Personnel:
John R. Battista - Principle Investigator
John Battista is from Detroit, MI and recieved a PhD in Chemistry from Wayne State University while in the laboraotry of L. J. Marnett. His postdoctoral work was done in the laboratory of Graham C. Walker at MIT. He has been a faculty member at Louisiana State University in Microbiology and Biological Sciences since 1990. He is also a Mary Lou Applewhite Professor of Biological Sciences
Dr. Battista's contact information:
Louisiana State University, Dept. of Biological Sciences,
646 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Phone: (225) 578-2810
Fax: (225) 578-2597
Email: jbattis@lsu.edu
Last update: Arpil 2013
Graduate Students:
Kathiresan Selvam
B.S., Veterinary Sciences, Pondicherry University (2005)
M.S., Veterinary Bacteriology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute (2007)
Ph.D., Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (2013)
Kathiresan is originally from Tamil Nadu, India. Previously, the Battista Lab has created a gamma radiation resistant Escherichia coli through iterative cycles of irradiation and outgrowth. Right now, Kathir is working on a project that aims to reveal the important genes and mutations in this evolved strain.
Kathir's contact information:
Louisiana State University, Dept. of Biological Sciences
107 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Phone: (225) 578-5226
Fax: (225) 578-2597
Email: kselva4@lsu.edu
Last update: April 2013
Kelley Gwin Núñez
B.S., Microbiology, Louisiana State University A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (2009)
Ph.D., Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (In Progress - anticipated 2014)
Kelley has developed a method called "Selective Capture" which captures specific DNA sequences from complex or low biomass samples. The method can concentrate DNA samples from low biomass environments and even from PCR-inhibitory enivronments. Currently, she is using her method to characterize a microbial community from the basal ice of Taylor Glacier and determine the microbiota of Crassostrea virginica, a Gulf of Mexico oyster. Kelley is also our lab manager and supervises all undergraduates and their projects.
Kelley's contact information:
Louisiana State University, Dept. of Biological Sciences
107 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Phone: (225) 578-5226
Fax: (225) 578-2597
Email: kgwin1@lsu.edu
Last update: April 2013
Kelley's CV
Undergraduates
Sarah Beth Theriot
B.S., Biological Sciences, Louisiana State Univerisity A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (In progress - anticipated 2014)
Honor's Thesis project: Determing the concentration of the human pathogen Vibrio vulnificus in depurated vs non-depurated Gulf of Mexico oysters during the winter and summer months.
Dieu Doan
B.S., Biological Sciences, Louisiana State Univerisity A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (In progress - anticipated 2014)
Honor's Thesis project: Direct evolution of desiccation resistance in Escherichia coli.
Trent Davidge
B.S., Biochemistry, Louisiana State Univerisity A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (In progress - anticipated 2015)
Kirstie Watkins
B.S., Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (In progress - anticipated 2014)
Grant Raphael
B.S., Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (In progress - anticipated 2015)
Trevor Smith
B.S., Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (2013)
Undergraduate Project: Determining the concentration of humic acid in the inhibition of PCR amplifying the STR D18S51.
Past lab members
Graduate Students:
Jana Duncan
M.S., Louisiana State University A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (2011)
B.S., Louisiana State University A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (2007)
Undergraduates:
Shannon White
B.S., Microbiology, Louisiana State Univerisity A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (2013)
Undergraduate Project: Isolation and characterization of styrene-butadiene degrading microorganisms.
Jordan Phillips
B.A., Psychology, Louisiana State University A & M, Baton Rouge, LA
Marisa Russell
B.S., Microbiology, Louisiana State Univerisity A & M, Baton Rouge, LA (In progress - anticipated 2014)
Undergraduate Project: Correlating protein inactivation to cell survivial upon exposure to ionizing radiation in Escherichia coli.