Mark Speck

I have completed my Ph.D. in Microbiology.
I have instructed lab courses on microbial ecology and basic microbiological techniques.
I have developed my ability to draw experimental designs and use this skill to characterize microalgae strains.
I lead the technical staff in inoculating and maintaining 1000L outdoor photobioreactors with novel species.
The majority of my degree work focused on understanding marine microbial ecology, which is essential for finding, and exploiting algal isolates.
I learned and developed many microbial cultivation techniques.
I isolated and cultivated many “exotic” and “extremophilic” organisms.
I studied and effectively use molecular tools for identifying, understanding, and manipulating microbes, e.g., creating transgenic Escherichia coli recombinants with an Archaea heme protein gene or identifying organisms using ribosomal subunit genes.
During my fellowship I focused on utilizing interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving, which is a team-oriented strategy.
I have three years of industrial science experience at a biotech start-up.