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Aixin Hou, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
LSU, Department of Environmental Sciences
1255 Energy, Coast & Environment Building
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA - 70803
Tel: 225-578-4294
Fax: 225-578-4286
E-mail: ahou@lsu.edu
Education:
Research Interests:
Investigate the relationship between microbial biodiversity and biogeochemical processes in the context of anthropogenically induced environmental issues in both terrestrial and coastal ecosystems. In particular, the research focuses on denitrification and mercury methylation, and combines improved culture-dependent (e.g. optimized cultivation), modern molecular (e.g. RT-PCR, QPCR and clone library) and in situ biogeochemical (e.g. process rate and microsensor measurements) approaches. Study the ecology and evolution of pathogen indicator microbes and pathogenic vibrios in aquatic ecosystems by coupling culturing and QPCR approaches.
Metadata Development in Coastal Environment
Current Projects:
- Short-term and long-term impacts of Hurricane Katrina on Lake Pontchartrain ecosystem (PI). NASA.
- Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Lake Pontchartrain ecosystem: geochemistry, microbiology, and potential human health effects (PI). NSF.
- Northern Gulf of Mexico Cooperative Institute: Public Health and Stressors (Co-PI). NOAA.
- Comparative functional assessment of differential sediment slurry applications to rapidly subsiding brackish marshes (Co-PI). CICEET.
- Impacts of land use on denitrifying community in the lower Mississippi River alluvial valley (PI). NSF/LA EPSCoR.
- Benthic biological metadata (PI). NOAA
- Total and methylmercury in sediment and fish at off-shore platforms and in the hypoxia zone of the Northern Gulf of Mexico (Co-PI). Sea Grant.
- Total mercury, methylmercury and other toxic heavy metals in Lake Pontchartrain Basin (Co-PI). Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation and NOAA.
- Quantifying Nir gene fragments and determining fungal denitrification in riparian forests of the lower Mississippi River valley: A pilot study (PI). Department of Interior.
- Linking Denitrification Capacity and Denitrification Genes (nir and nos) in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley (PI). LSU Faculty Research Grant Program.
Recent Publications (see CV for a full publication list):
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