Marc Y.

Rehfuss
Birthdate: 12/29/1977
email: mr106a348@westpost.net
cell: 530-400-3228
home: 510-522-1348
Residence and mailing address:
2020 Franciscan Way #209
Alameda, CA 94501

EDUCATION
Kansas State University, 2000 - 2004
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Microbiology
Concentration: Microbial Physiology and Phylogenetics
Grade Point Average: 3.86 / 4.0
Completed: December 2004
Radford University, 1995 - 1999
Bachelor of Science in Biology

RELEVANT SKILLS:
All standard bacteriological lab culture techniques and biochemical assays, bioc
hemical identification, anaerobic and microaerophilic bacterial culture, PCR, mo
lecular cloning / knockout construction, quantitative RT-PCR, microarray hybridi
zation and analysis, nucleic acid blotting, epiflourescence microscopy, fluoresc
ent labeling of cells by dye or antibody, immunoblotting, BCS / Bradford assay,
sequence
analysis, phylogenetic analysis, eukaryotic cell culture, yeast
fermentation, BiologTM

RELEVANT SOFTWARE FLUENCY:

All Microsoft Office applications, Genespring, Genepix, Wasabi Imaging Software,
Vector NTI, PAUP, Oligo, Systat, Sigmastat, Sigmaplot,Graphprism

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
United States Department of Agriculture, Produce Safety and Microbiology
Postdoctoral researcher, Feb. 2008 - March 2010

* Utilized expression arrays to analyze the transcriptome of the enteric patho

gens Salmonella enterica and E. coli O157:H7 residing in the food vacuole of the
ciliate Tetrahymena. RT-qPCR was used to confirm array results.
* Created knockouts of genes that were shown to be highly upregulated by Salmo
nella in the Tetrahymena food vacuole. Viability was analyzed by fluorescent st
aining and epifluorescent microscopy. Mutations were successfully complemented
using stably maintained expression plasmids.
Complementation was confirmed by PCR, RT-qPCR, and by phenotype (when appropriat
e)
* Regularly used epifluorescence microscopy in conjunction with
nucleic acid staining (e.g. Syto9 + PI). This was performed in order to determi
ne viability of single Salmonella or E. coli cells within the food vacuoles or e
xpelled pellets of the bacterial grazer Tetrahymena. This allowed a culture inde
pendent method of determining bacterial cell viability. GFP cells in conjunctio
n with PI staining was also explored as a mean to determine internalized bacteri
a viability.
* Used fluorescent antibodies to visualize E. coli O157:H7 that had been inges
ted by Tetrahymena.

University of California Davis, Center for Comparative Medicine

Postdoctoral researcher, Feb. 2005 - Feb. 2007

* Studied the expression of genes of the fastidious, gastric Gram negative path
ogen Helicobacter pylori implicated in virulence as well as metabolic genes usin
g quantitative real time RT-qPCR. Comparative in vitro expression levels as well
as in vivo levels using the Rhesus macaque and human epithelial cells were expl
ored.
* Finished a project involving CGH DNA microarrays in order to
determine which genes are lost or gained during the course of H. pylori infectio
n of the Rhesus macaque and how alteration of those genes affects fitness of the
pathogen.
* Made knockouts of genes that were shown to be important in the
infection process. In addition, cloning PCR products for sequencing was done reg
ularly.
* Gained experience with performing bacteriological assays on animal tissue (e.
g. stomach biopsies). Plate counts for CFU, bacterial RNA and DNA extraction (fo
llowed by molecular assays) were performed.
* Utilized mammalian tissue culture (human AGS cells) to grow and study H. pylo
ri as well.

Kansas State University Division of Biology

Graduate Research Assistant, Jan. 2000 - Dec. 2004
* Investigated the effect of nitrate stimulation and aerobic
denitrification on the aromatic toxin (including phenol and chlorinated benzenes
) degradation rates by bioprocessor-isolated toxin degrading bacteria. I optimi
zed phenol degradation rates by altering nitrate concentration and media composi
tion. I am very well versed in bacterial metabolic pathways of fermentation and
aerobic degradation.
* Utilized 16s rRNA gene sequencing to identify unknown bacteria in a mixed bio
processor and PCR to identify key conserved degradation genes.
* Lectured to and interacted with undergraduate students in General Microbiolog
y 455 Laboratory. This course involved teaching both basic and intermediate bac
teriological laboratory techniques. (6 hrs. classroom time per week). I was res
ponsible for preparing and delivering the lectures, organizing and overseeing th
e lab experiments, writing the tests/quizzes and grading all material.
* Topics taught included: Light microscopy and staining methods,
culture techniques and the importance of media composition, dilution plating, gr
owth curve construction, bacterial identification, isolation and differentiation
in mixed culture, sterilization, antibiotic susceptibility, plasmid transfer, b
asic phage propagation and plaque assay, UV mutagenesis as well as milk and wate
r bacteriology.
* The relevance of microbiology to real - world issues such as water quality an
d human disease was emphasized so students could develop skills applicable to bo
th environmental and health - related fields.
* Taught about and am familiar with the general physiology of E. coli, Saccharo
myces cerevisiae, Serratia marcescens, Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp.,
Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella spp. Enterob
acter aerogenes, Rhodospirillum rubrum, S. cerevisiae

National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

Research fellow, Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, June 1999 - Dec.
1999
* Examined human DNA for characteristic mutations in the p53 gene by both manua
l and automated sequencing and screening with the AffymetrixTM genechip.
* Utilized LCM (Laser Capture Microscopy) to capture DNA from stained histologi
cal preparations from tumors overexpressing the p53 protein followed by sequence
analysis to demonstrate any relationship between p53 mutation and protein overe
xpression.
* Duties also included maintaining murine cell culture lines for
production of monoclonal anti - p53 antibodies.

National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

Research fellow, Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, May 1998 - Aug.
1998
* Examined over 100 human sera samples for prediagnostic anti - p53 antibodies
using enzyme immunoassays, immunoblotting and
immunoprecipitation with p53 protein.
* Duties also included harvesting of DNA from sera and histological slides, PCR
, manual sequencing, and development of specific assays to determine mutations a
nd polymorphisms in human DNA.
* Completed analysis of the p53 mutational spectra in a Breast cancer study (5
exons each in 20 samples)

AWARDS RECEIVED
* $1,200 Cancer Research Travel Grant, Kansas State University. 2002: Awarded f
or travel to the 102nd Annual American Society for
Microbiology to present a poster describing my PhD research in
microbial physiology and bioremediation.
* Haymaker Award for Excellence in Graduate Research, Kansas State University.
2003: Awarded for an outstanding presentation of my research in the 2003 Divisio
n of Biology Forum.
* Summer Research Stipend from the Center for Basic Cancer Research, Kansas Sta
te University, 2004: Awarded for my research into bacterial bioremediation of ca
rcinogenic aromatic compounds.

PUBLICATIONS
* Rehfuss, M. Brandl, M.T, Parker, C. (2010). Salmonella transcriptional signat
ure in Tetrahymena phagosomes and role of acid resistance in passage through the
protist . ISME Journal. doi: 10.1038/ismej.2010.128
* Rehfuss, M. and Urban J. Isolation and characterization of four novel halogen
ated benzene degrading, denitrifying bacteria of the genus Ochrobactrum. (manusc
ript under review, Biodegradation)
* Rehfuss, M. and Urban, J. (2005). Rhodococcus phenolicus sp. nov., a novel b
ioprocessor isolated actinomycete with the ability to degrade chlorobenzene, dic
hlorobenzene and phenol as sole carbon sources. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 28 695-70
1.
* Rehfuss, M. and Urban, J. (2005). Alcaligenes faecalis subsp.
phenolicus subsp. nov. a phenol-degrading, denitrifying bacterium
isolated from a graywater bioprocessor. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 28
421-429.

PRESENTATIONS
* Rehfuss, M. and J. Urban. Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of a Met
abolically Versatile Microbial Consortium. Presented at the Kansas State Gradua
te Research forum (2002)
* Rehfuss, M. and J. Urban. Characterization and Phylogenetic
Analysis of three novel bacteria of the genus Alcaligenes. Presented at the Kan
sas State Division of Biology annual research forum. (2003)

MEMBERSHIPS & ACTIVITIES

American Society for Microbiology Student Member (2000 - present)
American Homebrewers Association Member (2000 - present)*
Bay Area Mashers (2008 - present)*
KSU Division of Biology Seminar Committee, Graduate student
representative (2002-2004)
KSU Division of Biology Microbiology Faculty Search Committee, Graduate Student
representative (2002-2004)
Radford University Biology Club president (1998-1999)

* I have been an avid all-grain homebrewer since 2000 and maintain my own yeast
bank.

REFERENCES
Dr. Maria Brandl
Principal investigator
US Dept of Agriculture
510-559-5885
mariabrandl@ars.usda.gov
Reference type: Professional
Lori Hansen
Lab Supervisor
UC Davis
530-752-1334
lmhansen@ucdavis.edu
Reference type: Professional
Dr. James Urban
Kansas State University
Major Professor-Microbiology (emeritus)
979-249-2082
urban@cvtv.net
Reference type: Professional
Dr. Glennwood Trivers
Project Officer
National Institutes of Health
301-496-2094
triversg@intra.nci.nih.gov
Reference type: Professional