Mary-Cathrine Leewis

Education

Ph.D., University of Alaska Fairbanks, Biological Sciences, 2014

M.S., Northern Michigan University, Biology, 2006

B.S., Northern Michigan University, Biology, Chemistry, French, 2004

Professional Experience

2016-Present  Research Microbiologist (Post-Doc), U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA. Mentor: Mark Waldrop

2014-2016       Postdoctoral Research Associate (Microbial Ecology), Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Mentor: Mary Beth Leigh

2009-2014       Graduate Fellow (EPSCoR, INBRE, IAB), University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska.

2007-2008       Staff Scientist, Entrix, Inc.  Barrington, Illinois. 

2005-2006       Graduate Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in conjunction with the Vilas County Health Department

Additional Training

2014                DOE Joint Genome Institute, Microbial Genomics and Metagenomics Workshop.  Walnut Creek, CA.

2013                Mothur Microbial Sequence Analysis Workshop. Detroit, MI

2012                MicroTrop Advanced Training in Tropical Microbiology: Soil Microbial Ecology and Ecosystem Services.  LEMSAT & IRD in Dakar, Senegal

2009-2010       David L. Boren Graduate International Fellow at University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic

2009                Arctic Plant Ecology Short Course, UNIS - University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen, Norway

2009                The Theoretical and Practical Course on Molecular Approaches for in situ Biodegradation sponsored by the US-EC Task Force on Biotechnology Research

Publications (click here for my Google Scholar page)

Leewis, M.C.*, Uhlik, O.*, Fraraccio, S., McFarlin, K., Kottara, A., Glover, C., Macek, T., Leigh, M.B. 2016. Differential impacts of willow and mineral fertilizer on bacterial communities in diesel oil-polluted soil. Frontiers in Microbiology. 7:837. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00837

Leewis, M.C., Uhlik, O., Leigh, M.B. 2016. Synergistic processing of biphenyl and benzoate: carbon flow through the bacterial community in polychlorinated biphenyl contaminated soil. Scientific Reports. 6:22145. doi:10.1038/srep22145.

Hernandez, R., Debenport, S., Leewis, M.C., Ndoye, F., Nkenmogne, I., Soumare, A., Thuita, M., Gueye, M., Miambi, E., Chapuis-Lardy, L., Diedhoiu, I., Dick, R. 2015. The native shrub, Piliostigma reticulatum as an ecological “resource island” for mango trees in the Sahel. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 204:51-61. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2015.02.009

Leewis, M.C., Reynolds, C.M., Leigh, M.B. 2013. Long-term effects of nutrient addition and phytoremediation on diesel and crude oil contaminated soils in subarctic Alaska. Cold Regions Science and Technology. 96:129–137. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2013.08.011.

Uhlik, O., Leewis, M.C., Strejcek, M., Musilova, L., Leigh, M.B., Macek, T. 2013. Stable isotope probing in the metagenomics era: a bridge towards improved bioremediation. Biotechnology Advances.  31(2): 154-165. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2012.09.003.

Uhlik, O., Leewis, M.C., Kurzawova, V., Lovecka, P., Stursa, P., Demnerova, K., Mackova, M., Macek, T. “Chapter 4: Approaches to Microbial Diversity Analysis in Contaminated Environments” in Trends in Bioremediation and Phytoremediation. Chemosphere.  (Edited by Dr. G. Plaza).  2010. ISBN: 978-81-308-0424-8. 

Kleinheinz, G., Coenan, A., Zehms, T., Preedit, J., Leewis, M.C., McDermott, C. 2009. Effects of aquatic macrophytes on the survival of Escherichia coli in a laboratory microcosm.  Lake and Reservoir Management.  25:149-154. 

Kleinheinz, G., McDermott, C., Leewis, M.C., Englebert, E. 2006. Influence of sampling depth on Escherichia coli concentrations in beach monitoring.  Water Research.  40(20):3831-7.