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AFFILITATIONS
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Barry Bruce, PhD
Professor
Associate Director,
Sustainable Energy & Education Research Center
Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology
bbruce@utk.edu
Curriculum Vitae |
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Angela Gilley, BS., M.Ed.
Outreach Coordinator
agilley@utk.edu
Angela received her B.S. in Animal Science with a Minor in Biology at UTK, and a M.Ed. in Secondary Science Education at Lincoln Memorial University.
She spent a semester doing research in our lab and now working as coordinator for TN-SCORE program. |
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Jenna Schuettpelz, BS.
Sustainable Energy & Education Research Center
Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology
jschuettster@gmail.com
Jenna joined the Bruce lab after graduating from the University of Tennessee with a dual major of Animal Science and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Apart from organizing the lab, her research work includes studying the transformation of the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1 by electroporation and natural transformation, generating BP-1 mutants, as well as maintaining and characterizing the mutants. Jenna plans on obtaining Masters in Marine Biology |
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Non (Prakitchai) Chotewutmontri, MS.
Genome Science & Technology
pchotewu@utk.edu
Non received his BS and MS in Genetics from Kasetsart University in Thailand. Later got a MS in Computational Biology from NJIT. He joined Genome Science & Technology program in 2004 and started working full-time in Bruce lab a year later after rotations. His research focus on characterization of transit peptide recognitions by TOC translocon mainly by mean of in vitro and in vivo chloroplast binding and import assays. His current tasks includes development of high-throughput assay, bioinformatic analysis of transit peptides and in vivo analysis of psToc75. |
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Natalie Myers, BS.
Microbiology
nmyers6@utk.edu
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Richard Simmerman, MS.
Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology
rsimmerm@utk.edu
Richard grew up in Knoxville, TN and earned his B.S. in BCMB at the University of Tennessee in 2005. Richard joined the Bruce lab in 2006 and earned an M.S. in BCMB in the summer 2011 while working with Toc75, the core protein of the general import pathway. Areas of interest include Toc75 self association and possible interactions with other protein import machinery. Richard is now working on mutating PSI and a hydrogenase in order to produce hydrogen fuel. |
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Khoa Nguyen, BS.
Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology
knguyen4@utk.edu
With an undergraduate background in Microbiology from the University of Tennessee, Khoa is now in his third year of graduate school, pursuing a PhD in BCMB. Khoa is currently involved in a project attempting to produce H2 via water photolysis in algae and cyanobacteria. His contributions include cloning and mutagenesis of Photosystem I subunits from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus, transformation of T. elongatus, screening for homologous recombination, and isolation of the mutant Photosystem I complexes which then can be functionally characterized through electrochemical and photochemical assays. |
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Meng Li, BS.
Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology
Energy Science & Engineering
mli19@utk.edu
Meng is from Hunan province in Southern China, which is famous for spicy food. He got his BS in Biological Sciences from China Agricultural University. He joined BCMB in 2010 and Bruce Lab in 2011. Also he is a student in UTK-ORNL ESE graduate program. His current project involves the understanding how and why PSI forms a trimer and characterizing photosystems in cyanobacteria. |
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Tuo Zhu, BS.
Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology
tzhu3@utk.edu
Tuo grew up in Beijing, China and earned his BS in Biology in 2010. He joined the Bruce lab in 2011 and he is now in his second year of graduate school, pursuing a PhD in BCMB. Tuo currently involves in a project attempting to produce a low cost high efficiency hybrid photovoltaics. Tuo is now working on ferredoxin, the iron-sulfur protein that mediate electron transfer in a range of metabolic reactions. |
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Kristen Holbrook, MS.
Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology
kholbroo@utk.edu
Kristen earned her B.S. and M.S. in BCMB from the University of Tennessee and joined the Bruce Lab in January 2012. Her research interests focus on how biochemical characteristics translate into cellular and physiological importance. She is especially interested in subcellular protein trafficking and currently works on understanding the mechanics of the TOC translocon machinery, including how the Toc34 and Toc159 GTP hydrolysis cycle contributes to protein import. |
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Cathy Scott, MS.
Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology
mcscott@utk.edu
Cathy received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Bethany College, West Virginia and a masters in Plant Science with an emphasis in molecular biology on the Agriculture Campus of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. After several years as a Research Associate studying everything from bioengineering bacteria, cellular signal transduction, disease diagnosis, to wildlife disease ecology, she has returned to her primary passion –Plants. She joined the Bruce lab and BCMB in January 2012. Cathy is working on elucidating the mechanism of electron transfer between ferredoxin and Psa C, D and E. |
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Stephen Wright, PhD.
Professor
Department of Biology, Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, TN
swright@cn.edu
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Dibyendu Mukherjee, PhD.
Assistant Professor
Sustainable Energy & Education Research Center
Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering
dmukherj@utk.edu
Hybrid Photovoltaic Materials
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Michael Vaughn, MS.
Arizona State University
mdvaughn@asu.edu
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Rosemary Le, BS.
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
rle1@utk.edu
Rosemary's undergraduate work was focused on utilizing microorganisms to remediate the environment. She received a BS in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at NC State University with minor in Biotechnology. She joined STAIR program in 2009 and pursuing PhD in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. |
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Michelle Brown
Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology
mbrown82@utk.com
Michelle Brown is an undergraduate majoring in Biochemistry Cellular and Molecular Biology. She joined the lab in August 2009, and is under the supervision of Richard Simmerman. Michelle helps with the production of the transit peptide and POTRA domains. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school. |
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Melissa Bigler
Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology
mbigler@utk.edu
Melissa is an undergraduate in BCMB who joined Bruce Lab in January of 2011. She is currently working with Meng on characterizing properties of PSI in Thermosynechococcus elongatus. Her goal is to graudate with a BS from UT and go to graduate school to get a PhD and eventually do cancer research. |
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John Greer
Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology
jgreer16@utk.edu
John is a senior in BCMB at the University of Tennessee and is from Dickson, TN. He joined Bruce lab in May 2011. He is currently working with the Hallsdale-Powell Utilities Board in the bioremediation of nitrogen and phosphorous from wastewater. Several different strains of algae and cyanobacteria are used in the project. He plans to go to dental school after he graduates. |
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Jordan Bryner
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
jbryner@utk.edu
Jordan is an undergraduate student in CBE and joined Bruce lab in May 2011. He is primarily involved in the expression and purification of the protein cytochrome c553. After graduation he plans to attend medical school. |
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Emily Ledet
Hardin Valley Academy
emily_ledet11@yahoo.com
Joined the lab as part of the Pre-Collegiate Research Scholars Program in July 2011
Working with Meng Li on cytochrome crosslinking |
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Robert Mynatt
Former CMDB MS Student (1998)
After graduation, he got his MD from University of Tennessee. He currently practices Otolaryngology in Chattanooga, TN.
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Dr. Robert Ivey III
Former BCMB PhD Student (2000)
After graduation, he worked as
a post-doctoral fellow at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. Currently, he is the director of fermentation at Osprey Biotechnics. He also a co-Founder & a senior consultant for ChemBio Scientific Consulting, Sarasota, FL
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Dr. Carole Dabney-Smith
Former BCMB PhD Student (2001)
adabney@muohio.edu
Carole was a postdoctoral associate in Dr. Kenneth Cline's Lab at University of Florida from 2001-08. Currently, she is an assistant professor at Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH. Her research focus on protein sorting related to organelle biogenesis in chloroplasts & mitochondria.
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Dr. Chitra Subramanian
Former Plant Physiology & Genetics PhD Student (2001)
After she graduated she worked as a post-doctoral fellow for Dr.Albrecht von Arnim at BCMB department. She is now a post-doctoral fellow at
Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
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Dr. Huixia Zhang
Former BCMB Master Student (2003)
Huixia recieved a PhD from University of Washington, Seattle and currently is a Visiting Associate at Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Silver Spring, MD
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Katherine Smith
Former BCMB Undergraduate Student
She is currently completing her MS in Nutrition and Rural Development. Her plan is to become a Osteopathic doctor doing community health work in the future. She is also a world traveler, mushroom hunter, and strange dresser. She is now living in Gent, Belgium
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Charity A. Olson-Stratton
Former BCMB Undergraduate Student
Charity attended graduate school at the University of Utah, and is currently living in the LA valley. She teaches extra-curricular science classes for preschool and elementary aged children |
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Dr. Qiang Wang
Former Post-doctoral Fellow
qwang@msu.edu
He is currently work as a post-doctoral fellow with Dr. Katherine Osteryoung at Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
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Anton
Former BCMB PhD Student
MD |
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Sarah J. Wright
Former Botany Master Student
(2006)
sarahwright@usgs.gov
Sarah Wright is a Biodiversity Information Specialist for the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII, www.nbii.gov), a collaborative program managed by the U.S. Geological Survey, whose mission is to provide increased access to data and information on the nation's biological resources. Her responsibilities include planning, analysis, evaluation and development of new tools and resources to integrate and manage biological content and supporting data. Sarah has a BS in Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, an MS in Botany, and an MS in Information Science.
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Dr. David McWilliams
Former GST PhD Student (2007)
David worked as a research chemist for Chem Tech in Charlott, NC after he graduated. He is currently a research scientist at Gnomic Science
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Ian M. Campbell
Former BCMB Undergraduate Student (2008)
ianmcampbell@gmail.com
Ian is currently a MD/PhD Student at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
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Letitia Olson
Former BCMB Undergraduate Student (2008)
lolson@utk.edu
Letitia has always been interested in medically related research. She is now working with Dr. Cynthia Peterson at BCMB Department,
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN. |
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Michael D. Vaughn
Former Lab Technician
mdvaughn@asu.edu
Michael is continuing work on applied photosynthesis. He is currently a PhD Student in Biochemistry in Dr.Thomas Moore's Lab at Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ |
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Will Crenshaw
Former BCMB Master Student (2009)
williamicrenshaw@yahoo.com
After graduatioin Will moved to California where he finished a Master Brewery program at UC Davis. He currently work as a Brewer at Sweetwater Brewery, Atlanta, GA |
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Dr. L. Evan Reddick
Former BCMB PhD Student (2010)
evan.reddick@utsouthwestern.edu
Evan is now a post-doctoral fellow in the Lab of Dr.Neal Alto at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX. His research focuses on understanding the mechanism of a variety of pathogenic factors secreted by E. coli, Shigella and Salmonella. |
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Ashita Dave
Former BCMB MS Student (2010)
adave.utk@gmail.com
Ashita studied the Toc translocon protein channel, Toc75. She is now working as a Biological Science Technician at USDA/ARS. |
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Dr. Ifeyinwa Iwuchukwu
Former Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering PhD Student (2010)
ify@uga.edu
In our lab, Ify improved the electron transport between Photosystem I from a thermophillic cyanobacteria and a hydrogenase enzyme by engineering a fusion between these two proteins. Her work was published in Nature Nanotech. She is currently continuing here research in hydrogenase as a post-doctoral fellow in laboratory of Dr. Michael W. W. Adams at University of Gorgia |
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Nathan Williams
Former Kinesiology Undergraduate Student (2011)
nwilli24@utk.edu
He worked with us in 2009-10, mainly, to facilitate many graduate students in their researches. Currently at UT Memphis Medical School. |
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Lauren Johnson
Former Chem & Biomolec Engineering & Chemistry Undergraduate Student (2011)
hjohns15@utk.com
Joined Bruce Lab in mid-2009. Work with PSI & PSII. |
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Aaron Mauner
Former BCMB Undergraduate Student (2011)
amauner@utk.edu
Joined the lab in August of 2009. In cooperation with the Powell-Hallsdale Utilities Board, him and Danielle worked on the bioremediation of nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater using different algal and cyanobacterial strains. He plans to matriculate into a MD/PhD program and eventually become a oncological research physician. |
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Lauren Creasor
Former BCMB Undergraduate Student (2011)
lcreasor@utk.edu
Lauren joined the Bruce laboratory in September 2009. She worked on cryopreservation of the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1. Working with Danielle, she also performed diagnostic PCR to confirm PSI mutations. Lauren plans on pursuing a career as a physician's assistant. |
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Harrison Florida
BCMB Undergraduate Student
sflorida@utk.edu
Harrison joined us in May of 2010. He worked to maintain the airlift fermenters in which large cultures of T. elongatus BP-1 are harvested. He also worked with Danielle on various aspects of Chroococcidiopsis sp. TS-821, including culture maintenance and the eventual first attempt to transform this cyanobacterium. Harrison plans on attending medical school after traveling for a year following graduation in the spring of 2011. |
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John Bouchillon
Former BCMB Undergraduate Student (2011)
jbouchil@utk.edu
John joined the Bruce laboratory in the spring of 2010. Working with Danielle, he studied the alkane biosynthesis pathway in cyanobacteria, with a primary focus on the genes responsible for the acyl-ACP reductase and aldehyde decarbonylase in this pathway. John plans on attending medical school following graduation in the spring of 2011. |
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James William Davis
BCMB Undergraduate Student
jdavi153@utk.edu
Will joined Bruce Lab in August 2010. With Non, he analyzed the function of psToc75 in vivo. His tasks involve molecular clonings, plant transformation and genotyping. |
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Danielle Harrell-Williams
Former Lab Technician
harrell.danielle86@gmail.com
Danielle joined the Bruce laboratory as an undergraduate in January of 2009, and began her position as a technician immediately following graduation. Danielle works on various aspects of Chroococcidiopsis sp. TS-821 including phylogenetic classification, characterization of sugars produced by the organism, and monitoring growth in high levels of CO2 for potential carbon sequestration. She also works to maintain, confirm, and characterize mutations made to PSI of the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1. Danielle is currently study Osteopathic Medicine at Lincoln Memorial University. |
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Brendan Williams
Former Lab Technician
williamsbrendan@gmail.com
Brendan joined us in 2010. His primary work includes identifying and analyzing proteins using multiple mass spectrometry techniques. He is currently study Osteopathic Medicine at Lincoln Memorial University |
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Brooke Butler
Farragut High School
williamsbrendan@gmail.com
Brooke joined the lab in February 2010 as a member of the Farragut High School Science Club and initially worked to develop successful growth curves of T. elongatus BP-1 under various culture conditions with Danielle. |
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Caitlin Paquet
Former BCMB Undergraduate Student (2011) and Lab Technician
cpaquet@utk.edu
Caitlin performed expression, purification, and molecular biology techniques related to the cytochrome c553. She will be moving on to study Neuroscience at the graduate level. |
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Paul Willard
Former Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering MS student (2011)
pwillard@utk.edu
With a degree in Microbiology, Paul, later recieved MS Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. His research was focused on the phycobilisome protein complex, a light harvesting antennae used in photosynthesis. |
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Jason Lancaster
Former BCMB Undergraduate student (2012)
jlancas7@utk.edu
Jason joined the Bruce lab in May 2011. He fused PSI subunit with a metal binding protein from a root nodule under Khoa supervision. Jason looks forward to graduate school and a career in plant defense and immunology. |
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