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    Xiaozhen Mou

    Xiaozhen Mou

    Biological Sciences
    Professor and MA Coordinator
    Campus:
    Kent
    Office Hours:
    By appointments (please email me)
    Contact Information
    Email:
    xmou@kent.edu
    Phone:
    330-672-3625
    Fax:
    330-672-3713
    Personal Website:
    https://mouxiaozhen.wixsite.com/moulab

    Biography

    Current Research

    Research in Mou lab focuses on linking bacterial phylogeny with their metabolic functions in natural aquatic environments. This direct linkage is important to understand fundamental questions in an ecological/environmental context, such as the role of bacteria in biogeochemical cycling of essential nutrients, e.g., carbon, nitrogen and sulfur. Experimental metagenomics and metatranscriptomics coupled with bioinformatics are employed as the core approach to simultaneously identify the taxonomic diversity, genetic capability, and metabolic activity of selected taxonomic and functional groups of aquatic bacteria. Other advanced molecular biology techniques, such as  qPCR, RT-PCR, CARD-FISH, and flow cytometry (FACS), and cultivation-based studies, such as whole genome microarray, are also regularly employed. Specific research interests and ongoing projects in Mou Lab include:

    • Bacterial transformation of dissolved organic nitrogen (polyamines) in marine and freshwater environments.
    • Bacterially mediated N removal (denitrification and anammox) in marine and freshwater environments.
    • Role of heterotrophic bacteria in detoxifying cyanotoxins synthesized during cyanobacterial harmful Algal Blooms (CyanoHABs) in Lake Erie and other inland freshwater lakes.
    • Ecological genomics of individual bacterial taxa in marine and freshwater systems.
    • Linkage of biogeochemical cycling of organic carbon and nitrogen between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
    • Culturing aquatic actinobacteria and screening their functions in toxin degradation and potential medical uses.
    • Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) impacts to freshwater microbial ecology
    • Monitoring coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in wastewater

    More details of my research please visit Mou lab 

    Courses 

    • Microbial Ecology
    • Marine Biology
    • General Microbiology
    • Basic Microbiology
    • Writing In Biological Sciences
    • Biodiversity
    • Individual Investigation
    • ST: Ecological Genomics
    • ST: Ecological and Evolutionary Genetics
    • Climate Change Biology

     

    Education

    Ph.D. Marine Microbiology and Microbial Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
    M.S. Marine Chemistry, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao China
    B.S. Chemistry, Qingdao University, Qingdao China

    Expertise

    Faculty Advisor
    MA Coordinator
    Ecological roles of microbial organisms in the global cycling of essential nutrients
    Phylogenetic and metabolic diversity of bacterial communities in aquatic ecosystems
    Metagenomics and metatranscriptomics in aquatic ecosystems
    microbial ecology
    Metagenomics
    Metatranscriptomics
    Biogeochemistry
    Nutrient Turnover
    HAB
    harmful algal bloom
    environmental contaminants
    organic compound degradation

    Research Institutes and Initiatives

    Environmental Science and Design Research Initiative
    Biological Sciences

    Street Address

    256 Cunningham Hall, Kent State University, Kent OH 44242


    Mailing Address

    800 E. Summit St.
    Kent, OH 44242

    Contact Us

    Undergraduate Phone: (330) 672-3613 Graduate Phone: (330) 672-2819Undergraduate:
    kentbiology@kent.edu Graduate:
    bscigrad@kent.edu
    Contact Us
    • 330-672-3000
    • info@kent.edu

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