M. Neal Guentzel, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology
Office: BSB 2.03.24
Phone: (210) 458-4473
Neal.Guentzel@utsa.edu
Research Interests
Bioremediation involves the use of microorganisms for removing toxic contaminants from the environment through metabolic activity. The process is amenable to decontamination of surface waters, groundwaters, and soils and provides a more cost effective, energy efficient, and permanent solution than other currently acceptable disposal technologies. We have produced a database accessible library of degradative organisms which were isolated from hundreds of samples supplied to us by oil companies, railroads, and the military from contaminated sites throughout the US. These microbes have been screened for metabolism of 15 priority pollutants and serve as a source for construction of degradative consortia of microbes for bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons through an ongoing sponsored research agreement with a major oil company. Our current efforts are focused on isolation and characterization of microbes for new bioaugmentation mixtures for use in cold climates (psychrophilic degraders), for hazardous contaminants (PCB’s, polynuclear aromatics, pesticides), and for unusual site-specific applications. We are also working with biosurfactants to enhance the efficacy of bioaugmentation products. In addition to bioremidiation, the laboratory also does health effects studies and investigations into virulence factors of the human pathogens Candida albicans and Vibrio cholerae.
Recent Publications
Murphey C, Murthy AK, Meier PA, Neal Guentzel M, Zhong G, Arulanandam BP. The protective efficacy of chlamydial protease-like activity factor vaccination is dependent upon CD4+ T cells. Cell Immunol. 2006 Aug;242(2):110-7.
Murthy AK, Cong Y, Murphey C, Guentzel MN, Forsthuber TG, Zhong G, Arulanandam BP. Chlamydial protease-like activity factor induces protective immunity against genital chlamydial infection in transgenic mice that express the human HLA-DR4 allele. Infect Immun. 2006 Dec;74(12):6722-9.