Campbell Hall 251 (office); Campbell Hall 262 (lab)
(205) 934-9857
Research and Teaching Interests: Structure, function, and regulation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genes; principles of DNA technology; genetics of microbial pathogens; physiology, genetics, and biodiversity of extremophile microorganisms
Office Hours: By appointmentEducation:
- BS, University of Calcutta, India
- MS, University of Calcutta, India
- PhD, University of Louisville, Kentucky
Dr. Bej is a professor at the Department of Biology and also teaches classes for the Department of Justice Sciences. He studied microbial gene regulation and development and applications of molecular diagnostics of human pathogens in environmental and clinical samples at the University of Louisville. He has published numerous research and review articles, book chapters, and is the lead editor of a book encompassing his research areas.
Dr. Bej teaches molecular genetics and DNA technology courses, supervises graduate and undergraduate research students, and provides professional services to academic and research organizations. He has established active research collaborations with professional colleagues across the world. Dr. Bej is a recipient of the President’s as well as the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at UAB, NASA Faculty Fellowship, Honorary Member of the Golden Key International Honor Society, and a member of the Tawani/NASA Exobiology Antarctic Scientific Research Expedition.
CV: Download PDF
- Microorganisms in extreme ecosystems (extremophiles): Genomic approaches to explore community composition, function, evolution, and adaptation of extremophile microorganisms in polar ecosystems.
- Microbiome: Structure, function, and diversity of gut microbiomes in Sea Urchin and Zebrafish in response to diet and environment.
- Rapid diagnostics: Molecular diagnostics & comparative genomics of microbial pathogens.
- Molecular Genetics
- Principles of DNA Technology
- Nazia Mojib (PhD, 2008-present)
- Joseph Hakim (MS 2013-present)
- Hyunmin Koo (MS, 2011-2013, PhD, 2013-present)
Download a list of past graduate students.
- Koo H, Ptacek T, Crowley M, Swain AK, Osbornn JD, Bej AK, Andersen DT, "Draft Genome Sequence of Hymenobacter sp. Strain IS2118 Isolated from a Freshwater Lake in Schirmacher Oasis, Antarctica Reveals Diverse Genes for Adaptation to Cold Ecosystems," Genome Announcements 2 (No. 4, 2014): e00739-14.
- Huang JP, Swain A, Andersen DT, Bej AK, "Bacterial diversity within five unexplored freshwater lakes interconnected by surface channels in East Antarctic Dronning Maud Land (Schirmacher Oasis) using amplicon pyrosequencing," Polar Biology 37 (No. 3, 2014):359-69.
- Huang JP, Swain A, Ravindra R, Andersen DT, Bej AK, "Bacterial diversity of the rock-water interface in an East Antarctic freshwater ecosystem, Lake Tawani(P)†," Aquatic Biosystems 9 (2013):4-12.
- Mojib N, Farhoomand A, Andersen DT, Bej AK, "UV and cold tolerance of a pigment-producing Antarctic Janthinobacterium sp. Ant5-2," Extremophiles 17 (No. 3, 2013):367-378.
- Trevors JT, Elsas JD, Bej AK, "The Molecularly Crowded Cytoplasm of Bacterial Cells: Dividing Cells Contrasted with Viable but Non-culturable (VBNC) Bacterial Cells," Current Issues in Molecular Biology 15 (2012):1-6.
- Huang J, Mojib N, Rakesh R. Goli, Watkins S, Waites K, Ravindra R, Andersen DT, Bej AK, "Antimicrobial activity of PVP from an Antarctic bacterium, Janthinobacterium sp. Ant5-2, on multi-drug and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus," Natural Products and Bioprospecting 2 (No. 3, 2012):104-10.
- Gangwar M, Waters AM, Bej G, Bej AK, Mojib N, "Detection of Total and Pathogenic Salmonella in Shellfish Using Real-time Multiplexed PCR Assay Targeting invA and spvB," Food Analytical Methods 6 (No. 3, 2013):922-32.
- Trevors JT, Bej AK, Mojib N, van Elsas JD, Overbeek LV, "Bacterial gene expression at low temperatures," Extremophiles 16 (No. 2, 2012):167-76.
- Mojib N, Andersen DT, Bej AK, "Structure and function of a cold shock domain fold protein, CspD, in Janthinobacterium sp. Ant5-2 from East Antarctica," FEMS Microbiolology Letters 319 (No. 2, 2011):106-14.