St Louis, Missouri, United States
Thesis: Identification of novel, species-specific phototrophic extracellular uptake mechanisms in marine Rhodovulum isolates • Developed de novo genetic system in purple non-sulfur bacteria from marine sediments • Specialized cell culture maintenance & growth characterization of novel environmental isolates • Distinguished function in bacterial communities via meta-genomics in diverse marine sediments • Generation of multi-scale, high-throughput sequencing data & analysis, visualization
Projects: Deployment of nascent cyanobacterial toxin detection system in Western Lake Erie • Converted standardized ELISA assay for toxin measurement into a submergible near real-time precision mechanofluid system • Collaborated with engineers, computational scientists, and biologists across the country • Submergible systems maintenance, sample programming, troubleshooting • Lead scientist on deployment & retrieval excursions
Project: Meta-transcriptomic Analyses of Diel Metabolic Functions During a Microcystis Bloom in Western Lake Erie (United States) • Field sampling across western Lake Erie in coordination with DNR • Meta-genome & meta-transcriptome sequencing of aquatic microbial biomass • Identified peak cyanobacteria toxin synthesis potential across 24-hour cycle & water metadata to advance municipal water supply detection strategies