Dr. Dave Westenberg
Principle Investigator
About Dr. Westenberg
573-341-4798 | djwesten@mst.edu
202 Schrenk Hall
Amelia Markwell
Undergraduate Student/OURE Fellow
Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum
G-38 Schrenk Hall
Ameila was selected to present her research for Research Day at the Capitol in 2024, earned an OURE award in 2023-24, and an OURE Fellows award in 2024-35.
Nicole Militante
Undergraduate Student/OURE
Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum
G-38 Schrenk Hall
Nicole earned an OURE award for 2024-25.
Tony Tantioco
Undergraduate Student/OURE
Radiation tolerant bacteria
G-38 Schrenk Hall
James Meyer
Undergraduate Student/OURE
Labelling B. japonicum with gfp/rfp
G-38 Schrenk Hall
Kinsey Zimmermann
Undergraduate Student/FYRE
Labelling B. japonicum with gfp/rfp
G-38 Schrenk Hall
Kaitlyn Thole
Undergraduate Student/FYRE
Competition between B. japonicum strains
G-38 Schrenk Hall
Ella Kadyk
Undergraduate Student/FYRE
Radiation tolerant bacteria
G-38 Schrenk Hall
Drake O’Leary
Undergraduate Student
Biosensor strains for antibiotics
G-38 Schrenk Hall
This could be you
Undergraduate Student
Project
G-38 Schrenk Hall
Former Graduate Students
| Thesis Students | |
| Sarah Fakher Catalina Vega-Hurtado Megan Ottomeyer Satya Achanta April Rocha Karissa Braaten Aruna Lamba Sangeetha Ramamurthy Jiyeon Park Jason Elrod | graduated with MS in BioSc, 2024 graduated with MS in BioSc, 2020 graduated with MS in BioSc, 2013 graduated with PhD in Chemical Engineering, 2012 graduated with MS in BioSc, 2012 graduated with MS in BioSc, 2009 graduated with MS in BioSc, 2007 graduated with MS in BioSc, 2006 graduated with MS in BioSc, 2005 graduated with MS in BioSc, 2004 |
| Non-Thesis students | |
| Jared Rhodes Matt Liberson Crystal Meeks Evan Bryant | graduated with MS in ChemEng, 2019 (non-thesis) graduated with MS in BioSc, 2018 (non-thesis) graduated with MS in BioSc, 2016 (non-thesis) graduated with MS in BioSc, 2005 (non-thesis) |
Former Undergraduate Students
| Fatimah Alqarius | The art of microbiology, the microbiology of art. Fatimah was the recipient of a 2015 OURE award. |
| Isamar Alhakeem | Biofuels from glycerol (Isamar is the recipient of a 2019 OURE award) |
| Tina Andrews | Ames testing of experimental plant hormones. |
| Natalie Arnold | Plant phenotyping system for measuring seedling root force (Natalie is the recipient of a 2019 OURE award) |
| Serena Austin | Identification of PAH degrading bacteria in contaminated soils. Serena was the recipient of a 2013 OURE award |
| Isaac Bader | Introducing salt tolerance genes into Bradyrhizobium japonicum |
| Carol Baker | The art of microbiology, the microbiology of art. Carol was the recipient of a 2013 OURE award |
| Bradley Bare | Impact of legumes on soil biodiversity (Bradley was the recipient of a 2014 OURE award) |
| C. Robyn Bartosik | Cloning and sequencing of the B. japonicum nuo operon |
| Ryan Baumann | Generation of an emerald ash borer specific biopesticide. Ryan is the recipient of a 2017 OURE and 2018 OURE Fellows awards |
| Emily Beahm | Plant phenotyping system for measuring seedling root force (Emily is the recipient of a 2019 OURE award) |
| Christopher Bieser | Drought tolerance in Bradyrhizobium japonicum |
| Adrian Black | Characterization of AHL production in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Adrian was the recipient of 2013 OURE and 2014 OURE Fellows awards |
| Joe’l Bland | Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. |
| Christina Bockman | Antifungal properties of commercial coatings |
| Ashley Boudria | Genetic disruption of quorum sensing in B. japonicum. Ashley is the recipient of a 2006 OURE award. |
| Claire Brewer | Antimicrobial properties of oil smoke vapors |
| Nicole Brossier | Germination studies of various Bacillus species. |
| Kira Buckowing | iGEM team projects |
| Nicole Buxton | Antifungal properties of commercial coatings |
| Richard Campos | Identification of bph degrading bacteria from the rhizosphere. |
| Aaron Carson | Testing HSL production in Bradyrhizibum japonicum and Mesorhizobium sp. Aaron is the recipient of a 2012 OURE award. |
| Cory Cheatham | Cory is the recipient of a 2006 ASM Microbiology Undergraduate Research Fellowship (co-advised with Dev Niyogi) and a 2007 OURE Fellows award and 2008 OURE award. Development of a biological breathalyzer for the 2007 and 2008 iGEM competition. |
| Numan Choudhry | Enhanced rhizoremediation using quorum sensing |
| Matt Coates | Isolation of root nodule symbionts of Crotalaria spectabilis. Matt is enrolled in BioSc 390 and the recipient of a 2012 OURE award |
| Rachel Connell | Effectiveness of antimicrobial glass. Rachel was the recipient of a 2014 OURE Fellows award. |
| Rachel Conroy | Impact of microbial consortia on plant tolerance of landfall leachate |
| Nicholas Corcoran | Biofuels from glycerol |
| Natalie Cummins | Drought tolerance in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Natalie is the recipient of a 2022 First Year Research Experience (FYRE) award. |
| Ebony Daley | Impact of microbial consortia on plant tolerance of landfall leachate (Ebony is the recipient of a 2019 OURE award) |
| Colton Daniel | iGEM team projects |
| Alex Daniesl | Using single-cell (SC-ICP-MS) to study interactions of Silver and Copper with bacteria (with Dr. Honglan Shi). Alex is the recipient of a 2020 OURE award and a 2021 and 2022 OURE Fellows award. |
| Michael Deblois | Biofilm inhibition by antimicrobial glass. Michael is the recipient of a 2006 OURE award. |
| Paige Dierkes | Sensing Contaminants Collected in Trees Using Synthetic Biology. Paige is the recipient of a 2017 OURE award |
| Meghan Donnellan | Effectiveness of antimicrobial glass. Meghan is the recipient of a 2004 OURE award |
| David Dunbar | Plant phenotyping system for measuring seedling root force (David is the recipient of a 2019 OURE award) |
| Caroline Dykes | Plant phenotyping system for measuring seedling root force (David is the recipient of a 2019 OURE award) |
| Jonna Eckenrod | Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. |
| Sara Ellebracht | Antifungal properties of commercial coatings |
| Roba Elshiekh | Biofuels from glycerol (Roba is the recipient of a 2019 OURE award) |
| Alex Evans | The art of microbiology, the microbiology of art. Alex was the recipient of a 2013 OURE award |
| Jessica Fazio | Genetic disruption of quorum sensing in B. japonicum. |
| Naomi Fernandes | Drought tolerance in Bradyrhizobium japonicum |
| Blythe Ferriere | iGEM team projects |
| Courtney Filer | The art of microbiology, the microbiology of art. Courtney was the recipient of a 2013 OURE award |
| Amanda Foster | Public opinion survey on synthetic biology. Amanda and Erica Shannon were the recipients of a 2011 OURE Fellows award and earned first place for their oral presentation at the 2012 S&T Undergraduate Research Symposium. Amanda and April Pummill earned first place for their research proposal poster presentation at the 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium and first place for their research proposal to the Shamsher Prakash Foundation in 2011. |
| Shannon Franks | Search for carboxin resistant strains of Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Shannon was the recipient of a 2010 OURE award |
| Aurelia Garland | Antimicrobial properties of bioactive glass |
| Kent Gorday | iGEM team Emerald Ash Borer project |
| Raetchel Gray | Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. |
| Elsie Greenwood | Effectiveness of antimicrobial glass. (Elsie was the recipient of 2015 and 2016 OURE awards) |
| Victoria Grill | Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. (Victoria was the recipient of a 2015 OURE award) |
| Vickey Gulley | Construction of an sdh deletion strain of B. japonicum. Regulation of the B. japonicum sdh operon. |
| Adam Guss | Structure and function of B. japonicum succinate dehydrogenase. Adam was the recipient of a Sustaining Members Undergraduate Research Fellowship from the American Society for Microbiology. |
| Suzanne Hagan | Effectiveness of antimicrobial glass. Suzanne earned an Outstanding Undergraduate Research Presentation award at the 1999 Annual Meeting of the Missouri Branch of the ASM. |
| Robert Hail | Isolation of native B. japonicum species and characterization of their autoinducer production. |
| Abigail Haler | Effectiveness of antimicrobial glass. (Abigail was the recipient of 2015 and 2016 OURE awards) |
| Austin Hall | iGEM team project on White Nose Syndrome. Austin was the recipient of a 2015 OURE award. |
| Crystal Halloran | Effect of endophytic bacteria on plant growth and protection. Crystal and Ashley Mueller earned first place for their poster at the 2011 S&T Undergraduate Research Symposium. |
| Zachary Hamel | Drought tolerance in Bradyrhizobium japonicum |
| Katie Hamilton | Antibacterial properties of volatile compounds in oil smoke |
| Kaitlyn Heil | Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum |
| Jeremiah Herbert | Characterization of AHL production in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Jeremiah was the recipient of a 2013 OURE award |
| Mallory Higgins | Construction of a B. japonicum HSL indicator plasmid. |
| Gabrielle Hightower | Using single-cell (SC-ICP-MS) to study interactions of Silver and Copper with bacteria (with Dr. Honglan Shi). Gabrielle is the recipient of a 2021 and 2022 OURE Fellows award. Gabby was selected to present her research for Research Day at the Capitol in 2023. |
| Kristen Hinton | Isolation of symbiotic bacteria from Crotalaria spectabilis root nodules. Kristen is the recipient of a 2009 OURE award |
| Natalie Holste | Introducing salt tolerance genes into Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Natalie is the recipient of a 2015 and 2016 OURE Fellows awards. |
| Samantha Huckontod | Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. (Samantha was the recipient of a 2015 OURE award) |
| Nichole Hurd | Missouri S&T iGEM team. Nichole was the recipient of a 2010 OURE Fellows award. Nichole, Meghan Ray and Daniel Roush earned second place at the 2011 S&T Undergraduate Research Symposium. |
| Kim Huskey | Antimicrobial properties of oil smoke vapors |
| Shamim Jaleel | Genetic disruption of quorum sensing in B. japonicum. Shamim is the recipient of a 2006 OURE award. |
| Amy Johnston | Screening for Autoinducer molecules in B. japonicum. Regulation of the B. japonicum sdh operons. |
| Kirsten Kelly | Broad spectrum antimicrobial properties of silver doped glass. |
| Hannah Kim | Impact of legumes on soil biodiversity (Hannah was the recipient of a 2014 OURE award) |
| Trey Klaas | Antibacterial properties of bioactive glass designed to control a specific pH. Trey was the recipient of a 2018 OURE award |
| Rachel Klapper | Development of a biological breathalyzer for the 2007 and 2008 iGEM competition. Rachel is the recipient of a 2007 and 2008 OURE award |
| Jen Kresse | Identification of bph degrading bacteria from the rhizosphere. Jen is the recipient of a 2008 OURE award |
| Brieanna Kroeger | Effectiveness of antimicrobial glass. Brieanna was the recipient of a 2013 OURE award. |
| Andy Laegeler | Construction of carboxin resistant strains of B. japonicum. |
| Kyle Lampe | Regulation of the B. japonicum sdh operon by carbon source, heme, iron and oxygen. |
| Desirae Lavatai | Mode of action of antibacterial glass |
| Kent Lin | Identification of PAH degrading bacteria in contaminated soils. |
| Michael Lockett | Mode of action of antibacterial glass |
| Justin Lovelady | Effectiveness of antimicrobial glass. Justin was the recipient of a 2013 OURE award and 2014 OURE Fellows award. |
| Tara Maassen | Effectiveness of antimicrobial glass. Tara was the recipient of a 2001 OURE award. |
| Madelyn Mason | Drought tolerance in Bradyrhizobium japonicum (Madelyn is the recipient of a 2021 FYRE Fellowship) |
| Riley McFarlane | Using single-cell (SC-ICP-MS) to study interactions of Silver and Copper with bacteria (with Dr. Honglan Shi) |
| Mark McFerren | Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Mark was the recipient of a 2016 OURE award |
| Sam Merriman | Antimicrobial properties of bioactive glass |
| Dane Meyer | Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Dane is the recipient of a 2016 OURE award |
| Dustin Miller | Cloning of NADH dehydrogenase genes |
| Sarah Moeller | The art of microbiology, the microbiology of art. Sarah was the recipient of a 2013 OURE award |
| Marcie Moore | Cloning and sequencing of the B. japonicum nuo operon |
| Ashley Mueller | Effect of endophytic bacteria on plant growth and protection. Ashley was the recipient of a 2010 OURE award. Ashley and Crystal Halloran earned first place for their poster at the 2011 S&T Undergraduate Research Symposium. |
| John Muok | Antimicrobial properties of bioactive glass |
| Matt Napoli | Sensing Contaminants Collected in Trees Using Synthetic Biology. Matt is the recipient of a 2017 OURE award |
| Delaney Neeley | Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Delaney is the recipient of a 2023 OURE award |
| Jason Nguyen | Biofuels from glycerol (Jason is the recipient of a 2018 and 2019 OURE award). Jason presented his research at the 2019 Missouri Academy of Sciences Meeting. Jason defended his honors thesis FS2019. |
| Erin Nischwitz | Generation of an emerald ash borer specific biopesticide. Erin is the recipient of a 2017 OURE Fellows and 2018 OURE awards |
| Ashley Peters | Identification of novel AHLs in strains of B. japonicum |
| Brian Pink | Development of a biological breathalyzer for the 2007 and 2008 iGEM competition. Brian is the recipient of a 2007 and 2008 OURE award |
| Margaret Pitzer | iGEM team project on White Nose Syndrome. Maggie was the recipient of a 2015 OURE award |
| John Plihal | Identification of PAH degrading bacteria in contaminated soils. Jack was the recipient of 2013 and 2014 OURE awards |
| David Pohlman | David was the recipient of a 2011 OURE award for the iGEM team project on designing a bacterial surface enzyme to fight tuberculosis and earned second place for his research proposal poster presentation at the 2012 S&T Undergraduate Research Symposium. |
| Rebecca Prewett | Characterization of autoinducer molecules in B. japonicum. |
| Keara Pringle | Using a biofilm reactor to test biofilm formation on various bioactive glass formulations to test antimicrobial activities. |
| April Pummill | April was the recipient of a 2011 OURE award for the iGEM team project on combating colony collapse disease in honeybees. April and Amanda Foster earned first place for their research proposal poster presentation at the 2011 Undergraduate Research Symposium and first place for their research proposal to the Shamsher Prakash Foundation. |
| Kerwin Razmus | Public opinion survey on synthetic biology. Kerwin was the recipient of a 2011 OURE award. |
| Kirsten Reynolds | Characterization of autoinducer molecules in B. japonicum. Kirsten was the recipient of a 2002 OURE award. |
| Meghan Ray | Missouri S&T iGEM team. Meghan was the recipient of a 2010 OURE Fellows award. Meghan, Nichole Hurd and Daniel Roush earned second place at the 2011 S&T Undergraduate Research Symposium. |
| Alexis Reece | Antimicrobial properties of bioactive glass |
| Tatianna Reinboldt | Use of cyanobacteria to form aggregates from concrete fines for recycling construction waste (with Dr. Hongyan Ma) |
| Sonya Roberts | iGEM team project on White Nose Syndrome. Sonya was the recipient of a 2015 OURE award. |
| April Rocha | Characterization of AHL production in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. April is the recipient of a 2008 OURE award |
| Daniel Roush | Missouri S&T iGEM team. Daniel was the recipient of a 2010 OURE Fellows award. Daniel, Meghan Ray and Nichole Hurd earned second place at the 2011 S&T Undergraduate Research Symposium. |
| Yaroslav Rynza | Antibacterial properties of borate bioactive. Yaroslav is the recipient of a 2023 OURE award. |
| Anne Safron | Antimicrobial properties of bioactive glass |
| Logan Sauerbrei | Logan was the recipient of a 2011 OURE award for the iGEM team project on designing a bacterial surface enzyme to fight tuberculosis. |
| Dee Scheman | Effectiveness of antimicrobial glass |
| Jackie Schneider | Development of a biological breathalyzer for the 2007 and 2008 iGEM competition. Jackie is the recipient of a 2007 and 2008 OURE award |
| Moritz Schweiger | Antimicrobial properties of bioactive glass |
| Matt Seelke | Screening for Autoinducer molecules in B. japonicum |
| Darla Severin | Effectiveness of antimicrobial glass. Darla is the recipient of a 2000 OURE award. |
| Deborah Shannon | Biofilm inhibition by antimicrobial glass. Deborah is the recipient of a 2006 OURE award. |
| Erica Shannon | Public opinion survey on synthetic biology. Erica and Amanda Foster were the recipients of a 2011 OURE Fellows award and earned first place for their oral presentation at the 2012 S&T Undergraduate Research Symposium. |
| Soo-Jung Shin | Missouri S&T iGEM team – cloning Geobacter omc genes |
| Shrijana Shrestha | Construction of an sdh deletion strain of B. japonicum. |
| Erin Sind | Identification of bph degrading bacteria from the rhizosphere. Erin is the recipient of a 2008 OURE award |
| Lauren Sisel | Construction of autoinducer deficient strains of B. japonicum. |
| Elizabeth Smith | Biofilm inhibition by antimicrobial glass. Elizabeth is the recipient of a 2006 OURE award. |
| Sandy Smith | Screening for Autoinducer molecules in B. japonicum. |
| Jayme Statler | Characterization of AHL production in Bradyrhizobium japonicum |
| Kurt Studer | Design and Production of Periplasmic Binding Proteins for Plant- Based Biosensing. Kurt is the recipient of a 2017 OURE award |
| Mikayla Tessmer | Development of plant-tissue specific promoters for synthetic biology applications. Mikayla is the recipient of a 2017 OURE and 2018 OURE Fellows awards |
| Elizabeth Thoenen | Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. (Elizabeth was the recipient of a 2015 OURE award) |
| Crystal Thomas | Use of DNA in glass beads as a taggant. Crystal was the recipient of a 2002 OURE award. |
| Cera Thomason | Identification of PAH degrading bacteria in contaminated soils. Cera was the recipient of a 2013 OURE award |
| Matt Threadgill | Introducing salt tolerance genes into Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Matt is the recipient of a 2012 OURE award. |
| Melinda Tierney | Screening for autoinducer molecules in B. japonicum and cloning of genes involved in autoinducer production. |
| Jesse Townsend | Constructing gene libraries of Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains and screening for AHL synthase genes. Jesse is the recipient of a 2012 OURE Award |
| Karlee Twillmann | Antimicrobial properties of bioactive glass |
| Natalie Updyke | Nodulation of Crotalaria spectabilis with isolates from nodules of harvested plants. Natalie is the recipient of a 2012 OURE Award. |
| Andrew van Brundt | Regulation of the B. japonicum nuo and sdh operons. |
| Annette van Norman | Antimicrobial properties of bioactive glass. Annette was the recipient of a 2018 OURE award. |
| Ravi Viswanathan | Effectiveness of antimicrobial glass. Ravi was the recipient of a 1999 OURE award. |
| Jessica Vitello | Cloning of autoinducer synthase gene from B. japonicum. |
| Mark Waites | Regulation of the B. japonicum nuo and sdh operons. Mark was the recipient of a 1998 OURE award. |
| Claire Wilmore | iGEM team project on White Nose Syndrome. Claire was the recipient of a 2015 OURE award. |
| Allie Wilson | Antimicrobial properties of bioactive glass |
| Michelle Windsor | Biofilm inhibition by antimicrobial glass. Michelle was the recipient of a 2002 OURE award. |
| Kaitlyn Wong | Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum. |
High School Science Fair Students Mentored
Camdenton
2021-2022 – Nicholas Faiferlick, Keegan Dowdney
2020-2021 – Raquel Potteiger, Nicholas Faiferlick, Aidan Dowdney
2019-2020 – Raquel Potteiger, Drew Patton, Nicholas Faiferlick
2018-2019 – Jillian Bernabe, Kelli Alford, Je’Anne Wagner
2017-2018 – Kelli Alford, Miranda Sauer, Paige Ellefsen, Lindsey Graves
2016-2107 – Kallie Davis, Emily Zaretzky,
2015-2016 – Grace Hall, Olivia Kline
2014-2015 – Riley Paskach, Riley Short, Thomas Dettmer, Zachary Short
2013-2014 – Anne Holland
2009-2010 – Sonia Rao
Fort Zumwalt South
2016-2017 – Danika Fannin
2015-2016 – Emilia Gautier
Tuscumbia
2019-2020 – Kylie Cline
2017-2018 – Mallari Flaugher
2016-2017 – Riley Ash
2013-2014 – Brady Blanton
2012-2013 – Laura Huddleston, Rebecca Lavin
2011-2012 – Paige Wood
2011-2012 – Tara Humphreys, Alexis Ash
2010-2011 – Tara Humphreys
2009-2010 – Olivia Jarrett
2007-2008 – Michael Stockwell
2002-2003 – Laura Visser
2001-2002 – Amber Stout
Newburgh
1998-1999 – Stefanie Wilbanks
Rolla (Summer research volunteers)
Rohit Allada Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum.
Vasant Balakrishnan Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum.
Pearl Daugaard Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum.
Naomi Fernandez Using synthetic biology to produce ethanol from glycerol
Annie Gao Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum.
Lilly Germeroth Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum.
Adem Malone Quorum sensing in Bradyrhizobium japonicum.
Eziamaka Okafor Construction of an sdh deletion strain of B. japonicum.