Professor OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES Medical Technology Program Coordinator
With my background in animal physiology and signal transduction in protozoa, I have
always had an interest in cellular communication and interactions. In my current role
as a microbiologist, I have become increasingly fascinated with the versatility of
microorganisms, and truly enjoy teaching and research in this discipline. The immensely
positive impact of bacteria and other microbes is often underappreciated amidst the
many news stories of disease outbreaks. My current research focuses on ways that bacteria
utilize pigments to their advantage, as well as means of oxidative stress defense.
Other areas of research interest include contamination of water coolers and fiber
breakdown by microbes.
de Ondarza, J. A game-based approach to teaching concepts of infectious disease. BioScene 44(2):10–16, 2018.
Lavoie, K, T. Ruhumbika, A. Bawa, A. Whitney and J. de Ondarza. High levels of antibiotic resistance but no antibiotic production by bacteria from
a gypsum gradient in Great Onyx Cave, KY. Diversity 9,42, 2017.
de Ondarza, J. Ozone Sensitivity and Catalase Activity in Pigmented and Non-Pigmented Strains of
Serratia marcescens The Open Microbiology Journal 11:12–22, 2017.
de Ondarza, J. Incorporating Student-designed Mini-research Projects in the General Microbiology
Laboratory. In: Latourelle, S. (2013). Promoting Social Constructivism: Collaboration, Cooperation, Teams and Peer Instruction.
Society for College Science Teachers 2013 Monograph, pp. 59–65.
Renaud, F. L., de Ondarza, J., Luporini, P., Marino, M. J., & Van Houten, J. (2004). Signal transduction mechanisms
in protozoa. In: Cell signaling in prokaryotes and lower metazoa, Ian Fairweather, Editor, Kluwer Academic Publishers.
de Ondarza, J. & Hootman, S. R. (1997). Confocal microscopic analysis of intracellular pH regulation
in guinea pig pancreatic ducts.Am. J. Physiol., 272, G124–G134, .
