A future meeting worth checking out for those interesting in microbiology of the built environment: Bioaerosol.org. Help September 6-9 2011 in Saratoga Springs NY. It is the “6th International Scientific Conference on Bioaerosols, Fungi, Bacteria, Mycotoxins in Indoor and Outdoor Environments and Human Health.” Among the areas of focus will be Natural disaster, flooding, water …
microBEnet is funded by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as part of their program on the Microbiology of the Built Environment. A conversation with Paula Olsiewski, program director, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation program on the Microbiology of the Built Environment What is the Foundation’s program on the Microbiology of the Built Environment? …
Fascinating little story on PHYSORG about Christopher House wanting to survey microbes in water heaters as a way of studying indoor extremophiles. Definitely worth a look and I may be sending in some samples. See Thermophiles lurking in your basement.
“Soil Sample #3, July 7th”… “Sears Tower A/C unit water sample”… “Cancer patient lower colon sample”… To make the most out of any microbial study, it is critical to collect detailed information about each sample in addition to trying to characterize the microbes in the sample. This detailed information about a sample is known as …
National Academy of Sciences Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health (2011) Sequence-Based Classification of Select Agents: A Brighter Line (2010) Antibiotic Resistance: Implications for Global Health and Novel Intervention Strategies: Workshop Summary (2010) Microbial Evolution and Co-Adaptation: A Tribute to the Life and Scientific Legacies of Joshua Lederberg (2009) The New Science of Metagenomics: …
Well, I guess this is getting a bit of extra press because it occurred at the Playboy Mansion:Health probe at Playboy Mansion. But it is of relevance here since it relates to Legionnaires’ disease. Seems like there may have been a contaminated water supply.
We are compiling a list of groups and individuals (in addition to those funded by the Sloan Foundation’s Indoor Environment program) from around the world working on topics related to studies of microbiology of the built environment. Additional suggestions are welcome. Institutions and Groups Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Indoor Environment Department Indoor Environment Center, Penn …
Norman R. Pace, from UC Boulder, gave a talk at UC Davis yesterday about microbial diversity. In his talk he discussed some of his recent Sloan Foundation funded work on “microbiology of the built environment” including studies of shower heads, indoor swimming pools, water supplies, and hospitals. Pace is one of the pioneers of DNA …
While microorganisms are found on surfaces, in the air, and throughout the water systems of buildings, the air is likely the most important medium for dissemination. The BIMERC group is working on understanding the microbial components of indoor air, including the identification of the source populations and illuminating the processes that suspend and disseminate microbes …