DiChristina Lab

Environmental Geomicrobiology at Georgia Tech

Lab members

Lab members

Thomas DiChristina, Ph.D.

Professor

tdichristina

School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology
Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T) 1240
thomas.dichristina@biology.gatech.edu

Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, 1989

(404) 894 – 8419

 

 

Links:

googlescholarresearchgate screen-shot-2016-09-13-at-1-40-25-pm

 

 

Research Scientists

Hyun-Dong Shin, Ph.D.

School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology
Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T) Building
hs122@gatech.edu

I received my Ph.D. degree (2000) in the Department of Genetic Engineering of Kyungpook National University, Republic of Korea. My research has involved many interesting areas of Biomolecular Engineering, including Bioremediation, Biocatalysis, Metabolic Engineering, and Enzyme Engineering. Prior to joining Dr. DiChristina’s group, I was a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Chen’s lab, I worked as a research professor, and in addition to research, I lectured on Molecular Biotechnology, Enzyme Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, and Applied Microbiology in several universities. So far, I have co-authored 139 papers, 19 patents, and 1 book chapter.

 

 

Postdoctoral Fellows

Nadia Szeinbaum, Ph.D. (Joint with Dr. Jennifer Glass’ Lab)

Nadia

School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology
Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T) Building
nadia@gatech.edu          Glass Lab Page

My research aims at understanding microbial metabolism linking the biogeochemical carbon and metal cycles. Currently I use molecular, physiological and genomic analyses to uncover the microbial identity and biochemical mechanisms of acetate and methane oxidation coupled to manganese reduction.

 

Graduate Students

Yael Toporek

School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology
Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T) Building
yael.toporek@gatech.edu

My current research focuses on microbial degradation of trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), 1,4-dioxane, and investigating potential microbially-driven degradation of perfluorocarbon (PFC) compounds. In the past I have investigated the genetic mechanisms of Shewanella oneidensis to perform dissimilatory iodate reduction. Both projects have applications for bioremediation of contaminated soils and groundwater.

 

Lab Alumni

 

PhD Students

Name, Year PhD Awarded (Current position)

Ramanan Sekar, 2016 (Process Engineer, Intel Corporation)

Rebecca Cooper, 2015 (Postdoc, University of Jena, Germany)

Nadia Szeinbaum, 2014 (Postdoc, Georgia Tech)

Seng Kew Wee, 2012 (Professor, University of Malaysia)

Justin Burns, 2010 (Licensing Associate, Emory University)

Christine Fennessey, 2010 (Research Scientist, Leidos Biomedical Research Inc.)

Jason Dale, 2007 (United States Naval Research Laboratory)

Charles Moore, 2002 (Director of Research, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Switzerland)

Carolyn Haller, 2002 (Research Scientist, Harvard Medical School)

Roy Wade, 2002 (Medical Doctor, Atlanta, GA)

Hope Lee, 2002 (Savannah River National Lab)

Kristine Lowe, 1999 (Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Professor of Biology, University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley)

Brian Burnes, 2000 (Professor, University of West Alabama)

Adonia McKinzi, 1999 (Ecologist, State of Washington)

 

 

Master’s Students

Name, Year MS Awarded (Current position)

Ellen Taratus, 2000 (CDC Journal Editor, “Preventing Chronic Disease”)

Sean Eubanks, 1998

Jayathi Kesavan, 1998

Michael Blakeney, 1996 (Vice President, Alliance Insurance Services)

 

Postdoctoral Fellows

Name, Years spent in DiChristina Lab (Current position)

Andrew Burns, 2016-2018 (Postdoc, Mark Hay lab)

Nadia Szeinbaum, 2010-2017 (Postdoc, Georgia Tech EAS department)

Brian Ginn, 2010-2012

Nalini Mehta, 2005-2007 (Postdoc, Emory University)

Johnson Haas, 1998-2001 (Associate Professor, Western Michigan University)

 

 

Research Technician

Jung Mok, 1.5 years, now at Weill Cornell Medicine