Michael Savka Headshot

Michael Savka

Professor

Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences
College of Science

585-475-5141
Office Location

Michael Savka

Professor

Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences
College of Science

Education

BS, West Virginia University; MS, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Bio

<p>&nbsp;</p>

585-475-5141

Personal Links
Areas of Expertise

Select Scholarship

Journal Paper
MA., Gan HM, Gan HY, Ahmad NH, Aziz NA, Hudson AO, Savka. "Whole Genome Sequencing and Analysis Reveal Insights into the Genetic Structure, Diversity and Evolutionary Relatedness of LuxI and luxR Homologs in Bacteria Belonging to the Sphingomonadaceae Family." Front Cell Infect Microbiol. Jan 8. 4:188 (2015): 1-14. Web.
Gan, HY, et al. "Whole-Genome Sequences of Five Oligotrophic Bacteria Isolated from Deep within Lechuguilla Cave, New Mexico." Genome Announcements 2. 6 (2014): 1-2. Web.
Triassi, AJ, et al. "L,L-diaminopimelate Aminotransferase (DapL): A Putative Target for the Development of Narrow-spectrum Antibacterial Compounds." Frontiers in Microbiology 5. 509 (2014): 1-10. Web.
Gan, HM, et al. "High-Quality Draft Whole-Genome Sequences of Three Strains of Enterobacter Isolated from Jamaican Dioscorea cayenensis (Yellow Yam)." Genome Announcements 2. 2 (2014): 1-2. Web.
Gan, HY, et al. "Whole-genome Sequences of 13 Endophytic Bacteria Isolated From Shrub Willow (Salix) Grown in Geneva, New York." Genome Announc. 2. 3 (2014): 1-2. Web.
Gan, Han Ming, et al. "Comparative Genomic Analysis of Six Bacteria Belonging to the Genus Novosphingobium: Insights into Marine Adaptation, Cell-cell Signaling and Bioremediation." BMC Genomics 14. 431-445 (2013): 431-445. Web.
McCroty, Sean E, et al. "Biochemical Characterization of UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanyl-D-glutamyl:meso-2,6-diaminopimelate ligase (MurE) from Verrucomicrobium spinosum." PLOSone 8. 6 (2013): e66458. Web.
Gan, HM, et al. "Genome Sequence of Methylobacterium Sp. Strain GXF4, a Xylem Associated Bacterium Isolated from Vitis Vinifera L. Grapevine." Journal of Bacteriology 194. (2012): 5157-5158. Print.
Gan, HM, et al. "Whole Genome Sequence of Enterobacter Sp. SST3: An Endophyte Isolated from Jamaica Sugarcane (Saccharum Sp.) Stalk Tissue." Journal of Bacteriology 194. (2012): 5981-5982. Print.
Gan, HM, et al. "Genome Sequence of Novosphingobium Sp. Strain Rr 2-17, A Nopaline Crown Gall Associated Bacterium Isolated from Vitis Vinifera L. Grapevine." Journal of Bacteriology 194. (2012): 5137-5138. Print.
Bulman, Zack, et al. "A Novel Property of Propolis (bee glue): Anti-pathogenic Activity by Inhibition of N-acyl-homoserine Lactone Mediated Signaling in Bacteria." Journal of Ethnopharmacology 138. (2011): 788-797. Print.
Book Chapter
Savka, Michael A, et al. "Biased Rhizosphere? Concept and Advances in the Omics Era to Study Bacterial Competitiveness and Persistence in the Phytosphere." Molecular Microbial Ecology of the Rhizosphere. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2013. 1147-1161. Print.
Savka, Michael A., et al. "Grapevine Pathogens Spreading with Sropagating Plant stock: Detection and Methods for Elimination." Grapevines: Varieties, Cultivation. Ed. P.V. Szabo and J. Shojania. New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2011. 1-88. Print.
Published Review
Savka, Michael A. and Andre O Hudson. "Bioluminescence." Rev. of Bioluminescence Biosensor Strains for the Detection of Quorum-sensing N-acyl-homoserine Lactone Signal Molecules., ed. DJ Rodgerson. Nova Scientific Publishers 2011: 49-70. Print.
Published Conference Proceedings
Bulman, Zack, Andre O. Hudson, and Michael A. Savka. "Propolis, a Product of the Bee Hive, has an Antagonistic Affect on Quorum-sensing Regulated Bioluminescence, Gene Transcription and Motility." Proceedings of the American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Meeting. Ed. K. Cornely, P. Ortiz, and M.A. Wallert. Washington, DC: American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, 2011. Print.
Subki, Mior MM Ahmad, et al. "Isolation and Identification of Methylobacterium sp. From Grapevine Xylem Fluids and Mutants Deficient in Acyl-homoserine Signal Production, Abstract 818." Proceedings of the American Society for Microbiology, 111th General Meeting. Ed. American Society for Microbiology. New Orleans, LA: American Society for Microbiology, 2011. Print.
Aziz, Nazrin A. and Michael A. Savka. "Screening of Transposon Mutants of Sphingobium sp. KK22 Altered in Quorum-sensing Signal Synthesis." Proceedings of the Rochester Academy of Sciences, Fall 2011 Scientific Paper Day. Ed. Monroe Community College. Rochester, NY: Rochester Academy of Sciences, 2011. Print.
Sorensen, Ryan and Michael A. Savka. "Disruption of Bacterial Signaling by Beehive Plant Resins." Proceedings of the Rochester Academy of Sciences, Fall 2011 Scientific Paper Day. Ed. Monroe Community College. Rochester, NY: Rochester Academy of Sciences, 2011. Print.

Currently Teaching

BIOL-216
1 Credits
This laboratory course will address the fundamental concepts of Molecular Biology. Students in this laboratory will complement their understanding of core concepts in Molecular Biology through the implementation and practice of laboratory techniques used by Molecular Biologists. Laboratory techniques and projects will focus on recombinant DNA technology and the detection and tracking of biomolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins.
BIOL-295
1 - 4 Credits
This course is a faculty-directed student project or research involving laboratory work, computer modeling, or theoretical calculations that could be considered of an original nature. The level of study is appropriate for students in their first three years of study.
BIOL-298
1 - 4 Credits
This course is a faculty-directed tutorial of appropriate topics that are not part of the formal curriculum. The level of study is appropriate for student in their first three years of study.
BIOL-301
1 - 4 Credits
This course allows students to assist in a class or laboratory for which they have previously earned credit. The student will assist the instructor in the operation of the course. Assistance by the student may include fielding questions, helping in workshops, and assisting in review sessions. In the case of labs, students may also be asked to help with supervising safety practices, waste manifestation, and instrumentation.
BIOL-305
4 Credits
Plants have played a significant role in the shaping of our world. This course will explore the utilization of plants for foods, fuels, materials, medicine, novel genetic information, and social aspects of different cultures. All cultures depend on about fifteen plant species, most of which have been changed by plant improvement methods to enhance human benefits. This course will explore these changes in important crops, plant constituents used in medicine, and the technology used to produce important plant-produced medicines.
BIOL-401
4 Credits
This is a laboratory-based course that teaches classic concepts and techniques to enable the use of these techniques to purify small molecules and macromolecules from whole organisms. Detection techniques will include the use of bacterial biosensors, coomassie-blue staining, silver staining, and immunoblot analysis. Separation techniques will include SDS Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) analysis, thin layer chromatography, and paper electrophoresis. Purification techniques will include ammonium sulfate precipitation, affinity chromatography, and thin layer chromatography.
BIOL-416
4 Credits
In this course aspects of plant biotechnology will be investigated. Areas of concentration will include: tissue culture, genetic transformation of plant cells, regeneration of transgenic plants, and the construction and characterization of transgenic plants for food production, experimental biology investigations, and novel product(development. The laboratory will provide experiences to complement(the lecture information in plant cell culture and experiences in the use of Agrobacterium as the gene shuttle to introduce novel genetic information into plants.
BIOL-420
3 Credits
This course focuses on the bacterial and host (human, insect, plant, animals and fungi) mechanisms used in interactions with hosts during both pathogenesis and symbiosis. We will explore molecular, microbiome and genomic levels, drawing on the disciplines of genomics, biochemistry, molecular biology and cell biology. Several of the agonistic and antagonistic interactions will illustrate broader principles and contribute to our fundamental understanding of biological processes. The results of these interactions have a strong impact on biological productivity, and so are also ever increasing important in human health. An emphasis will be on the roles of molecules and cell structures in determining the outcome of an interaction. Course is intended to allow students to develop knowledge of host-bacterial interactions at the molecular to organismal level, with an emphasis on several model symbiotic- and patho-systems. Knowledge about bacterial mechanisms use to associate with host organisms and the different strategies bacteria employ to gain entry, damage host tissue and obtain nutrients for growth will be explored. We will also illustrate several mutualistic relationships between eukaryotic hosts with partner symbiotic bacteria. Genomic approaches to describe microbiomes (microbial communities) on host organisms and in environments will also be explored.
BIOL-495
1 - 4 Credits
This course is a faculty-directed student project or research involving laboratory or field work, computer modeling, or theoretical calculations that could be considered of an original nature. The level of study is appropriate for students in their final two years of study.
BIOL-498
1 - 4 Credits
This course is a faculty-directed tutorial of appropriate topics that are not part of the formal curriculum. The level of study is appropriate for student in their final two years of study.
BIOL-798
1 - 4 Credits
This course is a faculty-directed, graduate level tutorial of appropriate topics that are not part of the formal curriculum.

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