No |
Date |
Name, Affiliation, Project Title |
Scholar/Research Associate |
1 |
08/07 – Present |
Dr. Lisa Schneper
Title: Pseudomonas aeruginosa pathogenicity |
Visiting Scholars |
1 |
08/00 – 06/01 |
Dr. Chong-Lek Koh, 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 |
Dr. Jim Entry, USDA ARS, Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research Laboratory, Kimberly, Idaho
Title: Using molecular tools to discern microbial diversity |
3 |
Spring ’07 – Fall ‘07 |
Dr. Karega Paisely, M.D. Currently interning as an observed in University of Miami Medical School. He is interested in infectious diseases. |
Postdoctoral Fellows, Current Appointment |
1 |
08/00 – 08/02 |
Dr. Zhijun Song
Title: Ginseng as anti-bacterial agent for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Clinical Microbiologist, Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark. |
2 |
6/02 – 6/03 |
Dr. DeEtta Mills
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. |
3 |
9/07 - |
Dr. Olivier Caille
Title: Mechanism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa AmpR action |
Visiting Student |
1 |
Sp ‘ 07 – Fall ‘07 |
Chigoziem Derek Nkwonta
Project Title: Characterization of multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from Southern Nigeria. Visiting PhD student from University of Ibadan, Nigeria. |
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.
Recently defended. |
Current Graduate Students |
No |
Date |
Program |
Name, Project Title |
6 |
Sp ‘07 |
Ph.D.
(Biology) |
Varinderpal Singh Pannu
Project Title: Molecular Mechanism of Pseudomonas aeruginosa AmpR action. |
5 |
Sp ‘07 |
Ph.D.
(Biology) |
Deepak Balasubramanian
Project Title: Characterizing the AmpR regulon. |
4 |
Sp ‘07 |
Ph.D.
(Biology) |
Diansy Zincke
Project Title: Regulation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pox operon involved in oxacillin resistance. |
3 |
Sp ‘06 |
Ph.D.
(Biology) |
Melissa Doud
Project Title: Microbial profiling of cystic fibrosis sputum. |
2 |
Sp ‘04 |
Ph.D.
(Biology) |
Allison Adonizio
Title: Identification of quorum sensing inhibitors in South Florida medicinal plants. Spending Fall 2006 and Spring 2007 in Fred Ausubel’s Lab, Harvard Medical School. |
1 |
Fall ‘03 |
M.F
(Forensic
Science) |
Todd Martin Crandall
Title: Microbial profiling of Miami-Dade soil types |
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
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.
- 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
Research Technician in my lab, 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. |
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. |
Middle and High School Students |
No |
Date |
Name, School, Role |
1 |
Fall ’03 – Sp ‘04 |
Gary Rodriguez, Coral Park High School, Miami
Mr. Rodriguez has been volunteering in my lab since Fall 2003. Although his primary interest is in environmental science, he has certainly been a trooper, learning and helping. As of Summer ’04, Mr. Rodriguez has joined Dr. Joel Trexler’s lab in FIU. |
2 |
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. |
3 |
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.
|
|
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.
|
