Transcription in Bangalore, India (1/2008)

¨     FIU Minority Biomedical Research Mini-Symposium. Placed first in the “Best Presentation Awardin the graduate students category (9/2007)

¨     Gave a talk at the 2007 American Society for Microbiology – Florida Branch Meeting in St. Petersburg, FL. Placed second in the “Best Presentation Awardin the graduate students category (10/2007)

5

Sp ‘07

PhD student

Deepak Balasubramanian

¨     Summer internship in Harvard Medical School with S. Lory

¨     Presented a poster at the 2008 American Society for Microbiology Meeting (6/2008)

¨     Presented a poster at the 2008 Asian Conference in Transcription in Bangalore, India (1/2008)

¨     Presented a poster 10th Annual Biology Research Symposium, FIU (2/2008)

¨     Presented a poster at the 2007 American Society for Microbiology – Florida Branch Meeting in St. Petersburg, FL. – “Best Poster Award” in the graduate students category (10/2007)

6

Sp ’07 -

Ph D student

Diansy Zincke

¨     RISE Scholar

¨     Recipient of Fall 2008 CFF Traineeship grant ($1500)

¨     Recipient of summer NIH-BRI/MBRS 2008 Award ($3000)

¨     Presented a poster at the 2008 American Society for Microbiology Meeting. Received “ASM Travel Award” (6/2008)

¨     Presented a poster 10th Annual Biology Research Symposium, FIU (2/2008)

7

Sp ’07 -

UG Biology

Raphael Bosse

¨     Recipient of Fall 2008 CFF Traineeship grant ($1500)

¨     2008 Summer internship in MIT, Boston

¨     2007 Summer internship in Johns Hopkins

8

Sp ’08 -

UG Biomed Eng

Camila Ceballos

¨     RISE Scholar

9

Sum ’08 -

UG Biology

Christian Villaseca

10

Fall ‘ 08

UG Biology

Laura Flores

¨     MARC Scholar

11

Sum ’08 -

High School

Rafael Ortiz

Columbus High School (Sophomore)

12

Sum ’08 -

High School

Michael Rodriguez

Columbus High School (Sophomore)

Others

13

Fall ’08 -

Technician

Natalie Maricic

14

Sp ’08 -

Technician

Horatio Priestap

 


 

SCHOLARS

 

No

Date

Name, Affiliation, Project Title

Visiting Scholars & Resident Scientist

1

08/00  – 06/01

Chong-Lek Koh, Ph.D. Professor Institute of Biological Sciences (Genetics), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Visiting Fulbright Scholar)

Title: Pseudomonas aeruginosa ampDE operon analysis

2

Winter ‘01 

11/03 – 07/04

Jim Entry, Ph.D. USDA ARS, Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research Laboratory, Kimberly, Idaho (Sabbatical Visitor)

Title: Using molecular tools to discern microbial diversity

3

Spring ‘07

Karega Paisely, M.D. Resident in University of Miami.

4

12/07 – 6/08

Balasubramanian Danajeyan (Visiting Professor)

Exploitation of soil metagenomics for monitoring microbial nitrogen transformation and soil fertility

Postdoctoral Fellows, Current Appointment

1

08/00  – 08/02

Zhijun Song, M.D., Ph.D.

Title: Ginseng as anti-bacterial agent for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Clinical Microbiologist, Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

2

06/02  – 06/03

DeEtta Mills, Ph.D.

Title: (i) Using molecular tools to discern microbial diversity; (ii) Proteomic analysis in response to b-lactam antibiotics in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Director, DNA Fingerprinting Facility, International Forensic Research Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL.

 

STUDENTS

 

Past Graduate Students Who Completed

No

Date

Major

Name, Project Title, Current address

1

96-97

Computer

Science

Yuan Gao (Coadvised) MS ’97, PhD ‘99

Title: Detection of helix-turn-helix motifs in protein

Major Advisor: Dr. Giri Narasimhan

Postdoctoral fellow, Harvard Medical School, Boston. Joining as an Assistant Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.

2

Sp ’01

–  

Sp ‘03

Biology

Andres Plata Stapper, MS ‘03

Title: Role of exopolysacchride alginate in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation associated with cystic fibrosis.

Lab Manager, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL.

3

Fall ‘01 – 

Fall ‘03

Forensic Science

Sasha Zinzila Miller, MF ‘03

Title: Develop a novel molecular diagnostic tool to track bacterial infection in cystic fibrosis sputum using 16S rRNA.

Consultant, Forensic DNA Analysis, Barbados.

4

Sp ‘01

Sp ‘04

Environ. Science

Ramakrishna Ruttala, MEnv ’04 (Co-advised)

Title: Distribution and biogeochemical importance of bacterial population in the Everglades Tree Islands.

Major Advisor: Dr. Krishnaswamy Jayachandran

Technician, Hemispheric Center for Environmental Technology, Florida International University

5

Fall ‘02 –

Sum ‘04

Forensic Science

Sheria King, MF ’04

Title: Investigation of gyrB as a potential forensic microbial molecular marker

Ms. King was on a study-leave from the Bahamas police force. She has been an active member of my forensic team and presented her work both at local and national meeting. She was involved in number of projects.

Forensic Manager, Bahamas Police Force, Nassau, Bahamas.

6

Fall ‘01

Fall ‘05

Biology

Kok-Fai Kong, PhD ’05

Title: Characterization of amp genes involved in b-lactamase expression.

Postdoctoral Associate, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.

7

Fall ‘02

Fall ‘05

Biology

Robert Todd Sautter, MS ’05

Title: Molecular mechanism responsible for mucoid to nonmucoid conversion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Technician, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), FL

8

Fall ‘03

Fall ‘05

Forensic

Science

Lillana Moreno, MF ’05

Title: Molecular and chemical characterization of three Miami-Dade soil types for forensic comparison

Technician, DNA Fingerprinting Facility, FIU, Miami, FL.

9

Fall ‘03

Sp ‘06

Forensic

Science

Melissa Doud, MF ’05                      

Title: The Role of Amplicon Length Heterogeneity – Polymerase Chain Reaction in Microbial Community Profiling and Presumptive Testing of Bioagents

Ph.D. Student, Department of Biological Sciences, FIU, Miami, FL.

10

Sp ’05 – Sp ‘07

M.S.

(Biomed. Eng.)

Lance Umansky        

Title: Development of species-specific probe for Bacillus anthracis.

Free Lancer

11

Sp ’04 – Sp ‘08

Ph. D. (Biology)

Allison Adonizio

Title: Identification of quorum sensing inhibitors in South Florida medicinal plants.

Postdoctoral Fellow, Fred Ausubel’s Lab, Harvard Medical School.

Visiting Students

1

03/07 – 09/07

Ph. D. (Biology)

Chigoziem Derek Nkwonta, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Project Title: Characterization of multi-drug resistant Pseudominas aeruginosa isolates from Southern Nigeria. Visiting PhD student from University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

2

01/08 – 05/08

M.S.

(Mol Biol)

Marios Stylianu, Umea University, Sweden

Project Title: Mapping mutations responsible for nonmucoid reversion phenotype of mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa

 

 

Past Undergraduate Students with Thesis/Report

No

Date

Name, Project Title, Current address

1

Sum ‘01 –

Fall ‘02

Damaris Ramos, BS (Biology)

Title: Molecular mechanism responsible for mucoid to nonmucoid conversion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Ms. Ramos was part of the Honor’s college and the Biology Honors program. The Biology Honors program has stringent admission criteria requiring students to have a GPA in biology subjects to be more than 3.5. She received several honors, awards, and scholarships, notably

¨     The NIH – MBRS – RISE Scholarship to work in my group

¨     The ASM-MURC fellowship that allowed her to spend a summer in Tufts University in Boston

¨     The FIU – Travel Award to present her work at the 7th Asian Conference on Transcription in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in July 2002. (http://www.fiu.edu/~asian/fu_foundation_scholarship_recipi.htm)

¨     The FIU Honors college award for Academic Excellence in Science/Technology (http://www.fiu.edu/~honors/honorsconvo/)

¨     The FIU Faculty Award for outstanding achievement “Student SpotLight” (http://news.fiu.edu/thisweek/04nov02.htm)

¨     An invitation by Prof. Adhya to present her work at the National Institute of Health (NIH).

She also presented her work in October 2002, at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS): Preparing scientists for the 21st Century, organized by the ASM in New Orleans, LA. Her work was selected for the Proceedings of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). Only 14% of the works are selected for peer-review publication.

Ms. Ramos is currently attending Chiropracter School

2

Fall ’01 –

Sp ‘02

Analisa Cumberbach, BS (Biology)

(Jointly advised with Dr. Jim Fourqurean)               

Title: Characterization of anti-bacterial compounds made by Miami marine algae  

¨     Biology Honors student.

¨     She laid the foundation for some of the current work in my lab.

Medical student in University of West Indies.

3

Fall ’01 –

Sp ‘03

Maria Raquel Weaver, BS (Biology)                      

Report Title: To determine the relationship between alginate production and quorum sensing molecules in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Ms. Weaver was a Honors College student. In her work she was able to improve the tools that is currently used in my lab. She has a number of awards including:

¨     Florida Georgia-Stokes League in Alliance for Minority Scholarship.

¨     Second place in Life-Science Presentation Category for here presentation entitled, “Bacterial communication in expression of the virulent genes of the pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa” at the Florida Georgia-Stokes League in Alliance for Minority Participation Exposition.

Currently, she is graduate student in Southwestern University, Dallas.

4

Fall ’01

Sp ‘03

Alian Aguila   BS (Biology)              

Title: Topology analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa AmpG permease.

Mr. Aguila was a member of both the University and Biology Honors programs. Alian generated several plasmid constructs that will be used in my lab in many projects. Alian is an exceptional student with many awards and credits to his name, notably,

¨     Biology Honor Student

¨     NIH - National Cancer Institute Cancer Research Fellowship

¨     NIH - National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Summer Internship

¨     NIH-NIGMS MARC U-STAR Scholarship: Awarded to Minority students who are involved in Biomedical Research

¨     Was inducted to Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society

¨     Padron Scholar

¨     Florida Georgia-Stokes League in Alliance for Minority Scholar

¨     Hispanic Scholarship Fund-Department of Energy Award.

¨     FIU Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement

¨     FIU News “Student Spot Light” (news.fiu.edu/thisweek/01sep03.htm)

¨     FIU Homepage Alumni Spotlight (news.fiu.edu/releases/2003/10-13_alian_aguila.htm)

He joined the University of Miami in Aug 2004.

5

Sp ’04

Fall ‘05

Aditi Gurkar

Thesis Title: Phage therapy against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm

Ms. Gurkar is a member of the Biology Honors programs. Aditi is an excellent student with many accomplishments including

¨     Biology Honors Student

¨     Summer Internship in Harvard Medical, Boston with Stephen Lory (Summer 2005); subsequently she joined the lab as a technician in Spring 2006.

¨     2005 Robert J Smiddy Excellence in Research Award (given to outstanding undergraduate researcher for the quality of thesis and presentation)

¨     FIU Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement 2006

¨     Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society

Graduate student, Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program in Boston University.

6

Sum ’04 –

Fall ‘05

Raquel Olavarietta               

Thesis Title: Role of AmpR in biofilm Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm antibiotic resistance

¨     Biology Honors Student

¨     FIU Faculty Award for Outstanding Service in 2005

¨     Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Traineeship

Graduate student in FAU, while waiting to join Medical School.

7

Fall ’03

Spr ‘06

Sergio Luna

Title: Mapping amp gene transcripts

¨     Biology Honors Student

¨     FIU Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement

Joined Albert Einstein in the MD-PhD program. Opted for MD only.

8

Fall ‘04

Spr ‘06

Sixto Leal

Title: Role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa L-serine deaminase in virulence

¨     Biology Honors Student

¨     Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Traineeship

Joined Case Western in the MD-PhD program.

9

Spr ‘05

Spr ‘06

Krystal Anson

Title: Development of mold remediation tool

¨     McNair Fellow

¨     FIU Faculty Award for Outstanding Service in 2006

Joined Pennsylvania State University for PhD.

10

Fall ’05 –

Spr ‘08

Natalie Maricic

Title: Investigating an alternative treatment to cystic fibrosis: testing the effect of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer extracts on Pseudomonas aeruginosa

¨     Biology Honors Student

¨     McNair Fellow

¨     FIU Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement 2008

¨     Several Outstanding Poster Awards

¨     2008 Robert J Smiddy Excellence in Research Award (given to outstanding undergraduate researcher for the quality of thesis and presentation)

Currenly. Lab Manager, Mathee Lab.

11

Fall ‘07

Nabil Baker

Title: Presumptive identification of the fungal communities in cystic fibrosis patients’ sputum using amplicon length heterogeneity polymerase chain reaction

¨     Honors Student

¨     Summer Internship in Vanderbilt University (Summer 2007 and 2008)

 

Past Undergraduate Students without Thesis - Nine

No

Date

Name

Current Status

1

Fall ‘00 – Fall ‘01

Diana Guardia

Medical Student (?)

2

Fall ‘00 – Fall ‘02

Hernan Hernandez

Medical Student

3

Fall ‘00

George Hanna

Dental Student

4

Fall ‘00 – Sum ‘02

Kenia Dominguez

MD in Miami

5

Sp ’01 – Sum ‘02

Rafael Martinez

Medical Student (?)

6

Fall ‘01

Vidya Maharaj

FIU Graduate Student

7

Sp ’02 – Fall ‘02

Carlos Cajina

Medical Student

8

Sp ’03 – Sp ‘04

Aimee del Puerto

Technician

9

Fall ’06 – Sp ‘07

Carolina Veronese

Medical Student

10

Sp ’08 – Sum ‘08

Laura Fajardo

FIU Undergraduate Student

 

                                                      

Middle and High School Students

No

Date

Name, School, Role

1

Sp ‘98

Ankita Baxi, Houston Middle School, Germantown, TN.

Project Title: Bacterial Resistance to Commonly Used Antibiotics

She spent the semester working on this project. She received the following awards at the Memphis/Shelby County Science and Engineering Fair

¨     The Commercial Appeal Junior Division Award (The First Prize, Seventh Grade)

¨     The Commercial Appeal Junior Scholar Award

¨     West Tennessee Chapter of the American Statistical Association (Third Place, Junior Division)

¨     Outstanding Achievement Recognition by McDonalds for Top 25 Projects in Junior Division.

2

Sp ‘99

Ankita Baxi, Houston Middle School, Germantown, Tennessee.

Project Title: Genetic Exchange 

She spent the semester working on this project. She received the following awards at Memphis/Shelby County Science and Engineering Fair.

¨     The Winner of Commercial Appeal Junior Division Award (Eighth Graders)

¨     The Commercial Appeal Junior Lighthouse Scholar Award

¨     Outstanding Achievement Recognition by McDonalds for Top 25 Projects in Junior Division,

¨     Discovery Young Scientist Challenge in Recognition of an Outstanding Ability to Communicate Science.

3

Sum ’03

Sum ‘04

Carolina Cazales, Coral Park High School, Miami

Ms. Cazales has been volunteering in my lab during her summer holidays. She has been learning about the how the lab is run. She has done the chemical and enzyme inventory and did a lab map indicating where every item has been placed.

4

Fall ’03 – Sp ‘04

Gary Rodriguez, Coral Park High School, Miami

Mr. Rodriguez primary interest is in environmental science. He was certainly a trooper, learning and helping. In Summer ’04, Mr. Rodriguez joined Dr. Joel Trexler’s lab in FIU.