News

 

Novel Way of Classifying Microbes

"Gut microbes' role in mammals' evolution starts to become clearer."  Postdoctoral researcher Chris Gaulke, graduate students Holly Arnold and Ian Humphreys, and Assistant Professor Thomas Sharpton (OSU Microbiology) led an international collaboration that resolved which of the trillions of gut microbes are linked to the evolution of mammals, including humans.  
A Distinguished Career

Dr. Michael Kent, Microbiology, received the OSU Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award for his superior academic performance, professional renown and service to the University and the public.
Coral reef documentary at Darkside: "Saving Atlantis"

"Saving Atlantis," a feature-length documentary on coral reefs produced by Oregon State University filmmakers, will be shown Aug. 31 through Sept. 6 at Darkside Cinema, 215 S.W. Fourth St., Corvallis. The first screening will be at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31. Filmmakers David Baker and Justin Smith of Oregon State Productions will be on hand for a question-and-answer session with the audience following the film. Show times and ticket information: https://darksidecinema.com/[...]
Micro Student Michelle Michelsen

Don't take our word for it, hear a personal account from one of our students about why science is better at Oregon State. Hear what Michelle has to say about microbiology and how it allowed her to combine her love of the ocean and studying the "little guys," bacteria, that live in the ocean.
DaVinci Days Event

Last weekend the College of Science provided a full day of community outreach for the 2018 DaVinci Days.  Activities from Microbiology included strawberry DNA, fish parasites and cloning.  See photos by Greg Bal. 
The Next Generation of Microbiologists

The Helen Alford Hays Microbiology Scholarship:  "Prepare Your Minds," Dr. Charles Hays, a Canadian science journalist, advised students during the annual scholarship luncheon.  He is the son of Helen Alford Hays, a long-time microbiology instructor and advisor from 1955-1981.
Nicole Hams likes to ask "What If?"

Nicole Hams is a postdoc in the Department of Microbiology with Professor and Department Head, Dr. Jerri Bartolomew.  Her project focuses on parasitic diseases in salmon and her interests and background are varied and interesting.
Dr. Bruslind Receives Open Education Award

Congratulations to Linda Bruslind for winning the 2018 Open Education Award.  Dr. Linda Bruslind, Microbiology, senior instructor II and lead advisor in the Department of Microbiology in the College of Science received an award by Extended Campus for development of an online textbook, "Introduction to Microbiology".  This online textbook helps to remove barriers to student success byprovidiong a free/open version text. The Open Education Award recognizes those who develop open textbooks or reusable digital components that help remove[...]
Dynamic Duo Join Microbiology

Dr. Maude David and Dr. Kenton Hokanson have recently joined the Department of Microbiology. Dr. David has a joint appointment in the College of Pharmacy and will focus on developing undergraduate curricula in bioinformatics.  Dr. Hokanson is an instructor in Microbiology and BioHealth Sciences and will help develop an electrophysiology core facility in Biochem.
Statistical Innovations Help Decode the Human Microbiome

Dr. Yuan Jiang, Dr. Duo Jiang and Dr. Thomas Sharpton (Microbiology/Statistics) were awarded a prestigious four year $770K grant by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and NIH to study the human microbiome. This project will advance scientific understanding of the functions and operations of microbiomes by developing statistical methods and models to study biological interactions between microbes or between microbes and their host.
Hanby Middle School Students Get Hands-On Lessons in Microbiology

Hanby Middle School students get hands on lessons in microbiology.  Photos and Story by Christien Laber

During a recent visit to OSU, the Hanby Girls STEM group interacted with members of the Department of Microbiology to learn about life at the microscopic level.  As part of their two-day tour of the campus, the girls experienced hands on laboratory activities as well as short lessons on various principles of microbiology.

The department tour was divided into three activities lead by[...]
Journalist at Sea

NASA-NAAMES Mission:  Dr. Kim Halsey, OSU Microbiologist, Dr. Cleo Martin-Davies, OSU Postdoc, and Dr. Luis Bolanos, OSU Postdoc are headed for the North Atlantic along with 29 other scientists are onboard the ATLANTIS on a research vessel operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.  The purpose to investigate the ocean and aerosols for the North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems Study (NAAMES).  VIDEO OF DR. CLEO MARTIN-DAVIES[...]
Can Coral Microbes Protect Reefs from Climate Change?

Scientists are investigating the role microbiomes play in coral health, trying to identify those microbial traits that make coral reefs resilient as ocean temperatures rise and bleaching events accelerate.  One group, the Global Coral Microbiome Project, led by OSU Microbiologist Dr. Rebecca Vega-Thurber is performing a global survey of reefs.  READ FULL ARTICLE
A Cure for Coral Reefs

By pretty much any measure, Vega Thurber (Microbiologist, Oregon State University) (Becky, to anyone who's met her at least once) is a badass marine biologist. She weathers bouts of seasickness like an old salt: “Take Bonine twice a day,” she advises, before noting dispassionately that “sometimes you end up barfing no matter what.” She pulls regular night-watch shifts alongside the crew of the research boat, TARA. And even after a grueling day of collection dives, followed by hours of coral[...]
Dr. Michael Kent Receives Zebrafish Award

Dr. Michael Kent was presented with the Outstanding Steward of Zebrafish Award by the Zebrafish Husbandry Association  (ZHA) at the annual meeting at Aquaculture America 2018 in Las Vegas in recognition of his many years providing training and research in support of the health and welfare of laboratory zebrafish. The ZHA is an international organization devoted to “promoting and developing zebrafish husbandry standards through education, collaboration, and publication” and is comprised of research and veterinary professionals, facility managers, and representatives[...]
Oregon's "Blue Economy" Bolstered by Longstanding Partnership for Fish Health

Oregon's "Blue Economy" Bolstered by Longstanding Partnership for Fish Health:  A longstanding and fruitful collaboration that benefits fish health and sustainable economic growth in Oregon was recently reinforced by a five-year, $404,000 renewal of the Fish Health Graduate Research Fellowship in Microbiology at Oregon State University by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW).  
SACNAS National Stem Conference

With help from the department, undergraduate Aimee Nguyen attended the SACNAS National Stem Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah in October. SACNAS stands for Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. This professional society's goal is to promote diversity and help minorities advance and succeed in the science field.
A Grand Unified Theory of Unhealthy Microbiomes

A microbiological version of the Anna Karenina principle is a new paradigm suggested by Dr. Rebecca Vega-Thurber, Dr. Jesse Zaneveld, and Graduate Student Ryan McMinds--one that has key implications for a more personalized approach to antibiotic therapy, management of chronic disease and other aspects of medical care.  The principle gets its name from the opening line of the novel Anna Karenina by 19th cetury Russian author Leo Tolstoy:  "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its[...]
Diatoms Have Sex After All

New research shows a species of diatom, a single-celled algae, thought to be asexual does reproduce sexually, and scientists learned it's a common compound - ammonium - that puts the ubiquitous organism in the mood. The findings, published today in PLOS One, may be a key step toward greater understanding of the evolution of sexual behavior and also have important biotechnology implications.  “Our discoveries solve two persistent mysteries that have plagued diatom researchers,” said corresponding author Dr. Kimberly

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Warming Temperatures could Trigger Starvation, Extinctions in Deep Oceans

Biodiversity in many of these areas is defined by the meager amount of food reaching the seafloor and over the next 80 plus years, in certain parts of the world, that amount of food will be cut in half, said Dr. Andrew Thurber, an OSU marine ecologist and co-author of the study.  We will see a shift in dominance to smaller organisms.  Some species will thrive, some will migrate to other areas, and many will die.