COURSES TAUGHT

BMS 212 - Introductory Microbiology
BMS 213 - Lab in Microbiology
BMS 312 - Bacterial Genetics
BMS 313 - Bacterial Genetics Laboratory

EDUCATION

Ph.D. - Cellular & Molecular Biology, University of Michigan, 1985
A.B. - Biology, Hope College, 1978

RESEARCH INTERESTS

My lab group is continuing to study a renamed (1993) Bacillus bacteria (Paenibacillus) which is a facultative anaerobic, endospore-forming bacteria. These bacteria have been found in a variety of environments such as: soil, water, rhizosphere, vegetable matter, as well as clinical samples. The name indicates as much as the Latin word paene means almost, and so the Paenibacilli are literally almost Bacilli. The genus includes P. polymyxa, which is capable of fixing nitrogen a trait that the bacteria I have worked with in the past (Rhizobia fredii) and is used in agriculture studies.    Our group is trying to better understand the metabolism and physiology of these bacteria focusing on possible bacteria viruses (phages) that interact with these strains.  Our goal is to optimize both growth and culturing of these bacteria to combine with the phage work to study phage host/ interactions within this system.  

I currently have two BMS majors working with me trying to optimize the growth of various Bacillus strains and a third student working on isolating viruses which will be able to infect and kill these bacteria.