Expert Details
Microbial Contamination Issues
ID: 725892
Tennessee, USA
He served as an expert in both mold litigation and microbial contamination cases. With his lab and experience he is able to work for many clients in regards to many different aspects.
Expert has conducted on-site assessments of cosmetic manufacturing plants to identify sources of contamination for micro-sensitive product lines. He has helped companies implement sampling and contamination control SOPs into their quality systems and meet the QC specification of their clients. Products prone to contamination from environmental microbial reservoirs include, face creams, shampoos, sunscreen and body lotions.
Expert also specializes as a consultant to the Germ Free or Gnotobiotic industry in the capacity to identify source contamination, improve or develop quality systems and reduce break rate for a given product.
Expert is experienced in the design of environmental microbiology laboratories. Previously, he has designed, hired personnel, purchased equipment and supplies, and managed two successful commercial-testing environmental microbiology laboratories. He has implemented ISO 17025 quality systems and successfully accredited laboratories under the American Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program. He has over 10 years experience as a laboratory technical director and laboratory manager.
Expert has conducted extensive field research programs in both academic and commercial settings. Projects included monitoring of a variety of environmental soil and air properties and sample analysis.
Expert has extensive training in fungal spore structure, identification and detection. He has been issued a patent for a novel fluorescent technology that uses a molecular probe to detect mold spores from dust and air samples.
Expert's masters research focused on the fungal genus Fusarium and population genetics and vectors of Fusarium moniliforme.
Identifying the source of microbial contamination in micro-sensitive cosmetic manufacturing plants and writing mitigation specifications.Determining the period of time soft woods have been saturated with water indoors associated with rate of fungal decay and frequency of flooding events.Evaluation of Binary Ionization Technology for reducing or elimination microbial contamination in indoor environments, food processing, crop storage and greenhouse production. Identifiying the source of microbial contamination in pigmented inks used for printing.Identifying the source of microbial induced corrosion in a nuclear holding tank and writing specifications to mitigate bioflims and correct the corrosion problem.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1992 | Degree: BS | Subject: Biological Sciences | Institution: California University of Pennsylvania |
| Year: 1996 | Degree: MS | Subject: Plant Pathology | Institution: Iowa State University |
| Year: 2002 | Degree: PhD | Subject: Microbiology | Institution: Texas Tech University |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2006 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: President/Technical Director | Department: |
Responsibilities: |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2005 to 2006 | Employer: MDDS Inc | Title: CSO | Department: |
Responsibilities: |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2003 to 2005 | Employer: Microbial Insights, Inc | Title: Laboratory Director | Department: |
Responsibilities: |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2002 to 2003 | Employer: Texas Tech University | Title: Statistician | Department: Wildlife Range and Fisheries |
Responsibilities: |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1998 to 2002 | Employer: Texas Tech University | Title: Graduate Research Assistantship | Department: Biological Sciences |
Responsibilities: |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1996 to 1998 | Employer: United States Department of Agriculture | Title: Laboratory Analyst | Department: ARS |
Responsibilities: |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1993 to 1996 | Employer: Iowa State Univesity | Title: Graduate Research Assistantship | Department: Plant Pathology |
Responsibilities: |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1991 to 1993 | Employer: California University of Pennsylvania | Title: Undergraduate Research Assistantship | Department: Biological Sciences |
Responsibilities: |
|||
Government Experience
| Years | Agency | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2009 to Present | Agency: U.S. ARMY | Role: Supplier | Description: Expert provides the US. Army with high quality spore suspensions of mold spores for research purposes. |
| Years: 2007 to Present | Agency: Department of Energy | Role: Consultant | Description: Expert serves as an investigative consulting to the DOE related to indoor air quality issues at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
| Years: 2010 to Present | Agency: NIOSH/CDC | Role: Research | Description: Expert serves as a research collaborator with NIOSH/CDC in order to bring rapid microbial detection technologies to the marketplace. |
| Years: 2008 to Present | Agency: USDA | Role: Principle Investigator | Description: Expert is a principle investigator on SBIR grants received from the USDA to build a commercial real-time formaldehyde detection system for the manufactured wood industry. |
International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 2010 to 2010 | Country / Region: England | Summary: Expert conducted research to evaluate and improve the efficacy of effusion lamps for a European company. The objective was to improve the effusion method and enhance efficacy against bacteria, mold, smoke, and allergens, while decreasing the overall concentration of volatile organic compounds produced by the product. |
| Years: 2003 to 2004 | Country / Region: Sweden | Summary: Expert developed a rapid PCR based assay to detect keystone species of mold that are associated with indoor air quality issues in the region of Sweden that was to be serviced by a large inspection firm. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| AIHA, IAQA, ASM, ASHRAE, ASTM |
| Professional Appointments |
|---|
| Senior Research Scientist in the Center for Environmental Biotechnology, University of Tennessee |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| He has 1 patent, 15 publications and two future book chapters. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| Expert has served on both the behalf of defendant and plaintiffs. He has spearheaded the scientific discovery phase of class action suits as a non-testifying consultant for both American and international companies. His ability to manage and identify key scientists and professionals to conduct research, review materials and testify on behalf of the client ensures a superior defense against alleged microbial causation. He has also provided written and trial testimony as an expert witness in environmental mold exposure suites. He has been engaged as an expert witness by pharmaceutical companies involved in lawsuits with microbial-contaminated products. He has served on behalf of plaintiffs to identify low level microbial contamination in FDA products approved for consumption. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| Expert has developed and currently teaches a Certified Mold Inspection course based on DNA detection technology. He also teaches various training courses throughout the year to industrial hygienists, school plant managers, safety personnel, and health care workers on issues of environmental microbiology. |
| Vendor Selection |
|---|
| Expert has designed and supervised the construction of two microbiology laboratories. This includes sourcing vendors and suppliers for all equipment and consumables. In addition both laboratories operations and quality systems were designed to specifications of ISO 17025. |
| Marketing Experience |
|---|
| Expert has provide expert environmental microbial contamination consultation to FDA approved manufactures of medical tests. He has conducted on-site inspections for large cosmetic manufactures and pharama owned hatcheries. He has also provided laboratory-based development tools for Japanese manufactures of microbial detection systems; antimicrobial paint coatings, and a variety of novel antimicrobial technologies. He has conducted efficacy challenges for a variety of antimicrobial and antifungal products to be used in the indoor air quality industry. |
| Other Relevant Experience |
|---|
| Expert is a skilled microscopist and photographer. His microbial photos are used in a several taxonomic keys and published books. He is skilled in fluorescent chemistry specifally dealing with the detection of microorganisms. He is also a Senior Research Scientist in the Center for Environmental Biotechnology at a major university. |
Language Skills
| Language | Proficiency |
|---|---|
| Chinese | Expert has limited skills in reading and speaking Mandarin Chinese. However, he employes Ms. Wu Jing who is fluent in speaking, reading, and writing Mandarin and serves as his interperter when required. |
Fields of Expertise
fungus, indoor air quality, mold (fungus), American Society for Testing and Materials testing, antimicrobial coating, mold (fungus) inhibitor, sick building syndrome, bacterial culture, culture medium, culture preservation, E. coli, gram-positive bacteria, Legionella pneumophila, Listeria monocytogenes, preservation, salmonella, spore, spore-forming bacterium, cosmetic product manufacturing, microbial risk assessment, environmental laboratory, environmental laboratory management, environmental testing, microbiology, microbiology laboratory, environmental monitoring, environmental sampling, fungal spore, mildew, mold (fungus) contamination, mold (fungus) detection, mold spore, mycology, Fusarium moniliforme, industrial air quality, mold remediation, toxigenic mold, Candida, microplate, grain fungal mold, bacterial contamination, Geotrichum, Mucor, Penicillium, bacterial toxin, sporulation, microbiological medium, indoor air purification, sterile, bacterial spore, environmental sample, environmental data, Food and Drug Administration cosmetic regulation, cosmetic safety testing, Fusarium, microbial genetics, microbiological food vitamin analysis, paint microbiology, cosmetic industry, cosmetic product, molecular genetics, building-related disease, air, plant pathogenic fungus, microorganism observation, microbial ecology, formaldehyde, bacteriology