Anthony J. A. Ouellette, Ph.D.

(Andy)

Assistant Professor

Department of Biology and Marine Science
Jacksonville University
email: aouelle@ju.edu

Phone: 904-256-7299

Dr. Ouellette joined the Department of Biology & Marine Science at Jacksonville University during the summer of 2008.

Before coming to Jacksonville University, I was an Assistant Professor of Biology for 5 years at SUNY Oswego, and before that I was a postdoctoral research associate in the Aquatic Microbial Ecology Research Lab of Dr. Steven Wilhelm

Research Interests

Toxic cyanobacteria:

Microcystis is a cyanobacterial genus that includes toxic and non-toxic members. Toxic members synthesize microcystin, a hepatotoxin that has many known structural variants. Toxic Microcystis are cosmopolitan and cause great health concern, particularly when they occur in drinking reservoirs or recreational areas. Furthermore, Microcystis can form large blooms, which can manifest as green scum floating on the water surface, which is unfortunately not uncommon in Florida, including the St. Johns River (also, example, see Lake Neatahwanta, in Fulton, NY). Monitoring efforts largely focus on microscopic identification and toxin analysis. I am interested in using molecular biology tools to investigate the distribution of Microcystis.

Courses

BIOL 170: Introduction to Ecology and Evolution

BIOL 221 Nutrition

BIOL 222 Microbiology for Health Professionals

BIOL 301 Microbiology

Education

2002 Ph.D. Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics

University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN

Advisor: Professor Bridgette Barry

1994 B.S. Biology, Minor in Chemistry

University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL

1992 University of Tampa, Tampa, FL

1992 A.A. General Studies

Valencia Community College, Orlando, FL

1987 High School Diploma

Rogers High School, Newport, RI

Peer-Reviewed Publications:

A.J.A. Ouellette, S.M. Handy, and S.W. Wilhelm (2006) "Toxic Microcystis is widespread in Lake Erie: PCR detection of toxin genes and molecular characterization of associated cyanobacterial communities" Microbial Ecology 51: 154-165.

J.M Rinta-Kanto, A.J.A. Ouellette, G.L. Boyer, M.R. Twiss, T.B. Bridgeman, and S.W. Wilhelm (2005)

"Quantification of toxic Microcystis spp. during the 2003 and 2004 blooms in Western Lake Erie using Quantitative Real-Time PCR"

Environmental Science & Technology 39: 4198-4205.

L.B. Anderson, A.J.A. Ouellette, J. Eaton-Rye, M. Maderia, M. J. MacCoss, J.R. Yates III, and B.A. Barry (2004)

"Evidence for a Post-Translational Modification, Aspartyl Aldehyde, in a Photosynthetic Membrane Protein"

Journal of the American Chemical Society 126: 8399-8405.

A.J.A. Ouellette and S.W. Wilhelm (2003)

"Toxic cyanobacteria: the evolving molecular toolbox"

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 1: 359-366.

L.B. Anderson, M. Maderia, A.J.A. Ouellette, C. Putnam-Evans, L. Higgins, T. Krick, M. MacCoss, H. Lim, J.R. Yates III, and B.A. Barry (2002)

"Posttranslational modifications in the CP43 subunit of photosystem II"

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 99: 14676-14681.

A.J.A. Ouellette and B.A. Barry (2002)

"Tandem mass spectrometric identification of spinach Photosystem II light-harvesting components"

Photosynthesis Research 72: 159-173.

C.A. Linkous, G.J. Carter, D.B. Locuson, A.J. Ouellette, D.K. Slattery, and L.A. Smitha (2000)

"Photocatalytic inhibition of algae growth using TiO₂, WO₃, and cocatalyst modifications"

Environmental Science and Technology 34: 4754-4758.

L.B. Anderson, A.J.A. Ouellette, and B.A. Barry (2000)

"Probing the structure of photosystem II with amines and phenylhydrazine"

Journal of Biological Chemistry 275: 4920-4927.

A.J.A. Ouellette, L.B. Anderson, and B.A. Barry (1998)

"Amine binding and oxidation at the catalytic site for photosynthetic water oxidation"

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U.S.A. 95: 2204-2209.

Other Publications:

S.W. Wilhelm, A.J.A. Ouellette, and J.M Rinta-Kanto (2007) “Development of Molecular Reporters for Microcystis Activity and Toxicity [Project #2818]” This is an AWWA Research Foundation Project Report

C.A. Linkous, D.K. Slattery, A.J.A. Ouellette, G.T. McKaige, and B.C.N. Austin (1996)

"Solar photocatalytic H₂ from water using a dual bed photosystem"

Hydrogen Energy Progress XI: Proceedings of the 11^th World Hydrogen Energy Conference: 2545-2550.

Funding

National Science Foundation, Major Research Instrumentation Program

"Acquisition of Proteomics Equipment and a MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer for Establishment of a Proteomics/Mass Spectrometry Facility"

P.I.: Anthony J.A. Ouellette

Co-P.I.s: Kestutis Bendinskas, Martha Bruch, Webe Kadima, Casey C. Raymond

Senior Personnel: J. Alden Lackey

August 1 2004 - July 31, 2007 $249,850.00

Rice Creek Associates Ninth Annual Small Grants Program

"Rice Pond microorganisms: Genetic, metabolic, and morphological identification"

Summer & Fall 2004 $1005.60

SUNY-Oswego New Faculty Enhancement Grant

"Molecular characterization of cyanobacterial communities and genetic detection of toxic Microcystis in Lake Ontario and Rice Creek"

Summer 2004 $2000.00

Former SUNY-Oswego Student Researchers:

Undergraduates: Casey Carpenter (Fall 2003) Elizabeth Kalisiak (Spring 2004) John Heagerty (Summer 2004- Fall 2005) John Merchant (Fall 2004 - Spring 2005) Cody Spencer (Spring 2005, Fall 2005, Spring 2006) Elizabeth Whitmore (Spring 2006) Anders Peterson (Summer 2006– Spring 2007) Mark Hudson (Fall 2006& Spring 2007) Frank Pierce (Fall 2007-Spring 2008), Matthew Arthur (Spring 2008)

Post Graduate: Jessica Neal (Fall 2006)

Graduate Student: John Merchant (2005-2007;Chemistry graduate program)