Dr. Karen Orcutt
Biological Oceanography; phytoplankton molecular ecology, nanostructured probes, marine nitrogen fixation
Assistant Professor
Department of Marine Science
1020 Balch Blvd.
Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-9904
phone: 228-688-3154
fax: 228-688-1121
karen.orcutt@usm.edu
Education
- Ph.D. Biological Oceanography, University of Wales, Swansea, 1999
- M.S. Biology, Portland State University, 1995
- B.S. Biology, Portland State University, 1989
Research Interests
- Molecular ecology of marine microbes
- Genetic diversity of phytoplankton
- Marine nitrogen fixation
- Biogeochemical cycling
- Nanostructured probes for nutrient acquisition
Courses
- MAR151L Introduction to Marine Science
- MAR 682/683 Special Topics: Colloids and Nanoparticles
- MAR 682 Special Topics: Molecular Techniques in Marine Science
- MAR 689 Seminar: Approaches to Biogeochemistry
- MAR 702 Advanced Biological Oceanography
Selected Publications
Orcutt, K. M., S. Ren and K. Gundersen. (2009) Detecting proteins in highly
autofluorescent cells with quantum dots antibody conjugates. Sensors Special
Issue "Nanotechnological Advances in Biosensors" 9, 7540-7549.
Orcutt, K.M., K. Gundersen, M.L. Wells, N.P. Poulton, M.E. Sieracki and
G.J. Smith. (2008) Lighting up phytoplankton cells with quantum dots.
Limnology and Oceanography: Methods 6: 653-658.
Orcutt, K.M., K. Gundersen and U. Rasmussen. (2008) Another Look at green Trichodesmium colonies. Limnology and Oceanography 53:2049-2051
Orcutt, K.M. and M.L. Wells (2007) A liposome-based nanodevice for sequestering siderophore-bound Fe. Journal of Membrane Science 288:247-254.
Fuller, N.J., G.A. Tarran, D.G. Cummings, E. Malcom, S. Woodward, K.M. Orcutt , M. Yallop, F. Le Gall, and D.J. Scanlan. (2006) Molecular analysis of photosynthetic picoeukaryote community structure along an Arabian Sea transect. Limnology and Oceanography 51: 2502-2514.
Fuller, N.J., G.A. Tarran, M. Yallop, K.M. Orcutt and D.J. Scanlan. (2006) Molecular analysis of picocyanobacterial community structure along an Arabian Sea transect reveals distinct spatial separation of lineages. Limnology and Oceanography 51: 2515-2526.
Mazard, S.L., N.J. Fuller, K.M. Orcutt , O. Bridle and D.J. Scanlan. (2004) Distribution of unicellular cyanobacterial diazotrophs in the Arabian Sea using the PCR. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 70:7355-7364.
Orcutt, K. M., U. Rasmussen, E.A. Webb, J.B. Waterbury, K. Gundersen and B. Bergman. (2002) Characterization of Trichodesmium spp. by genetic techniques. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 63:145-153.
Gallon, J.R., A.M. Evans, D.A. Jones, P. Albertano, R. Congresti, B. Bergman, K. Gundersen, K.M. Orcutt, K. von Brockel, P. Fritsche, M. Meyerhoffer, K. Nachtigall, U. Ohlendieck, S. te Lintel Hekkert, K. Sivonen, S. Repka, L.J., Stal and M. Staal. (2002) Maximum rates of N2 fixation and primary production are out of phase in a developing cyanobacterial bloom in the Baltic Sea. Limnology and Oceanography, 47:1514-1521.
Orcutt, K. M., F. Lipschultz, K. Gundersen, R. Arimoto, A.F. Michaels, A.H. Knap andJ.R. Gallon. (2001) A seasonal study of the significance of N2 fixation by Trichodesmium spp. at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) site. Deep-Sea Research II 48:1583-1608.