EDUCATION
University of Georgia (UGA), Athens, GeorgiaDoctor of Philosophy in Marine Sciences, August 2022
Dissertation: Heterotrophic bacteria as biological sensors of phytoplankton exometabolic resources in the surface ocean
Advisor: Dr. Mary Ann Moran
University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (UPRM), Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Master of Science in Biology, May 2015
Thesis: Antibiotic Resistance Screening in Metagenomics Libraries Generated from Puerto Rico Cave Soil
Advisor: Dr. Carlos Rodríguez Mingüela
University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (UPRM), Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Bachelor of Science in Industrial Microbiology, May 2011
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
NSF C-CoMP Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Washington, September 2023 to present
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Washington, September 2022 to September 2023
PIs: Anitra E. Ingalls (primary), Virginia E. Armbrust
• Design and implementation of laboratory and in situ experiments to explore betaine catabolism by marine heterotrophic bacteria in an ecological and biogeochemical context.
• Isolation and phenotypic and genomic characterization of novel heterotrophic bacteria from the Equatorial Pacific
Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, July 2022, PI: Dr. Mary Ann Moran
• Design and implementation of co-culture experiments to investigate the transcriptional response and metabolite exchange between marine phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria.
• Characterization of metagenome assembled genomes from Monterey Bay, CA.
Master of Science in Biology, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, May 2015, PIs: Dr. Carlos Rodríguez Mingüela (primary) and Dr. Carlos Ríos Velazquez
• Characterization of antibiotic resistance mechanisms from cave microbes.
• Design and implementation of antibiotic resistance assays in metagenomic libraries.
Graduate Internship, Mastering Metagenomics, Yale University, New Hampshire CT, (2012), PIs: Dr. Ashley Shade (primary) and Dr. Jo Handelsman
• Generation of functional metagenomic libraries from Cueva Ventana Puerto Rico.
Bachelor of Science, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, May 2011
• Generation of Functional Metagenomic Libraries from Guánica’s Dry Forest, Biology department, (2010 to 2011), PI: Dr. Carlos Ríos Velazquez
• Identification of rare and endangered flora of Puerto Rico and Vieques Island, Biology Department Herbarium, (2008 to 2009), PI: Dr. Gary Breckon
GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIPS
NSF Chemical Currencies of the Microbial Planet (C-CoMP) Post-Doctoral Fellowship, September 2023 to September 2025 ($170,000)
University of Georgia’s Graduate Recruitment Opportunity Assistantship. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. August 2015 to May 2017 ($60,000)
National Institute of Health, Rise2Best UPR-M Fellow University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. Grant No. NIH-R25GM088023 June 2011 to May 2013 ($60,000)
United States Agricultural Department, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) Undergraduate Research Fellowship. GRANT NO. USDA-HSI-CSREES 2007-02386, January to May 2011 ($915)
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
In preparation
Olofsson M., Uchimiya M., Ferrer-González F.X., Schreier J.E., Powers M.A., Smith C.B., Edison A.S., Moran M.A. Exometabolite Profiling of Temperature-Acclimated Cultures of a Marine Diatom Using a Consilience Approach. In revision at The IMSE Journal.
Hamilton M., Ferrer-González F.X., Moran M.A. Heterotrophic Bacteria Trigger Transcriptome Remodeling in the Photosynthetic Picoeukaryote Micromonas commoda. Accepted in Environmental Microbiology Reports.
Published
Ferrer-González, F. X., Hamilton, M., Smith, C. B., Schreier, J. E., Olofsson, M., & Moran, M. A. (2023). Bacterial transcriptional response to labile exometabolites from photosynthetic picoeukaryote Micromonas commoda. ISME communications, 3(1), 5.
Moran, M.A., Ferrer-González, F.X., Fu, H., Nowinski, B., Olofsson, M., Powers, M.A., Schreier, J.E., Schroer, W.F., Smith, C.B., and Uchimiya, M. (2022). The Ocean's labile DOC supply chain. Limnology and Oceanography.
Olofsson, M., Ferrer-González, F.X., Uchimiya, M., Schreier, J.E., Holderman, N.R., Smith, C.B., Edison, A.S., Moran, M.A. (2022). Growth-stage-related shifts in diatom endometabolome composition set the stage for bacterial heterotrophy. ISME Communications, 2(1), 1-9.
Holderman, N.R., Ferrer-González, F.X., Glushka, J., Moran, M.A., Edison, A.S. (Accepted). Dissolved organic metabolite extraction from high salt media. NMR in Biomedicine.
Widner, B., Kido Soule, M. C., Ferrer-González, F. X., Moran, M. A., & Kujawinski, E. B. (2021). Quantification of Amine-and Alcohol-Containing Metabolites in Saline Samples Using Pre-extraction Benzoyl Chloride Derivatization and Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC MS/MS). Analytical Chemistry, 93(11), 4809-4817.
Ferrer-González, F. X., Widner, B., Holderman, N. R., Glushka, J., Edison, A. S., Kujawinski, E. B., & Moran, M. A. (2021). Resource partitioning of phytoplankton metabolites that support bacterial heterotrophy. The ISME journal, 15(3), 762-773.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
University of Puget Sound, Washington, Fall 2023, PI: Oscar Sosa
Course Based Undergraduate Research (CURE): Exploring heterotrophic bacteria gene mechanisms involved in the catabolism of phytoplankton metabolites.
• Designed methods for training students in high throughput screening.
• Prepared lesson plans on how heterotrophic bacteria catabolize phytoplankton metabolites.
University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, Fall 2021,
Graduate Learning Assistant: Principles of Biology
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
Teaching instructor: Genetics (Spring, Summer, and Fall 2014)
Professional development teaching professor: Ethics, Integrity, and Responsible Conduct (Fall 2014)
Teaching instructor: Bacterial Genetics (Fall 2013)
Laboratory assistant: Metagenomics Laboratory (Spring 2014)
HONORS AND AWARDS
Travel Award – To attend a conference in Switzerland, University of Georgia Graduate School, 2022
Travel Award – To perform research in the North Pacific Ocean, University of Georgia Graduate School, 2017
Second Annual Symposium: Science and Technology, Innovation Through Research. First Place Poster Presentation. SACNAS UPR-M Chapter, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez. April 2014.
Annual Conference of the AAAS-Caribbean Division: Infectious Diseases in the Tropics-Second Place Robert I. Larus Award. AAAS and Science Caribbean Division, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Center, September 2013.
Second Biomedical Engineering Symposium University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez. Second Place Poster Presentations. Biomedical Engineering Society, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez. April 2013.
Puerto Rico Society of Microbiologist Student Research Symposium “Passing the Torch of Ethics to the Next Generation”. First Place in Graduate Poster Presentations. Puerto Rico Society of Microbiology, Interamerican University, Metropolitan Campus. April 2013.
VI International Congress of Public Health Promoting Universities and IV Public Health Puerto Rican Conference - 2nd Prize Honorific Mention in Public Health. Medical Science Campus UPR and the Faculty of Biosocial Sciences and Graduate School of Public Health, Puerto Rico Convention Center. March 2013.
OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH CRUISES
R/V Rachael Carson, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
RC104. Puget Sound, Washington, 7-day cruise, September 2023
R/V Thomas J. Thompson, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
TN412. Equatorial Pacific, 29-day cruise, January to February 2023
R/V Oceanus, University of Oregon, Newport, OR
OC1708A. North Pacific, 16-day cruise, August 2017
COASTAL AND LAND SAMPLING EXPERIENCE
Coastal Sampling at Sapelo Island GA, for the In Situ Chemotaxis Assay (ISCA), February 2019
Coastal Sampling at Guánica Dry Forest, Guánica, Puerto Rico, Spring 2012
Cave Sampling at Cueva Ventana, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Fall 2011
PRESENTATIONS
Invited Seminars
Frank X. Ferrer González¬, Exploring betaine mediated links in surface ocean microbial networks, Biological Oceanography Department, School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle Washington. Feb 13, 2024
Frank Xavier Ferrer González, Zinka Bartolek, Oscar A. Sosa, E. Virginia Armbrust, Anitra E. Ingalls, Microbial Links Mediated by Betaines across the Equatorial Pacific, CCOMP-Early Career Seminar Series, Virtual, January 16, 2024
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Flujo de carbono en la superficie del océano, Puerto Rican Virtual Research Talks, Virtual, Fall 2020.
Selected Conference Presentations
Mentee - Zachary Poyen, Zinka Bartolek, Frank X. Ferrer González, E. Virginia Armbrust¬, Bacterial Phenotypes of the Equatorial Pacific in the Presence of Different Phytoplankton Metabolites, UW Oceanography Senior Thesis Symposium, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, March 7th, 2024, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer González, Susan García, Zinka Bartolek, Joshua Sacks, Oscar A. Sosa, E. Virginia Armbrust, Anitra E. Ingalls, Betaines support microbial interdependencies in the surface ocean, NSF Chemical Currencies of the Microbial Planet (C-CoMP) Annual Meeting, October 2-5, 2023, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer González¬, Susan García¬, Zinka Bartolek¬, Joshua Sacks¬, Oscar A. Sosa , Shiri Gravan Creveld¬, E. Virginia Armbrust¬, Anitra E. Ingalls¬, Betaines Support Microbial Interactions in the Equatorial Pacific, Simons Collaboration on Ocean Processes and Ecology (SCOPE) Annual Meeting, Simons Foundation, New York City, New York, November 6 to 8, 2023, Poster.
Mentee - Susan Garcia, Frank X. Ferrer González, Joshua Sacks, William Kumler, Laura T. Carlson, Anitra Ingalls, Comparative exometabolomics analysis of Thalassiosira oceanica and Thalassiosira pseudonana. SACNAS NDISTEM CONFERENCE, Portland, Oregon, October 26-28, 2023, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer González, Zinka Bartolek, Joshua Sacks, Shiri Graff van Creveld, E. Virginia Armbrust, Anitra Ingalls, Bacterioplankton response to Low Molecular Weight Dissolved Primary Production from the Equatorial Pacific, ASLO Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Palma de Mallorca, Spain, June 5 to 9, 2023, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Brent Nowinski, Mary Ann Moran, Dynamic Heterotrophic Bacterial Strategies for Carbon Acquisition in a Coastal Phytoplankton Bloom, Gordon Research Conference, Les Diablerets, Switzerland, Spring 2022, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Mary Ann Moran, Resource Partitioning of Diatom Metabolites by Marine Bacterial Heterotrophy in the Surface Ocean, Marine Science Student Symposium, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, Fall 2020, Oral.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Mary Ann Moran, Resource-Based Niche Partitioning in Surface Ocean Heterotrophic Bacteria Growing on Diatom Derived Metabolites, Southeastern Biogeochemical Symposium (SBS), University of South Carolina, Columbia South Carolina, March 2019, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Mary Ann Moran, Asking the Bacteria What Diatom Metabolites Support Heterotrophic Growth in the Surface Ocean, Association for the Science of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan Puerto Rico, February 2019, Oral.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Mary Ann Moran, Asking the Bacteria What Diatom Metabolites Support Heterotrophic Growth in the Surface Ocean, Association for the Science of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan Puerto Rico, February 2019, Oral.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Mary Ann Moran, Diatom Metabolites Support Heterotrophic Growth in the Surface Ocean, Annual Southeastern Branch American Society for Microbiology Meeting Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Tech, Atlanta GA, November 2018, Oral.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Mary Ann Moran, Phytoplankton Metabolites that Support Heterotrophic Growth in the Surface Ocean, Southeastern Biogeochemical Symposium (SBS) Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, April 2018, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Mary Ann Moran, Diatom derived metabolites that Support Heterotrophic Growth in the Surface Ocean, Suddath Symposium, The Chemical Ecology of Microbiome Interactions, Georgia Tech, Atlanta GA, January 2018, Poster.
Mentee - Stephanie L. Stromp, Frank X. Ferrer-González, Mary Ann Moran, Bacteria-Phytoplankton Interactions in Understanding the Marine Carbon Cycle. CURO Symposium, University of Georgia, April 2017, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Carlos Ríos Velazquez, Accessing Antibiotic Resistant Clones in Puerto Rican Soils through Metagenomics. Second Annual Symposium: Science & Technology, Innovation Through Research, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, April 2014, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Carlos Ríos Velazquez, Unraveling Kanamycin and Tetracycline Resistant Genes in Cave Soil of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico Society of Microbiology: Second Student Research Symposium Passing the Torch of Research and Ethics to the Next Generation, University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo. Arecibo, Puerto Rico, December 2013, Oral.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Carlos Ríos Velazquez, Accessing Antibiotic Resistant Clones in Puerto Rican Soils through Metagenomics. Annual conference of the AAAS-Caribbean Division: Infectious diseases in the tropics, AAAS and Science Caribbean Division, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Center. Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, September 2013, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Carlos Ríos Velazquez, Accessing the Puerto Rican Cave Resistome: Identifying Multiple Types of Antibiotic Resistant Bioprospects from Cave Soil Metagenomic Libraries. American Society of Microbiologist 113th General Meeting, Colorado Convention Center. Denver, Colorado, May 2013, Poster.
Mentee - Nader R. Hussein Fernandez, Frank X. Ferrer-González, Carlos Ríos Velazquez, Isolation of Cultivable Antibiotic Resistant Candidates from Soil of Cueva Ventana. American Society of Microbiologist 113th General Meeting, Colorado Convention Center. Denver, Colorado, May 2013, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Carlos Ríos Velazquez, Assessing Highly Resistant Kanamycin Clones in Puerto Rican Soils through Metagenomics. SACNAS Regional Chapter "Science & Technology, Innovation Through Research" UPRM, SACNAS UPR-M Chapter, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez. Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, April 2013, Oral.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Carlos Ríos Velazquez, Assessing Highly Resistant Kanamycin Clones in Puerto Rican Soils through Metagenomics. Puerto Rico Society of Microbiologist Student Research Symposium “Passing the Torch of Ethics to the Next Generation”, Puerto Rico Society of Microbiologist, Interamerican University, Metropolitan Campus. San Juan, Puerto Rico, April 2013, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Carlos Ríos Velazquez, Unraveling a Highly Resistant Kanamycin Clone in Puerto Rican Soils through Metagenomics.VI International Congress of Public Health Promoting Universities and IV Public Health Puerto Rican Conference, Medical Science Campus UPR and the Faculty of Biosocial Sciences and Graduate School of Public Health, Puerto Rico Convention Center. San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 2013, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Carlos Ríos Velazquez, Unraveling Tetracycline Resistance Genes in Soil Metagenomics. SACNAS National Conference, Washington State Convention and Trade Center. Seattle, Washington, October 2012, Poster.
Frank X. Ferrer-González, Carlos Ríos Velazquez, Unraveling Gentamicin Resistance Genes in Soil Metagenomics. ASM General Meeting, Moscone Convention Center. San Francisco, California, May 2012, Poster.
GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT MENTORSHIP
Anna H. Finch, Post-baccalaureate, Chemical Oceanography, University of Washington, Fate of homarine catabolism in Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS3. Fall 2023 to Summer 2024, post baccalaureate research mentee.
Zachary Poyen, Undergraduate student, Biology Department, University of Washington, Isolation of heterotrophic bacteria from American Samoa. Fall 2023 to Summer 2024, senior thesis research mentee.
Susan Garcia, Graduate student, Chemical Oceanography, University of Washington, Axenic diatom biosynthesis and release rates of low molecular weight metabolites from diatoms. Fall, 2022 to present, graduate research mentee.
Sam Cryan, Graduate student, Chemical Oceanography, University of Washington, Homarine degradation by heterotrophic bacterioplankton. Fall, 2022 to Spring 2023, graduate research mentee.
Nelly Wood, Graduate student, Integrative Life Science Rotation Program, University of Georgia, Determining bacterial kinetics from diatom substrates. Fall, 2019, graduate rotation research mentee.
Denzell Cross, Gateway to Graduate School (Summer Bridge) Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, Fall 2016 to Spring 2017, graduate non-research mentee.
Walter Johnson, Gateway to Graduate School (Summer Bridge) Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, Fall 2016 to Spring 2017, graduate non-research mentee.
Martin Douglass, Gateway to Graduate School (Summer Bridge) Program, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, Summer 2016, graduate non-research mentee.
Stephanie L. Stromp, Undergraduate student, Biology Department, University of Georgia, Bacteria-Phytoplankton Interactions in Understanding the Marine Carbon Cycle. Fall 2016 to Spring 2017, undergraduate research mentee.
Lidimarie Trujillo, Undergraduate student, Biology Department, Cultivable Approaches and Generation of Metagenomic Libraries from Soil for Functional Screening of Estrogen Metabolizing Candidates. Fall 2012 to Spring 2014, undergraduate research mentee.
Luis Morales, Undergraduate student, Premedical Program, Industrial Microbiology Program, Functional Screening of Thermal Tolerant Clones in Metagenomic Libraries. Fall 2012 to Spring 2013, undergraduate research mentee.
Nader R. Hussein Fernandez, Undergraduate student, Industrial Microbiology Program, Isolation of Cultivable Antibiotic Resistant Candidates from Soil of Cueva Ventana. Fall 2011 to Spring 2012, undergraduate research mentee.
Cristian Acevedo, Undergraduate student, Industrial Microbiology Program, Isolation and characterization of different color spectra antibiotic resistant bacteria. 2012, undergraduate research mentee.
Hiram Morales, Undergraduate student, Industrial Microbiology Program, Screening for sulfur producing bacteria in soils of Puerto Rico. 2011, undergraduate research mentee.
Albin Cardona, Graduate student, Professional Development Program, Generation of Antibiotic Minimum Inhibiting Concentrations, Bacterial Growth Curves and Functional Antibiotic Resistance Screening. 2011, graduate research mentee.
Ricky Padilla, Undergraduate student, Mayagüez Residential Center for Educational Opportunities CROEM, Isolation of Antibiotic like Substances from Plant Sources. 2011, high school research mentee.
Giovanni González and Juliana Rodriguez Varella, Professional development students, Science and Technology of Food Program and Teachers Development Program, Generation of a metagenomic library using the indirect method from cave Ventana. 2011, undergraduate research mentees.
PROFESSIONAL AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND OUTREACH
Professional services
Reviewer for peer-reviewed journals
ISMEJ Communications, 2023 to present.
eLIFE, 2023 to present.
The ISME Journal, 2021 to present.
Member of the Student Life Sub-Committee of the Marine Science DEI Initiative, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 2020 to 2022
Member of the DEI Training Sub-Committee of the Marine Science DEI Initiative, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 2020 to 2022
Member of the Marine Science, DEI committee, University of Georgia 2020 to 2022
Certificate in Diversity & Inclusion (CDI) through the Office of Institutional Diversity at the University of Georgia, Athens, GA, Fall 2021
Co-Chair of the Student Life Sub-Committee of the Marine Science DEI Initiative, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 2020 to Fall 2021
Co-lead, First Graduate Student Marine Science Department Symposium, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, Fall 2020
Graduate Steering Committee, Southeastern Biogeochemical Symposium (SBS), University of Georgia, Athens, GA, Spring, 2017
Outreach
Outreach Science Night at Wedgwood Elementary School in Seattle Washington, April 2024
Outreach to underrepresented and marginalized students at Cedar Shoals High School: Latin American Ocean Scientists and what we do, Athens, GA, February 2020
STEM Zone: What are marine sciences? Missouri Home Game, UGA, Athens, GA, November 2019
Public service
Co-founder, One filter one family, supplied 1000 water filters to families in Puerto Rico distributed by the University Institute for the Development of Communities at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez, Fall 2017
Lead, Hurricane Maria UGA Response Team, provided over $75,000 in supplies distributed by the NGO ISER Caribe for relief from the hurricane aftermath in Puerto Rico, Athens, GA, Fall 2017
Photograph Exhibition on Climate Change United Nations COP21, in cooperation with the Fondation Alliance Francaise París. United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP21, Paris, France, 2015
Photojournalist for Sea Grant Puerto Rico, Research: How climate change impacts the West Coast of Puerto Rico. Summer to Fall 2014
Photographer for the Graduate Program at the Department of Chemical Engineering at University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. September to October 2014
Photojournalist of Esta Vida Boricua, A Life Narrative Project, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. January 2014 to 2015
Photography Exhibition: Climate Change and the City: State of Emergency? Urban Culture Fair and the Fondation Alliance Francaise París, Mona Lisa at Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, 2014
Photographer Fellow: The Fondation Alliance Francaise París French Fellowship. The Fondation Alliance Francaise París, San Juan Puerto Rico, 2014
Science Fair Judge; SESO School, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, 2014
ISEF 2013 Regional Science Fair Judge, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, 2014
Judge at Science Fair; CROEM High School, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, 2012
Judge at Science Fair; SESO School, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, 2012
ISEF 2013 Science Fair Mentor CROEM High School, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, 2012
ISEF 2012 Science Fair Mentor CROEM High School, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, 2011 to 2012
Judge at Science Fair; CROEM High School, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, 2011
Judge at Science Fair; SESO School, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, 2011
Student employee at the Social and Cultural Activities Department at the Students’s Deanship - University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, August 2009 to 2011
LANGUAGES
Fluent in Spanish and English