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Meet the team

Frank E. Löffler (CV)
 Professor Postdoctoral Fellow, 1994-1999, Microbial Ecology, Michigan State University Ph.D., 1994, Microbiology/Technical Biochemistry, University of Hohenheim/Technical University Harburg, Germany M.S., 1990, Microbiology, University of Hohenheim, Germany B.S., 1986, Agricultural Science/Biology, University of Hohenheim, Germany Phone: 865-974-4933 Email: frank.loeffler@utk.edu

Current Lab Members

Cindy Swift
Research Associate II 2011-present M.S., 1991, Science in Chemistry, Tennessee Technological University B.S., 1989, Science in Chemistry, Tennessee Technological University Research: As Dr. Löffler’s laboratory manager and technician, I am involved in a variety of research projects and topics. Phone: 865-974-4934 Email: cswift7@utk.edu
Gao Chen
Research Assistant Professor  2022-present Ph.D., 2014, Microbiology, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany M.Sc., 2009, Ecology, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China B.Sc., 2006, Biology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China Research: Microbial degradation; Anaerobic degradation of hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents; Physiology and Ecology of anaerobes. Current Projects: Physiology and ecology of anaerobic dichloromethane degradation Phone: 865-974-4934 Email: gchen16@utk.edu
Guang He
Post-doc  2023-present Ph.D., 2023, Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA M.S., 2019, Plant Nutrition, China Agricultural University, China B.S., 2017, Agricultural Resource and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, China Research Interest:I am soil microbiologist with a concentration on soil nitrogen cycling, especially denitrification and N2O emissions. I’m trying to apply some beneficial microbes to soil which could not only improve plantss nitrogen nutrition, but also mitigate N2O emission. Phone: 865-974-7839 Email: ghe3@vols.utk.edu
Diana Ramirez
Ph.D. Student 2021-present B.S, 2020, Arizona State University Research Interest: Diana is interested in environmental issues - especially the "forever chemicals" known as PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Phone: 928-255-9522 Email: dramire4@vols.utk.edu
Broquell Wong
Ph.D. Student 2023-present B.S, 2020, Lee University, Cleveland, TN, USA Research Interest: Broquell's research interests lie in investigating the fate, transport, and environmental behavior of PFASs, with a particular focus on understanding their toxicological effects and the mechanisms driving their bioaccumulation in biological systems. Email: bwong3vols.utk.edu

Web Manager

Cindy Swift
Web Manager 2023-present Phone: 865-974-4934 Email: loefflerlab@utk.edu

Former lab members

Former M.S. and Ph.D. students

Guang He, Ph.D., 2023
Yanchen Sun, Ph.D., 2022
Yongchao Xie, Ph.D., 2021
Briana McDowell, Ph.D., 2022
Yongchao Yin, Ph.D., 2019
Laurel Seus, M.S. 2019
Nannan Jiang, Ph.D. 2019
Amanda Devolk, M.S. 2018
Steven Higgins, Ph.D. 2017
Jenny Onley, Ph.D. 2017
Yi Yang, Ph.D. 2016
Burcu Simsir, Ph.D. 2016
Meng Bi, M.S. 2015
Elizabeth Padilla Crespo, Ph.D. 2015
Shandra Justicia León, Ph.D. 2012
Darlene Wagner, Ph.D. 2012
Kelly Fletcher, Ph.D. 2010
Sara Thomas, Ph.D. 2009
Audrey Thorp, M.S. 2009
Courtney Phillips, M.S. 2009
Allan Nevin, M.S. 2008
Benjamin Amos, Ph.D. 2007
Kerry Preston, M.S. 2007
Ivy Thomson, M.S. 2007
Ryoung Song, M.S. 2006
Jonathan Waddell, M.S. 2006
Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown, Ph.D. 2005
Youlboong Sung, Ph.D. 2005
Jianzhong He, Ph.D. 2003

Former Postdocs

Guang He, 2023-
Fadime Kara-Murdoch, 2013-2017
Devrim Kaya, 2013-2017
Chowdhary, Janamejaya, 2014-2016
Jaejin Lee, 2013-2015
Jeongdae Im, 2011-2015
Sara Kleindienst, 2013-2015
Silke Nissen, 2010-2015
Gillian Walshe, 2012-2014
Sukhwan Yoon, 2011-2014
Kathleen Cusick, 2010-2013
Janet Hatt, 2008-2011
Jarrod Pollock, 2010-2011
Ben Amos, 2007-2008
Claribel Cruz-Garcia, 2007-2009
Qingzhong Wu, 2003-2006, 2008
Jun Yan, 2009-2012; Research Assistant Professor 2013-2017
Kirsti Ritalahti, 2001-2006; Senior Scientist 2006-2010; Research Assistant Professor 2010-2014

Visiting Scholars

Dr. Ebrahim Mama Abda, Researcher, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2023-2024
Dr. Jun Zeng, Assistant Professor, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, 2019-2020
Dr.Majed Albokari, Professor, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 2019-2020
Lingzhi (Linda) Liu, Associate Professor, Shenyang University, China, 2015-2016
Jaejin Lee, Ph.D. student, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea, 2012-2013
Veronica Lugmayr, M.S. student, University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule), Munich, Germany, 2007
Kishore Krishnani, Senior Scientist, Central Institute of Brackishwater Agriculture (ICAR) in Chennai, India, 2004-2005
Tina Hölscher, Ph.D. student, Technical University Berlin, 2003

Undergraduate Students

1. Ana Arosemena, NSF REU, Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Aguadilla, Aguadilla, PR, 2023
2. Bryan E. Rosado-Maldonado, NSF REU, Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Metropolitan Campus, Río Piedras, PR, 2023
3. Kelsey Beldsoe, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 2023
4. Konrad Schwartz, REU, Centre College, Danville, KY, 2022
5. Kayla Carter, REU, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, 2022
6. Kiara Tucker, ORII SMaRT Program, Talladega College, Talladega, AL, 2022
7. Divinity Oliver, ORII SMaRT Program, Portland State University, Portland, OR, 2022
8. Jessica Rattray, ORII SMaRT Program, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, 2022
9. Devan Linson, ORII SMaRT Program, Washington State University, Seattle, WA, 2022
10. Fiona McConnell, ORII SMaRT Program, Penn State University, Pennsylvania, PA, 2022
11. Jazhiel Chase, ORII SMaRT Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 2021
12. Imani Jordan, REU, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN, 2021
13. Carolina Lopez-Soto REU, Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, 2019
14. Magen Poindexter, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 10/2016-12/2018
15. Samantha Murphy, Biological Sciences, University of Tennessee, 9/2018-12/2018
16. Samiha Sadruddin, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 10/2016-5/2018
17. Quanita Choudhury, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 1/2016-5/2017
18. Taylor Jones, Biology, University of Tennessee, 7/2017-12/2017
19. Danielle Worren, REU, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, 2017
20. Nina Pfisterer, University of Bielefeld, Germany, 9/2016-3/2017
21. Ashlyn Cowan, 02/2017-5/2017
22. Reantha Pillay, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 8/2015-02/2016
23. Basma Ouddi, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 08/2015-04/2016
24. Pamela Dexter, REU, University of North Carolina, Pembroke, NC, 2015
25. Mary Price, Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, 08/2014-08/2016
26. Samiha Ashan, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 7/2013-5/2017
27. Francisco Lopez, Bioinformatics & Molecular Bioscience and Biotechnology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 2013
28. Hawa Henderson, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 1/2013-8/2015
29. Olga Gaines, Biological Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1/2015 - 5/2015
30. Jeffrey Michael Colfer, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 6/2012-5/2013
31. Andrew Graham Brandon, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 5/2011-12/2011
32. Janice Ramos Collazo, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 2011
33. Clivia Lisowski, University of Applied Sciences, Rhinebach, Germany, 6/2010-8/2010
34. Kevin Hade, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 5/2009-12/2010
35. Ryan Gregory, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 5/2009-12/2009
36. Christine Carroll, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 1/2009-5/2009
37. Adriana Justicia-Leon, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 2009
38. Melissa Spitzmiller, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 1/2009-5/2009
39. Tiffany Clark, Biology, Georgia Tech, 6/2008-12/2008
40. Drew Marlatt, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 8/2008-12/2008
41. Daniel Callahan, REU, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA, 2008
42. Sophia Fisher, Biology, Georgia Tech, 1/2008-5/2008
43. Gawon Lee, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea, 12/2007-2/2008
44. Hyewon Kim, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea, 12/2007-2/2008
45. Maria Geonczy, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 8/2007-12/2007
46. Natalia M. Ramos-Hernández, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 2005
47. Gina Paola Rodriguez, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 2005
48. Rosa Leon, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 5/2004-8/2004
49. Jessica Dornbush, REU, Michigan State University, 2004
50. Cornell Gayle, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 6/2003-7/2004
51. Cesar Cordero, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 2002
52. Julie Warren, REU, Biology, Georgia Tech, 2002
53. Elizabeth Padilla, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 2001
54. Currie Mixon, Biology Georgia Tech, 8/2000-12/2000
55. Elena Ponce-Garcia, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Spain, 8/2000-12/2000
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