Dr. Dave Bachoon

Assistant Professor of Microbiology

Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Campus Box 81

Milledgeville, GA 31061-0490
Phone: (478) 445-0812

Fax: (478) 445-5290

Email: dave.bachoon@gcsu.edu

Courses

Bio Processes (Biology 1100)

Principles of Biology (Biology 1107)

Cell & Molecular Physiology (Biology 2200)

Allied Health Microbiology (Biology 3180)

Microbial Ecology (Biology 4950)

Biological Pollution (Biology 5950)

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Microbiology, University of Georgia, 1998

M.S. Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 1990

B.S. Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland

St. Johns Canada, 1987

Affiliation:

American Society for Microbiology

Adjunct faculty (Department of Marine Sciences, UGA)

Research Interests

My overall research focuses on molecular microbial ecology to predict and understand the abundance, distribution and role of microbial life in the environment. Due to an inability to cultivate less than 1% of the bacteria in natural samples such as soil and marine environments, we use molecular techniques that are appropriate for studying the entire microbial community

.

Ongoing Research Projects

Water Pollution The main emphasis in our lab is involved with microbial pollution along the Georgia coastal waters. Estuaries are fragile ecosystems that provide a habitat and nursery areas for many important commercial and non-commercial species of marine life. Shellfish aquaculture and the commercial harvest of wild clams and oysters are threatened by fecal contamination from faulty septic tanks along the Georgia coast. Presently, we are working with the University of Georgia Marine Extension Service to identifying the source of fecal contamination along the Georgia coastal estuaries.

Petroleum Microbiology We are currently developing research projects that characterize novel bacteria isolated from the La Brea Pitch Lake in Trinidad. There are three pitch lakes in the world, the largest of which is the La Brea Pitch Lake in Trinidad and Tobago. The lake represents a 114 acre pool filled with heavy oil, sediments and seawater mixed by the churning action of gas ascending from the top of a dome of cretaceous shale. The geochemistry and microbiology of this lake are virtually unknown. Because the lake receives a large input of hydrocarbons its microbial community is expected to be hydrocarbon tolerant and/or degraders of hydrocarbon. We hypothesized that exploration of this habitat will reveal novel microorganisms with unique and interesting metabolic capabilities. The objectives of this study were to characterize the microbial community of the pitch lake.

Student Research

Lee Owen

Robert Pepper

Emily Parrish

Brennan Poon-Kwong

Brendt Poon-Kwong

Publications: (Selected)

Bachoon D., R. Araujo, M. Molina, and R.E. Hodson 2001. Microbial community dynamics and evaluation of bioremediation strategies in oil-impacted salt marsh sediment microcosms. J. Industrial Microbiol. 27:72-79

Bachoon D., E. Otero and R.E. Hodson 2001. Effects of humic substances on fluorometric DNA quantification and DNA hybridization. J. Microbial. Met. 47:73-82

Bachoon D, R. E Hodson and R. Araujo. 2001. Microbial community assessment in oil impacted salt marsh sediment microcosms by traditional and nucleic acid based indicies. J. Microbiol. Methods. 46:37-49

Bachoon D., F Cheng and R. E Hodson 2001. RNA recovery and detection of mRNA by RT-PCR from preserved prokaryotic samples. FEMS Microbial Lett. 201:127-132

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