Education:

A.B.  Washington University in St Louis, MO (1982-1985) - Microbial Genetics
Ph.D. University of South Florida (1988-1993) - Marine Sciences / Microbiology / Molecular Biology
Postdoctoral Fellowship Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1994-1996)

Research Interests:

Research in my laboratory focuses on the role of microbial diversity in marine environments and the use of molecular methods to investigate microbial diversity. A large emphasis is placed on the development and evaluation of new methods, particularly those that can be used in situ. In addition, a focus of my laboratory is the adaptation of genetic probes to a wide variety of uses in applied marine sciences, biotechnology, and bioremediation. Current projects include investigations of new methods to determine the in situ activity of single cells, molecular methods to study the utilization of inorganic nitrogen by marine bacteria, bioremediation of saltmarshes contaminated with PCBs and mercury, and the use of molecular genetic probes to evaluate the efficacy of stock enhancement in marine fisheries.

Current Projects:

• NSF Biocomplexity and Network Analysis: Microbial and Nutrient Controls in Mangrove Ecosystems; 1999 – 2004. With 8 Co-PIs (Project Director – Ilka (Candy) Feller – Smithsonian Environmental Research Center)  
• NSF Biocomplexity: The Bio-Feedback Basis of Self Organization in Planktonic Ecosystems Using Phaeocystis as a Model Complex Adaptative System. 2000 – 2005. With 3 Co-PIs (Project Director – Peter G. Verity – Skidaway Institute of Oceanography)  
• NSF Collaboration to Integrate Research and Education in Marine Science. 2001 – 2006. With 4 Co-PIs. (Project Director – Matthew Gilligan – Savannah State University).  
• National Sea Grant Development of Molecular Diagnostics to Allow Studies on the Life History and Transmission of Dinoflagellate Parasites Infecting Estuarine Crabs. 2002 – 2004. Co-PIs Richard Lee and Dionne Hoskins.  
• DOE Molecular Approaches for In Situ Studies of Nitrate Utilization by Marine Bacteria. 2003 – 2006. With 3 Co-PIs.

Courses:

• Coastal Oceanography (Summer Course).  Skidaway Institute of Oceanography.  Lecturer (Marine Microbiology, Application of Molecular Biology in Marine Sciences)
• MSCI 4502. Current Issues in Oceanography.  Savannah State University.  Organizer and Lecturer.
• MSCI 5202. Coastal Oceanography.  Savannah State University.  Lecturer.
• MSCI 7802. Marine Microbial Ecology.  Savannah State University.
• OCEA 3100. Introduction to Oceanography.  Armstrong State Atlantic University.  Co-taught with Peter Verity.
• ECOL 4100. Ecosystem Complexity.  University of Georgia.  Lecturer and Organizer.

Selected Publications:

2003	Sheppard, M., A. Walker, M.E. Frischer, and R.F. Lee. (2003). Histopathology and prevalence of the parasitic dinoflagellate, Hematodinium sp., in crabs ( Callinectes sapidus, C. similes, Neopanope sayi, Libinia emarginata, Menippe mercenaria ) from a Georgia Estuary. Journal of Shellfish Research. 22: 873-880.
2003	Nejstgaard, J.C., M.E. Frischer, C.L. Raule, R. Gruebel, K.E. Kohlberg, and P.G. Verity. (2003). A new approach to an old problem: molecular detection of algal prey in copepod guts and faecal pellets. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods. 1: 29-38.
2002	Frischer, M.E., A.S. Hansen, J.A. Wyllie, J. Wimbush, J. Murray, and S.A. Nierzwicki-Bauer. (2002). Specific Amplification of the 18S rRNA Gene as a Method to Detect Zebra Mussel ( Dreissena polymorpha ) Larvae in Plankton Samples. Hydrobiologia. 487: 33-44.
2002	Arnold, W.S., Marelli, D.C., Parker, M., Hoffman, P., Frischer, M., and Scarpa, J. (2002). Enhancing hard clam ( Mercenaria spp.) population density in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida: a comparison of strategies to maintain the commercial fishery. J. Shellfish Res. 21: 659-672.
2002	Allen, A.E, Howard-Jones, M.H., Booth, M.G., Frischer, M.E., Verity, P.G., Bronk, D.A., Sanderson, M.P. (2002) Importance of heterotrophic bacterial assimilation of ammonium and nitrate in the Barents Sea during summer. Journal of Marine Systems. 38: 93-108.
2002	Verity, P.G., P. Wassmann, M.E. Frischer, M.H. Howard-Jones, and A.E. Allen. (2002). Grazing of primary production by microzooplankton in the Barents Sea during early summer. Journal of Marine Systems. 38: 109-123.
2002	Howard-Jones, M.H., V.D. Ballard, A.E. Allen, M.E. Frischer, and P.G. Verity. (2002). Distribution of bacterial biomass and activity in the marginal ice zone of the central Barents Sea during summer. Journal of Marine Systems. 38: 77-91.
2002	Gruebl, T., M.E. Frischer, M. Shepperd, M. Neumann, and R.F. Lee. (2002). Development of a 18S rRNA gene targeted PCR based diagnostic for the blue crab parasite, Hematodinium sp. Disease of Aquatic Organisms. 49: 61-70.
2002	Verity, P.G., M.R. Gilligan, M.E. Frischer, M.G. Booth, J.P. Richardson, and C. Franklin. (2002). Improving undergraduate research experiences: lessons from a historically black university's unusual collaboration. AAHE Bulletin. 54: 3-6.
2001	Benson, A.J., D.C. Marelli, M.E. Frischer, J.M. Danforth, and J.D. Williams. (2001). Establishment of the green mussel, Perna viridis (Linnaeus 1758), (Mollusca: Mytilidae) on the west coast of Florida. Journal of Shellfish Research. 20: 21-29.
2001	King, J.K., J.E. Kostka, M.E. Frischer, F.M. Sanders, and R. Jahnke. (2001). A quantitative relationship that demonstrates mercury methylation rates in marine sediments are based on the community composition and activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Environ. Sci. and Tech. 35:2491-2496.
2001	Allen, A.E., M.G. Booth, M.E. Frischer, P.G. Verity, J.P. Zehr, and S. Zani. (2001). Diversity of assimilatory nitrate reductase genes in heterotrophic bacteria and their detection in the marine environment. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 67:5343-5348.
2001	Howard-Jones, M.H., M.E. Frischer, and P.G. Verity (2001). Determining the physiological status of individual bacteria cells. In. J.H. Paul (ed.) Methods in microbiology volume 30: marine microbiology. Pages 175-206. Academic Press Ltd, London.
2000	Frischer, M.E., J.M. Danforth, M.A. Newton Healy, and F. M. Saunders. (2000). Whole cell versus total RNA extraction for the analysis of microbial community structure using 16S rRNA targeted oligonucleotide probes in saltmarsh sediments. 66:3037-3043. Appl. Environ. Microbiol
2000	King, J.K., J.E. Kostka, M.E. Frischer, and F.M. Saunders. (2000). Sulfate-reducing bacteria methylate mercury at variable rates in pure culture and in marine sediments. 66:2430-2437. Appl. Environ. Microbiol.
2000	Frischer, M.E., S.A. Nierzwicki-Bauer, R.H. Parsons, K. Vathanodorn, and K.R. Waitkus. (2000). Interactions between zebra mussels ( Dreissena polymorpha ) and microbial communities. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 57:591-599.
2000	Frischer, M.E., J.M. Danforth, L.C. Tyner, J.R. Leverone, D.C. Marelli, W.S. Arnold, N.J. Blake. (2000). Development of an Argopecten-specific 18S rRNA Targeted genetic Probe. Mar.Biotechnol. 2:11-20.
1999	Reyes, N.S., M.E. Frischer, And P.A. Sobecky. (1999). Characterization of mercury resistance mechanisms in marine sediment microbial communities. FEMS Microbial Ecology. 30:273-284.
1999	Frischer, M.E., S.A. Nierzwicki-Bauer, M. Resto, A. Toro, and G.A. Toranzos. (1999). Zebra Mussels as Possible Biomonitors/Filters of the Protozoan Pathogen Cryptosporidium . Dressenia! 10:1-5.
1998	Williams, S.C., Y. Hong, D.C.A. Danavall, M.H. Howard-Jones, D. Gibson, M.E. Frischer, and P.G. Verity. (1998). Distinguishing between living and nonliving bacteria: evaluation of the vital stain propidium iodide and the combined use with molecular probes in aquatic samples. J. Microbiol. Methods. 32:225-236.
1998	Frischer, M.E., J. Williams, E. Kenchington. (1998). A molecular phylogeny of the major groups of pectinidae inferred from 18S rRNA gene sequences. In: Bivalves: An Eon of Evolution – Paleobiological Studies Honoring Norman D. Newell. (Ed.) Paul A. Johnston and James W. Haggart. University of Calgary Press, Calgary, Canada. pp 213-221.
1997	Williams, H.G., J. Benstead, M.E. Frischer, and J.H. Paul. (1997). Alteration in plasmid DNA following natural transformation to populations of marine bacteria. Molecular Marine Biology and Biotechnology, 6:238-247.
1997	Wilson, R.R. Jr., K.A. Donaldson, M.E. Frischer, and T.B. Young. (1997). Mitochondrial mtDNA control region of common Snook and its prospect for use as a genetic “tag”. Journal of Fisheries Transactions, 126:594-606.
1997	Frischer, M.E., J.A. Wyllie, A.S. Hansen, and S.A. Nierzwicki-Bauer. 1997. Development and utilization of genetic probes for studying zebra mussel veligers. Proceedings of the 1997 Georgia Water Resourcs Conference, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA.
1996	Frischer, M.E., P.J Floriani, and S.A. Nierzwicki-Bauer. (1996). Differential sensitivity of 16S rRNA targeted oligonucleotide probes used for fluorescence in situ hybridization is a result of ribosomal higher order structure. Canadian Journal of Microbiology. 42: 1061-1071.
1996	Frischer, M.E., H.G. Williams, B. Bennison, G.R. Drake, D.L. Balkwill, and J.H. Paul. (1996) The naturally transformable marine bacterium “Vibrio” WJT-1C is a pseudomonad. Current Microbiology. 33: 287-291.
1994	Frischer, M.E., G.J. Stewart, and J.H. Paul. (1994). Plasmid transfer to indigenous marine bacterial populations by natural transformation. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 15:127-136.
1993	Boehme, J., M.E. Frischer, S.C. Jiang, C.A. Kellogg, S. Pichard, J.B. Rose, C. Steinway, and J.H. Paul. (1993). Viruses, bacterioplankton, and phytoplankton in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico: distribution and contribution to oceanic DNA pools. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 97:1-10.
1993	Pichard, S.L., M.E. Frischer, and J.H. Paul (1993). Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase gene expression in subtropical marine phytoplankton populations. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 101:55-65.
1993	Frischer, M.E., J.M. Thurmond, and J.H. Paul. (1993) Factors affecting competence in a high frequency of transformation marine Vibrio . General Journal of Microbiology, 139:753-761.
1992	Paul, J.H., J.M. Thurmond, M.E. Frischer, and J.P. Cannon. (1992). Intergeneric natural plasmid transformation between E. coli and a marine Vibrio species. Molecular Ecology, 1:37-46.
1991	Paul, J.H., M.E. Frischer, and J.M. Thurmond. (1991). Gene transfer in marine water column and sediment microcosms by natural plasmid transformation. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 57:1509-1515.
1990	Frischer, M.E., J.M. Thurmond, and J.H. Paul. (1990). Natural plasmid transformation in a high frequency of transformation Vibrio strain. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 56:3439-3444.

Lay Publications:

2001	Frischer, M.E. (2001). Stalking the Zebra Mussel. Skidaway Scenes. January, 2001.
2001	Booth, M., and M.E. Frischer (2001). Mangrove Mission. Skidaway Scenes. April, 2001.

Adjunct Faculty Status:

Georgia Institute of Technology
University of Georgia
Savannah State University