Dr. Christopher Bates

Associate Professor

Office: GE-2056 
Phone: 706-729-2396
Email: cbates1@augusta.edu

Classes Taught

• BIOL 1107 - Principles of Biology
• BIOL 2500 - Microbiology for Nursing and Allied Health
• BIOL 3130 - Biology and Society
• BIOL 3200 - Genetics
• BIOL 3500 - Microbiology

 

Educational/Career Background

• Sr. Research Associate, Spelman College (Imumorin Laboratory)
• Adjunct Instructor, Spelman College
• FIRST Postdoctoral Fellow, Emory University School of Medicine
• Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dept of Microbiology & Immunology Emory University School of Medicine
• Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Georgia State University
• M.S. Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Georgia State University
• B.A. Maryville College, Maryville TN

 

Membership to Biology Societies

Georgia Academy of Science 

Fun Fact

You are a walking ecosystem. There are more bacteria in and on your body than there are human cells!!

Research Interests

• Gene Regulation in Bacteria (particularly virulence genes)
• Nutrient Acquisition by bacteria
• E. coli as a Biomarker of Human & Animal Fecal Contamination in Streams & Rivers
• Bacterial Physiology and Identification
• Antibiotic Resistance

 

Current Undergraduate Research Projects and Students

• Nuvonka Wilson - Bacterial Identification
• Jamie Campbell - Bacterial Identification and Antibiotic Resistance
• Jeri Alexander - Antibiotic resistance among environmental isolates of E. coli
• Heather Svajhart - Bacterial Identification
• Adam Mezaros - Bacterial Physiology
• Craig Taylor-Burton - E. coli levels in Butler Creek
• Tanei Ricks - Development of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

 

Former Research Students

Brad Powell - GHSU Dental School

Publications

Alicia Mitchell* and Chris Bates. The presence and frequency of Escherichia coli in beverages sold to the local public" - Alicia Mitchell and Chris Bates, Southeastern Biology vol. 58 no. 2, 2011. (Published Abstract)

K. Timmons*, C. Bates, R. Griner. "A Survey of the Antibiotic Resistance of Bacterial Species in the Ear of Canis familiaris. Georgia Journal of Science vol. 68 no.1, 2010. (Published Abstract)

G. Churchward, C. Bates, A. A. Gusa, V. Stringer and J. R. Scott Regulation of streptokinase expression by CovR/S in Streptococcus pyogenes: CovR acts through a single high-affinity binding site. Microbiology; 2009 Feb; 155: 566 - 575

B. Froehlich, C. Bates, J. Scott. Streptococcus pyogenes CovR/S mediates growth in iron starvation and in the presence of the human cationic antimicrobial peptide LL-37. J Bacteriology. 2009 Jan;191(2):673-7

C. Bates, C. Toukoki, M. Neely, Z. Eichenbaum. Characterization of MtsR, a new metal regulator in group A streptococcus, involved in iron acquisition and virulence. Infect Immun. 2005 Sep;73(9):5743-53

C. Bates, G. Montañez, C. Woods, R. Vincent, Z. Eichenbaum. Identification and Characterization of a Streptococcus pyogenes operon involved in binding of hemoproteins and the acquisition of iron. Infect Immun. 2003 Mar; 71(3):1042-55.

H. H. Herman, W. Lin, P. J. Petrecca, T. M. Herman, C. Bates, R. Simmons, J. Houghton. Centrifugal Bioreactors and Their Application in Remediation. Remediation Journal vol. 11 (4) 15-33 (2001)

* Denotes undergraduate student

 

Presentations

Nuvonka Wilson*, Chris Bates, and Bruce Saul. "Identification of Bacteria Isolated from a Necrotic Wound in the Carapace of a Crayfish" Brown bag series @ ASU, Nov. 11, 2011 - Augusta, Ga (Oral Presentation)

Alicia Mitchell* and Chris Bates. "The presence and frequency of Escherichia coli in beverages sold to the local public" Brown bag series @ ASU, April 22, 2011 - Augusta, Ga (Oral Presentation)

Alicia Mitchell* and Chris Bates. "The presence and frequency of Escherichia coli in beverages sold to the local public" -, Association of Southeastern Biologists, annual meeting, April 13-16 2011 Huntsville AL (Poster presentation)

James Campbell* and Chris Bates. "Identification and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Bacteria Isolated from Ears of Canis familiaris" SE-1 and SE-2 District Convention of Beta Beta Beta. Huntsville, AL. April 13-16, 2011(Oral Presentation)

Amelia Edmonds*, Chris Bates, Cathy Tugmon, Donna Wear "Identification of Enterobacterial Species and their Sensitivity to Antibiotics in the Richmond County Watershed". The 12th annual Phi Kappa Phi Student Research and Fine Arts Conference, March 9, 2011 - Augusta, Ga (Oral Presentation)

Alicia Mitchell* and Chris Bates. "The presence and frequency of Escherichia coli in beverages sold to the local public" The 12th annual Phi Kappa Phi Student Research and Fine Arts Conference, March 9, 2011 - Augusta, Ga (poster Presentation)

James Campbell* and Chris Bates. "Identification and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Bacteria Isolated from Ears of Canis familiaris" The 12th annual Phi Kappa Phi Student Research and Fine Arts Conference, March 9, 2011 - Augusta, Ga (Oral Presentation)

Nuvonka Wilson*, Chris Bates, and Bruce Saul. "Identification of Bacteria Isolated from a Necrotic Wound in the Carapace of a Crayfish" The 12th annual Phi Kappa Phi Student Research and Fine Arts Conference, March 9, 2011 - Augusta, Ga (Oral Presentation)

K. Timmons*, C. Bates, R. Griner. "A Survey of the Antibiotic Resistance of Bacterial Species in the Ear of Canis familiaris. 87th annual Georgia Academy of Science General Meeting. Columbus, Ga March 26-27, 2010 (Poster Presentation)

K. Timmons*, C. Bates, R. Griner. "A Survey of the Antibiotic Resistance of Bacterial Species in the Ear of Canis familiaris. Phi Kappa Phi Student Research & Fine Arts Conference. Augusta State University. March 10, 2010. (Poster Presentation)

I. Imumorin, A. Jain, M. DeDonato, C. Bates, B. Tomlin*, P. Dubose, I. Farooqi, M. Okpeku, J. Jeff, G. Hansen. Epigenetic Studies in Cattle: DNA Methylation. Gene Expression, and Imprinting Analysis of some Placental Genes in Cow. Epigenetics 2009 Australian Scientific Conference Dec. 1-4 Melbourne, Australia (Poster Presentation)

J. Eubanks*, C. Bates, I. Farooqi, M. De Donato, I. Imumorin. Molecular Cloning and Expression of Exons 1,2, and 3 of the Male-Specific Rat Pry1 Gene. Spelman College Research Day April 3, 2009 (Poster Presentation - 3rd place sectional winner)

C. Acuff*, C. Bates, I. Farooqi, M. De Donato, I. Imumorin. BIO-P18 Molecular Cloning and Expression of Exons 2 and 5 of Male-Specific Rat Bpy2. Spelman College Research Day April 3, 2009 (Poster Presentation)

B. Tomlin*, C. Bates, M. De Donato, Imran Farooqi, M. Okpeku, J. Eubanks, G. Hansen, I. Imumorin. Molecular Cloning and Expression Analysis of Bovine RASGRF1 Gene. Spelman College Research Day April 3, 2009 (Poster Presentation)

S. Dumpson*, C. Bates, I. Farooqi, M. De Donato, I. Imumorin, PCR Cloning and Expression Analysis of Exon 4/6 of Male-Specific Rat BPY2 Gene. Spelman College Research Day April 3, 2009 (Poster Presentation)

K. Butler*, C. Bates, I. Farooqi, M. De Donato, I. Imumorin. Cloning and Expression of Exons 4 and 5 of Male-Specific Rat PRY1 Gene. Spelman College Research Day April 3, 2009 (Poster Presentation - 3rd place sectional winner)

B. Tomlin*, M. De Donato, C. Bates, I. Farooqi, M. Okpeku, G. Hansen, and I. Imumorin. Molecular Cloning, Expression and Methylation Analysis of Bovine Rasgrf1 Gene. 17th Annual Plant and Animal Genome Conference: San Diego, CA. Jan 10-14 2009 (Oral Presentation)

I. Imumorin, Jeff, Dubose, M. De Donato, C. Bates, and G. Hansen. Comparative in-silico Analysis and Functional Classification of Putative and Verified Imprinted Bovine Genes. 17th Annual Plant and Animal Genome Conference: San Diego, CA. Jan 10-14 2009 (Poster Presentation)

* Denotes undergraduate student

 

Cool Websites

PubMed (database of review articles and primary literature)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

Free online microbiology textbook
http://www.textbookofbacteriology.net/

Georgia Academy of Science
http://www.gaacademy.org/