Alison M. Cupples

Alison M. Cupples
  • Professor
  • Biodegradation, organic contaminants, whole genome sequencing, microbial ecology, functional gene analysis
  • Civil and Environmental Engineering

WEBSITE

https://www.egr.msu.edu/~cupplesa/index.htm


BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Alison Cupples is currently working on the fate and biodegredation of contaminants of emerging concern in agricultural soils, the application of high throughput sequencing and PICRUSt to identify microbial communities capable of rapid contaminant biodegradation. She is also involved in the development of LAMP assays to detect functional genes associated with the reductive dechlorination of the chlorinated solvents.

AREA OF EXPERTISE

The application of microbiology to understand and treat soil and water contamination

  • The identification of the microorganisms and functional genes involved in biodegradation of traditional, problematic contaminants (chlorinated solvents, BTEX, MTBE, RDX, 1,4-dioxane) and emerging contaminants (antimicrobials, pharmaceuticals and personal care products)
  • The application of molecular methods to environmental microbiology including quantitative PCR, TRFLP, stable isotope probing, LAMP, high throughout sequencing
  • The occurrence and fate of emerging contaminants in engineered and natural systems