American Society for Microbiology honors Jim C. Spain

The 2009 American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Procter & Gamble Award in Applied and Environmental Microbiology is being presented to Jim C. Spain, Ph.D., professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology. This award recognizes distinguished achievement in research and development in applied and environmental microbiology. Dr. Spain has consistently and successfully applied fundamental discoveries to make changes in environmental practice.

A Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, Dr. Spain received his Ph.D. from the University of Texas, Arlington, and has spent his career working in science and engineering. His primary interest has been on the discovery of microbes and enzymes for the synthesis and degradation of organic chemicals, often by novel biochemical pathways first elucidated in his laboratory. By using all the tools of microbiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, evolution, and ecology to reveal the fundamental principles involved, Dr. Spain works closely with engineers to turn the findings into practical applications.

Dr. Spain's work on microbial degradation of nitroaromatic compounds includes a combination of chemistry of the various degradation intermediates, biochemistry of the catabolic enzymes, and an intimate knowledge of the microbes responsible. His work on chloroethene metabolism showed that aerobic microbes could degrade cis-dichloroethene which is a problematic intermediate in the clean-up of chlorinated ethene contaminated ground waters. Many of the bacteria isolated by Dr. Spain have become central figures of study for the unique pathways of aromatic metabolism that they catalyze. Currently, he is researching biochemistry used by microbes for degradation of natural nitro compounds and has begun to work on energy-related issues.

Source: American Society for Microbiology