Jamie S. Foster

Assistant Professor

Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida

B.S. (1992) University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
M.S. (1996) University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Ph.D. (2000) University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI

Teaching Interest

Astrobiology

Topics discussed in this class will include the origin and evolution of life on Earth, the search for life elsewhere in the solar system, and the future of human space exploration.

Astrobiology course MySpace page

General Area

Comparative genomics, Bacterial genetics, Experimental evolution, Genetic Code.

Description of Research

General Area:The overall objective of my research is to examine the establishment and maintenance of complex microbial mat ecosystems under Earth and simulated Martian conditions. My research interests can be summarized into three main questions:

1. How do microbes living in complex symbiotic communities adapt and respond to extreme environmental stresses (i.e., UV radiation, oxidative and nutritional stress)?
2. What mechanisms do microbes use to initiate these complex symbioses?
3. What molecular and biochemical mechanisms are required by microbes to tolerate and grow in space and Mars-like ecosystems?

By examining how microbes interact amongst themselves and their environment, I believed that a greater understanding can be obtained of how complex microbial communities may have originated and evolved throughout Earth’s history. This work also examines the limitation of Earth-derived life under non-Earth conditions. Microbial mats, a model for early Earth ecosystems, are complex community structures that contain a diverse array of microbes and are under constant exposure to external and internal stresses. My research attempts to elucidate the required genetic and biochemical mechanisms by which microbial mats communities are initiated, established and maintained.

Graduate Students Wanted:
For those individuals interested in pursuing a graduate degree in my laboratory at the Kennedy Space Center, I will be taking on new students in the summer and fall of 2006. If interested please contact me at jfoster@ufl.edu.

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Research Funding Awards

• National Research Service Award,  National Institutes of Health, 2003-2006
• Educational Improvement Funds, University of Hawaii, 1999
• Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Scholarship - Zoology, 1998
• Constance Endicott Hartt Fellowship, 1997
• Edmondson Grants-in-Aid Research Award, 1997
• Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology
• Grants-in-Aid Fellowship, 1996
• NASA Planetary Biology Internship, 1994

Honors and Awards

• NIDCR Equal Employment Opportunity Special Achievement Award, 2001
• Michael Weekly Award - Tester Symposium, 1998
• Association for Woman in Science - Tester Symposium Award, 1997
• University of Southern California Outstanding Teaching Award
• Department of Biological Sciences, USC, 1994

Selected Publications

Foster, J.S. and P.E. Kolenbrander (2004) Development of a multi-species oral bacterial community in a saliva-conditioned flowcell. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 70(7): 4340-8.

Foster J.S., P.C. Pan, and P.E. Kolenbrander (2004) Effects of antimicrobial agents on oral biofilms in a saliva-coated flowcell. Biofilms1:3-10.

Foster, J.S., R.J. Palmer Jr., and P.E. Kolenbrander (2003) The human oral cavity as a model for the study of genome-genome interactions. Biological Bulletin. 204:200-204.

Kolenbrander, P. E., R.A. Anderson, D.S. Blehert, P.G. Egland, J.S. Foster, and R.J.
Palmer Jr. (2002) Communication among oral bacteria. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews. 66:486-505.

Foster, J.S., S. von Boletsky, and M.J. McFall-Ngai (2002) A comparison of light
organ development between Euprymna scolopes Berry and Sepiola robusta Naef
(cephalopod:sepiolidae). Bulletin of Marine Science. 70:141-153.

Foster, J.S., M.A. Apicella, and M.J. McFall-Ngai (2000) Vibrio fischeri lipopolysaccharide induces developmental apoptosis but not complete morphogenesis of the Euprymna scolopes  light organ. Developmental Biology. 226:242-254.

Visick, K.L., J.S. Foster, J.A. Doino, M.J., McFall-Ngai, and E.G. Ruby (2000) Vibrio fischeri lux genes play an important role in colonization and development of the host light organ. Journal of Bacteriology. 182:4578-4586.

Donachie, S., J. Foster, and M. Brown (2007) Culture clash: Challenging the dogma of microbial diversity. ISME Journal In press

Foster, J.S., A.K. Singh, L.J. Rothschild and L.A. Sherman (2007) Growth-phase dependent differential gene expression in Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 and regulation by a group 2 sigma factor. Archives of Microbiology 187(4):265-79

 

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