Laboratory group

Current
Technicians:

• Carolyn Sheehan, B.A. San Diego State University, Staff Research Associate I

Graduate students:

• Brian Clement, B.S. in Biology, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, NDSEG Fellowship, Research: Microbial ecology of manganese(II)-oxidizing bacteria (Ph.D. anticipated 2005)
• Karen Murray, S.B. in Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, EPA Star Fellowship, Research: Biogeochemical cycling of chromium (Ph.D. anticipated 2005)
• Greg Dick, B.S. in Biology, University of Virginia, Research: Bacterial manganese(II) oxidation (Ph.D. anticipated 2006)
• Racheal Howard, B.S. in Biology, San Francisco State University. Research: Metals and microbes (Ph.D. anticipated 2008)
• Lisa Haucke, Diplom, Freie UniversitŠt, Berlin, Germany. Research: Role of microbes in the degradation of volcanic glass (Ph.D. anticipated 2009-2010).

• Rizlan Bencheikh-Latmani, Ph.D. 2001, Thesis: "Uranyl-Pseudomonas fluorescens interactions: Implications for uranyl mobility in the subsurface", Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University. Current Research: Mechanisms of uranium(VI) reduction by bacteria.
• Alexis Templeton, Ph.D. 2002, Thesis: "Lead and Selenium distributions and speciation at biofilm/metal-oxide interfaces", Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University. Current research: Chemolithoautotrophs involved in the initial weathering of ocean-basalts.
• Hope Johnson, Ph.D. 2001, Thesis: "A Physiological and Biochemical Characterization of Anaerobic Ethylbenzene Oxidation", Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University. Current research: Purification and characterization of Mn(II) oxidizing proteins from bacteria.
• James (Flip) McCarthy, Ph.D. 2002, Thesis: "Directed Evolution of 1,4-b-D-Glucan Glucohydrolase from Thermotoga neapolitana: Tracking Improvements in Catalytic Efficiency by Thermostable Coupled Enzyme Assay Derived from Thermotoga maritima", Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program, Rutgers University. Current research: Molecular biology and biochemistry of bacterial Mn(II) oxidation.
• Yadira Rivera Espinoza, Ph.D. in Biotechnology, CINVESTAV-IPN, Mexico City.

• Anna Obraztsova, Specialist, M.S. in Microbiology, Moscow State University; Ph.D. Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia. Thesis: "Methanogenic Bacteria in Oil Field: Ecology, Physiology, Taxonomy". Current Research: Chromium(VI) reduction by anaerobic bacteria.
• Dorothy Parker, Research Associate, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley, Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin. Current Research: Interactions of manganese with exopolysaccharides and siderophores.

Past
Graduate students

• Kevin Mandernack - Ph.D., 1992, Thesis: "Oxygen isotopic, mineralogical, and field studies of microbial manganese oxidation" (217 pp.). Current position: Associate Professor, Colorado School of Mines.
• Lorraine van Waasbergen - Ph.D., 1993, Thesis: "Genetic analysis of manganese(II) oxidation by spores of the marine Bacillus sp. strain SG-1" (110 pp.). Current position: Assistant Professor, University of Texas, Arlington.
• Yoon Lee - Ph.D., 1994, Thesis: "Microbial Oxidation of Cobalt: Characterization and Its Significance in Marine Environments" (159pp.) . Current position: Scientist, National Institute Of Environmental Research, Seoul, South Korea
• Ron Caspi - Ph.D., 1996, Thesis: "Molecular biological studies of manganese oxidizing bacteria" (169 pp.). Current Position: Senior Scientist, Pangene Corporation
• Chris Francis, Ph.D., 2000, EPA Star Fellowship (past receipient). Thesis: Diversity and Molecular Mechanisms of Manganese(II)-Oxidizing Bacteria (174 pp.). Current position: Assistant Professor, Stanford University.
• Meriah Arias,Ph.D., 2002, NIH MARC Fellowship (past recipient). Thesis: "Natural Attenuation of Cr(VI) by Bacteria in Harbor Sediments". Current position:
• Rebecca Verity, M.S., 2003. (non thesis). Current position: mom.
• Mark Griffith, M.S., (thesis in progress) from San Diego State University. Current position: The Scripps Research Institute.

Postdoctoral researchers:

• Li-ming He, 1996-98, Current Position: Senior Research Scientist, San Diego State University Foundation and Adjunct Professor, San Diego State University; doing research on environmental sensors with the Environmental Sciences Division, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego
• Dirk Schuler, 1998-99, Current Position: Junior Group Leader, Max-Planck-Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany
• Van Chiu, 1999-2000, Senior Project Engineer
• Carlos Ruiz-Green, 2000, Current Position, Scientist, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mazatlan, Sinaloa. Research: Manganese and chromium chemistry in sediments.

Undergraduate Researchers (recent)

• Edgie-Mark Co, (1999-2001), B.A. Biology, University of California, San Diego. Now in the Ph.D. program at UC Riverside.
• Jennifer Fung, (2000-2002), B.A. Biology, University of California, San Diego. Now in the Ph.D. program at Cornell.
• Andrew Anfora, (2001-2002), B.A. Biology, University of California, San Diego. Now in the Ph.D. program at University of Wisconsin.

Visiting Scholars

• Kazuhiro Toyoda, Visiting Scholar, Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Tokyo. Current position: Associate Professor, Graduate School of Environ. Earth Sci., Hokkaido University. Current Research: Factors influencing bacterial Mn(II) oxidation.

Organization
The lab is run jointly with Margo Haygood's group, sharing space, equipment and technical personnel. Every
Friday afternoon we hold a joint meeting. Each meeting begins with a business meeting where we discuss
matters of general interest and solve problems. Following the business meeting we have either a research
presentation by a member of the lab or a visitor, or a round table. Round tables and research presentations
alternate each week. During a round table, several people in the lab briefly reviews events and results since the last
round table and describes goals for the next interval. Round tables allow us to keep current between major
research presentations, and ensure communication and exchange of help and ideas among lab members. Each
lab member has a regular weekly meeting time with Brad, as well as frequent informal contact.