Alejandro Rooney |
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CONTACT
Phone: (806) 749-5560
Fax: (806) 723-5272
USDA ARS PA CSRL
3810 4th Street
Lubbock, TX 79415
EDUCATION
PhD, Genetics
Texas A&M University, 1998
BS, Biology
University of Cincinnati, 1994
AREA OF EXPERTISE
Microbial systematics, taxonomy and evolutionary biology; molecular evolution; discovery and development of living microbial biological control agents for use against arthropod vectors of disease and plant pathogens.
LAB MEMBERS / SUPPORT STAFF / VISITING SCIENTISTS
Current:
Lina Flor-Weiler, PhD (Entomologist)
Miho Yoshioka, MS (Biological Science Laboratory Technician)
Visiting Scientist
Hee-Young Jung, PhD (Kyungpook University, South Korea), 2018-present
Undergraduate Students
Kristina Dutart (Ohio State University), 2018-present
Alumni:
Visiting Scientists
Alessandro Airo, Stanford University, 2004.
Soo-Jin Kim, Korean Agricultural Culture Collection (National Academy of Agricultural Science), 2013 - 2014
Master's Students
April Harlan, Mississippi State University, 2000 - 2002
Jason Sumners, Mississippi State University, 2000 - 2002
Undergraduate Students
Paul Holze, University of Illinois, 2003 - 2004
Tabitha Williams, Western Illinois University, 2006
Marley Brimberry, Indiana University, 2014
Kirsten Zeman, Bradley University, 2014 - 2017
Doctoral dissertations externally reviewed
Jose-Maria E?rin-Lopez, University of A Coruna (Spain), 2005
Tamara M. Sirey, University of Auckland (New Zealand), 2006
EDITORIAL BOARDS:
Plant Gene, Editor-in-Chief, 2014 - present
Gene, Executive Editor, 2013 - present
International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, Assoc. Editor, 2013 - present
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution: Phylogenetics, Phylogenomics, and Systematics, Assoc. Editor, 2013 - present
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution: Evolutionary and Population Genetics, Editorial Board, 2011 - present
Gene, Assoc. Editor, 2010 - 2013
Current Microbiology, Assoc. Editor, 2009 - 2013
PROFESSIONAL CONSULTATION ACTIVITIES:
USDA representative, Scientific Collections International (SciColl), Food Security Research Advisory Group, 2013 - present.
USDA representative, Federal Experts Security Advisory Panel, Select Agent Regulatory Changes Working Group, 2014
External scientific reviewer, Canadian Domestic Substances List (living organisms), Safe Environments Directorate, Health Canada (Government of Canada), 2014.
USDA representative, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy working group to establish guidelines for strain exchange among U.S. federal agencies working in biodefense and bioforensics, 2011.
Consultant, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Amerithrax Investigation, 2003 - 2010.
Consultant, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, genomics of Rhizopus, 2010.
Member, American Type Culture Collection Standards Working Group, 2009 - 2010.
Consultant, California Almond Board, establishment of guidelines for the use of bacterial thermal validation strain surrogates for foodborne pathogens in food processing production lines and testing facilities, 2008 - 2009.
Consultant, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the establishment of guidelines for the identification and subtyping of Aspergillus fumigatus, 2008.
Consultant, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), microbial diversity, long-term preservation, and curation, 2004 - 2007.
Consultant, U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventative Medicine, bacterial species identification, 2003 - 2005.
Consultant to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Kennedy Space Center), microbial diversity, species identification, and long-term preservation, 2004.
United States Delegate, Scientific Committee, International Whaling Commission, 1998 - 2002.
Publications Indexed by Scopus
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HONORS AND AWARDS
President's Volunteer Service Award (Gold Level), 2013. Awarded for outstanding community service.
Extra Effort Award, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2010. Awarded for exceeding performance expectations while serving on special detail.
Gene, Top Reviewer Award, 2010. Awarded for meritorious service to the journal Gene.
Early Career Research Scientist of the Year. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Midwest Area, 2008. Awarded for research accomplishments on the systematics and population genetics of public health and biodefense microorganisms
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Certificate of Merit. 2008. Awarded for research accomplishments resulting in the development of novel subtyping methods for the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus and candidate for the Charles C. Shepard Science Award (Laboratory and Methods).
The Wildlife Society, Outstanding Article of the Year, 2004. Awarded for research on the population genetics of translocated deer populations.
Journal of Molecular Evolution, Zuckerkandl Prize (Best Paper of the Year), 2003. Awarded for research on the molecular evolution of snake venom protein multigene families.
Mississippi State University, Office of the Vice President for Research, Faculty Research Award, 2001. Awarded for faculty research achievement.
Texas A&M University, Faculty of Genetics, Graduate Student Research Award, 1996. Awarded for student research achievement.
Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate Student Research Award, College of Veterinary Medicine, 1995. Awarded for student research achievement.
Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Graduate Student Presentation Award, 1995. Awarded for best oral presentation.