Environmental Microbiology, Environmental Microbial Genomics, Microbial Diversity, Biofilms, Anaerobic Digestion     
Dr. Huber’s lab uses molecular approaches to characterize the identity and function of microbial communities in poultry waste treated in a thermophilic anaerobic digester. 

Environmental Microbiology and Genomics, Microbial Diversity, Biofilms, Anaerobic Digestion

PhD Michigan State University, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, NSF Center for Microbial Ecology

MS Michigan State University, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology

BS Central Michigan University

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Microbiology, Michigan State University

Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Rochester

RESEARCH

Linking Microbial Community Structure to Function in Methanogenic Bio-processing Reactors

The research in my laboratory concerns elucidating the interplay of microbial community structure and function in methanogenic bioprocessing reactors. In broadest terms, we are interested in linking community structure to functional diversity and community metabolism within a defined environmental context. We are utilizing three model laboratory reactors as well as a pilot plant reactor for these studies. All of the reactors are thermophilic, anaerobic, and fed agricultural waste. The role of biofilms in controlling microbial diversity and carbon flow are also a focus.

Questions that interest us are:

How does microbial community diversity affect community function?

What is the role of functional diversity in producing community resilience and stability?

How does environmental variability, including stress, affect community structure and function?

What is the role of biofilms in methanogenic bioreactors in controlling genetic diversity and carbon flow?

TEACHING

General Microbiology, General Genetics, Environmental Microbiology, Microbial Genetics, Advanced Environmental Microbiology, Current Concepts in Biotechnology, Techniques in Biotechnology.

Research Group

Postdoctoral Scientist
Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy

Graduate Students

Ami Smith, (PhD student, University of Exeter)

Undergraduate Student Researchers (past and present)

Jami Green, 2000, Diversity of aerobic bacteria in the tomato rhizosphere.
Blair Heinke, 2001, Bacterial diversity in an anaerobic thermophilic digester. Detection of bacteria in food products using the Bioprobe luminometer.
Heather Hubbard, 2001-2002, Archaeal diversity in an anaerobic thermophilic digester.
Charles Vincent, 2002-2003 Culturing thermophilic anaerobic bacteria
Ami Smith, 2002-2003 Molecular diversity of bacteria in an anaerobic thermophilic digester.
Kara Shamblin, 2003-2004 Developing real-time PCR for quantifying bacterial populations
Onala Rakisheva, 2003 Aerobic bacterial diversity in an anaerobic digester.
Sarah Davis, 2003 Aerobic bacterial diversity in an anaerobic digester.