Our research involves the study of the ecology, taxonomy and molecular biology of marine bacteria and Archaea. The microorganisms that we have concentrated on are the members of the genus Vibrio, species of which cause disease in human as well as marine animals. Previous work in our lab has examined the distribution of pathogenic Vibrio spp. in the coastal environment, the distribution and role of plasmids in marine bacteria and the ecology of luminescent Vibrio spp.

Current projects ongoing in our lab included the study of the association of bacteria with toxic algal blooms and the examination of bacteria bound to particulate material for the present of novel antimicrobial substances. We use the technique of fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) to examine bacteria collected from the environment. Using this technique we have found the Archaea long thought to be extremophiles are instead abundant in local water. Furthermore these Archaea may have been culture for years and misidentified as bacteria.

Sizemore, R. K., and R. R. Colwell. 1977. Plasmids carried by antibiotic-resistant marine bacteria. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 12:373-382.

Sizemore, R. K., J. J. Caldwell and A. S. Kendrick. 1990. An alternate gram staining technique using a fluorescent lectin. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 56: 2245-2247.

E. C. Esham and R. K. Sizemore. 1998. Evaluation of two techniques: mFC and mTEC for determining distributions of fecal pollution in small North Carolina tidal creeks. Water, Air and Soil Pollution. 106: 179-197.

Mallin, M. A., L. B. Cahoon, R. P. Lowe, J. K. Merritt, R. K. Sizemore and K. E. Williams. 2000. Restoration of shell fishing waters in a tidal creek following limited dredging. J. Coastal Management 16:40-47.

Shehane, S. D. and R. K. Sizemore. 2002. Isolation and preliminary characterization of bacteriocins produced by Vibrio vulnificus. J. Applied Microbiology 92: 322-328.