Biological Sciences

Profile

Research Interests

• The application of molecular tools to better understand microbial interactions and communities in the environment. 
• Diversity and function of microbes associated with the GI tract of xylophagous fish.
• The detection and isolation of new anaerobic PCB dechlorinating microbes.
• Microbial diversity and function in intertidal sponges.

Employment history and Training

2011 – MGM-IMG training course, California

2010 - Senior Lecturer- University of Portsmouth

2004 – 2010 Assistant Professor -Towson University

1999-2004 - UMBI, Center of Marine Biotechnology. Environmental microbiology postdoctoral research in Dr. Kevin Sowers’ laboratory.  Molecular identification and characterization of anaerobic microorganisms associated with PCB dechlorination.  This study focused on the use of molecular tools to examine the ecology and distribution of microbial communities associated with PCB dechlorination.

1995-1998 - Environmental Microbiology Ph.D. University of Warwick.

Supervisor: Professor E. M. H. Wellington.  The distribution and diversity of microbial communities in agricultural and polluted soil using traditional and genetic techniques.

Thesis Advisor and Postgraduate Scholar Sponsor:

Thesis: Mr. Ryan MacDonald, Ms. Rachelle Daniel,

Current Awards

2011 - £76,920- Marie Curie International Re-integration Grant

2009 - $312,378 RUI: Microbial Processes Facilitating Xylophagy in a Loricariid

Past Awards

2008 - $20,000 Jess and Mildred Fisher Endowed Chair in Biological and Physical Sciences

2007 - $4,999 Office of Faculty Research and Development Award, Towson University

2007 - $20,000 Jess and Mildred Fisher Endowed Chair in Biological and Physical Sciences

2006 - $2,100 Summer Proposal Incentive Fellowship, Towson University

2006 - $20,000 Jess and Mildred Fisher Endowed Chair in Biological and Physical Sciences

2004 - $4988  Office of Faculty Research and Development Award, Towson University

2002 - $539,832  Office of Naval Research: "Collaborative Research: A Polyphasic Approach to Assess the Fate of PCBs in Coastal Sediments".  K.R. Sowers, P.I., H.D. May, J.E.M. Watts, Co-P.I.s (KRS/JW: $269,832)

2001 - $180,000 Office of Naval Research: "Microbial Reductive Dechlorination of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Estuarine and Marine Coastal Sediments".  K.R. Sowers, P.I., J.E.M. Watts, H.D. May. Co-PIs.

Current Collaborators

Dr. Simon Cragg 

Dr. Sonja Fagervold 

Dr. Russell Hill 

Dr. Jay Nelson 

Dr. Harold Schreier 

Dr. Kevin Sowers 

Dr. Nicole Webster

Outreach Activities

‘Microbes and Me’ Course.  This course aims to provide a hands-on introduction to microbiology appropriate for ages 9-12 in school.  Basic microbiology themes covered include;  Introduction to microbes- size and structures; Highlight the importance of handwashing; Examine microbes in probiotic drinks/yogurts; Microbes involved in breakdown of foods and the links to composting and perform basic fermentation experiment with baking yeast and sugar. 

Children from Bosham Primary School investigating the effects of sugar on fermentation March 2011.

 

Recent Publications

More recent publications

 

Publications before 2006

H.D. May, L.A. Cutter, G.S. Miller, C.E. Milliken, J.E.M. Watts, and K.R. Sowers. 2006. Stimulatory and Inhibitory Effects of Organohalides on the Dehalogenating Activities of PCB-Dechlorinating Bacterium o-17. Environ. Sci Technol. 40: 5704 -5709

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es052521y

Y. Tal, J. E.M Watts and H. J. Schreier.  2006. Anaerobic Ammonium-Oxidizing (Anammox) Bacteria and Associated Activity in Fixed-Film Biofilters of a Marine Recirculating Aquaculture System. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 2896-2904.

DOI:10.1128/AEM.72.4.2896-2904.2006

*Patent -Sowers, Kevin R.; Fagervold, Sonja K.; Watts, Joy E.M.; May, Harold D. 2006. Gene probes for the selective detection of microorganisms that reductively dechlorinate polychlorinated biphenyl compounds. United States 20060141492  

Fagervold, S.K., Watts, J.E.M., May, H.D. and Sowers, K.R.  2005. Transformation of meta chlorinated PCB congeners in sediment microcosms by two different PCB dechlorinating Chloroflexi. Appl. Environ. Microbiol.71:8085-8090.

DOI:10.1128/AEM.71.12.8085-8090.2005

J. E. M. Watts, S. K. Fagervold and H. D. May, K. R. Sowers.  2005 Detection and phylogenetic analysis of a group linked to PCB dechlorination by 16S rRNA analysis in microcosm and environmental samples. Microbiology 151, 2039–2046.

DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.27819-0

Y. Tal, J. E.M Watts and H. J. Schreier. 2005 Anaerobic Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria and Related Activity in Baltimore Inner Harbor Sediment.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol.71:1816-1821

DOI:10.1128/AEM.71.4.1816-1821.2005

J. E. M. Watts, S. K. Fagervold, G. S. Miller, C. E. Milliken, H.D. May and K. R. Sowers.  2004  Microbial Reductive Dechlorination of Organochloride Pollutants in the Marine Environment. Marine biotech. 6: S378-S383

Milliken, C.E., G. P. Meier, J. E. M. Watts, K. R. Sowers, and H. D. May.  2004.  Chlorophenol production by anaerobic microorganisms: transformation of a biogenic chlorinated hydroquinone metabolite.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 70: 385-392.

DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.1.385-392.2004

Shahamat, M., M. Alavi, J.E.M. Watts, J.M. Gonzalez, K.R. Sowers, D.W. Maeder, and F.T. Robb.  2004.  Development of Two PCR-Based Techniques for Detecting Helical and Coccoid Forms of Helicobacter pylori. J. Clin. Microb. 42:3613–3619.

DOI: 10.1128/JCM.42.8.3613-3619.2004

N. S. Webster, L. D. Smith,A. J. Heyward, J. E. M. Watts, R. I. Webb, L. L. Blackall, and A. P. Negri (2004)  Metamorphosis of a Scleractinian Coral in Response to Microbial Biofilms. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 1213-1221

DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.2.1213-1221.2004

Milliken, C. E., G. P. Meier, J. E. M. Watts, K. R. Sowers, and H. D. May.(2004)  Microbial Anaerobic Demethylation and Dechlorination of Chlorinated Hydroquinone Metabolites Synthesized by Basidiomycete Fungi Chlorophenol production by anaerobic microorganisms.  Appl. Environ. Microbiol.  70:385-392

DOI: 10.1128/AEM.70.1.385-392.2004

Y. Tal, J. E.M Watts, S. B. Schreier, K. A. Sowers and H. J. Schreier. 2003 Characterization of the microbial community and nitrogen transformation processes associated with a moving bed bioreactors in a closed recirculated mariculture system.  Aquaculture 215:187-202

DOI: 10. 1016/S0044-8486(02)00372Q. Wu, C. E. Miliken, G. P. Meier, J. E. M. Watts, K. R. Sowers and H. D. May. 2002.  Dechlorination of chlorobenzenes by a culture containing bacterium DF-1, a PCB dechlorinating microorganism.  Env.Sci.Tech. 36(15); 3290-3294

DOI: 10.1128/AEM.68.2.807-812.2002

Q. Wu, J. E. M. Watts, K. R. Sowers and H. D. May. 2001 Identification of a Bacterium that Specifically Catalyzes the Reductive Dechlorination of PCBs with Doubly Flanked Chlorines Applied Environmental Microbiology. 68: 807-812.

DOI: 10.1128/AEM.68.2.807-812.2002

L. A. Cutter, J. E. M. Watts, K. R. Sowers and H. D. May. 2001 Identification of a Green Non-Sulfur Bacterium that Reductively Dechlorinates 2,3,5,6-Chlorobiphenyl for Growth. Environmental Microbiology. 3: 699-709.

DOI: 10.1046/j.1462-2920.2001.00246.x

J. E. M. Watts, Q. Wu, S. B. Schreier, H. D. May and K. R. Sowers. 2001 Comparative analysis of a PCB-dechlorinating enrichment culture using three different molecular screening techniques. Environmental Microbiology. 3: 710-719.

DOI: 10.1046/j.1462-2920.2001.00247.x

N. Webster, J. E. M. Watts and R. Hill. 2001. Detection and phylogenetic analysis of novel crenarchaeote and euryarchaeote 16S rRNA gene sequences from a Great Barrier Reef sponge. Marine Biotechnology. 3: 600-608.

DOI: 10.1007/s10126-001-0065-7

Books

Sowers, K.R. and Watts, J.E.M.  2006.  Methods for the study of strictly anaerobic microorganisms.  In F. A. Rainey and A. Oren (ed.), Methods Methods in Microbiology: – Extremophiles. 35: 757-783.  Elsevier/Academic Press, Oxford. 

Watts, J.E.M., A. S. Huddleston-Anderson and E. M. H. Wellington. 1998 Bioprospecting. pp. 631-642. In, Manual of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2^nd Edition. (Eds: A. L. Demain and J. E. Davies).

Wellington, E.M.H., P. Marsh, J. E. M. Watts and J. Burden. 1997. Indirect Approaches for Studying Soil Microorganisms Based on Cell Extraction and Culturing. pp. 311-329. In, Modern Soil Microbiology. (Eds: J. D. van . J. T. Trevors and E. M. H. Wellington.)

Teaching

Courses Taught at University of Portsmouth:

Introductory Microbiology (Unit Leader)

Microbiology (Unit Leader)

Aquatic microbiology

Microbes in Decay and Disease

Microbes and Molecular Biology

Courses Taught at Towson University

General Microbiology (Biol 318/518)

Medical Microbiology (Biol 315/ 515)

Environmental Microbiology (Biol 601)

Cellular Biology and Genetics (Biol201)

Undergraduate Research Advisor (with funding source)

 

University of Portsmouth – William Green, Hoi Lan Lei, Angela Beckett

Towson University - Moses Demehin (REU), Simona Dalin (REU), Nicholas Tomeo (REU), Damian Smoot (REU) (FCSM), Rebecca Kulp (REU), Ashley Kurzweil (FCSM), Jeffrey Kopszywa (FCSM).

Khang Dung Nguyen, Michael Rains, Katherine Cornet, Chana Barkai, Lindsey Newman, Phylicia Porter, Whitney Alper, Elyse Nagle