Guest Participants

Tamar Barkay Barkay@aesop.rutgers.edu
Faculty, Rutgers Univ.
Research Area: Metal-microbe interactions
Interest in microbial species: The relationship between microbial speciation and ecosystem function.
Huan Chen candicefamu@yahoo.com
Graduate student, Florida A&M Univ., Tallahassee, FL
Research Area: Microbial ecology of the Bdellovibrio and like organisms (BASO), a group of unique predatory Bacteria
Interest in microbial species: The BALOs are a unique group of predatory bacteria that are ill-defined but known information about the genome sequence of one species show their potential to produce unique antibiotics and other compounds that could be used to fight bacterial infections in humans. This workshop will be an especially valuable opportunity for us since we are currently having difficulties in establishing the most optimal way of classifying BALOs under genus level.
Poster Abstract: Isolating high efficient killing Bacteriovorax (Bx) strains that prey on virulent Vibrio vulnificus
Scott Gifford sgifford@uga.edu
Graduate student, Dept. Marine Sciences, Univ. Georgia, Athens, GA
Research Area: Marine microbiology, biogeochemistry, metagenomics
Interest in microbial species: I'm interested in whether we need to know the species context that genes from the environment are in to predict biogeochemical function at the ecosystem level.
Poster Abstract: Deep sequencing of a coastal bacterioplankton metatranscriptome: How sequence coverage affects biogeochemical interpretation
Natsuko Hamamura nhama@pdx.edu
Faculty, Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime Univ., Japan
Timothy Johnston tim.johnston@murraystate.edu
Faculty, Murray State Univ., Murray, KY
Research Area: Microbial communities in Kentucky lake sediments
Interest in microbial species: I work with a group studying the biogeochemistry of Kentucky Lake Reservoir and its watershed. I have examined the bacterial and archaeal communities by amplifying rDNA and sequencing clones. We would like now to begin to look at their activities and contribution to important cycles in this system.
Poster Abstract: Archaeal community structure in the sediments of an embayment littoral zone of Kentucky Lake reservoir
Edward Moore erbmoore@ccug.se
Faculty, Dept. of Clinical Bacteriology, Sahlgrenska Univ. Hosp., Univ. of Gothenburg, SW
Research Area: Clinical microbiology and antiobiotic resistance, diagnostics of infectious disease
Interest in microbial species: Identification and detection of microorganisms necessarily requires a stable systematic format. The issues of microbial (prokaryotic) species should be addressed from the academic points of view as well as from pragmatic points of view. Particularly, in cases of clinical microbiology issues, the tools that are developed and applied for the reliable identification and detection of bacteria are dependent upon recognition of stable biomarkers, as well as the features that do not correlate with species delineations. Given the extent of the diversity of microorganisms, it is essential that applications for species-level identifications are based upon a sound academic foundation for defining and recognising bacterial species. The question of whether this is ultimately possible is one of my main interests.
Craig Oberg coberg@weber.edu
Faculty, Dept. of Microbiology, Weber St. Univ.
Brad Plantz bplantz2@unlnotes.unl.edu
Faculty, School of Biol. Sci., Univ. Nebraska-Lincoln
Nick Pudlo pudlo1na@cmich.edu
Graduate Student, Central Michigan Univ.
Research Area: Microbial Ecology
Interest in microbial species: Increasing the knowledge about cyanobacterial species composition from unique habitats.
Poster Abstract: Cyanobacterial populations from a Michigan grassland alvar
Margie Romine margie.romine@pnl.gov
Staff scientist, Pacific Northwest National Lab
Research Area: Microbiology, molecular biology, genomics
Interest in microbial species: For the past 8 years or so I have studied Shewanella spp. which are best known for the ability to reduce membrane impermeable materials such as metal oxides as electron acceptors during respiration. The members of this genus are quite diverse, encompassing both cold-adapted species that can require salt and tolerate or even thrive in high pressure environments and warm-adapted species able to grow up to at least 42oC. With 21 genomes sequenced, I have been using comparative sequence and proteomic analyses to define the core genes that shared by members of this diverse genus, to identify genes and functions that have been acquired through gene exchange, and to identify the genetic basis for their ability to adapt to new environments. I am interested in applying some of the knowledge gained in working with these genomes to study functional/ecological relationships and gene exchange in more complex communities such as the Yellowstone ecosystem.
Poster Abstract: Evolution of the Baltic Sea Shewanella
Johannes Sikorski johannes.sikorski@dsmz.de
Postdoc, Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Kellkulturen GmbH, Braunschweg, GE
Research Area: Microbial population genetics, microevolution, adaptation to environmental conditions, speciation
Interest in microbial species: I am interested to study the speciation process of bacteria under environmental conditions (Soil, water, etc). I think it is important to link genetics, pehnotypes and ecological information under a population genetic perspective.
Poster Abstract: Bacillus simplex from "Evolution Canyon" - Tracing the evolution of ecotypes
Scott Snyder sdsnyder@nsf.gov
Program Manager, National Science Foundation, Systematic Biology Program, Arlington, VA
Research Area: Parasite systematics
Interest in microbial species: As a program officer at NSF I have a programmatic as well as personal interest in microbial species concepts and delineation.
Bill Staddon bill.staddon@eku.edu
Faculty, Biological Sciences, Eastern Kentucky Univ.
Research Area: Microbial ecology
Interest in microbial species: I am interested in the relationship between species composition and ecosystem function. I am also looking for material that I can use in a course on microbiology that I am developing.
Sergey Stolyar sergey.stolyar@pul.gov
Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Lab
Research Area: Microbial physiology, ecology, systems biology
Interest in microbial species: I have published my definition of bacterial species in 1991.

Ward Lab Collaborators

Tracy Cheever tracy.cheever@gmail.com
Undergraduate student, Northern Michigan Univ.
Poster Abstract: A relational database for research on alkaline siliceous hot spring microbial mats
Isaac Klapper klapper@math.montana.edu
Faculty, Dept. of Mathematics, Montana St. Univ.
Research Area: Fluid dynamics, modeling of microbial communities
Interest in microbial species: Modeling relation between physical environment and community structure in Yellowstone National Park cyanobacterial mats.
Shane Nowack nowack@math.montana.edu
Graduate student, Dept. of Mathematics, Montana St. Univ.
Research Area: Mathematics
Interest in microbial species: Modeling niche partitioning of microbial species in continuously varying environments from a mathematical perspective.

Non-FIBR MSU Participants

Jake Beam jprbeam@gmail.com
Graduate student, Montana St. Univ.
Research Area: Geomicrobiology, geochemistry of thermal springs
Interest in microbial species: Archaeal diversity, distribution and physiology in thermal springs with regards to biogeochemical cycling within these systems.
Ross Carlson rossc@coe.montana.edu
Faculty, Dept. of Chem. Eng., Montana St. Univ.
Research Area: Systems biology
Poster Abstract: Molecular level in silico analysis of mass and energy flows in microbial communities
Trinity Hamilton
Graduate student
Interest in microbial species: We are interested in physical and chemical parameters affecting complex metabolic reactions such as nitrogen fixation and the adaptation and evolution of microbial species capable of oligotrophy in order to understand the emergence of nitrogen fixation and the subsequent evolution of this process.
Bill Inskeep binskeep@montana.edu
Faculty, MSU
Research Area: Geomicrobiology
Interest in microbial species: Species and function
Zack Jay zackary.jay@montana
Graduate Student, MSU
Research Area: Systems biology
Interest in microbial species: I'm extremely interested in microbial species, specifically if we should use the term "species". Additionally, I'm interested in extremophile ecology and their interactions with their geochemical habitats.
Ryan Jennings
Research Area: Environmental microbiology, bioinformatics, archaeal carbon fixation
Rachel Lange
Research Assistant
Research Area: Microbial communities in Kentucky lake sediments
Interest in microbial species: How and why speciation occurs. What drives speciation in different environments.
John Peters john.peters@chemistry.montana.edu
Faculty, MSU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Research Area: Chemistry and biochemistry, microbial ecology
Barry Pyle barryp@montana.edu
Faculty, Dept. of Microbiology, Montana State Univ.
Research Area: Environmental microbiology, water, wastewater, spaceflight
Interest in microbial species: Interested in pseudomonads and similar opportunistic pathogens, enteric bacteria and other environmental pathogens, and bacteria that colonize water and closed loop cooling systems.

FIBR Collaborators

Don Bryant dab14@psu.edu
Faculty, Penn State Univ. and Montana State University
Research Area: Phototrophic microorganisms
Interest in microbial species: Ward Lab collaborator—anoxygenic chlorophototrophs in Yellowstone National Park.
Michael Kühl mkuhl@bio.ku.dk
Faculty, Marine Biological Laboratory, Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Copenhagen, DK
Research Area: Aquatic microbial ecology; photobiology; biogeochemistry
Doug Rusch
Scientist, J. Craig Venter Inst.
Laurey Steinke lsteinke@unmc.edu
Faculty, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Research Area: Metaproteomics
Interest in microbial species: I am interested in the interactions within microbial communities - both reactions to other members and reactions to changing environmental conditions.
Poster Abstract: Identification and Quantification of Proteins Produced by a Thermophilic Microbial Community Sampled at Three Temperatures.

FIBR Students and Specialists

Eric Becraft ebecraft@gmail.com
Graduate student, Land Resources & Env. Sci. Dept., Montana St. Univ.
Research Area: Microbial ecology and evolution
Interest in microbial species: Understanding the fundamental units of ecology is essential to the understanding of the processes of evolution that gave rise to the existing diversity of microorganisms.
Poster Abstract: Ecological Distinctness of Bacterial Ecotypes Predicted from Sequence Data Analysis and Evolutionary Simulation: Evidence from Distribution, Gene Expression, and Population Dynamics.
Sheila Jensen sijensen@bio.ku.dk
Graduate student, Marine Biological Laboratory, Dept. of Biology, Univ. of Copenhagen, DK
Poster Abstract: In situ dynamics of gene expression in hot spring microbial mats: implications concerning regulation and the diel cycling of physiological functions in thermophilic cyanobacteria
Christian Klatt klatt.christian@gmail.com
Graduate student, Land Resources & Env. Sci. Dept., Montana St. Univ.
Research Area: Microbial Ecology; community structure and function dynamics
Interest in microbial species: I'm curious how different ecological contexts impact the diversity observed in different systems.
Melanie Melendrez mmelendrez@gmail.com
Graduate student, Land Resources & Env. Sci. Dept., Montana St. Univ.
Research Area: Microbial ecology and population genetics
Interest in microbial species: My interest in species stems from a desire to know how populations are organized in the environment and their evolutionary response to ecological change.
Jason Wood montanawoody@gmail.com
Research Asst., Land Resources & Env. Sci. Dept., Montana St. Univ.
Research Area: Metagenomics
Interest in microbial species: Using metagenomics to explore diversity in situ.
Poster Abstract: Composition of Metagenomes from Yellowstone Hot Spring Microbial Mats Constructed by Photosynthetic Prokaryotes

FIBR PIs

Dave Ward (Lead-PI) umbdw@montana.edu
Faculty, Land Resources & Env. Sci. Dept., Montana St. Univ.
Research Area: Microbial diversity, ecology and evolution; microbial community ecology
Interest in microbial species: As a community ecologist, I am trying to understand the fundamental units of community composition, structure and function.
Poster Abstract: Outreach Projects that Broaden the Impact of our FIBR Project
Devaki Bhaya (Co-PI) dbhaya@stanford.edu
Faculty, Carnegie Inst. of Washington, Stanford Univ.
Fred Cohan (Co-PI) fcohan@wesleyan.edu
Faculty, Biology Dept., Wesleyan Univ.
John Heidelberg (Co-PI) jfheidelberg@gmail.com
Faculty, Univ. So. California

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