John Sanseverino
Managing Director
Research Associate Professor

The Center for Environmental Biotechnology
The University of Tennessee
676 Dabney Hall
Knoxville, Tennesse
e 37996-1605
865-974-8080
865-974-8086 FAX
EMAIL: jsansev@utk.edu

Education

            Ph.D.               1989  Department of Biology, Lehigh University.
            M.S.                1985  Department of Microbiology, University of New Hampshire. 
            B.S.                 1982  Department of Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 

Research Interests

Microbial physiology, microbial ecology, conversion of waste biomass to value-added products, biohydrogen production, biodegradation/biotransformation of pollutants, detection of microorganisms, bioreporter development and application.

Teaching Interests
General Microbiology, Microbial Physiology, Laboratory Instruction, Molecular Biology, Environmental Microbiology

Experience and Background

2006-        Managing Director, Center for Environmental Biotechnology,
                University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  Research and development, laborato­ry adminis­tra­tion, supervision and training of graduate students and technicians.

                Environmental Security Program Leader, Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment

                Research Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology

2005-        Co-Founder, Officer, and Board of Directors. Black Bear Biotechnology, LLC.

                  Black Bear was conceived as a vehicle to transition CEB related intellectual property to the market place. Black Bear was a recipient of a USDA SBIR Phase I award (may 1, 2006 – December 31, 2007)

2001-        Assistant Director, Center for Environmental Biotechnology,
2006         University of Tennessee, Knoxville. 

1999 -       Research Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology,
2006         University of Tennessee, Knoxville. 

1998         Adjunct Faculty, Roane State Community College.  Instructor for Microbiology Laboratory.

1996-        Co-founder, Officer, and Board of Director, Critical Point Technologies, Inc.
2003         Critical Point Technologies, Inc. was a start-up company that was developing instrumentation to monitor drinking water for microbial pathogens.

1995 -       Senior Research Associate, Center for Environmental Biotechnology,
1999         Universi­ty of Tennessee, Knoxville.  Research and development, laborato­ry adminis­tra­tion, supervision and training of graduate students and technicians, co-chair of "Bio­tech­nol­o­gy in the Sustainable Environ­ment Sympo­sium", April 14-17, 1996.

 

1991 -       Environmental Specialist/Biotechnologist, Technology Development, IT
1995         Corpora­tion, Knoxville, Tennessee.  Responsible for research and development of new applications for bioremediation and technology transfer between academia and industry.  Research initiatives include:

                 Development of enhancement mechanisms for PAH biodegradation in slurries.   This program resulted in an EPA SITE award for more than $200,000 to support research for the Superfund program.

                 Development of a scientific approach to quantify the effect of surfactants on naphthalene bioavailability and bacterial activity using bioluminescence.  This effort was essential in developing a Record of Decision favoring in situ bioremediation of PAH at a Superfund site.

                 Engineering and testing of constitutive and inducible TCE-degrading bacteria, includ­ing a strain which does not require hazardous constituents to promote co-metabolism.

                 Application of DNA hybridization technology for quantifying bacteria in environmen­tal samples. 

                 Denitrification of nitrate-impacted groundwater using fluidized-bed reactors.
1989 -       Post-Doctoral Research Associate, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
1991        Biodegradation of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in manufactured gas plant soils.  One product of this work generated evidence determining that the mecha­nism for naphthalene degradation also acted upon phenanthrene and anthracene.

1985 -       Graduate Research Assistant, Lehigh University, Bethlehem,
1989         Pennsylvania.  Dissertation: "Acrylic Acid Formation in Megasphaera elsdenii."

1982 -       Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of New Hampshire, Durham,
1985         New Hampshire.  Thesis: "Enumeration, Isolation, and Identifica­tion of Phenan­threne-Degrading Bacteria in the Great Bay Estuarine Complex and the Durham Wastewater Treatment Plant."

Professional Affiliations

                 American Society for Microbiology
                 Environmental Chemistry, Division of the American Chemical Society

Committees

Microbiology Faculty Search Committee, 2002
Biological Safety Committee, The University of Tennessee.  July 1, 2002 – June 30, 2005.
Radiation Safety Officer Search Committee, Spring, 2005
Radiation Safety Specialist Search Committee, Chair, Summer, 2005
Vice-chair, Institutional Biosafety Committee, July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2006
Chair, Institutional Biosafety Committee, July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2007

Reviewer

Ad hoc reviewer for U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF), Environmental Science and Technology, Biotechnology Progess, Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, USDA SBIR Program

Publications

Presentations/Proceedings

  1. Sanseverino, J., and G. E. Jones. June 21-23, 1984.  Enumeration of Phenan­threne-Degrading Microorganisms in the Great Bay Estuarine Complex.  Northeast Microbiol­ogists, Physiology, Ecology, and Taxonomy Meetings, Ithaca, New York.
  1. Sanseverino, J. and B. S. Montenecourt. March 1-6, 1987.  Detection of Acrylic Acid and Acrylyl-CoA in Megasphaera elsdenii and Clostridium propionicum.  87th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Atlanta, Georgia.
  1. Sanseverino, J., B. S., Montenecourt, J. A. Sands, and J. A. Phillips.  May 8-13. 1988.  Fermentation of Lactic Acid to Acrylic Acid by Megasphaera Elsdenii B159 in the Presence of 3-Butynoic Acid, and Acyl Dehydrogenase Inhibitor.  88th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Miami Beach, Florida.
  1. Sanseverino, J., C. Werner, J. Fleming, B. M. Applegate, J. M. H. King, G. S. Sayler, and J. Blackburn, December 3-5, 1990, "Molecular Analysis of Manufac­tured Gas Plant Soils for Naphthalene Mineralization," Institute for Gas Technology's 3rd International Symposium on Gas, Oil, Coal, and Environmental Biotechnology, New Orleans, Louisiana.
  1. Sanseverino, J., C. Werner, J. Fleming, and J. Blackburn, May 13-17, 1990, "Molecu­lar Analysis of Manufactured Gas Plant Soils for Naphthalene Mineraliza­tion,"  90th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Anaheim, California.
  1. Applegate, B., H. King, J. Sanseverino, and J. Blackburn, May 13-17, 1990, "Charac­terization of Catabolic Plasmids that Degrade Naphthalene, Phenanthrene, and Anthra­cene," 90th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Anaheim, California.
  1. King, J. M. H., B. Applegate, J. Sanseverino, and G. S. Sayler, May 13-17, 1990, "Construction and Application of a Bioluminescent Catabolic Reporter Plasmid for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degradation," 90th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Anaheim, Califor­nia.
  1. Sanseverino, J., B. Applegate, K. Robinson, and G. S. Sayler, May 5-9, 1991, "Analy­sis of Plasmids Isolated from Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degrading Bacteria," 91st Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Dallas, Texas.
  1. Leavitt, M. E., J. Sanseverino, K. L. Brown, and D. A. Graves, June 21-26, 1992, "Innovative Methods for Monitoring and Optimization of Bioremediation Systems," 85th Annual Meeting of the Air and Waste Management Association, Kansas City, Missouri.
  1. Sanseverino, J., J. Rightmeyer, and G. S. Sayler, May 26-30, 1992, "The Effect of Nonionic Surfactants on Bioavailability of Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Coal-Coking Waste," 92nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiolo­gy, New Orleans, Louisiana.
  1. Callicote, L., J. Sanseverino, B. Applegate, and F. Menn, May 26-30, 1992, "Prelimi­nary Characterization of the Naphthalene Catabolic Pathway of Pseudomo­nas Sp. JS1.," 92nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, New Orleans, Louisi­ana.
  1. Jernigan, R., I. Rosario, B. M. Applegate, J. Sanseverino, A. Heitzer, A. Layton, and B. McFarland, May 26-30, 1992, "Applications of Biodegradative Gene Probes in Monitoring Petrochemical Wastewater Treatment," 92nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, New Orleans, Louisiana.
  1. Brown, K., M. Leavitt, J. Sanseverino, and J. Rightmeyer, March 22-24, 1992, "Bioremediation: In-Situ and Ex-Situ Applications for Refineries," Proceedings of the 1992 Annual Meeting of the National Petroleum Refiners Association, New Orleans, LA.
  1. Sanseverino, J., J. Rightmeyer, and G. S. Sayler, February 10-11, 1992, "Evalua­tion of Surfactants for Desorbing Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Coal-Coking Waste Soil," Proceedings for the 1992 Industrial Pollution Control Confer­ence, Atlanta, Georgia.
  1. Leavitt, M., C. Lang, J. Sanseverino, K. Hague, D. Dameron, J. Rightmeyer, and D. Graves, February 5, 1992, "Implications of Surfactant Augmentation for In Situ Bioremediation Systems," Proceedings of In Situ Treatment of Contaminated Soil and Water, Air and Waste Management Association, Cincinnati, Ohio.
  1. Brown, K.L. and J. Sanseverino.  1993.  Factors affecting PAH biodegradation in liquid/solids contact reactors.  Proceedings of the 86th Annual Meeting and Exhibi­tion of the Air & Waste Management Association.  Denver, Colorado.  June 14-18.
  1. Graves, D., K. Brown, and J. Sanseverino.  1993.  Bench-scale demonstration of bio-degrada­tion of TCE and phenol in Groundwater. Proceedings of the 86th Annual Meeting and Exhibi­tion of the Air & Waste Management Association. Denver, CO. June 14-18.
  1. Sanseverino, J., C. Werner, J. Fleming, B. Applegate, J.M.H. King, and G. S. Sayler.  1993.  Molecular diagnostics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biodeg­ra­dation in manufactured gas plant soils.  Abstract presented at the 93rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.  Atlanta, Georgia.  May 16-20.
  1. Menn, F-M., J. Sanseverino, B. Applegate, and G. Sayler.  1993, NAH plasmid-mediated catabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.  Abstract presented at the 93rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Atlanta, Georgia.  May 16-20.
  1. Sanseverino, J. and G.S. Sayler.  Verification of microbial catabolic activity by bioluminescent reporter technology.  The Fourth International Environmental and Waste Management Conference, Knoxville, Tennessee.  April 18-21, 1993.
  1. Brown, K. and J. Sanseverino.  1994.   Bioslurry treatment of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.  5th Forum on Innovative Hazardous Waste Treatment Technologies:  Domestic & International.  Chicago, Illinois.  May 3-5.
  1. Kelly, C., J. Sanseverino, P. Bienkowski, and G. Sayler.  1995.  Kinetic study of trichloroethylene and toluene degradation by a bioluminescent reporter bacterium.  Emerging Technologies in Hazardous Waste Management VII.  Atlanta, Georgia.  September 17-20.
  1. Kelly, C.J., H.J. Woo, J. Sanseverino, C.D. Cox, and P.R. Bienkowski.  1996.  Comparative toluene and trichloroethylene (TCE) degradation in a bioluminescent reporter strain for TCE co-metabolism.  Abstract of the 96th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.  New Orleans, Louisiana. May 19-23.
  1. Pieters, J., J. Sanseverino, C.L. Wright, C.L.Cheng, K. Liu, K.G. Robinson, C.D. Cox, B.M. Applegate, S.R. Kehrmeyer, and G.S. Sayler.  1997.  Bioluminescence and co-metabolic degradation of toluene and trichloroethylene by Pseudomonas putida TVA8.  Proceedings of 52nd Purdue Waste Industrial Conference, West Lafayette, IN.  May 5-7.
  1. A.G. Hay, A.C. Layton, J. Sanseverino, C.A. Lajoie, and G.S. Sayler.  1998.  Development and use of field application vectors for bioremediation.  Metabolic Engineering II.  Elmau, Germany, October 25-30.
  1. C.D. Cox, K.G. Robinson, H.-J. Woo, C.L. Wright, C. Cheng, and J. Sanseverino.  1998. Cometabolic biofiltration of TCE using bioluminescent bacteria.  Proceedings of the First International Conference on Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds.  Monterey, California,  May 18-21.
  1. Woo, H.J., J. Sanseverino, C.D. Cox, and K.G. Robinson.  1998.  The measure of toluene dioxygenase activity by fluorescence. Abstract of the 98th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Atlanta, Georgia, May 17-20.
  1. Wright, C.L., J. Sanseverino, K.G. Robinson, C.D. Cox, and G.S. Sayler.  1998.  Cometabolic biofiltration of gas-phase trichloroethylene in a packed bed reactor by Pseudomonas putida TVA8. .  Abstract of the 98th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.  Atlanta, Georgia, May 17-20.
  1. Lenczewski, M., L.D. McKay, J. Sanseverino, and C. Knight.  1998.  Sorption and microbiological factors controlling the fate and transport of TCE in fractured shale saprolite. Conference on Mass Transport in Fractured Aquifers and Aquitards.  Copenhagen, Denmark, May 14-16.
  1. E. Sampsel, J. Sanseverino, M.M. Ghosh, Z. Shi, and K.G. Robinson.  1999.  Photodegradation of PCBs in surfactant-Washed Soils.  Hazardous and Industrials Wastes.  31st Mid-Atlantic Industrial & Hazardous Waste Conference.  June 1999.
  1. Z. Sun, J. Sanseverino, P. Frymier, and G.S. Sayler. Central Carbon Metabolism in Pantoea citrea99th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.  Chicago, Il.  May 31-June 3, 1999.
  1. J. Sanseverino, A. C. Layton, B. Gregory, T.W. Schultz, and G.S. Sayler. Estrogenic Activity of PCBs in Surfactant-Washed Soils. 99th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.  Chicago, Il.  May 31-June 3, 1999
  1. Carlos I. Carrasquillo*, Amy Tomaszewski*, John Sanseverino*, Gary S. Sayler.  2001.  Development of A Handheld Device For The Detection Of Divalent Mercury In Water Using A Genetically Engineered Reporter Microorganism.  Presented at the Presented at the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science.  September 27-30, Phoenix, Arizona
  1. B. M. Applegate, D. E. Nivens, S. A. Moser, R. J. Carroll, J. Sanseverino, M. T. Simonich, C. Pettigrew, B. Larson, and R. Bartolo.  2001.  Determining Disinfectant Efficacy Using Bioluminescent Bacteria.  101st General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, Orlando, Florida.  May 20-24, 2001
  1. Tomaszewski, A., Carrasquillo, C., Sanseverino, J. and Sayler, G.S   2002.  Development and Testing of a Chromosomally-encoded mer-lux Bioreporter.  Abstract at the 102nd General Meeting in Salt Lake City, UT,  May 19-23.
  1. T. W. Schultz, J. Sanseverino, A. C. Layton,  F.-M. Menn, G. S. Sayler, M. M. Ghosh:  Remediation of PCB contaminated soils: A multi-treatment approach.  Presented at the "2nd PCB Workshop"  May 7 - 11, 2002. Brno, Czech Republic.
  1. John Sanseverino, Steve Ripp, Bruce Applegate, Duane Graves, Alice Layton, and Gary S. Sayler.  2002. Microbial Bioluminescent Sensing of Bioavailable Contaminants in Environmental Matrices.  Presented at the 12th Annual West Coast Conference on Contaminated Soils, Sediments, and Water.  March 18-21, San Diego CA. (Invited Presentation).
  1. Dahl, Amy; Liberman, Polina; LaLande, Marie; Gaillard, Jean-Francois; Sanseverino, John.  Using a whole-cell biosensor to correlate metal speciation with bioavailability. Preprints of Extended Abstracts presented at the ACS National Meeting, American Chemical Society, Division of Environmental Chemistry  (2003),  43(1),  674-677. 
  1. Tomaszewski, A., J. Sanseverino, and G.S. Sayler.  2003.  Expression of the Vibrio fischeri luxI gene in Bacillus thuringiensis strain 4Q7.  ASM 103rd General Meeting.  Washington, D.C.  May 18-22.
  1. Tomaszewski, A., A. Elkins, J. Sanseverino, and G.S. Sayler.  2003.  The degradation of OHHL by the enzyme lactonase from Bacillus thuringiensis 4Q7 and its effect on a model system for Bacillus anthracis surveillance.  ASM Biodefense meeting.  Baltimore, MD.  March 9-12.
  1. Sanseverino, J.  2004.  Bioluminescent Sensing in Eukaryotes.  Tennessee Mouse Genome Consortium.  Fall Creek Falls, Tn.  November 18-20th.  (Invited Presentation)
  1. Sanseverino, J, A.C. Layton, J.P. Easter, F-M. Menn, L. Saidak, V. Garrett, T.W. Schultz, and G.S. Sayler.  2004.  Application of a bioluminescent estrogen yeast-reporter system for determining the estrogenic activity in water and sediment samples at a superfund site.  Proceedings of the National Groundwater Association Pharmaceuticals and Endocrince Disruptors Conference.  October 13-15, 2004. Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  1. Sanseverino, J., A.C. Layton, L. Saidak, J. Easter, V. Garrett, T.W. Schultz, and G.S. Sayler. 2004. A bioluminescent yeast-reporter system for screening chemicals for estrogenic effects. EPA Science Forum. Washington, D.C. June 1 –3. (Invited Presentation)
  1. Sanseverino, J.  2005.  Bioluminescent Reporter Technology for the Detection of Endocrine-disrupting Compounds.  STAR Computational Toxicology Progress Review Workshop.  July 18-19.  Research Triangle Park.  (Invited Presentation). 
  1. Sanseverino, J, A.C. Layton, J.P. Easter, L. Saidak, V. Garrett, T.W. Schultz, and G.S. Sayler.  2005.  A bioluminescent estrogen yeast reporter system for determining estrogenic activity.  105th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.  June 5-9.  Atlanta, Georgia. 
  1. Sanseverino, J.  2005.  Bioluminescent Reporter Technology for the Detection of Endocrine-disrupting Compounds.  STAR Computational Toxicology Progress Review Workshop.  July 18-19.  Research Triangle Park.  (Invited Presentation). 
  1. Sanseverino, J, A.C. Layton, J.P. Easter, L. Saidak, V. Garrett, T.W. Schultz, and G.S. Sayler.  2005.  A bioluminescent estrogen yeast reporter system for determining estrogenic activity.  105th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.  June 5-9.  Atlanta, Georgia. 
  1. Sanseverino, J., S. Ripp, A.C. Layton, and G.S. Sayler.  2006.  Dynamic, Real-Time And Long-Term Pollutant Monitoring Using Bioluminescent Bioreporters And Integrated Circuits.  Proceedings of  Natural Gas Technologies 2006:  Energy and the Environment.  Orlando, Florida. October 22-25.
  1. Eldridge, M.L., J. Sanseverino, A.C. Layton, J. Easter, T.W. Schultz, G.S. Sayler.  2006.  Development and Application of a Bioluminescent Yeast-Reporter System for Screening Chemicals for Estrogenic and Androgenic Effects. U.S EPA, Office of Research and Development, Computational Toxicology Research Program Review.  June 19-20.  Research Triangle Park, N.C.
  1. Scholz, M., H. Dionisi, J. Sanseverino, J. Saunders, and G. S. Sayler.  2006.  The Association of Iron-Reducing Bacteria with Arsenic Contamination.  106th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.  May 21 -25.  Orlando, Florida.
  1. Iakova, P., J. Sanseverino, T. Reynolds, and G.S. Sayler. 2006.  Codon Optimization and Expression of the Photorhabdus luminescence luxAB genes in Candida albicans.  106th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.  May 21 -25.  Orlando, Florida.
  1. Sanseverino, J., A. Layton, M. Eldridge, J. Yarbrough, T. W. Schultz, G. S. Sayler. 2007. Development and Application of a Bioluminescent Yeast-Reporter System for Screening Chemicals for Estrogenic and Androgenic Effects. U.S EPA, Office of Research and Development, Safe Pesticides/Safe Products (SP2) Program Review.  February 7-9. Research Triangle Park. N.C.
  1. M. L. Eldridge, J. Sanseverino, A. Layton, J. Easter, T. W. Schultz, G. S. Sayler. A new bioluminescent S. cerevisiae bioreporter capable of rapid and sensitive detection of androgenic chemicals, suitable for high throughput applications. 107th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.  May 21 -26, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
  1. V. McIntosh Jr., J. Sanseverino, G. Sayler. An analysis of Genomic Response to TNT and 2,6-DNT in Escherichia coli K12107th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.  May 21 -26, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Patents

Rakesh Gupta, Stacey Patterson, Steve Ripp, Gary Sayler, Alice Layton, John Sanseverino.  U.S. Utility Non-Provisional CIP Patent Application - "Compositions And Methods For Detecting Estrogenic Agents In A Sample".  Submitted August 1, 2005. 


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