Research Summary

Dr. Mott's research projects focus on public health and environmental microbiology in the area of recreational water quality. Current research includes several studies on bacteria source tracking - a set of techniques to track the animal sources of fecal contamination in waters using characteristics of fecal bacteria from different animals. Two phenotypic methods are used - antibiotic resistance (using image analysis) and carbon source utilization (automated microbial identification system). In collaboration with another faculty member she performs 'DNA fingerprinting' using pulse field gel electrophoresis. Students working on these projects learn techniques in both fieldwork - collection of water and fecal samples, as well as current laboratory microbial analyses and molecular techniques. Several undergraduates are working on these projects with graduate students. Other work includes several coastal recreational water monitoring and assessment projects (Texas Beach Watch program, Padre Island National Seashore). These projects use EPA standard methods and follow strict quality assurance/quality control protocols as data are used for public notifications. Several projects have been conducted in conjunction with these monitoring projects, such as method comparison studies, examining marine viruses etc. Students gain valuable experience in field and laboratory work, which makes them competitive for future careers in microbiology. She recently collaborated with California researchers in a speciation study of enterococci, which may lead to future projects in this area.
Other current and pending projects include investigating environmental incidence of Vibrio vulnificus (due to several severe wound infections and occasional mortality in south Texas). Funding has also been acquired to study a local watershed, determine levels of contamination and identify physical sources of the contamination for a bacterial TMDL and development of a watershed model. Past work has included collaboration with several other faculty and research projects for students, for example, in shrimp pond nutrient cycling, oyster depuration studies etc.