Back to Faculty Listings

Print the Profile

Diplomas / Degrees

Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University (2000)
B.S., University of Maine (1994)

Recent Courses

Biological Concepts And Methods 1 ( Lab )
Biological Concepts And Methods 1 ( Lecture )
Biological Concepts And Methods I
Biological Concepts And Methods I ( Lab )
Directed Readings Biodegradation
Directed Readings Biology Films
Directed Readings Bioremediation
Directed Readings Drug Resistance
Fundamentals Of Microbiology (lab)
Fundamentals Of Microbiology (lecture)
Graduate Microbiology
Guided Research Directed Evolution
Guided Research Microarray
Guided Research Plasmid Dna And Microarrays
Guided Research Virus Metagenomics
Guided Research: Capstone Bacteriophage Sequencing
Guided Research: Capstone Experience Microbiology Research
Guided Research: Capstone Experience Virus Metagenomics
Guided Research: Capstone Experience - Virus Metagenomics
Guided Research: Capstone Experience Microarray
Guided Research: Capstone Expierence - Microaaray
Guided Research: Capstone Gene Transfer
Honors Colloquium
Independent Study Bioremediation
Independent Study: Scholarly Paper Pesticide Biodegradation
Microbial Ecology-Capstone
Microbial-Ecology-Capstone
Scholarly Paper Antibiotic Resistance
Scholarly Paper Medical Bio Films
Scholarly Paper Microbial Biofilms

Personal Statement

The study of biology is the quest to understand the fundamental rules that govern the vast diversity of life on planet earth. Although the scope of the science of biology is broad, it impacts our lives in specific ways every single day. As a teacher, it is my objective to pass on knowledge about the ideas and history of the science, to present an in-depth exploration of the subject and its many facets. Course content, while important, is not the only measure for learning in the classroom, however. Biology is not a static science. It is constantly being reviewed and improved as we learn more about the natural world around us. To that end, my purpose as a teacher is to prepare students, not just by teaching the facts as they are understood today, but by providing the training to develop the scientific skills of observation, persistence, critical thinking, and creativity that will serve them in the future.

Research Interests

“Bioremediation” is the use of living organisms (usually plants or bacteria) to clean up environments that have been contaminated with hazardous wastes. My research in the field of heavy metal bioremediation focuses on three major questions:

1.) What kinds of bacteria are capable of bioremediation, and how do these bacteria survive in environments contaminated with hazardous waste?

2.) What are the structural changes that affect the stability, catalytic efficiency, and substrate specificity of the proteins involved in metal resistance?

3.) How has horizontal gene transfer (HGT) played a role in the evolution of metal resistance and other environmentally relevant traits?

Grants / Sponsored Research

J. Coombs. (2009) PIB-type ATPases in heavily-impacted vs. minimally impacted sediments of the South Shore Estuary. Adelphi Faculty Development Grant, Adelphi University.

J. Coombs. (2008) Viral Metagenomics. Bettelheim Research Award Grant, Adelphi University

J. Coombs. (2006) Characterization of the structural determinants involved in metal-binding specificity in PIB-type ATPases. Adelphi Faculty Development Grant, Adelphi University

J. Coombs, J. Dooley, and A. Schoenfeld. (2005) Li-Cor Genomics Education Matching Funds Grant Application. Equipment grant for a DNA sequencer. Li-Cor, Inc.

Book Chapters

J. M. Coombs. (2009). Potential for horizontal gene transfer in subsurface microbial communities. In M. Gogarten and P. Gogarten (Eds.). Horizontal Gene Transfer: Genomes in Flux. (pp. 413-433). Totowa: Humana Press.

P. A. Sobecky and J. M. Coombs. (2009). Horizontal gene transfer in metal and radionuclide contaminated soils. In M. Gogarten and P. Gogarten (Eds.). Horizontal Gene Transfer: Genomes in Flux. (pp. ). Totowa: Humana Press.

D. R. Nemergut, T. Barkay, and J. Coombs. (2007). A review of mobile gene elements and methods to study horizontal gene transfer in environmental microbial communities. In C. J. Hurst, R. L. Crawford, J. L. Garland, D. A. Lipson, A. L. Mills, and L. D. Stetzenbach (Eds.). The Manual of Environmental Microbiology. (pp. 758-768). Washington D.C.: ASM Press.

J. Coombs and T. Barkay. (2005). Horizontal gene transfer of metal homeostasis genes and its role in microbial communities of the deep terrestrial subsurface. In G. M. Gadd, K. T. Semple, H. M. Lappin-Scott (Eds.). Microorganisms and Earth Systems--Advances in Geomicrobiology. (pp. 109-130). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Recent Articles

Showing first 5 of 7. View All

R. J, Martinez, Y. Wang, M. A. Raimondo, J. M. Coombs, T. Barkay, and P. A. Sobecky. (2006, 5). Horizontal gene transfer of PIB-type ATPases among bacteria isolated from radionuclide and metal contaminated subsurface soils. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 72, 3111-3118

J. Coombs and T. Barkay. (2005, 11). New Findings on the Evolution of Metal Homeostasis Genes: Evidence from Comparative Genome Analysis of Bacteria and Archaea. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 71

C. Vetriani, Y.S. Chew, S.M. Miller, J. Yagi, J. Coombs, R.A. Lutz, and T. Barkay. (2005, 1). Mercury Adaptation among Bacteria from a Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vent. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 71, 220-226

J. Coombs and T. Barkay. (2004, 3). Molecular Evidence for the Evolution of Metal Homeostasis Genes by Lateral Gene Transfer in Bacteria from the Deep Terrestrial Subsurface. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 49, 1698-1707

G. Benyehuda, J. Coombs, P.L. Ward, D. Balkwill, and T. Barkay. (2003, 2). Metal Resistance among Aerobic Chemoheterotrophic Bacteria from the Deep Terrestrial Subsurface. Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 49, 151-156

Invited Presentations and Lectures

Showing first 5 of 7. View All

J. Coombs (30 October 2008). Heavy metals and microbes: examining horizontal gene transfer in the PIB-type ATPase family of metal-transporting proteins. SUNY-ESF, Syracuse NY

J. Coombs (11 April 2008). Plasmids, phage, and the spread of metal resistance. Adelphi Biology Department faculty seminar

J. Coombs (21 June 2007). Deep impact: subsurface microbes, bioremediation, and microbial evolution. North Eastern Microbiologists: Physiology, Ecology, Taxonomy. Blue Mountain Lake, NY

J. Coombs (30 November 2006). Deep impact: subsurface microbes, bioremediation, and microbial evolution. Nassau Community College

J. Coombs (17 October 2006). Horizontal gene transfer among bacteria of the deep terrestrial subsurface: mechanisms and implications for the bioremediation of hazardous waste sites. Department of Biology seminar series, Hofstra University, Hempstead NY

Conference Presentations and Papers

Showing first 5 of 8. View All

Harrison, E., G. Eduardo and J. Coombs. (21 May 2009). Detection and isolation of ds-DNA viruses in estuarine and aquifer waters from Long Island, NY. American Society for Microbiology General Meeting, Philidelphia PA

Ziogaite, B., B. Smith, A. Chatziefthimiou, T. Barkay, and J. Coombs. (19 May 2009). Isolation and microarray analysis of cryptic plasmids from metal resistant bacteria of the deep terrestrial subsurface. . American Society for Microbiology General Meeting, Philidelphia PA

Vecchi, A., K. Shah, L. Alexis, and J. Coombs (18 May 2009). Random mutagenesis of the zntA gene in the XL1-Red mutator strain and its effect on metal resistance in Escherichia coli. . American Society for Microbiology General Meeting, Philidelphia PA

Mofunanya, O., B. Ziogaite, B. Smith, and J. Coombs. (01 November 2008). Isolation and analysis of cryptic plasmids from metal resistant bacteria of the deep terrestrial subsurface. Metropolitan Association of College and University Biologists (MACUB), Montclair NJ

Cuneo, D., and J. Coombs (21 June 2007). Potential involvement of phage integrases in the horizontal gene transfer of metal resistance genes. North Eastern Microbiologists--Physiology, Ecology, and Taxonomy (NEMPET), Blue Mountain Lake NY

Selected Dissertations Chaired

Samantha Kozikott (2009). Microbial biofilms.Adelphi University
Damiano Cuneo (2007). Evidence for the presence of lysogenic bacteriophages in the genomes of bacteria involved in horizontal gene transfer.Adelphi University

Honors and Accomplishments

2003--Travel Grant to attend the 11th International Microbial Genomes meeting in Durham, NC.
2002--US-EC fellowship for early career scientists, for a short-term exchange to the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.