Curriculum Vitae


CURRICULUM VITAE

Robert M Brucker



Vanderbilt University Phone: 615-322-9094
Department of Biological Sciences
 Email: robert.m.brucker@vanderbilt.edu
Nashville, TN • USA

EDUCATION

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Ph. D.  May 2013
Thesis - Speciation Microbiotas: A Cause of Hybrid Mortality in Nasonia?
Mount Union College (now the University of Mount Union), Alliance, OH; Bachelor of Science May 2007

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Postdoc     2009 -2013
Project - Phylosymbiosis; Human associated microbiomes
Advisors: Dr. Seth Bordenstein, Lung SPORE
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Graduate Student 2009 - 2013
Project - Understanding the role microbial symbionts play in selection, through hybrid mortality in the model insect system Nasonia
Advisor: Dr. Seth Bordenstein
Smithsonian Research Institute, Front Royal, VA; Research Assistant 2008 - 2009
Project - Assesing the utility of probiotics in preventing Chytridiomycosis in Panamanian golden frogs
Advisor: Dr. Brian Gratwicke
James Madison University, Harrisonbur, VA; Research Faculty 2007 - 2008
Project - The protective role of microbiota and their natural products on amphibian skin
Advisors: Dr. Reid Harris & Dr. Kevin Minbiole
Mount Union College, Alliance, OH; Undergraduate Researcher & Laboratory Manager 2005 - 2007
Project - Anti-fungal secondary metabolites issolated from amphibians' symbiotic bacteria.
Advisors: Dr. Brandon Sheafor & Dr. John Scott

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

 Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN; Certificate in College TeachingMay 2012
Thesis - The impact of student directed content and long-term retention

Marine Biological Laboratories, Woods Hole, MA; Statistical Analysis of Microbial PopulationsAugust 2011

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Vanderbilt University
Pre-College PAVE, Biology Course - Instructor Summer 2011, 2012, & 2013
PAVE is a six-week Vanderbilt summer program designed to strengthen the academic skills of students who are planning to enter a college engineering, pre-medical, science, or technology program. Two weeks of the program includes a biology course in which students attend lectures and a lab focusing on contemporary genetic techniques such as DNA analysis by sequencing, restriction digest, genetic polymorphisms, future applications and ethical issues that can arise. In the summer of 2011 I acted as teaching assistant and guest lecturer about the ethical issues facing human genetics. While in the summer of 2012 I acted as the course instructor.
BSCI 234, Microbial population biology - Guest lecturer Spring 2010 & 2012
Covers the ecology, evolution, and diversity of microoganisms, including symbioses, the human microbiome, microbial ecology, industrial microbiology, and applications to human health and disease. I was asked to guest lecture on the topic of animal-bacterial symbiosis and my research.
BSCI 229, Intro to zoology - Lab teaching assistant and guest lecturer Spring 2010 & 2011
Intro to zoology is a survey course that provides students with a hands on approche to learning abou the animal kingdom. The lecture series focused on the diversity, evolution and current research within the various orders of animalia. Lectures were complimented with a laboratory in which student were given a hands-on experience with living, preserved, and/or disected exemplar specimens that represented the order. My teaching assistant duties were to assist and lead the laboratory compoenet as well as the oportunity to be guest lecturer for the phylum chordata.
Mount Union College
BI127, The Environment - Lab teaching assistant 2005 - 2007
BI201, 202, & 203 – Introduction to Cellular, Molecular, Organismal, Ecology and Evolution 2006 - 2007
Alliance City Schools
Math and Science Tutor 2003 - 2007
Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services
Respite Care Provider 2004 - 2006
In home tutoring and assistance for children with autism.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Keystone Symposia Future of Science Fund Scholarship       2013
        

Finalist, 3-Minute Thesis competition       2013
       Vanderbilt University 

 Abstract selected for oral presentation       2012
       7th International Symbiosis Congress, Krakow, Poland 

 Hickory Stick Award for Excellence in Teaching       2011
       Vanderbilt University 

 Awarded for Excellent Presentation       2011
       International Nasonia Conference, Nashville, TN

 Selected Abstract for Oral Presentation & Student Travel Fellowship       2011
       111th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, New Orleans, LA

 Student Travel Fellowship       2010
       8th Ecological Genomics Symposium, Kansas City, MO

 Ann Bernard Martin Award for Excellence in Graduate Research       2010
       Vanderbilt University

 Graduate Student Association for Biological Sciences, Vice President       2006
       Vanderbilt University – Honorary service fraternity

 Graduate Retreat Best Poster Award       2009
       Vanderbilt University

 Awarded Best Student Presentation       2009
       36th  Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Entomological Society

 Shumaker Physiology Prize       2007
       Mount Union College

 Blue Key Honor Society, Vice President       2006
       Mount Union College – Honorary service fraternity

 Beta Beta Beta, Student Senate Representative       2005
       Mount Union College – Biological science honors fraternity

 Academic Merit Award       2003
       Mount Union College

PUBLICATIONS

  • Romano-Keeler, J., D.J. Moore, C. Wang, R.M. Brucker, C. Fonnesbeck, J.C. Slaughter, H. Li, H. Correa, H.N. Lovvorn, Y.W. Tang, S. Bordenstein, A.L. George, J.H. Early life establishment of site-specific microbial communities in the gut. Gut Microbe. 2013. (In press)
  • Brucker, R.M., S.R. Bordenstein. The Capricious Hologenome. Zoology. 116(5):260-261. 2013
  • Woodhams, D.C., R.M. Brucker. Disease defense through generations: leaf-cutter ants and their symbiotic bacteria. Molecular Ecology 22:4141-4143. 2013. Perspective, co-first author.
  • Brucker, R.M., S.R. Bordenstein. In Vitro Cultivation of the Hymenoptera Genetic Model, Nasonia. PLOSone. 2012. (pdf) 
  • Brucker, R.M., L.J. Funkhouser, S. Setia, R. Pauly, S.R. Bordenstein. Insect Innate Immunity Database (IIID): An Annotation Tool for Identifying Immune Genes in Insect Genomes. PLOSone. 2012. (pdf) 
  • Becker, M.H., R.N. Harris, K.P.C. Minbiole, C.R. Schwantes, L.A. Rollins-Smith, L.K. Reinert, R.M. Brucker, R.J. Domangue, B. Gratwicke. Towards a better understanding of the use of probiotics for preventing Chytridiomycosis in Panamanian golden frogs. EcoHealth. 2012. (pdf) 
  • Brucker, R.M., S.R. Bordenstein. The roles of host evolutionary relationships (genus: Nasonia) and development in structuring microbial communities.Evolution. 2012. (pdf)
    • Featured in Scientific American
  • Rosengaus, R.B., C.N. Zecher, K.F. Schultheis, R.M. Brucker, S.R. Bordenstein. Prolonged fitness costs associated with the disruption of gut microbiota in termites. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2011. (pdf)
    • Featured in Scientific American 2012
    • Selected by American Society of Microbiology for a press release among all of the Society’s journal articles in July
    • Featured by ScienceDaily, MicrobeWorld, ASM, etc.
  • Becker, M.H., R.M. Brucker, C.R. Schwantes, R.N. Harris, K.P.C. Minbiole. The bacterially-produced metabolite violacein is associated with survival in amphibians infected with a lethal disease. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2009. (pdf)
  • Brucker, R.M., R.N. Harris, C.R. Schwantes, T.N. Gallaher, D.C. Flaherty, B.A. Lam, K.P.C. Minbiole. Amphibian chemical defense: antifungal metabolites of the microsymbiont Janthinobacterium lividum on the salamander Plethodon cinereus. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 2008. (pdf)
  • Brucker, R.M., C.M. Baylor, R.L. Walters, A. Lauer, R.N. Harris, and K.P.C. Minbiole. The identification of 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol as an antifungal metabolite produced by cutaneous bacteria of the salamander Plethodon cinereus. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 2008. (pdf)

PUBLISHED SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATIONS, IMAGES, AND ART

Conemans, E., et al. Histone modification and current regulatory mechanisms. Endocrine-related cancer. 2013. Review. Figures (In press)

 Bennington-Castro, J. A weird new insight into how new species evolve. i09. July 2013. Cover figure, video

 Yong, E. Gut microbes keep species apart. Nature News. July 2013. Cover figure

 Funkhouser, L.J. and Bordenstein, S.R., Mom knows best: The universiality of maternal microbial transmission. PLoS Biology. 11(8): e 1001631. 2013. Figure

 Figure. Funkhouser. L.J. and Bordenstein, S.R. Trends in Parasitology. In press

Cover art. LePage, D. and Bordenstein, S.R. Trends in Parasitology. In press 

Figures 1-3. LePage, D. and Bordenstein, S.R. Trends in Parasitology. In press

Cover art. Kent, B.N., L. Salichos, J.G. Gibbons, A. Rokas, I.L.G. Newton, M.E. Clark, and S.R. Bordenstein. (2011) Complete bacteriophage transfer in a bacterial endosymbiont (Wolbachia) determined by targeted genome capature. Genome Biology and Evolution.
IIID Generalized Insect Innate Immune Pathways. PLoS One: Insect Innate Immunity Database (IIID): An Annotation Tool for Identifying Immune Genes in Insect Genomes. September 12, 2012. 

Figure 4.2 (p. 98) of the chapter by Rollins-Smith, L.A., and Woodhams D.C. 2011. Amphibian Immunity: Staying in Tune with the Environment. In: Eco-Immunology. Demas, G.E. and Nelson, R.J. eds. Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom.  pp. 92-143.

Cover art. Kent, B.N., Bordenstein, S.R. Phage WO of Wolbachia: lambda of the endosymbiont world. Trends in Microbiology 18(4) 173-181. 2010.

Figure 1. Brucker, R.M., R.N. Harris, C.R. Schwantes, T.N. Gallaher, D.C. Flaherty, B.A. Lam, K.P.C. Minbiole. Amphibian chemical defense: antifungal metabolites of the microsymbiont Janthinobacterium lividum on the salamander Plethodon cinereus. Journal of Chemical Ecology 34:1422-1429. 2008.

Plate 1. Woodhams, D.C., Alford, R.A., Briggs, C.J., Johnson, M., Rollins-Smith, L.A. Life-History Trade-Offs Influence Disease in Changing Climates: Strategies of and Amphibian Pathogen. Ecology. 89(6):1627-1639. 2008.

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

2013: Harvard, Cambridge, MA, Department of Systems Biology, Invited Speaker
2013: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Invited Speaker
2013: Middle Tennessee State University, Murphysboro, TN, Department of Biology, Invited Speaker
2013: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, Three-Minute Thesis Competition, Finalist
2013: Entomological Genomics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
2013: University of North Carolina, Durham, NC, Invited Speaker
2012: University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, Department of Evolution and Ecology, Invited Speaker  2012: Cornell, Ithica, NY, Department of Entomology, Invited Speaker
2012: 7th International Symbiosis Society Congress. Krakow, Poland. Abstract selected for oral presentation.
2012: International Nasonia Genome Meeting, Cologne, Germany, Oral presentation
2011: International Nasonia Meeting, Nashville, TN, Oral presentation, received an award
2011: 111th General Meeting of the American Society of Microbiology, New Orleans, LA. May 2011. Abstract selected for oral presentation and travel award
2010: Ecological Genomics Symposium, Kansas City, MO, Poster, awarded a travel fellowship
2010: 3rd ASM Conference on Beneficial Microbes, Miami, FL. October 2010, Poster
2009: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. October 2009. Poster, awarded best student poster.
2009: Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Entomological Society, Nashville, TN, Oral presentation, 
awarded best student presentation.
2009: International Nasonia Genome Meeting, Rochester, NY, Oral presentation
2008: Smithsonian Institute's Conservation Research Center, Front Royal, VA, Invited speaker
2008: Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation: Amphibian Declines & Chytridiomycosis Conference, 
University of Arizona, Tempe, AZ, Oral presentation
2008: Integrated Research Challenges in Environmental Biology, Emerging Wildlife Diseases: Threats to Amphibian Biodiversity Annual Meeting, Tempe, AZ, Oral presentation
2007: Virginia Academy of Science Annual Meeting, Harrisonburg, VA, Abstract selected for oral presentation
2006: Integrated Research Challenges in Environmental Biology, Emerging Wildlife Diseases: Threats to 
Amphibian Biodiversity Annual Meeting, Tempe, AZ, Oral presentation, the meeting’s first undergraduate student presenter

COAUTHORED GRANTS AND FUNDING

2010, Dimensions: The Microbial Bias of Animal Speciation - Vanderbilt University
       Source: National Science Foundation – Dimensions of Biodiversity

2010, The Infectious Basis of Hybrid Mortality in an Insect Model- Vanderbilt University
       Source: Vanderbilt University Discovery Grant

2008, Amphibian Protection: The Beneficial Effects of Bacteria on Salamander Skin – James
       Madison University
       Source: Jeffress Memorial Trust

MEMBERSHIPS AND ELECTED POSITIONS

Microbes and Defense Academic Society 2011-2013
Vanderbilt University – Graduate and Medical student honorary society

Department of Biological Sciences Graduate Student Association 2010-2013
Vice President (2yr)
Vanderbilt University

American Society for Microbiology 2008-2013
Student member

Tennessee Entomological Society 2009-2012
Student member

International Symbiosis Society 2009-Present
Student member

Blue Key Honor Society, Vice President (1yr) 2006-2007
Mount Union College – Honorary service fraternity

Beta Beta Beta, Student Senate Representative (2yr) 2005-2007
Mount Union College – Biological science honors fraternity

PEER REVIEWER FOR SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL

PLoSone – PloS Biology – Molecular Ecology - Environmental Entomology - Science Reports - EcoHealth

OUTREACH

Vanderbilt University – Vice-president of Graduate Student Association; Led departmental and university outreach and recruitment of visiting faculty and student candidates.

 Vanderbilt University – “Careers In Science.” Career speaker to visiting high school students.

 Mount Gilead High School – “Careers In Science.” Invited career speaker.

 Mount Union College – “This Week In Science.” Co-hosted a weekly radio hour on WRMU.

 Mount Union College – Students for Environmental Awareness; Led campus conservation
initiative.
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