Mentor: Dr. Pam Morris
Education: Kankakee Community College A.A.S., MUSC B.S. 1999, PhD 2006
Year Graduated 2006
Postdoctoral: Postdoctoral Research
Associate, Institute for Environmental Genomics, University of Oklahoma
Joy.VanNostrand@ou.edu
The presence of high concentrations of metals in contaminated environments can be toxic to microorganisms and interfere with their normal function, as well as other beneficial microbial processes, including the transformation of inorganic and organic pollutants. Many metal contaminated sites are also acidic; therefore, we have been studying the impact of pH on the toxicity of Ni, a common contaminant at nuclear processing facilities, to Burkholderia cepacia PR1301 at pH 5, 6 and 7. Interestingly, PR1 is able to grow in higher concentrations of Ni at pH 5 as compared to 6 or 7, contrary to what would be expected based on the chemical behavior of Ni and previous studies in the literature. Changes in Ni-speciation, the chemical form of Ni, over our pH range of interest do not explain the trends in toxicity we have observed, suggesting that the mechanism of Ni-resistance in PR1 is influenced by pH. Current studies are focused on characterizing the mechanism(s) of Ni-resistance in PR1.
Awards:
2001-2004 U. S. EPA Science to Achieve Results
(STAR) for Graduate
Environmental Research
Presentations:
2004 MUSC Student Research Day
CHANGES IN PROTEIN EXPRESSION IN
BURKHOLDERIA CEPACIA PR1(301) AFTER EXPOSURE TO NI AT pH 5 AND 7
Joy D. Van Nostrand1, John M Arthur2, Paul M Bertsch3 and Pamela J
Morris1, 1Marine Biomedicine and Environmental Sciences Center
2Department of Medicine, MUSC and 3University of Georgia, Savannah River
Ecology Laboratory
2004 MBES Student Research Open House
Changes in Protein Expression in
Burkholderia cepacia PR1301 after Exposure to Nickel at pH 5 and 7
J. D. Van Nostrand1, J. M. Arthur2, P. M. Bertsch11,3, P. J. Morris1,4
1Marine Biomedicine and Environmental Sciences Center, Medical
University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29414, 2Department of
Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29412,
3Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, The University of Georgia, Aiken, SC
29802, 4National Ocean Service, Charleston, SC 29412
Van Nostrand, JD, S Vogt, J Maser, PM Bertsch, PJ Morris. The use of
Synchrotron-based X-ray Fluorescence to Determine Sequestration of Ni
and U by Burkholderia cepacia PR1301. Student Research Day, MUSC,
November, 2003.
Poster:
Van Nostrand, JD, M Swartz, J Arthur, A Sowder, PM Bertsch, and PJ
Morris. 2003. The Effect of Nickel and pH on Protein Expression in
Burkholderia cepacia PR1301. MBES Student Research Open House, MUSC,
July.