UAB - Dr Asim Bej

Dr Asim Bej

Professor, Microbial Molecular Genetics

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

(205) 934-9857

(205) 975-6097

Ph.D. (Molecular Genetics), 1988, University of Louisville

Research Description:

The research interest in my laboratory is the use of molecular approaches to study gene expression and regulation in prokaryotes. Currently we are pursuing, but are not limited to, the following areas of investigation:

Extremophile Microorganisms: The study of extremophile microorganisms has provided tools to understand the resilient nature of cellular processes that function in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment. Extremophiles present many unique physiological, genetic and metabolic features that can and are being exploited in biotechnology for human benefit. My lab is interested in the microorganisms that live in the Antarctic extreme cold conditions. We are investigating microbial community composition; cellular and genetic processes for adaptation to cold and subzero temperatures and ecosystem function. Biomedical applications such as chemotherapeutic and antimicrobial functions of pigments from these Antarctic extremophiles are being pursued as well.
Microbial Pathogens: We are developing the nucleic acid- or peptide-based technologies for the rapid detection of microbial pathogens such as Vibrio, Salmonella and pathogenic Escherichia coli in food and water. The objective of this research is early detection which will help prevent disease incidences and outbreaks.
Past and present graduate students
Dr. Bej's curriculum vita

Representative Publications:

Edited Book:
Polar Microbiology: The Ecology, Biodiversity and Bioremediation Potential of Microorganisms in Extremely Cold Environments. 2009.
Edited by: Asim K. Bej, Jackie Aislabie and Ronald M. Atlas, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL (ISBN: 978-1-4200-8384-2)

Manuscript (Peer-reviewed):

G. Panicker, N. Mojib, T. Nakatsuji, J. Aislabie and A.K. Bej. 2010. Occurrence and distribution of capB in Antarctic microorganisms and study of its structure and regulation in the Antarctic biodegradative Pseudomonas sp. 30/3. Extremophiles 14(2):171-183.

N. Mojib, R. Philpott, J. Huang, M. Neiderweis, and A.K. Bej. 2010. Antimycobacterial activity of pigments isolated from Antarctic bacteria. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek: An International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology. 98(4):531-540.

N. Mojib, T.H. Nasti, R. Attigada, R.B. Hoover, N. Yusuf and A.K. Bej. 2010. A purple violet pigment (PVP) from an Antarctic Janthinobacterium sp. Ant5-2 causes cell cycle arrest and induces apoptosis in murine UV-induced 2237 skin cancer cells. International Journal of Dermatology (Accepted).

G. Panicker, N. Mojib, J.A. Aislabie, A.K. Bej. 2010. Detection, expression and quantitation of the biodegradative genes in Antarctic microorganisms using PCR. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek: An International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology. 97(3):275-287.

A.V. Rizvi and A.K. Bej. 2010. Rapid Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Shellfish and Gulf of Mexico Water Using Multiplexed Real Time PCR with SYBR Green™ I. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek: An International Journal of General and Molecular Microbiology. 98(3):279-290.

L.N. Ward and A.K. Bej. 2006. Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in shellfish by use of multiplexed real-time PCR with TaqMan fluorescent probes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 72:2031-2042.

G. Panicker and A.K. Bej. 2005. Real-time PCR detection of Vibrio vulnificus in oysters: comparison of oligonucleotide primers and probes targeting vvhA. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 71:5702-5709.

Recent Book chapters:

N. Mojib, J.T. Trevors, A.K. Bej. 2011. Microbial biodegradative genes and enzymes in mineralization of non-metal pollutants. In Microbial Bioremediation of Non-metals: Current Research, Chapter 11, Anna-Irini Koukkou (ed.), Horizon Scientific Press, Norwich, United Kingdom. (In Press).

J.T. Trevors, A.K. Bej, J.D. van Elsas. 2011. Hypothesized micro-environments for the origin of microbial life on Earth, In Genesis: Origin of Life on Earth and Planets, COLE Series Book, Seckbach, J. & R. Gordon, (Eds.). Dordrecht, Springer Verlag, the Netherlands. (In Press).

A.K. Bej. 2010. Vibrio In Molecular Detection of Human Bacterial Pathogens, Chapter 104, Dongyou Liu (ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.