The Reston Microbiology Laboratory Group headed by Denise Akob. 2016
Denise M. Akob, Ph.D.
Denise Akob is a Research Microbiologist for the USGS Geology, Energy & Minerals (GEM) Science Center in Reston, VA.
Dr. Denise M. Akob is a microbial ecologist and biogeochemist whose research aims to understand interactions between microbes and their environment and address effects of anthropogenic contaminants on environmental health and water quality. Her research focuses primarily on understanding microbial impacts on Cold War Biogeochemistry (uranium and chlorinated solvent contamination); energy production (either by mitigating degradation of contaminants (from hydraulic fracturing or oil spills) or by enhancing natural gas production); and carbon cycling. Dr. Akob joined the U.S. Geological Survey in 2012 as a research scientist in the Water Mission Area, and move to the Geology, Energy, and Minerals Science Center in 2020. For more information, please visit the Reston Microbiology Lab website.
Professional Experience
Research Microbiologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Geology, Energy, & Minerals Science Center, Reston Microbiology Laboratory, 2020-current
Affiliated Professor, Department of Biology at George Mason University, 2017-current
Affiliated Professor, Department of Geology, Appalachian State University, 2017-current
Affiliated Professor, Department of Geography and Planning, Appalachian State University, 2016-current
Affiliated Professor, Environmental Science and Policy Department at George Mason University, 2013-current
Research Microbiologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Mission Area, Reston Microbiology Laboratory, 2012-2020
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, 2010-2012
Marie Curie Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, 2008-2010
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 2008, Florida State University, Department of Oceanography, Advisor: Dr. Joel E. Kostka
B.A. 2002, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Major: Biology
Affiliations and Memberships*
Chair, 2025 Applied and Environmental Microbiology Gordon Research Conference
Chair, American Society for Microbiology’s Council on Microbial Sciences (COMS), 2023-2024
Vice Chair, American Society for Microbiology’s Council on Microbial Sciences (COMS), 2022-2023
Vice Chair, 2023 Applied and Environmental Microbiology Gordon Research Conference
Editorial Board Member, FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 2016-present
Editorial Board Member, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 1, 2018-present
Editorial Board Member, ISME Communications, 2020-present
Associate Editor, Biogeosciences, 2016-2023
Councilor, Washington, D.C. Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, 2021-2022
President, Washington, D.C. Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, 2019-2021
President-Elect, Washington, D.C. Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, 2017-2019
USGS Community for Data Integration’s Bioinformatics Community of Practice, co-organizer, 2017-present
USGS Eastern Water Science Series, co-organizer, 2017-present
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Gordon Research Seminar Mentor, July 15-16, 2017
USGS NRP-EB Weekly Science Series, co-organizer (2013-2017)
Geobiology Theme Chair, Goldschmidt 2015 25th Anniversary Meeting
Co-Chair for Session T50. Microbial Hydrocarbon Formation and Biodegradation: Organisms, Pathways, Environmental Limitations, and Isotope Signatures, 2015 Geological Society of America Annual Meeting
Honors and Awards
USGS Early Career Leadership Award, 2017
Science and Products
Energy Integrated Science Team
Framework for Examining Stream Ecosystem Health in Areas of Shale Gas Development—A Multi-Parameter Watershed-Based Case Study in Pennsylvania
Two Scientists Receive Early Career Excellence in Leadership Award
Trace Levels of Organic Chemicals Limited to Local Reaches of a Stream near an Oil and Gas Wastewater Disposal Facility
Examining Shifts in Stream Microbial Communities Exposed to Oil and Gas Wastewaters
Indication of Unconventional Oil and Gas Wastewaters Found in Local Surface Waters
Microbiology and Chemistry of Waters Produced from Hydraulic Fracking—A Case Study
Data Collected to Evaluate Sources, Fate, and Mobility of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and volatile organic compounds measured in laboratory microcosm experiments with soil from Fort Drum, New York
Geochemistry and microbiology data collected to study the effects of oil and gas wastewater dumping on arid lands in New Mexico
Microbial community analyses of groundwater collected during an enhanced bioremediation experiment of trichlorethylene in a fractured rock aquifer, West Trenton, NJ (2008-2015)
Microbial Populations in PFHxSAm (perfluorohexane sulfonamido propyl amine) Biodegradation Microcosms
Microbial Community Composition Data from Blacktail Creek near Williston, North Dakota
Data on the Effects of Oil and Gas Wastewater Components on Microbial Community Structure and Function
Data on the Enrichment and Isolation of the Acetylenotrophic and Diazotrophic Isolate Bradyrhizobium sp. strain I71 (ver 2.0, September 2022)
Acetylene Consumption and Dechlorination by a Groundwater Microbial Enrichment Culture
Chemistry of waters collected in the Wolf Creek and Buffalo Creek watersheds in West Virginia in 2016
Current-use pesticides and emerging amphibian pathogens in natural ponds, excavated ponds, and stormwater basins from 24 sites varying in land-use classifications throughout the New Jersey Pinelands, 2014-2016
Microbiology of the greater Bravo Dome region
The Reston Microbiology Laboratory Group headed by Denise Akob. 2016
Iron Reducing Bacteria
FeRB isolated using a roll bottle technique from the former Uranium Mine near Ronneburg, Germany, Photo credit: Denise Akob, USGS
Iron Reducing Bacteria
FeRB isolated using a roll bottle technique from the former Uranium Mine near Ronneburg, Germany, Photo credit: Denise Akob, USGS
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist measuring dissolved oxygen in a stream water sample. The scientist is part of a USGS team of scientists that are investigating the potential environmental effects of activities at an oil and gas wastewater injection facility in West Virginia.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist measuring dissolved oxygen in a stream water sample. The scientist is part of a USGS team of scientists that are investigating the potential environmental effects of activities at an oil and gas wastewater injection facility in West Virginia.
A view of the New River from the New River Gorge Bridge, West Virgina. Wolf Creek is a tributary of the New River. Photo: Denise M. Akob, USGS.
A view of the New River from the New River Gorge Bridge, West Virgina. Wolf Creek is a tributary of the New River. Photo: Denise M. Akob, USGS.
Perspectives on the future of host-microbe biology from the Council on Microbial Sciences of the American Society for Microbiology
Anaerobic biodegradation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and microbial community composition in soil amended with a dechlorinating culture and chlorinated solvents
Illegal dumping of oil and gas wastewater alters arid soil microbial communities
Nitrifying microorganisms linked to biotransformation of perfluoroalkyl sulfonamido precursors from legacy aqueous film forming foams
Impact of the dimethyl sulfoxide reductase superfamily on the evolution of biogeochemical cycles
Acetylenotrophic and diazotrophic Bradyrhizobium sp. strain I71 from TCE-contaminated soils
Using biological responses to monitor freshwater post-spill conditions over 3 years in Blacktail Creek, North Dakota, USA
Microbial community response to a bioaugmentation test to degrade trichloroethylene in a fractured rock aquifer, Trenton, N.J
Complete genome sequence of Rhodococcus opacus strain MoAcy1 (DSM 44186), an aerobic acetylenotroph isolated from soil
Oil and gas wastewater components alter streambed microbial community structure and function
Draft genome sequence of Bordetella sp. strain FB-8, isolated from a former uranium mining area in Germany
Syntrophotalea acetylenivorans sp. nov., a diazotrophic, acetylenotrophic anaerobe isolated from intertidal sediments
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Energy Integrated Science Team
Framework for Examining Stream Ecosystem Health in Areas of Shale Gas Development—A Multi-Parameter Watershed-Based Case Study in Pennsylvania
Two Scientists Receive Early Career Excellence in Leadership Award
Trace Levels of Organic Chemicals Limited to Local Reaches of a Stream near an Oil and Gas Wastewater Disposal Facility
Examining Shifts in Stream Microbial Communities Exposed to Oil and Gas Wastewaters
Indication of Unconventional Oil and Gas Wastewaters Found in Local Surface Waters
Microbiology and Chemistry of Waters Produced from Hydraulic Fracking—A Case Study
Data Collected to Evaluate Sources, Fate, and Mobility of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and volatile organic compounds measured in laboratory microcosm experiments with soil from Fort Drum, New York
Geochemistry and microbiology data collected to study the effects of oil and gas wastewater dumping on arid lands in New Mexico
Microbial community analyses of groundwater collected during an enhanced bioremediation experiment of trichlorethylene in a fractured rock aquifer, West Trenton, NJ (2008-2015)
Microbial Populations in PFHxSAm (perfluorohexane sulfonamido propyl amine) Biodegradation Microcosms
Microbial Community Composition Data from Blacktail Creek near Williston, North Dakota
Data on the Effects of Oil and Gas Wastewater Components on Microbial Community Structure and Function
Data on the Enrichment and Isolation of the Acetylenotrophic and Diazotrophic Isolate Bradyrhizobium sp. strain I71 (ver 2.0, September 2022)
Acetylene Consumption and Dechlorination by a Groundwater Microbial Enrichment Culture
Chemistry of waters collected in the Wolf Creek and Buffalo Creek watersheds in West Virginia in 2016
Current-use pesticides and emerging amphibian pathogens in natural ponds, excavated ponds, and stormwater basins from 24 sites varying in land-use classifications throughout the New Jersey Pinelands, 2014-2016
Microbiology of the greater Bravo Dome region
The Reston Microbiology Laboratory Group headed by Denise Akob. 2016
The Reston Microbiology Laboratory Group headed by Denise Akob. 2016
Iron Reducing Bacteria
FeRB isolated using a roll bottle technique from the former Uranium Mine near Ronneburg, Germany, Photo credit: Denise Akob, USGS
Iron Reducing Bacteria
FeRB isolated using a roll bottle technique from the former Uranium Mine near Ronneburg, Germany, Photo credit: Denise Akob, USGS
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist measuring dissolved oxygen in a stream water sample. The scientist is part of a USGS team of scientists that are investigating the potential environmental effects of activities at an oil and gas wastewater injection facility in West Virginia.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist measuring dissolved oxygen in a stream water sample. The scientist is part of a USGS team of scientists that are investigating the potential environmental effects of activities at an oil and gas wastewater injection facility in West Virginia.
A view of the New River from the New River Gorge Bridge, West Virgina. Wolf Creek is a tributary of the New River. Photo: Denise M. Akob, USGS.
A view of the New River from the New River Gorge Bridge, West Virgina. Wolf Creek is a tributary of the New River. Photo: Denise M. Akob, USGS.
Perspectives on the future of host-microbe biology from the Council on Microbial Sciences of the American Society for Microbiology
Anaerobic biodegradation of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and microbial community composition in soil amended with a dechlorinating culture and chlorinated solvents
Illegal dumping of oil and gas wastewater alters arid soil microbial communities
Nitrifying microorganisms linked to biotransformation of perfluoroalkyl sulfonamido precursors from legacy aqueous film forming foams
Impact of the dimethyl sulfoxide reductase superfamily on the evolution of biogeochemical cycles
Acetylenotrophic and diazotrophic Bradyrhizobium sp. strain I71 from TCE-contaminated soils
Using biological responses to monitor freshwater post-spill conditions over 3 years in Blacktail Creek, North Dakota, USA
Microbial community response to a bioaugmentation test to degrade trichloroethylene in a fractured rock aquifer, Trenton, N.J
Complete genome sequence of Rhodococcus opacus strain MoAcy1 (DSM 44186), an aerobic acetylenotroph isolated from soil
Oil and gas wastewater components alter streambed microbial community structure and function
Draft genome sequence of Bordetella sp. strain FB-8, isolated from a former uranium mining area in Germany
Syntrophotalea acetylenivorans sp. nov., a diazotrophic, acetylenotrophic anaerobe isolated from intertidal sediments
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government