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Rita Colwell

Distinguished University Professor
3103 Biomolecular Sciences Building
(301) 405-9550
Academic Web Page
Education: 
Ph.D., University of Washington (Oceanography)
Special Awards/Honors: 
2006 National Medal of Science (given by President George W. Bush), 2010 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate, AAAS, President, American Society for Microbiology (ASM), President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Maryland’s Top 100 Women, Maryland’s Top 100 Women Hall of Fame, Elected Member National Academy of Sciences, Foreign Fellow of The Royal Society of Canada, Fellow AAAS, AIBS Outstanding Service Award, Central Intelligence Agency Civilian Recognition Award, National Women’s Hall of Fame, “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star,” Japan Society for Promotion of Science , President-Elect, American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), President, American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), AAUW Award (American Association of University Women), and several others.

Publications

2012


Banakar V., G. de Magny C, Jacobs J., Murtugudde R., Huq A., Wood R.J, Colwell RR.  2012.  Temporal and Spatial Variability in the Distribution of Vibrio vulnificus in the Chesapeake Bay: A Hindcast Study. EcoHealthEcoHealth.

Mozumder P.K, Banu M.A, Naser M.N, Ali M.S, Alam M., Sack R.B, Colwell RR, Huq A..  2012.  Occurrence of protozoans & their limnological relationships in some ponds of Mathbaria, Bangladesh. University Journal of Zoology, Rajshahi UniversityUniversity Journal of Zoology, Rajshahi University. 29

Nahar S, Sultana M, M. Naser N, Nair GB, Watanabe H, Ohnishi M, Yamamoto S, Endtz H, Cravioto A, R. Sack B et al..  2012.  Role of Shrimp Chitin in the Ecology of Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae and Cholera Transmission. Frontiers in MicrobiologyFront MicrobiolFrontiers in MicrobiologyFront Microbiol. 2

Alam M, M. Islam T, Rashed SManzur, Johura F-T, Bhuiyan NA, Delgado G, Morales R, Mendez JLuis, Navarro A, Watanabe H et al..  2012.  Vibrio Cholerae Classical Biotype Strains Reveal Distinct Signatures in Mexico. Journal of Clinical MicrobiologyJ. Clin. Microbiol.Journal of Clinical MicrobiologyJ. Clin. Microbiol..

Taviani E, Spagnoletti M, Ceccarelli D, Haley BJ, Hasan NA, Chen A, Colombo MM, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2012.  Genomic analysis of ICEVchBan8: An atypical genetic element in Vibrio cholerae. FEBS LettersFEBS Letters.

2011


Kimes NE, Grim CJ, Johnson WR, Hasan NA, Tall BD, Kothary MH, Kiss H, A. Munk C, Tapia R, Green L et al..  2011.  Temperature regulation of virulence factors in the pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus. The ISME JournalThe ISME journal. 6

Souza C.P, Almeida B.C, Colwell RR, Rivera I.NG.  2011.  The Importance of Chitin in the Marine Environment. Marine BiotechnologyMarine Biotechnology.

Huq A., Grim C.J, Colwell RR.  2011.  Aquatic Realm and Cholera. Epidemiological and Molecular Aspects on CholeraEpidemiological and Molecular Aspects on Cholera.

Kirschner A.KT, Schauer S., Steinberger B., Wilhartitz I., Grim C.J, Huq A., Colwell RR, Herzig A., Sommer R..  2011.  Interaction of Vibrio cholerae non-O1/non-O139 with Copepods, Cladocerans and Competing Bacteria in the Large Alkaline Lake Neusiedler See, Austria. Microbial ecologyMicrobial ecology. 61

Vezzulli L, Brettar I, Pezzati E, Reid PC, Colwell RR, Höfle MG, Pruzzo C.  2011.  Long-term effects of ocean warming on the prokaryotic community: evidence from the vibrios. The ISME JournalThe ISME journal. 6

De Magny GConstantin, Mozumder PK, Grim CJ, Hasan NA, M. Naser N, Alam M, R. Sack B, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2011.  Role of Zooplankton Diversity in Vibrio Cholerae Population Dynamics and in the Incidence of Cholera in the Bangladesh Sundarbans. Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.. 77

Hasan NA, W. Chowdhury B, Rahim N, Sultana M, S. Shabnam A, Mai V, Ali A, Morris GJ, R. Sack B, Huq A et al..  2011.  Metagenomic 16S rDNA Targeted PCR-DGGE in Determining Bacterial Diversity in Aquatic Ecosystem. Bangladesh Journal of MicrobiologyBangladesh Journal of Microbiology. 27

Filho JEMartine, Lopes RM, Rivera ING, Colwell RR.  2011.  Vibrio Cholerae O1 Detection in Estuarine and Coastal Zooplankton. Journal of Plankton ResearchJ. Plankton Res.Journal of Plankton ResearchJ. Plankton Res.. 33

Alam M., Islam A., Bhuiyan N.A, Rahim N., Hossain A., Khan G.Y, Ahmed D., Watanabe H., Izumiya H., Faruque A.SG et al..  2011.  Clonal transmission, dual peak, and off-season cholera in Bangladesh. Infection Ecology & EpidemiologyInfection Ecology & Epidemiology. 1

De Magny GConstantin, Mozumder PK, Grim CJ, Hasan NA, M. Naser N, Alam M, Sack B, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2011.  Population Dynamics of Vibrio Cholerae and Cholera in the Bangladesh Sundarbans: Role of Zooplankton Diversity. Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol..

Jutla AS, Akanda AS, Griffiths JK, Colwell RR, Islam S.  2011.  Warming Oceans, Phytoplankton, and River Discharge: Implications for Cholera Outbreaks. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and HygieneAm J Trop Med HygThe American Journal of Tropical Medicine and HygieneAm J Trop Med Hyg. 85

2010


Haley BJ, Grim CJ, Hasan NA, Taviani E, Jongsik C, Brettin TS, Bruce DC, Challacombe JF, J. Detter C, Han CS et al..  2010.  The pre‐seventh pandemic Vibrio cholerae BX 330286 El Tor genome: evidence for the environment as a genome reservoir. Environmental Microbiology ReportsEnvironmental Microbiology Reports. 2

Caburlotto G, Lleò MM, Hilton T, Huq A, Colwell RR, Kaper JB.  2010.  Effect on Human Cells of Environmental Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Strains Carrying Type III Secretion System 2. Infection and ImmunityInfect. Immun.Infection and ImmunityInfect. Immun.. 78

Whitehouse CA, Baldwin C, Sampath R, Blyn LB, Melton R, Li F, Hall TA, Harpin V, Matthews H, Tediashvili M et al..  2010.  Identification of Pathogenic Vibrio Species by Multilocus PCR-Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry and Its Application to Aquatic Environments of the Former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.. 76

Senoh M, Ghosh‐Banerjee J, Ramamurthy T, Hamabata T, Kurakawa T, Takeda M, Colwell RR, G. Nair B, Takeda Y.  2010.  Conversion of viable but nonculturable Vibrio cholerae to the culturable state by co‐culture with eukaryotic cells. Microbiology and ImmunologyMicrobiology and Immunology. 54

Vezzulli L, Pruzzo C, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2010.  Environmental reservoirs of Vibrio cholerae and their role in cholera. Environmental Microbiology ReportsEnvironmental Microbiology Reports. 2

Grim CJ, Choi J, Jongsik C, Jeon Y-S, Taviani E, Hasan NA, Haley B, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2010.  Occurrence of the Vibrio cholerae seventh pandemic VSP-I island and a new variant. OMICS: A Journal of Integrative BiologyOMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology. 14

Caburlotto G, Haley BJ, Lleò MM, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2010.  Serodiversity and ecological distribution of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the Venetian Lagoon, Northeast Italy. Environmental Microbiology ReportsEnvironmental Microbiology Reports. 2

Grim CJ, Hasan NA, Taviani E, Haley B, Jongsik C, Brettin TS, Bruce DC, J. Detter C, Han CS, Chertkov O et al..  2010.  Genome Sequence of Hybrid Vibrio Cholerae O1 MJ-1236, B-33, and CIRS101 and Comparative Genomics with V. Cholerae. Journal of BacteriologyJ. Bacteriol.Journal of BacteriologyJ. Bacteriol.. 192

Taviani E, Grim CJ, Choi J, Jongsik C, Haley B, Hasan NA, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2010.  Discovery of novel Vibrio cholerae VSP‐II genomic islands using comparative genomic analysis. FEMS Microbiology LettersFEMS Microbiology Letters. 308

Purdy AE, Balch D, Lizárraga‐Partida MLeonardo, Islam MSirajul, Martinez‐Urtaza J, Huq A, Colwell RR, Bartlett DH.  2010.  Diversity and distribution of cholix toxin, a novel ADP‐ribosylating factor from Vibrio cholerae. Environmental Microbiology ReportsEnvironmental Microbiology Reports. 2

Bradd H., Christopher G., Nur H., Seon-Young C., Jongsik C., Thomas B., David B., Jean C., Chris D.J, Cliff H. et al..  2010.  Comparative genomic analysis reveals evidence of two novel Vibrio species closely related to V. cholerae. BMC MicrobiologyBMC Microbiology. 10

Hasan NA, Grim CJ, Haley BJ, Jongsik C, Alam M, Taviani E, Mozammel H, A. Munk C, Colwell RR.  2010.  Comparative Genomics of Clinical and Environmental Vibrio Mimicus. Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesPNASProceedings of the National Academy of SciencesPNAS. 107

2009


Chun J., Grim C.J, Hasan N.A, Lee J.H, Choi S.Y, Haley B.J, Taviani E., Jeon Y.S, Kim D.W, Lee J.H et al..  2009.  Comparative genomics reveals mechanism for short-term and long-term clonal transitions in pandemic Vibrio cholerae. Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 106

Khondker M, Bhuiyan RAhmed, Yeasmin J, Alam M, R. Sack B, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2009.  New records of phytoplankton for Bangladesh. 9. Some rare and a new species. Bangladesh Journal of Plant TaxonomyBangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy. 16

Mohapatra SS, Mantri CK, Mohapatra H, Colwell RR, Singh DV.  2009.  Analysis of clonally related environmental Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor isolated before 1992 from Varanasi, India reveals origin of SXT‐ICEs belonging to O139 and O1 serogroups. Environmental Microbiology ReportsEnvironmental Microbiology Reports. 2

Grim CJ, Zo Y-G, Hasan NA, Ali A, Chowdhury WB, Islam A, Rashid MH, Alam M, J. Morris G, Huq A et al..  2009.  RNA Colony Blot Hybridization Method for Enumeration of Culturable Vibrio Cholerae and Vibrio Mimicus Bacteria. Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.. 75

Ford TE, Colwell RR, Rose JB, Morse SS, Rogers DJ, Yates TL.  2009.  Using Satellite Images of Environmental Changes to Predict Infectious Disease Outbreaks. Emerging Infectious DiseasesEmerg Infect DisEmerging Infectious DiseasesEmerg Infect Dis. 15

Grim CJ, Jaiani E, Whitehouse CA, Janelidze N, Kokashvili T, Tediashvili M, Colwell RR, Huq A.  2009.  Detection of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 in freshwater lakes of the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Environmental Microbiology ReportsEnvironmental Microbiology Reports. 2

Jakupciak JP, Colwell RR.  2009.  Biological agent detection technologies. Molecular Ecology ResourcesMolecular Ecology Resources. 9

Colwell RR.  2009.  Viable but not cultivable bacteria. Uncultivated MicroorganismsUncultivated Microorganisms.

Mohapatra SS, Ramachandran D, Mantri CK, Colwell RR, Singh DV.  2009.  Determination of relationships among non-toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 biotype El Tor strains from housekeeping gene sequences and ribotype patterns. Research in MicrobiologyResearch in Microbiology. 160

Brettin TS, Bruce DC, Challacombe JF, Detter JC, Han CS, Munik A.C, Chertkov O, Meincke L, Saunders E, Choi SY et al..  2009.  Genome assortment, not serogroup, defines Vibrio cholerae pandemic strains. NatureNature.

Bowler C, Karl DM, Colwell RR.  2009.  Microbial oceanography in a sea of opportunity. NatureNature. 459

Alam M, Chowdhury WB, Bhuiyan N.A, Islam A, Hasan NA, G. Nair B, Watanabe H., Siddique A.K, Huq A, R. Sack B et al..  2009.  Serogroup, Virulence, and Genetic Traits of Vibrio Parahaemolyticus in the Estuarine Ecosystem of Bangladesh. Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.. 75

Zo Y-G, Chokesajjawatee N, Grim C, Arakawa E, Watanabe H, Colwell RR.  2009.  Diversity and Seasonality of Bioluminescent Vibrio Cholerae Populations in Chesapeake Bay. Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.. 75

Colwell RR, Chun J..  2009.  The Genus Vibrio and Related Genera. Practical handbook of microbiologyPractical handbook of microbiology.

G. de Magny C, Long W., Brown C.W, Hood R.R, Huq A., Murtugudde R., Colwell RR.  2009.  Predicting the distribution of Vibrio spp. in the Chesapeake Bay: a Vibrio cholerae case study. EcoHealthEcoHealth. 6

2008


Khondker M, Bhuiyan RAhmed, Yeasmin J, Alam M, R. Sack B, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2008.  New records of phytoplankton for Bangladesh. 7. Phacus spp. Bangladesh Journal of BotanyBangladesh Journal of Botany. 37

Lee HSook, Kang SGyun, Bae SSeob, Lim JKyu, Cho Y, Kim YJae, Jeon JHo, Cha S-S, Kwon KKyoung, Kim H-T et al..  2008.  The Complete Genome Sequence of Thermococcus Onnurineus NA1 Reveals a Mixed Heterotrophic and Carboxydotrophic Metabolism. Journal of BacteriologyJ. Bacteriol.Journal of BacteriologyJ. Bacteriol.. 190

Khondker M, Bhuiyan RAhmed, Yeasmin J, Alam M, R. Sack B, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2008.  New records of phytoplankton for Bangladesh. 8. Trachelomonas Ehr. (Euglenophyceae). Bangladesh Journal of BotanyBangladesh Journal of Botany. 37

Zo Y-G, Chokesajjawatee N, Arakawa E, Watanabe H, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2008.  Covariability of Vibrio Cholerae Microdiversity and Environmental Parameters. Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.. 74

Grim CJ, Taviani E, Alam M, Huq A, R. Sack B, Colwell RR.  2008.  Occurrence and Expression of Luminescence in Vibrio Cholerae. Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.. 74

Snellman E.A, Colwell RR.  2008.  Transesterification activity of a novel lipase from Acinetobacter venetianus RAG-1. Antonie van LeeuwenhoekAntonie van Leeuwenhoek. 94

G. de Magny C, Murtugudde R., Sapiano M.RP, Nizam A., Brown C.W, Busalacchi A.J, Yunus M., Nair G.B, Gil A.I, Lanata C.F et al..  2008.  Environmental signatures associated with cholera epidemics. Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 105

Taviani E, Ceccarelli D, Lazaro N, Bani S, Cappuccinelli P, Colwell RR, Colombo MM.  2008.  Environmental Vibrio spp., isolated in Mozambique, contain a polymorphic group of integrative conjugative elements and class 1 integrons. FEMS Microbiology EcologyFEMS Microbiology Ecology. 64

Huq A, Whitehouse CA, Grim CJ, Alam M, Colwell RR.  2008.  Biofilms in water, its role and impact in human disease transmission. Current Opinion in BiotechnologyCurrent Opinion in Biotechnology. 19

Colwell RR.  2008.  The marine environment and human health: the cholera model. Global Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events: Understanding the Contributions to Infectious Disease EmergenceGlobal Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events: Understanding the Contributions to Infectious Disease Emergence.

O. Stine C, Alam M, Tang L, G. Nair B, A. Siddique K, Faruque SM, Huq A, Colwell RR, R. Sack B, J. Morris G.  2008.  Seasonal Cholera from Multiple Small Outbreaks, Rural Bangladesh. Emerging Infectious DiseasesEmerg Infect DisEmerging Infectious DiseasesEmerg Infect Dis. 14

Chokesajjawatee N, Zo Y-G, Colwell RR.  2008.  Determination of Clonality and Relatedness of Vibrio Cholerae Isolates by Genomic Fingerprinting, Using Long-Range Repetitive Element Sequence-Based PCR. Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.. 74

Mohapatra H, Mohapatra SS, Mantri CK, Colwell RR, Singh DV.  2008.  Vibrio cholerae non‐O1, non‐O139 strains isolated before 1992 from Varanasi, India are multiple drug resistant, contain intSXT, dfr18 and aadA5 genes. Environmental MicrobiologyEnvironmental Microbiology. 10

Khondker M, Bhuiyan RAhmed, Yeasmin J, Alam M, R. Sack B, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2008.  New records of phytoplankton for Bangladesh. 2. Cryptophyceae and Synurophyceae. Bangladesh Journal of BotanyBangladesh Journal of Botany. 36

Colwell RR.  2008.  Silent Sputnik. BioScienceBioScience. 58

Zo Y-G, Colwell RR.  2008.  A simple binomial test for estimating sequencing errors in public repository 16S rRNA sequences. Journal of Microbiological MethodsJournal of Microbiological Methods. 72

Vezzulli L, Guzmán CA, Colwell RR, Pruzzo C.  2008.  Dual role colonization factors connecting Vibrio cholerae's lifestyles in human and aquatic environments open new perspectives for combating infectious diseases. Current Opinion in BiotechnologyCurrent Opinion in Biotechnology. 19

Pruzzo C, Vezzulli L, Colwell RR.  2008.  Global impact of Vibrio cholerae interactions with chitin. Environmental MicrobiologyEnvironmental Microbiology. 10

Khondker M, Bhuiyan RAhmed, Yeasmin J, Alam M, R. Sack B, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2008.  New records of phytoplankton for Bangladesh. 5. Euglena, Euglenocapsa. Bangladesh Journal of Plant TaxonomyBangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy. 15

2007


Coutard F,, Crassous P, Droguet M,, Gobin E, Colwell RR, Pommepuy M, Hervio-Heath D.  2007.  Recovery in culture of viable but nonculturable Vibrio parahaemolyticus: regrowth or resuscitation? The ISME JournalThe ISME journal. 1

Colwell RR, Peeters J..  2007.  Creating a nationwide wireless detection sensor network for chemical, biological and radiological threats. Gentag White PaperGentag White Paper.

Chaiyanan S, Chaiyanan S, Grim C, Maugel T, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2007.  Ultrastructure of coccoid viable but non‐culturable Vibrio cholerae. Environmental MicrobiologyEnvironmental Microbiology. 9

Rawlings TK, Ruiz GM, Colwell RR.  2007.  Association of Vibrio Cholerae O1 El Tor and O139 Bengal with the Copepods Acartia Tonsa and Eurytemora Affinis. Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.Applied and Environmental MicrobiologyAppl. Environ. Microbiol.. 73

Alam M., Sultana M., Nair G.B, Siddique A.K, Hasan N.A, Sack R.B, Sack D.A, Ahmed K.U, Sadique A., Watanabe H. et al..  2007.  Viable but nonculturable Vibrio cholerae O1 in biofilms in the aquatic environment and their role in cholera transmission. Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 104

Shneiderman B, Colwell RR, Diamond S, Greenhalgh P, Wulf W.  2007.  Bridging art and science with creativity support tools. Proceedings of the 6th ACM SIGCHI conference on Creativity & cognition.

Khondker M, Bhuiyan RAhmed, Yeasmin J, Alam M, R. Sack B, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2007.  New records of phytoplankton for Bangladesh. 3. Volvocales. Bangladesh Journal of Plant TaxonomyBangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy. 14

Khondker M, Bhuiyan RAhmed, Yeasim J, Alam M, R. Sack B, Huq A, Colwell RR.  2007.  New records of phytoplankton for Bangladesh. 4. Chlorococcales. Bangladesh Journal of Plant TaxonomyBangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy. 14

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