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PEOPLE
Kent Lab 2009
Assistant Professor Angela D. Kent
Ph.D., Bacteriology, December 2000
University of Wisconsin-Madison
M.S., Bacteriology, August 1996
University of Wisconsin-Madison
B.A., Biology, May 1992
Grinnell College
Download CV (PDF, 221 KB)
CONTACT INFORMATION
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
1102 S. Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL
Telephone: 217-333-4216
Fax: 217-244-3219
E-mail: akent@illinois.edu
Postdoctoral Researcher
Daniel Keymer
Postdoctoral Researcher
Energy Biosciences Institute
Institute for Genomic Biology
Ph. D., Environmental Engineering and Science, April 2009
Stanford University
M. S., Environmental Engineering and Science, June 2004
Stanford University
B. S., Civil & Environmental Engineering, December 2002
University of Wisconsin-Madison
PROJECT:
Biofuels and Sustainability
Research Interests:
My current research interests focus on microbial contributions to the sustainability of potential bioenery crops. We are working to identify and characterize N-fixing bacteria that colonize potential bioenergy crops, to determine the magnitude of their contribution to plant N requirements, and to examine the ecological factors that influence the colonization and activity of nitrogen-fixing endophytes. Using this knowledge, we hope to design strategies to promote colonization and activity of nitrogen-fixing endophytes and improve the sustainability of bioenergy crops such as Miscanthus and switchgrass.
Graduate Students
Ariane L. Peralta
Ph.D. Student (Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology)
August 2007 - present
M.S., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, August 2006
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
B.S., Honors Biology and Chemistry, May 2003
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
PROJECT:
Illinois Wetland Restoration
Research Interests:
My current research interests specifically focus on soil microbial ecology, environmental quality and geostatistics. I plan to investigate the link between microbial community composition and ecosystem functions through evaluating the role of microbes in maintaining sustainable nutrient conditions for above and belowground communities. In addition, I am interested in assessing current soil sampling protocols and modifying them to be more relevant for microbial analyses. Through proper sampling efforts and application of geospatial statistical design, the appropriate amount of spatial variability can be captured in the soil environment. The importance of appropriate field sampling will lead to results that more accurately reflect environmental conditions.
Sara Paver
Ph.D. Student (Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology)
August 2007 - present
M.S., Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, November 2009
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
B.S. (with honors), Biology, May 2007
University of Illinois at Springfield
PROJECT:
Aquatic Microbial Ecology
In my current research, I am examining linkages between bacteria and algal populations in aquatic ecosystems, exploring the importance of biological interactions for shaping aquatic bacterial communities. The phytoplankton community has been identified as an important force structuring bacterial community composition in lakes. Phytoplankton exudates support bacterial growth. We hypothesize that as phytoplankton communities change through time, shifts in the composition and quantity of exudates cause bacterial communities to change. I am using a number of microbial ecology approaches to investigate the direct influence of phytoplankton-mediated resources on bacterial community composition. I will continue to work in aquatic systems for my PhD, and I plan to develop the idea of using bacteria living on individual algal cells as a model for examining bacterial communities at ecologically relevant spatial scales for investigating community assembly.
Yu-rui Chang
M.S. Student (Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences)
August 2007 - present
M.S., Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, November 2009
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
B.S. (with honors), Marine Biotechnology and Resources, May 2006
National Sun Yat-Sen University, Taiwan
PROJECT:
Aquatic Microbial Ecology
My research explores the effect of light:phosphorus ratios on bacterial communities associated with periphyton biofilms. Ecological stoichiometry is a subject of much interest, particularly as anthropogenic activities are altering the flow of ecologically important nutrients through the biosphere. This project is examining the response of bacterial community structure to altered periphyton activity resulting from experimental manipulations of light and phosphorus. Microbial populations differ in their functional capabilities, so alterations in community structure will impact microbially-mediated ecosystem processes as well. I am also investigating this possibility by examining differences in bacterial functional gene diversity across the experimental light and phosphorus treatments.
Ginny Li
M.S. Student (Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences)
August 2009 - present
B.Sc., Environmental Chemistry, May 2009
Nanjing University, China
PROJECT:
Biofuels and Sustainability
Jason Koval
M.S. Student (Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences)
August 2009 - present
B.Sc., Environmental Studies, May 2009
Illinois Wesleyan University
PROJECT:
Wetland Restoration
Janaina Rigonato
Ph.D. Student (Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz", Universidade de Sao Paulo)
Visiting Scholar (University of Illinois)
August 2009 - present
PROJECT:
Mangrove microbial ecology
Research interests: Mangroves are ecosystems with great ecological importance in coastal regions. Cyanobacteria play an important role in mangrove ecosystems through primary production and nitrogen fixation, and also can protect mangroves against contamination by adsorbing heavy metals and degradating xenobiotic compounds. My research aims to evaluate cyanobacterial diversity in Brazilian mangrove ecosystems, and to determine the response of microbial communities (particularly cyanobacteria) to environmental gradients and disturbance.
Lab affiliates
Malia Andrus
Ph.D. student (Agricultural and Biological Engineering)
August 2007 - present
PROJECT:
Investigating the diversity, dynamics and functional redundancy of microbial populations in denitrifying biofilters.
Matt Porter
M.S. student (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
August 2009 - present
PROJECT:
Investigating the diversity, dynamics and functional redundancy of microbial populations in denitrifying biofilters.
Katie Amato
Ph.D. Student (Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology)
August 2008 - present
PROJECT:
Investigating the relationship between primate foraging behavior and intestinal microbial communities in the black howler monkey population at Palenque National Park, Chiapas, Mexico.
Glen Menezes
Ph.D. Student (Agricultural and Biological Engineering)
August 2007 - present
PROJECT:
Role of microbial community structure and function in carbon sequestration
Derrick Lin
Ph.D. Student (Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences)
August 2009 - present
PROJECT:
Investigating the impacts of invasive species on soil microbial community structure and function.
Yi Lou
M.S. Student (Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences)
August 2009 - present
PROJECT:
Investigating the impacts of invasive species on soil microbial community structure and function.
Technician
Robert Lane
B.S., University of Illinois, 2008
PROJECT:
Biofuels and Sustainability
Undergraduate Students
Kevin Hayek
B.S., Honors Integrative Biology
August 2007 - present
PROJECT:
Aquatic Microbial Ecology
Research Interests:
I am interested in studying microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems, and how they interact with other aquatic organisms. I am using DNA "fingerprinting" approaches to examine changes in microbial assemblages in response to manipulations of fish diversity.
Eric Johnston
B.S., Integrative Biology
August 2006 - present
PROJECTS:
Illinois Wetland Restoration
Research Interests:
I am studying microbial communities and their activities in wetland ecosystems. I am using DNA "fingerprinting" approaches to examine changes in microbial assemblages in response to moisture gradients in restored wetlands. I am also examining microbial nitrogen transformations, and how these are influenced by environmental conditions in restored wetlands.
Lab alumni
