Nwadiuto Esiobu, Ph.D
Professor Emeritus
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Biological Sciences
Boca Raton Campus | SC 271
Education
- Ph.D.,听University of Louvain, Belgium
Research Interests
- Molecular Microbial Ecology and Biotechnology
- Microbiomes of Humans and Plants
- Environmental (Beach) Quality and Public Health
- Synthetic Biology and Rapid Detection and Diagnostic Platforms听
Research Description
The Esiobu microbial biotech laboratory seeks to power discovery, create solutions and produce competent workforce for global economies. From beach sands, wetlands, plant roots, human guts / skin to mosquito saliva, my research interests are broad:
Human Microbiome听 research employs metagenomics, computational biology, and bio-informatics to: study diverse 听oral 听microbiome populations for diagnostics and probiotic development; define听 gut 听microbiome structure and interactions and how community shifts influence health and disease (obesity, IBD); improve and standardize听 skin 听microbiome sampling for possible use in forensics.
Plant Microbiome听 exploration seeks to understand the role of plant associated microbiomes during invasion (e.g. Brazilian peppertree rhizosphere), devising methods for ecological control and restoration. We are also working on using formulated microbial inoculants to improve Florida citrus plants鈥 resistance to citrus greening disease (Ca. Liberibacter spp).
Environmental and Public Health听 group investigates beach quality using indicator bacteria, and evaluates whole meta-genome sequencing for risk assessment. We employ new techniques to study microbiome structures for baseline, pollution, antibiotic resistance, and bio-remediation assessment, as well as predicting the impacts of sea level rise.
Synthetic Biology and Rapid Detection听 research focuses on creating simple, handheld pathogen surveillance devices. We are developing an organism model for simulating fastidious and deadly microbes, from viruses to bacteria.听 听听
Developing Culture Methods 听team uses the vast research into bacterial physiology and ecology to develop and test various systems to improve the cultivability of the > 90% of currently unculturable bacteria.
Recent Publications
- Mercer, B., Dawkins, K., Meday, L., &听Esiobu, N.听(2020). Metagenomic Shotgun Sequencing Provides Prevalence Data for Pathogens, and Source-Tracking Indices Useful in Public Health Risk Assessment of Environmental Waters. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 8, 115-129.听
- Louis P, Mercer B, Cirone AM, Johnston C, Lee ZJ, Esiobu N, Li Z, Wei J, Dorey CK, Shibata Y, Nan C.听 Dietary chitin particles, 鈥渕imetic fungi鈥, ameliorate colitis in TLR2/CD14- and sex- dependent manners. Infection and Immun.听2019 87(5). pii: e00006-19. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00006-19. Print 2019 Mar.
- Dawkins K and听 Esiobu N 听(2018) The Invasive Brazilian Pepper Tree (Schinus terebinthifolius) Is Colonized by a Root Microbiome Enriched With Alphaproteobacteria and Unclassified Spartobacteria. Front. Microbiol. 9:876. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00876听
- Chakraborty S. and听 Esiobu N 听(2017) Metagenomic rDNA Profiles of the Oral Microbiome in Healthy Subjects Are Distinctive Compared to That in Smokers and Disease Subjects Despite High Variations between Subjects. Advances in Microbiology, 2017, 7, 158-174 听