11/4/2018
Dr. Brett Austin Froelich
Curriculum Vitae
Work AddressMailing Address
Post-doctoral ResearcherPO Box 524
UNC Institute of Marine SciencesMorehead City, NC 28557
3431 Arendell St.(704) 858-4641
Morehead City,
SKILLS
Molecular techniques including PCR, Q-PCR, RT-PCR, RNA-Seq, FISH
Bacterial techniques including media, culture, isolation, characterization, antimicrobial
resistance, classification, biosafety level 2 trained
Operation, calibration, and maintenance of research instrumentation for use in both the
laboratory and field studies
Grant writing, research publication writing and reviewing
Award winning presentation ability
Harvesting, culture, and maintenance of marine invertebrates and aquaria
Data collection under extreme weather conditions
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Biology, 2012, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Dissertation: The ecology of C-genotype and E-genotype strains of the bacterium, Vibrio vulnificus, and their interactions with the American oyster Crassostrea virginica
B.S., Biology with a concentration in Microbiology, 2005, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Dean’s List – Spring 2005
- Dean’s List – Fall 2005
WORK EXPERIENCE
Postdoctoral Researcher, The University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Sciences January 2012 – Present
Routinely monitored the Neuse River estuary for bacterial pathogens including Vibrios and enteric associated bacteria
Optimized and implemented a quantitative PCR approach to detecting and analyzing pathogenic Vibriobacteria
Observed and reported on a severe drought affecting the ecological balance of Vibrio vulnificus in shellfish and used in vitro studies to propose and publish an explanation of this phenomenon
Certified for boat operation for use in observation and sample collection
. Research Assistant January 2006 – January 2012
Published findings on the marine bacteriumVibrio vulnificus, a Biosafety Level (BSL)
2pathogen
Conducted both laboratory and field research, including the deployment of temporary laboratory
facilities at remote coastal sites.
Collected and maintained oysters and mussels in salt water aquaria
Collaborated with Bioinformatics department to sequence the genome of the BSL 2 bacteriumVibriovulnificus
Extracted, purified, quantified, amplified, and analyzed DNA and RNA
Created and used original probes and protocols for PCR, RT-PCR, Q-PCR, and RT-QPCR
Examined the role of cadmium toxicity effects on oysters and bacterial populations
Member of a team tasked with genetically modifying a bacterium to be used in oil spill
decontamination
Served as the lone microbiologist in multidisciplinary teams
Presented research at conferences numerous times, twice winning First Place awards
Created novel media for the isolation and detection of bacteria
Mentored new researchers, and educated them on the use and care of equipment
Worked with both clinical and environmental isolates of Vibrio and other bacterial pathogens
Contracted Researcher: May 2010 – Dec 2010
Generated purified Bacillus spores
Created lyophilized spores for biosensor testing
Teaching Assistant August 2007 – December 2007
Instructed college level laboratory course in microbiology
Created and graded lesson plans and written examinations
Instructed 34 students
Commercial Researcher July 2006 – September 2006
Designed and performed experiments for The Invisible Armor Company
Determined the effectiveness of antimicrobial skin protectant after bouts of repeated simulated sweating
Evaluated the ability of the product to kill a variety of pathogenic bacteria and fungi
Research Laboratory Technician September 2005 – December 2005
Isolated, identified, and classified the bacterial pathogen,Vibrio vulnificus
Designed experiments to determine differences in antimicrobial resistances
Performed ordering of office supplies and research equipment
Kept records of goods ordered and received
Obtained Government permission for sending pathogens overseas
Communicated with product developers to adapt recommended protocols to fit specific needs
Instructed laboratory on use of the BLAST program, and Vector NTI software
Research resulted in publication
Intern Researcher October 2004 – September 2005
Worked in Microbiological Research Lab performing guided experimental research
Used exoenzymes production and other biochemical reactions to identify and classify bacteria
Research resulted in publication
AWARDS
Second Place Award for Research presented at the 12th Annual Graduate Research Fair, Charlotte, NC (2012)
First Place Award for Research Presentation in Biology/Chemistry, 11th Annual Graduate Research Fair, Charlotte, NC (2011)
Ronald F. Siebeling Award Winner for Outstanding Graduate Student Poster Presentation, Vibrios in the Environment, Biloxi, MS (2010)
Recipient of Travel Grant to present at Vibrios in the Environment 2010 in Biloxi, MS (2010)
Recipient of Travel Grant to present at the 111th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in San Diego, CA (2010)
Recipient of Travel Grant to present at the 110th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Philadelphia, PA (2009)
Received Funding to attend the 3rd All PI Meeting of the Oceans and Human Health Initiative; Seattle, Washington (2009)
Received Funding to present research at the 101st Ann. Meet. of the Nat. Shellfisheries Assoc.; Savannah, GA (2009)
Recipient of Travel Grant to present at the 109th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Boston, MA (2008)
Recipient of Travel Grant to present at the 108th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Toronto, Canada (2007)
ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS
- Member of ASM, The American Society for Microbiology
- Member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society
- Board Member of ABGS, The Association of Biology Graduate Students
- Member of NSA, The National Shellfisheries Association
- Member of NOGLSTP, The National Organization of Scientists and Technical Professionals
PUBLICATIONS
Froelich, Brett; Williams, Tiffany; Noble, Rachel; and Oliver, James; 2012; Apparent loss of Vibrio vulnificus in North Carolina oysters coincides with drought-induced increase in salinity;Appl. Environ. Microbiol. AEM.07855-11
Froelich, Brett and Oliver, James; 2011; Orientation of mannitol related genes can further differentiate strains of Vibrio vulnificus possessing the vcgC allele; Advanced Studies in Biology; 3:4, 151-160
Ivanina, Anna; Froelich, Brett; Williams, Tiffany; Sokolov, Eugene; Oliver, James; Sokolova, Inna; 2010; Interactive effects of cadmium and hypoxia on metabolic responses and bacterial loads of eastern oysters Crassostrea virginica Gmelin; Chemosphere 82 (3), 377-389
Froelich, Brett A; Amy Ringwood; Inna Sokolova, and James Oliver. 2010. Uptake and depuration of the C- and E-genotypes of Vibrio vulnificus by the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica). Environmental Microbiology Reports, 2:1, pp 112-115
Hilton T, Rosche T, Froelich B, Smith B, Oliver J, (November, 2006). Capsular polysaccharide phase variation in Vibrio vulnificus; Applied and Environmental Microbiology, November 2006, p. 6986-6993, Vol. 72, No. 11
POSTERS AND PRESENTATIONS
Froelich, Brett; Gonzalez, Raul; Oliver, James; and Noble, Rachel; 2012; Understanding the dynamics of total Vibrio and pathogenic Vibrio species in a complexestuarine system impacted by extreme events. Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases; Berkeley, CA
Williams, Tiffany; Brett Froelich, and James D. Oliver; 2012; Characterization ofVibriospp. on CPC+, CHROMagar Vibrio, and TCBS, and Proposed Cross-Plating Method for Isolation ofVibrio vulnificusfrom Environmental Samples; 112th Gen. Meet. Amer. Soc. Microbiol. San Francisco, CA.
Williams, Tiffany; Froelich, Brett, and Oliver, James D.; 2012; Inexpensive Non-molecular Method for the Improved Isolation and Identification of Vibrio vulnificus from Environmental Samples. 2012 Graduate Research Fair, Charlotte NC
Froelich, Brett; Williams, Tiffany; Noble, Rachel; and Oliver James; 2011; Harmful bacteria missing from North Carolina Oysters; Presented at the North Carolina General Legislative Assembly
Froelich, Brett; Williams, Tiffany; Noble, Rachel; and Oliver, James; 2011; Severe drought caused a loss of Vibrio vulnificus from oysters in North Carolina; 2011 Graduate Research Fair; Charlotte, NC
Froelich, Brett; Williams, Tiffany; Noble, Rachel; and Oliver, James; 2010; High salinity induced loss of Vibrio vulnificus populations in North Carolina oysters; Vibrios in the Environment 2010; Biloxi, MS.
Oliver, James D; Froelich, Brett; Doyle, Kristi; and Williams, Tiffany; 2010; Ecology and in situ gene expression of the two V. vulnificus genotypes; Vibrios in the environment 2010; Biloxi, MS
Williams, Tiffany; Froelich, Brett; and Oliver, James; 2010; Comparison of two selective and differential media for the isolation of Vibrio vulnificus from the environment; Vibrios in the Environment 2010; Biloxi, MS.
Oliver, James D and Brett A. Froelich. 2010. Differential Uptake of C- and E-genotypes of Vibrio vulnificus into Oysters. Presented at USDA Chicago
Froelich, Brett A and Oliver, James D. 2010. Clinical and Environmental Strains of Vibrio vulnificus Integrate into Marine Aggregates at Different Rates. 110th Gen. Meet. Amer. Soc. Microbiol. San Diego, CA.
Ogint, Vanessa K P, Froelich, Brett A; Bates, Tonya C; Oliver, James D; Ringwood, Amy H; (March 2010); Antioxidant status of Crassostrea virginica and susceptibility to Vibrio sp. bacteria under hypoxic conditions. 102nd Ann. Meet. of the Nat. Shellfisheries Assoc.; San Diego, CA
Froelich, Brett A and Oliver, James D; 2010. Clinical and Environmental strains of Vibrio vulnificus integrate into marine aggregates at different rates. UNC Charlotte Graduate Research Fair; Charlotte, NC
Carmen Lopez-Joven, Melissa Jones, Ana Roque, Brett Froelich, and James D. Oliver; (June, 2009). Survival Kinetics of Vibrio vulnificus Genotypes in Oysters Stored at Two Different Temperatures. 7th International Conference on Molluscan Shellfish Safety; Nantes, France
Froelich, Brett A; Amy Ringwood, Inna Sokolova, and James Oliver. May 2009. Uptake and Depuration of the C- and E-genotypes of Vibrio vulnificus by the Oyster, Crassostrea virginica. 109thGen. Meet. Amer. Soc. Microbiol.; Philadelphia, PA
Amy H. Ringwood, Brett Froelich, Vanessa Ogint, Melissa McCarthy, Kristi Doyle, and James D. Oliver; (March 2009). Antioxidant status of oysters and susceptibility to pathogens and environmental stressors. 101st Ann. Meet. of the Nat. Shellfisheries Assoc.; Savannah, GA
Froelich, Brett A and Oliver, James D; (June 2008). Arrangement of Mannitol Genes as an Indicator of Virulence in C-genotype Strains of Vibrio vulnificus. 108thGen. Meet. Amer. Soc. Microbiol.; Boston, MA
Froelich, Brett A and Oliver, James D; (May 2007). Mannitol Fermentation by Clinical and Environmental Isolates of Vibrio vulnificus. 107thGen. Meet. Amer. Soc. Microbiol.; Toronto, Canada
James D. Oliver, Tom Rosche, Elizabeth Warner, Ryan Bogard, Tamara Hilton, Brett Froelich; (May, 2006). Ecological and Physiological Studies on the Two Vibrio vulnificus Genotypes; 106th Gen. Meet. Amer. Soc. Microbiol.; Orlando, FL
Hilton, T., Rosche, T., Smith, B., Froelich, B., Oliver, J. D.; (July, 2005). Regulation of Capsular Polysaccharide Genes in Vibrio vulnificus results in Three Colony Morphotypes. Ann. Meet. Internat. Union Microbiol. Soc.; San Francisco, CA.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Invited Speaker, Graduate Research Workshop, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Dec 2011
Conducted a workshop on how to give an effective research presentation
Gave individual assessments on attendees presentations
Guest Lecturer, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Nov 2011
Presented three weeks of lectures to a class containing over 100 students on the topics ofmycology, parasitology, and marine microbiology
Invited Presenter, North Carolina General Legislative Assembly, May 2011
Presented at the State Capitol Building to the Legislature of North Carolina
Met individually with Senators and Representatives to discuss my research and its possible effect on the North Carolina economy
Invited Speaker, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Feb 2011
Presented lecture to visiting “high achievement” high school biology students
Conducted photosynthesis laboratory exercise
Reviewer for Applied and Environmental Microbiology; December 2010
Golmohammadi, M; Cubero, J; Lopez, M. M.; and Llop, P. Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri survives under low nutrient and copper stress conditions for long periods: induction of the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state and resuscitation
Guest Lecturer; University of North Carolina at Charlotte;November 2010
Presented to college class of graduate and undergraduate students on general microbiology
Guest Lecturer; University of North Carolina at Charlotte; October 2010
Lectured to a class of graduate and undergraduate students on microbial physiology
Discussed medical microbiology and horizontal gene transfer
Guest Lecturer; University of North Carolina at Charlotte; September 2010
Presented two weeks of lectures to graduate and undergraduate students of microbiology.
Discussed morphology, cell structure, taxonomy, bacterial growth, bacterial metabolism
Reviewer for Applied and Environmental Microbiology; July 2010
Twing, K.I.; Kirchman, D.L.; Campbell, B.J; Detection of Helicobacter pylori in coastal waters. Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Reviewer for Applied and Environmental Microbiology; May 2010
Canizalez-Roman, Adrian; Comparative Evaluation of a Chromogenic Agar Medium-PCR Protocol and Conventional Method for Isolation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strains from environmental and clinical samples:application to biosurveillance. Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Invited Speaker, Porter Ridge High School, May 2010
Presented lecture to Advanced Placement students on bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Guided pupils in student designed laboratory exercise involving bacteria.
Met with students after class to discuss careers in biology.
Invited Speaker, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, April 2010
Presented to three classes of pre-biology majors about the benefits, responsibilities, and opportunities of Undergraduate Research at UNC – Charlotte
Met with students individually to answer further questions and provide guidance
Reviewed Article for Environmental Microbiology Reports, March 2010
Broza, Yoav; Raz, Nili; Danin-Poleg, Yael; Kashi, Yechezkel; Evolutionary aspects of the human pathogen Vibrio vulnificus: a new group. Environmental Microbiology Reports
Invited Speaker, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Feb 2010
Presented lecture to visiting “high achievement” high school biology students
Conducted enzyme laboratory exercises
Reviewed Article, January 2010
Kim, Choon-Mee and Sung-Heui Shin; Cyclic AMP-receptor Protein Ambivalently Affects the Autoinducer-2-mediated Quorum Sensing System in Vibrio vulnificus
Speaker, University of North Carolina at Charlotte; November 2009
Comparisons of the C and E genotypes of the bacterium Vibrio vulnificus; Presented to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Charlotte, NC
Reviewed Article for Fems Microbiology Reviews, November 2009
Oliver, James D; Recent Findings on the VBNC State in Pathogenic Bacteria; 2009 Fems Microbiology Reviews
Invited Attendee, 3rd All PI Meeting of the Oceans and Human Health Initiative; October 2009
Reviewed Article for Foodborne Pathogens and Disease., May 2009
Stephenie L. Drake, Brooke Whitney, Jay F. Levine, Angelo DePaola, Lee-Ann Jaykus. Correlation of Mannitol Fermentation with Virulence-Associated Genotypic Characteristics in Vibrio vulnificus Isolates from Oysters and Water Samples in the Gulf of Mexico Foodborne Pathogens and Disease.Foodborne Pathogens and Disease.
ReviewedArticle for Infection and Immunity, April 2009
Hee Gon Jeong, Man Hwan Oh, Byoung Sik Kim, Min Young Lee, Ho Jae Han, and Sang Ho Choi;Capability of Catabolic Utilization of N-Acetylneuraminic Acid, a Sialic Acid, Is Essential for Pathogenesis of Vibrio vulnificus; Infection and Immunity
Guest Judge, Science Fair – Villa Heights – February 2009
Invited speaker, Porter Ridge High School – January 2009
Conducted laboratory exercise with students involving gel electrophoresis.
Guest speaker, Porter Ridge High School – October 2007
Gave presentations to biology students on bacteria and viruses.
Designed and lead experiments in which students sampled, grew, and examined bacterial cultures
Directed students in experimenting with antimicrobials and their effectiveness.
Guest Judge, Science Fair – Villa Heights – February 2007
Read and Judged poster presentations as well as written reports
Conducted interviews with high scoring participants
REFERENCES
Dr. James D. Oliver - Cone Distinguished Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Charlotte, NC. Office Number: (704) 687-8516; E-mail:
Dr. Amy Ringwood – Associate Professor, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Office number: 704-687-8501; E-mail:
Dr. Inna Sokolova – Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Charlotte, NC. Office Number: (704)687-8532; E-mail
Daniel Gallegos – Clinical Application Specialist; CF Medical; Charlotte, NC.
Office Number: (704) 756-5731; E-mail
Alan Buck – Science Department Chairman, Porter Ridge High School; Indian Trail, NC
Phone number: 704-836-6284; E-mail:
Dr. Matthew Parrow – Assistant Professor, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Office number: 704-687-7779 E-mail:
Tonya C. Bates – Lecturer, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Office number: 704-687-5015, E-mail:
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