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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
Qiao Chen
Ph.D. Student 2022-present M.S., 2020, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences B.S., 2017, Wuhan University, China Research Interest: Alex is interested in the degradation of chloromethane and dichloromethane in enviromental systems. Phone: 865-398-1893 Email: qchen25@vols.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

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

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

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. Audrey R. Drummond, REU, Mercer University, Macon, GA, 2019
2. Carolina Lopez-Soto REU, Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, 2019
3. Magen Poindexter, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 10/2016-12/2018
4. Samantha Murphy, Biological Sciences, University of Tennessee, 9/2018-12/2018
5. Samiha Sadruddin, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 10/2016-5/2018
6. Quanita Choudhury, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 1/2016-5/2017
7. Taylor Jones, Biology, University of Tennessee, 7/2017-12/2017
8. Danielle Worren, REU, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, 2017
9. Nina Pfisterer, University of Bielefeld, Germany, 9/2016-3/2017
10. Ashlyn Cowan, 02/2017-5/2017
11. Reantha Pillay, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 8/2015-02/2016
12. Basma Ouddi, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 08/2015-04/2016
13. Pamela Dexter, REU, University of North Carolina, Pembroke, NC, 2015
14. Mary Price, Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, 08/2014-08/2016
15. Samiha Ashan, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 7/2013-5/2017
16. Francisco Lopez, Bioinformatics & Molecular Bioscience and Biotechnology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY 2013
17. Hawa Henderson, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 1/2013-8/2015
18. Olga Gaines, Biological Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1/2015 - 5/2015
19. Jeffrey Michael Colfer, Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 6/2012-5/2013
20. Andrew Graham Brandon, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 5/2011-12/2011
21. Janice Ramos Collazo, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 2011
22. Clivia Lisowski, University of Applied Sciences, Rhinebach, Germany, 6/2010-8/2010
23. Kevin Hade, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 5/2009-12/2010
24. Ryan Gregory, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 5/2009-12/2009
25. Christine Carroll, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 1/2009-5/2009
26. Adriana Justicia-Leon, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 2009
27. Melissa Spitzmiller, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 1/2009-5/2009
28. Tiffany Clark, Biology, Georgia Tech, 6/2008-12/2008
29. Drew Marlatt, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 8/2008-12/2008
30. Daniel Callahan, REU, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA, 2008
31. Sophia Fisher, Biology, Georgia Tech, 1/2008-5/2008
32. Gawon Lee, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea, 12/2007-2/2008
33. Hyewon Kim, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea, 12/2007-2/2008
34. Maria Geonczy, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 8/2007-12/2007
35. Natalia M. Ramos-Hernández, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 2005
36. Gina Paola Rodriguez, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 2005
37. Rosa Leon, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 5/2004-8/2004
38. Jessica Dornbush, REU, Michigan State University, 2004
39. Cornell Gayle, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Tech, 6/2003-7/2004
40. Cesar Cordero, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 2002
41. Julie Warren, REU, Biology, Georgia Tech, 2002
42. Elizabeth Padilla, REU, University of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, 2001
43. Currie Mixon, Biology Georgia Tech, 8/2000-12/2000
44. Elena Ponce-Garcia, Universidad Politecnica de Valencia, Spain, 8/2000-12/2000
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