Keynote
“Shedding light on chemosynthetic symbioses:
Comparative genomics, transmission mode, and genome evolution”
by
Prof. Colleen Cavanaugh
Harvard University
MEETING SCHEDULE
June 22, 2018
6:00 pm: Dinner
7:30 -9:00 pm: Poster Session A*
Followed by Social
June 23, 2018
7:30-8:30 am: Breakfast
8:30 am: Metagenome of a Methanogenic Consortium That Converts Monochlorobenzene to Benzene
Steve Zinder – Cornell University
9:05 am: Apparent Benzene Loss in Iron-Reducing Sediment Culture
Rachel Dean and Donna Fennell – Rutgers University
9:25 am: Cellular Uptake of Mercury in Anaerobic Bacteria: Applications of Mercury Stable Isotopes to Elucidate Physiological Controls
Yuwei Wang, Sarah Janssen, Jeffra Schaefer, John Reinfelder and Nathan Yee – Rutgers University
9:45 am: Interval
10:00 am: Hfq and Hfq-Dependent Small RNAs Control Virulence in Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and Escherichia albertii
Shantanu Bhatt – St. Joseph’s University
10:50 am: Investigation of the Role of Hfq in the Virulence of Escherichia albertii
Shantanu Bhatt, Marisa Egan, Jasmine Ramirez, Christian Xander, and Daniel Kalman – St. Joseph’s University
11:25 am: Environmental Contamination by Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products: Microbes to the Rescue
Michelle L. Zeliph and Max Haggblom – Rutgers University
11:45 am: Group Photo
12:00-1:00 pm: Lunch
1:30 pm: Microbe Walk (Optional)
A nature-walk focusing on microbial habitats and field marks
6:00 pm: Dinner
7:30-9:00pm: Poster Session B**
Followed by Social
June 24, 2018
7:30-8:30 am: Breakfast
8:30 am: Biofilms and Legionella pneumophilia: Attachment and Nutritional Interactions
Jenna Zaia, Cassidy Sauer, and Christa H. Chatfield – SUNY Cortland
9:05 am: Sophronia’s Gardens: Microbiology in the Progressive Era
Craig Phelps – Rutgers University
9:30 am: Gut Microbiota Exert Sexually Dimorphic Influences on Anxiety-like Behavior and Cued Fear Recall in CS7BL/6 Mice
Caroline Geary, V. Wilk, C. Baker, H. Bergstrom, and David Esteban – Vassar College
10:05 am: Interval
10:20 am: Climate and Geology Impact the Global Stone Microbiome
Nathaniel J. Ennis, M. Louati, F. Ghodhbane-Gtari, K. Hezbri, D. Dharumadurai, M. Gtari, J. Bryce and Louis S. Tisa – University of New Hampshire
10:55 am: Conversion of Tropical Rainforest to Pasture Causes Consistent Annual Shifts in Bacterial Community Structure and Biotic Homogenization
George S. Hamaoui Jr., J.L.M. Rodrigues, B.J.M. Bohannon, J. Tiedje, and Klaus Nusslein – Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
11:20 am: Does Glyphosate Affect the Plant Rhizosphere over Time? A CURE; Year 1
Cynthia Keler – Delaware Valley University
11:40 am: NEMPET business meeting
12:00- 1:00 pm: Lunch and Departure
POSTER SESSION A*
Effect of Culture Conditions on Catalase Activity of Serratia marcescens
José de Ondarza and Hafis Bashorun – SUNY Plattsburgh
Catalase Activity and Ozone Sensitivity in Serratia marcescens Wild Type and Mutant Strains
Tyler Grant and José de Ondarza – SUNY Plattsburgh
Isolation and Identification of Bacteria Carried by Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii
David Green, Iswarya Vel, Chad McMahon, Scott McRoberts, Jonathan Fingerut, and Catalina Arango – St. Joseph’s University
Bacterial Symbionts of the Sea Anemones Diadumene lineata and Exaiptasia pallida
George S. Hamaoui Jr., Andrea Fachini, Ann C. Billetz, Heather Nielsen, Levon Hilling, and Anne M. Goodwin – Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Characterization of Female Sexual development-1 (fsd-1) Transcript Structure, Expression, and Localization in the Fungus Neurospora crassa
Thomas Hurysz, Mary Pyatt, Margaux Hales, Bryce Gebhardt, Christine Toufexis, and Elizabeth Hutchison – SUNY Geneseo
Protecting the Warfighter from Parasites
Megan Gagnon, Sarah Chamberlin, Katherine Iwanyk, Michaela Labare, M. Butkus, D. D. Bowman, and M. P. Labare – United States Military Academy
Season and Geography Drive High Microbial Variability in Fungus Gardens Grown by Trachymyrmex septentrionalis Ants
Kevin Lee and Jonathan Klassen – University of Connecticut
The Hfq-Dependent Small Regulatory RNAs OmrA and OmrB Indirectly Repress Transcription from the Locus of Enterocyte Effacement of Enteropathogenic Eschericia coli
Sarah Muche, Jihad El-Fenej, Wenlan Yu, Brianna Amos, Thomas Buerkert, Michael Rigal, Tressa Hunter, and Shantanu Bhatt – St. Joseph’s University
Chronosequence of the Root-Associated Microbial Communities in the American Beachgrass Ammophila breviligulata
Joshua G. Pimentel, Brianna L. Boss, and Javier A. Izquierdo – Hofstra University
Protecting the Warfighter from Pathogens
G. M. Kennedy, M. Y. Min, M. T. Nguyen, J.F. Fitzgerald, S. Schultz, M. Butkus, J. A. Starke, D. D. Bowman, and M. P. Labare – United States Military Academy
POSTER SESSION B**
The Small Regulatory RNA DsrA is a Negative Regulator of the Locus of Enterocyte Effacement in Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli
Brian Critelli, Marisa Egan, Sarah Muche, and Shantanu Bhatt – St. Joseph’s University
Targeting the Cause of Fatal Disease (JOD) in Eastern Oysters with Predatory Marine Bacteria
Megan Edwards and Christa H. Chatfield – SUNY Cortland
A Screen of Two Kinase Inhibitor Libraries Identifies Compounds with Antifungal Activity against Histoplasma capsulatum
Charlotte Berkes, Krystal Knight, and Jessica Mermelstein – Merrimack College
Biofilm Development on Plastic Polymers in Freshwater Rivers
Rene Hoover and Mark Gallo – Niagara University
Isolation, Characterization, and Evaluation of Beneficial Bacteroidetes Species from the Root of the American Beachgrass Ammophila breviligulata
Arjun Kumar and Javier A. Izquierdo – Hofstra University
The Growth of Bacteria on Cutting Boards Impregnated with Antimicrobial Agents
Yangzom Lhamo and Michael Honophy – St. Joseph’s College
Measuring the Effect of Essential Oils on Biofilm Formation in Streptococcus mutans
Yamini Malik and Michael Honophy – St. Joseph’s College
Understanding the Regulatory Mechanisms of AgpT on the melA-agp Operon and its Involvement in Succinate Mediated Catabolite Repression
Leona Ryder, Francis Mele, Vincent Pepe, Christina Mirarchi, Joseph Johnson, Muhammad Arif, Lucie Ngaba, Vinay Patel, Isabella Carpenter and Catalina Arango – St. Joseph’s University
Microbial Contamination in Upright Standing Water Coolers: A Longitudinal Study
Jennifer Sarcone and José de Ondarza – SUNY Plattsburgh
Rhizosperic Isolates from American Beachgrass Promote the Growth of Bermudagrass and Induce Community Composition Changes
Chaz M. Scala and Javier A. Izquierdo – Hofstra University