Research in Mou Lab focuses on linking bacterial phylogeny with their metabolic functions in natural aquatic environments. This direct linkage is important to understand fundamental questions in an ecological/environmental context, such as the role of bacteria in biogeochemical cycling of essential nutrients, e.g., carbon, nitrogen and sulfur. Experimental metagenomics or metatranscriptomics coupled with bioinformatics are employed as the core approach to simultaneously identify the taxonomic diversity, genetic capability, and metabolic activity of selected taxonomic and functional groups of aquatic bacteria. Other advanced molecular biology techniques, such as T-RFLP, DGGE, qPCR, RT-PCR, CARD-FISH, and flow cytometry (FACS), and cultivation-based studies, such as bacteria isolation, transposon mutagenesis and whole genome micorarray, are also regularly employed. Specific research interests and ongoing projects in Mou Lab include:
-
Monitoring coronaviruses in wastewater as an early warning for the spread of COVID-19
​
-
Distribution of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in surface water and their impacts on the microbiome of aquatic invertebrate animals​
​
-
The role of heterotrophic bacteria in detoxifying cyanotoxins released during cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs)
​
-
The role of heterotrophic bacteria in drinking water and wastewater treatment processes
​
-
Gut microbiome of migratory birds
​
-
Microbial transformation of dissolved organic nitrogen in marine and freshwater environments ​​
​
-
Nitrogen removal by microbial-mediated processes under hypoxic conditions in Lake Erie​​​
​
-
The contribution of auto-vs. allochthonous DOC to microbial communities in aquatic environments​​
​
Sampling Sites
​
-
Marine: South Atlantic Bight, Gulf of Mexico, Pearl River Estuary, South China Sea, Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea
-
Fresh water: Lake Erie, Grand Lake St Marys, Cuyahoga River, Poyang Lake, Pearl River
-
Water plants
-
Wastewater plants
