Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran

Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran (Venkat) is the Senior Research Scientist at NASA – Jet Propulsion Laboratory and supports Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group. His 42+ years of research encompass marine, food, and environmental microbiology. He is also leading ISS “Microbial Observatory” projects to measure microorganisms associated with U.S. nodes, as well as Kibo Japanese Experiment Modules. He has applied his research in molecular microbial analysis to better understand the ecological aspects of microbes, while conducting field studies in several extreme environments such as deep sea (2,500 m), spacecraft mission (Mars Odyssey, Genesis, Mars Exploration Rovers, Mars Express), assembly facility clean rooms (various NASA and European Space Agency [ESA] facilities), and the space environment in Earth orbit (ISS; ESA Columbus facility). He directs several research and development tasks for the JPL – Mars Program Office, which enables the cleaning, sterilization, and validation of spacecraft components. He directs several NASA competitive awards on the microbial monitoring of spacecraft and associated environments for the Exploration System Mission Directorate, closed habitats like ISS or its Earth analogues for the Human Exploration and Operation Mission Directorate. Also, he provides expertise for non-NASA programs such as commercial agencies (Boeing – airline cabin air measurement), medical industries (tissue and organ transplants processing) in measuring microbial pathogens that are problematic and health related. The bioinformatics databases generated by Venkateswaran’s team are extremely useful in the development of biosensors. Further, these models or information in database are extrapolated to what is known about the spacecraft surfaces and enclosed habitats in an attempt to determine forward contamination as well as develop countermeasures (advance cleaning and sterilization technologies) to control the problematic microbial species. Specifically, his research into the study of clean room environment using state-of-the art molecular analysis coupled with nucleic acid and protein-based microarray, will allow accurate interpretation of data and implementation of planetary protection policies of present missions, helping to set standards for future life-detection missions.


Education: 
  • M.S. in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, India (1977)
  • Ph.D. in Marine Microbiology, Annamalai University, India (1982)
  • Doctorate in Agriculture (Food Microbiology & Hygiene; Hiroshima Univ.) (1990)

Research Interests: 
  • Microbiology
  • Extremophile
  • Molecular Microbiology

Professional Experience: 

With more than 47 years dedicated to marine, food, and environmental microbiology research, our team has significantly advanced the understanding of microbial ecosystems. We have consistently been at the cutting edge of research with the International Space Station Microbial Observatory projects, leading investigations into microorganisms within U.S. nodes and the Kibo Japanese Experiment Modules. This pioneering effort has opened new vistas into microbial dynamics in the largely unexplored environment of space.

Through the utilization of cutting-edge molecular microbial techniques, our team has expanded the depth of knowledge regarding microbial ecology and their intricate interactions. Our explorations have ranged from the mystic depths of the ocean to the specialized environments of the International Space Station. Our unwavering dedication to uncovering the secrets of life in the universe's harshest conditions, from our planet's extremes to the boundless cosmos, underscores our notable contributions.

The revelations from our research have played a key role in enhancing our grasp of microbial resilience and adaptability. These findings pave the way for prospective space missions and research into Earth's most extreme biomes.


Selected Awards: 
  • NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal for Research (2017)

  • NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal for Technology (2017)

  • NASA Voyager Award in 2016
  • Recipient of first “One NASA Peer Award” in 2005
  • JPL Center – One NASA Peer Award in 2005
  • NASA Space Act Award recipient in 2003, 2005, 2008
  • Novel Technology Report Awards (25)

Selected Publications: 

Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran publications since 1990.

  1. Singh NK, Wood JM, Patane J, Moura LMS, Lombardino J, Setubal JC, et al. Characterization of metagenome-assembled genomes from the International Space Station. Microbiome. 2023;11(1):125; doi: 10.1186/s40168-023-01545-7.
  2. Simpson AC, Eedara VVR, Singh NK, Damle N, Parker CW, Karouia F, et al. Comparative genomic analysis of Cohnella hashimotonis sp. nov. isolated from the International Space Station. Frontiers in microbiology. 2023;14; doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1166013.
  3. Scott RT, Sanders LM, Antonsen EL, Hastings JJA, Park S-m, Mackintosh G, et al. Biomonitoring and precision health in deep space supported by artificial intelligence. Nature Machine Intelligence. 2023;5(3):196-207; doi: 10.1038/s42256-023-00617-5.
  4. McDonagh F, Singh NK, Venkateswaran K, Lonappan AM, Hallahan B, Tuohy A, et al. First complete genome of a multidrug-resistant strain of the novel human pathogen Kalamiella piersonii (GABEKP28) identified in human saliva. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance. 2023;32:31-4; doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgar.2022.12.003 .
  5. Highlander SK, Wood JM, Gillece JD, Folkerts M, Fofanov V, Furstenau T, et al. Multi-faceted metagenomic analysis of spacecraft associated surfaces reveal planetary protection relevant microbial composition. PLoS ONE. 2023;18(3):e0282428; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282428.
  6. Chander AM, Teixeira MdM, Singh NK, Williams MP, Simpson AC, Damle N, et al. Description and Genome Characterization of Three Novel Fungal Strains Isolated from Mars 2020 Mission-Associated Spacecraft Assembly Facility: Recommendations for Two New Genera and One Species. Journal of Fungi. 2023;9(1):31.
  7. Urbaniak C, Morrison MD, Thissen JB, Karouia F, Smith DJ, Mehta S, et al. Microbial Tracking-2, a metagenomics analysis of bacteria and fungi onboard the International Space Station. Microbiome. 2022;10(1):1-19; doi: 10.1186/s40168-022-01293-0.
  8. Tierney BT, Singh NK, Simpson AC, Hujer AM, Bonomo RA, Mason CE, et al. Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter pittiiis adapting to and exhibiting potential succession aboard the International Space Station. Microbiome. 2022;10(1):210; doi: 10.1186/s40168-022-01358-0.
  9. Sushenko NS, Singh NK, Vellone DL, Tighe SW, Hedlund BP, Venkateswaran K, et al. Complete Genome Sequence of Klebsiella quasipneumoniae subsp. similipneumoniaeStrain IF3SW-P1, Isolated from the International Space Station. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2022:e0047622; doi: 10.1128/mra.00476-22.
  10. Simpson AC, Suzuki T, Miller DR, Venkateswaran K. Microbial Burden Estimation of Food Items, Built Environments, and the International Space Station Using Film Media. Microorganisms. 2022;10(9):1714.
  11. Parker CW, Teixeira MdM, Singh NK, Raja HA, Cank KB, Spigolon G, et al. Genomic Characterization of Parengyodontium torokii sp. nov., a Biofilm-Forming Fungus Isolated from Mars 2020 Assembly Facility. Journal of Fungi. 2022;8(1):66.
  12. Mettler MK, Parker CW, Venkateswaran K, Peyton BM. Antimicrobial Coating Efficacy for Prevention of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Growth on ISS Water System Materials. Frontiers in microbiology. 2022;13; doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.874236.
  13. Madrigal P, Singh NK, Wood JM, Gaudioso E, Hernández-Del-Olmo F, Mason CE, et al. Machine learning algorithm to characterize antimicrobial resistance associated with the International Space Station surface microbiome. Microbiome. 2022;10(1):134; doi: 10.1186/s40168-022-01332-w.
  14. Lombardino J, Bijlani S, Singh NK, Wood JM, Barker R, Gilroy S, et al. Genomic Characterization of Potential Plant Growth-Promoting Features of Sphingomonas Strains Isolated from the International Space Station. Microbiol Spectr. 2022;10(1):e0199421; doi: 10.1128/spectrum.01994-21.
  15. Kumar RK, Singh NK, Balakrishnan S, Parker CW, Raman K, Venkateswaran K. Metabolic modeling of the International Space Station microbiome reveals key microbial interactions. Microbiome. 2022;10(1):102; doi: 10.1186/s40168-022-01279-y.
  16. Chander AM, Singh NK, Simpson AC, Seuylemezian A, Mason CE, Venkateswaran K. Draft Genome Sequences of Fungi Isolated from Mars 2020 Spacecraft Assembly Facilities. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2022;11(11):e0046422; doi: 10.1128/mra.00464-22.
  17. Blachowicz A, Romsdahl J, Chiang AJ, Masonjones S, Kalkum M, Stajich JE, et al. The International Space Station Environment Triggers Molecular Responses in Aspergillus niger. Frontiers in microbiology. 2022;13; doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.893071.
  18. Blachowicz A, Mhatre S, Singh NK, Wood JM, Parker CW, Ly C, et al. The Isolation and Characterization of Rare Mycobiome Associated With Spacecraft Assembly Cleanrooms. Front Microbiol. 2022;13:777133; doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.777133.
  19. Bijlani S, Parker C, Singh NK, Sierra MA, Foox J, Wang CCC, et al. Genomic Characterization of the Titan-like Cell Producing Naganishia tulchinskyi , the First Novel Eukaryote Isolated from the International Space Station. Journal of Fungi. 2022;8(2):165.
  20. Wood JM, Singh NK, Guan L, Seuylemezian A, Benardini JN, Venkateswaran K. Performance of Multiple Metagenomics Pipelines in Understanding Microbial Diversity of a Low-Biomass Spacecraft Assembly Facility. Frontiers in microbiology. 2021;12(2739); doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.685254.
  21. Wood JM, Peres JB, Bateh J, Singh NK, Aronson HS, Hendrickson R, et al. Draft Genome Sequences of Heat Shock-Tolerant Microbes Isolated from a Spacecraft Assembly Facility. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 2021;10(36):e00653-21; doi: doi:10.1128/MRA.00653-21.
  22. Waters SM, Ledford SM, Wacker A, Verma S, Serda B, McKaig J, et al. Long-read sequencing reveals increased occurrence of genomic variants and adenosine methylation in Bacillus pumilusSAFR-032 after long-duration flight exposure onboard the International Space Station. International Journal of Astrobiology. 2021;20(6):435-44; doi: 10.1017/S1473550421000343.
  23. Venkateswaran K, Wood JM, Simpson A, Singh N, Rokas A. Reliable Identification of Environmental Fungi Requires Multigene-Based Phylogenetic Analyses. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 2021;10(48):e00469-21; doi: doi:10.1128/MRA.00469-21.
  24. Urbaniak C, Grams T, Mason CE, Venkateswaran K. Simulated Microgravity Promotes Horizontal Gene Transfer of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes between Bacterial Genera in the Absence of Antibiotic Selective Pressure. Life. 2021;11(9):960.
  25. Singh NK, Lavire C, Nesme J, Vial L, Nesme X, Mason CE, et al. Comparative Genomics of Novel Agrobacterium G3 Strains Isolated From the International Space Station and Description of Agrobacterium tomkonis sp. nov. Frontiers in microbiology. 2021;12(3369); doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.765943.
  26. Simpson AC, Urbaniak C, Singh NK, Wood JM, Debieu M, O’Hara NB, et al. Draft Genome Sequences of Various Bacterial Phyla Isolated from the International Space Station. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 2021;10(17):e00214-21; doi: 10.1128/mra.00214-21.
  27. Simpson AC, Urbaniak C, Bateh JR, Singh NK, Wood JM, Debieu M, et al. Draft Genome Sequences of Fungi Isolated from the International Space Station during the Microbial Tracking-2 Experiment. Microbiology resource announcements. 2021;10(37):e0075121-e; doi: 10.1128/MRA.00751-21.
  28. Morrison MD, Thissen JB, Karouia F, Mehta S, Urbaniak C, Venkateswaran K, et al. Investigation of Spaceflight Induced Changes to Astronaut Microbiomes. Frontiers in microbiology. 2021;12(1368); doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.659179.
  29. Lim S, Bijlani S, Blachowicz A, Chiang Y-M, Lee M-S, Torok T, et al. Identification of the pigment and its role in UV resistance in Paecilomyces variotii , a Chernobyl isolate, using genetic manipulation strategies. Fungal Genetics and Biology. 2021;152:103567; doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fgb.2021.103567 .
  30. Hendrickson R, Urbaniak C, Minich JJ, Aronson HS, Martino C, Stepanauskas R, et al. Clean room microbiome complexity impacts planetary protection bioburden. Microbiome. 2021;9(1):238; doi: 10.1186/s40168-021-01159-x.
  31. Haveman NJ, Khodadad CLM, Dixit AR, Louyakis AS, Massa GD, Venkateswaran K, et al. Evaluating the lettuce metatranscriptome with MinION sequencing for future spaceflight food production applications. NPJ microgravity. 2021;7(1):22; doi: 10.1038/s41526-021-00151-x.
  32. Danko DC, Sierra MA, Benardini JN, Guan L, Wood JM, Singh N, et al. A comprehensive metagenomics framework to characterize organisms relevant for planetary protection. Microbiome. 2021;9(1):82; doi: 10.1186/s40168-021-01020-1.
  33. Danko D, Malli Mohan GB, Sierra MA, Rucker M, Singh NK, Regberg AB, et al. Characterization of Spacesuit Associated Microbial Communities and Their Implications for NASA Missions. Frontiers in microbiology. 2021;12; doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.608478.
  34. Bijlani S, Stephens E, Singh NK, Venkateswaran K, Wang CCC. Advances in space microbiology. iScience. 2021;24(5):102395; doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2021.102395 .
  35. Bijlani S, Singh NK, Eedara VVR, Podile AR, Mason CE, Wang CCC, et al. Methylobacterium ajmalii sp. nov., Isolated From the International Space Station. Frontiers in microbiology. 2021;12(534); doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.639396.
  36. Venkateswaran K, Omics-in-Space-Team: Validation of a microgravity compatible automated nucleic acid extraction device for omics in space. In: Human Research Program - Investigators Workshop. Galveston, TX: NASA; 2020.
  37. Urbaniak C, Wong S, Tighe S, Arumugam A, Liu B, Parker CW, et al. Validating an Automated Nucleic Acid Extraction Device for Omics in Space Using Whole Cell Microbial Reference Standards. Front Microbiol. 2020;11:1909; doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01909.
  38. Urbaniak C, Mhatre S, Grams T, Parker C, Venkateswaran K. Validation of the International Space Station Smart Sample Concentrator for Microbial Monitoring of Low Biomass Water Samples. Journal of biomolecular techniques : JBT. 2020;31:04-5; doi: 10.7171/jbt.20-3104-005.
  39. Urbaniak C, Lorenzi H, Thissen J, Jaing C, Crucian B, Sams C, et al. The influence of spaceflight on the astronaut salivary microbiome and the search for a microbiome biomarker for viral reactivation. Microbiome. 2020;8(1):56; doi: 10.1186/s40168-020-00830-z.
  40. Solomon SA, Bharadwaj AR, Singh NK, Wood JM, Debieu M, O’Hara NB, et al. Draft Genome Sequences of Klebsiella Species Isolated from the International Space Station. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 2020;9(42):e00923-20; doi: 10.1128/mra.00923-20.
  41. Shrestha N, Tripathi AK, Govil T, Sani RK, Urgun-Demirtas M, Kasthuri V, et al. Electricity from lignocellulosic substrates by thermophilic Geobacillus species. Scientific Reports. 2020;10(1):17047; doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-72866-y.
  42. Romsdahl J, Blachowicz A, Chiang YM, Venkateswaran K, Wang CCC. Metabolomic Analysis of Aspergillus nigerIsolated From the International Space Station Reveals Enhanced Production Levels of the Antioxidant Pyranonigrin A. Front Microbiol. 2020;11:931; doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00931.
  43. Parker CW, Singh N, Tighe S, Blachowicz A, Wood JM, Seuylemezian A, et al. End-to-End Protocol for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 from Built Environments. mSystems. 2020;5(5):e00771-20; doi: 10.1128/mSystems.00771-20.
  44. Mhatre S, Wood JM, Sielaff AC, Mora M, Duller S, Singh NK, et al. Assessing the Risk of Transfer of Microorganisms at the International Space Station Due to Cargo Delivery by Commercial Resupply Vehicles. Frontiers in microbiology. 2020;11(2729); doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.566412.
  45. Mhatre S, Singh NK, Wood JM, Parker CW, Pukall R, Verbarg S, et al. Description of Chloramphenicol Resistant Kineococcus rubinsiae sp. nov. Isolated from a Spacecraft Assembly Facility. Frontiers in microbiology. 2020;11(1957); doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01957.
  46. Malli Mohan GB, Parker CW, Urbaniak C, Singh NK, Hood A, Minich JJ, et al. Microbiome and Metagenome Analyses of a Closed Habitat during Human Occupation. mSystems. 2020;5(4):e00367-20; doi: 10.1128/mSystems.00367-20.
  47. Daudu R, Singh NK, Wood JM, Debieu M, O'Hara NB, Mason CE, et al. Draft Genome Sequences of Bacillaceae Strains Isolated from the International Space Station. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2020;9(44); doi: 10.1128/mra.00701-20.
  48. Daudu R, Parker CW, Singh NK, Wood JM, Debieu M, O’Hara NB, et al. Draft Genome Sequences of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa Strains Isolated from the International Space Station. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 2020;9(31):e00570-20; doi: 10.1128/mra.00570-20.
  49. Blachowicz A, Raffa N, Bok JW, Choera T, Knox B, Lim FY, et al. Contributions of Spore Secondary Metabolites to UV-C Protection and Virulence Vary in Different Aspergillus fumigatus Strains. mBio. 2020;11(1); doi: 10.1128/mBio.03415-19.
  50. Bijlani S, Singh NK, Mason CE, Wang CCC, Venkateswaran K. Draft Genome Sequences of Sphingomonas Species Associated with the International Space Station. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2020;9(25); doi: 10.1128/MRA.00578-20.
  51. Bijlani S, Singh NK, Mason CE, Wang CCC, Venkateswaran K. Draft Genome Sequences of Tremellomycetes Strains Isolated from the International Space Station. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2020;9(26); doi: 10.1128/MRA.00504-20.
  52. Bharadwaj AR, Singh NK, Wood JM, Debieu M, O’Hara NB, Karouia F, et al. Draft Genome Sequences of Lactobacillales Isolated from the International Space Station. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 2020;9(39):e00942-20; doi: 10.1128/mra.00942-20.
  53. Bharadwaj AR, Daudu R, Singh NK, Wood JM, Debieu M, O'Hara NB, et al. Draft Genome Sequences of Enterobacteriales Strains Isolated from the International Space Station. Microbiol Resour Announc. 2020;9(37); doi: 10.1128/MRA.00817-20.
  54. Avila-Herrera A, Thissen J, Urbaniak C, Be NA, Smith DJ, Karouia F, et al. Crewmember microbiome may influence microbial composition of ISS habitable surfaces. PLoS ONE. 2020;15(4):e0231838; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231838.
  55. Afshinnekoo E, Scott RT, MacKay MJ, Pariset E, Cekanaviciute E, Barker R, et al. Fundamental Biological Features of Spaceflight: Advancing the Field to Enable Deep-Space Exploration. Cell. 2020;183(5):1162-84; doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.10.050 .
  56. Urbaniak C, van Dam P, Zaborin A, Zaborina O, Gilbert JA, Torok T, et al. Genomic Characterization and Virulence Potential of Two Fusarium oxysporum Isolates Cultured from the International Space Station. mSystems. 2019;4(2); doi: 10.1128/mSystems.00345-18.
  57. Somineni HK, Venkateswaran S, Kilaru V, Marigorta UM, Mo A, Okou DT, et al. Blood-Derived DNA Methylation Signatures of Crohn's Disease and Severity of Intestinal Inflammation. Gastroenterology. 2019;156(8):2254-65 e3; doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2019.01.270.
  58. Singh NK, Wood JM, Mhatre SS, Venkateswaran K. Correction to: Metagenome to phenome approach enables isolation and genomics characterization of Kalamiella piersonii gen. nov., sp. nov. from the International Space Station. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2019;103(16):6851-2; doi: 10.1007/s00253-019-10009-8.
  59. Singh NK, Wood JM, Mhatre SS, Venkateswaran K. Metagenome to phenome approach enables isolation and genomics characterization of Kalamiella piersonii gen. nov., sp. nov. from the International Space Station. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2019;103(11):4483-97; doi: 10.1007/s00253-019-09813-z.
  60. Romsdahl J, Blachowicz A, Chiang AJ, Chiang YM, Masonjones S, Yaegashi J, et al. International Space Station conditions alter genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics in Aspergillus nidulans. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2019;103(3):1363-77; doi: 10.1007/s00253-018-9525-0.
  61. Malli Mohan GB, Stricker MC, Venkateswaran K. Microscopic Characterization of Biological and Inert Particles Associated with Spacecraft Assembly Cleanroom. Scientific Reports. 2019;9(1):14251; doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-50782-0.
  62. Chiang AJ, Malli Mohan GB, Singh NK, Vaishampayan PA, Kalkum M, Venkateswaran K. Alteration of Proteomes in First-Generation Cultures of Bacillus pumilus Spores Exposed to Outer Space. mSystems. 2019;4(4); doi: 10.1128/mSystems.00195-19.
  63. Checinska Sielaff A, Urbaniak C, Mohan GBM, Stepanov VG, Tran Q, Wood JM, et al. Characterization of the total and viable bacterial and fungal communities associated with the International Space Station surfaces. Microbiome. 2019;7(1):50; doi: 10.1186/s40168-019-0666-x.
  64. Cao L, Gurevich A, Alexander KL, Naman CB, Leão T, Glukhov E, et al. MetaMiner: A Scalable Peptidogenomics Approach for Discovery of Ribosomal Peptide Natural Products with Blind Modifications from Microbial Communities. Cell Syst. 2019;9(6):600-8.e4; doi: 10.1016/j.cels.2019.09.004.
  65. Blachowicz A, Chiang AJ, Romsdahl J, Kalkum M, Wang CCC, Venkateswaran K. Proteomic characterization of Aspergillus fumigatus isolated from air and surfaces of the International Space Station. Fungal Genet Biol. 2019;124:39-46; doi: 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.01.001.
  66. Blachowicz A, Chiang AJ, Elsaesser A, Kalkum M, Ehrenfreund P, Stajich JE, et al. Proteomic and Metabolomic Characteristics of Extremophilic Fungi Under Simulated Mars Conditions. Frontiers in microbiology. 2019;10(1013); doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01013.
  67. Urbaniak C, Sielaff AC, Frey KG, Allen JE, Singh N, Jaing C, et al. Detection of antimicrobial resistance genes associated with the International Space Station environmental surfaces. Nature Scientific Reports. 2018;8(1):814; doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-18506-4.
  68. Urbaniak C, Massa G, Hummerick M, Khodadad C, Schuerger A, Venkateswaran K. Draft Genome Sequences of Two Fusarium oxysporumIsolates Cultured from Infected Zinnia hybrida Plants Grown on the International Space Station. Genome announcements. 2018;6(20); doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00326-18.
  69. Tirumalai MR, Stepanov VG, Wunsche A, Montazari S, Gonzalez RO, Venkateswaran K, et al. Bacillus safensisFO-36b and Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032: a whole genome comparison of two spacecraft assembly facility isolates. BMC Microbiol. 2018;18(1):57; doi: 10.1186/s12866-018-1191-y.
  70. Singh NK, Wood JM, Karouia F, Venkateswaran K. Succession and persistence of microbial communities and antimicrobial resistance genes associated with International Space Station environmental surfaces. Microbiome. 2018;6(1):214; doi: 10.1186/s40168-018-0609-y.
  71. Singh NK, Bezdan D, Checinska Sielaff A, Wheeler K, Mason CE, Venkateswaran K. Multi-drug resistant Enterobacter bugandensis species isolated from the International Space Station and comparative genomic analyses with human pathogenic strains. BMC Microbiol. 2018;18(1):175; doi: 10.1186/s12866-018-1325-2.
  72. Seuylemezian A, Vaishampayan P, Cooper K, Venkateswaran K. Draft Genome Sequences of Acinetobacter and Bacillus Strains Isolated from Spacecraft-Associated Surfaces. Genome announcements. 2018;6(6); doi: 10.1128/genomeA.01554-17.
  73. Rucker MA, Hood D, Walker M, Venkateswaran KJ, Schuerger AC: EVA swab tool to support planetary protection and astrobiology evaluations. In: 2018 IEEE Aerospace Conference. 2018: 1-9.
  74. Romsdahl J, Blachowicz A, Chiang AJ, Singh N, Stajich JE, Kalkum M, et al. Characterization of Aspergillus nigerIsolated from the International Space Station. mSystems. 2018;3(5); doi: 10.1128/mSystems.00112-18.
  75. Mirchi A, Pelletier F, Tran LT, Keller S, Braverman N, Tonduti D, et al. Health-Related Quality of Life for Patients With Genetically Determined Leukoencephalopathy. Pediatr Neurol. 2018;84:21-6; doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2018.03.015.
  76. Minich JJ, Zhu Q, Janssen S, Hendrickson R, Amir A, Vetter R, et al. KatharoSeq Enables High-Throughput Microbiome Analysis from Low-Biomass Samples. mSystems. 2018;3(3); doi: 10.1128/mSystems.00218-17.
  77. Lindoso L, Mondal K, Venkateswaran S, Somineni HK, Ballengee C, Walters TD, et al. The Effect of Early-Life Environmental Exposures on Disease Phenotype and Clinical Course of Crohn's Disease in Children. Am J Gastroenterol. 2018;113(10):1524-9; doi: 10.1038/s41395-018-0239-9.
  78. Krishnan VV, Selvan SR, Parameswaran N, Venkateswaran N, Luciw PA, Venkateswaran KS. Proteomic profiles by multiplex microsphere suspension array. J Immunol Methods. 2018;461:1-14; doi: 10.1016/j.jim.2018.07.002.
  79. Chiang AJ, Mohan GBM, Singh NK, Horneck G, Venkateswaran K, Kalkum M: Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Bacillus pumilusfrom Spores that Survived in Outer Space Conditions. In: 66TH ASMS CONFERENCE ON MASS SPECTROMETRY AND ALLIED TOPICS, 03-07 June 2018. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.; 2018.
  80. Carlson C, Singh NK, Bibra M, Sani RK, Venkateswaran K. Pervasiveness of UVC254-resistant Geobacillus strains in extreme environments. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2018;102(4):1869-87; doi: 10.1007/s00253-017-8712-8.
  81. Blachowicz A, Venkateswaran K, Wang CCC. Persistence of Fungi in Atypical Environments: Cultivation to Omics. In: Gurtler V, Trevors JT, editors. Microbiology of Atypical Environments. Elsevier; 2018. p. 67-86.
  82. Venkateswaran K, Team I-MOE: Microbial Characteristics of ISS Environmental Surfaces. In: 47th International Conference on Environmental Systems; ICES-2017-177. Charleston, South Carolina; 2017.
  83. Venkateswaran K, Singh NK, Checinska Sielaff A, Pope RK, Bergman NH, van Tongeren SP, et al. Non-Toxin-Producing Bacillus cereusStrains Belonging to the B. anthracisClade Isolated from the International Space Station. mSystems. 2017;2(3); doi: 10.1128/mSystems.00021-17.
  84. Venkateswaran K, Checinska Sielaff A, Ratnayake S, Pope RK, Blank TE, Stepanov VG, et al. Draft Genome Sequences from a Novel Clade of Bacillus cereus Sensu Lato Strains, Isolated from the International Space Station. Genome Announc. 2017;5(32); doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00680-17.
  85. Singh NK, Carlson C, Sani RK, Venkateswaran K. Draft Genome Sequences of Thermophiles Isolated from Yates Shaft, a Deep-Subsurface Environment. Genome announcements. 2017;5(22):e00405-17; doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00405-17.
  86. Singh NK, Blachowicz A, Romsdahl J, Wang C, Torok T, Venkateswaran K. Draft Genome Sequences of Several Fungal Strains Selected for Exposure to Microgravity at the International Space Station. Genome announcements. 2017;5(15):e01602-16; doi: 10.1128/genomeA.01602-16.
  87. Seuylemezian A, Singh NK, Vaishampayan P, Venkateswaran K. Draft Genome Sequence of Solibacillus kalamii, Isolated from an Air Filter Aboard the International Space Station. Genome announcements. 2017;5(35):e00696-17; doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00696-17.
  88. Nuding DL, Gough RV, Venkateswaran KJ, Spry JA, Tolbert MA. Laboratory Investigations on the Survival of Bacillus subtilis Spores in Deliquescent Salt Mars Analog Environments. Astrobiology. 2017;17(10):997-1008; doi: 10.1089/ast.2016.1545.
  89. Malli Mohan G, Benardini J, Hendrickson R, Venkateswaran K, Stricker M. Characterization of Biological Fallout Particles of Cleanrooms to Measure Spacecraft Cleanliness. 47th International Conference on Environmental Systems, Conference Proceedings, https://ttu-irtdlorg/handle/2346/72973 . 2017.
  90. Hendrickson R, Lundgren P, Malli-Mohan GB, Urbaniak C, Benardini JN, Venkateswaran K: Comprehensive measurement of microbial burden in nutrient-deprived cleanrooms In: 47th International Conference on Environmental Systems; ICES-2017-177. Charleston, South Carolina: ICES; 2017.
  91. Checinska Sielaff A, Kumar RM, Pal D, Mayilraj S, Venkateswaran K. Solibacillus kalamiisp. nov., isolated from a high-efficiency particulate arrestance filter system used in the International Space Station. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2017;67(4):896-901; doi: 10.1099/ijsem.0.001706.
  92. Brant SR, Okou DT, Simpson CL, Cutler DJ, Haritunians T, Bradfield JP, et al. Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies African-Specific Susceptibility Loci in African Americans With Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Gastroenterology. 2017;152(1):206-17 e2; doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2016.09.032.
  93. Blachowicz A, Mayer T, Bashir M, Pieber TR, León PD, Venkateswaran K. Human presence impacts fungal diversity of inflated lunar/Mars analog habitat. Microbiome. 2017;5(1):1-16; doi: doi:10.1186/s40168-017-0280-8.
  94. Be NA, Avila-Herrera A, Allen JE, Singh N, Checinska Sielaff A, Jaing C, et al. Whole metagenome profiles of particulates collected from the International Space Station. Microbiome. 2017;5(1):81; doi: 10.1186/s40168-017-0292-4.
  95. Stepanov VG, Tirumalai MR, Montazari S, Checinska A, Venkateswaran K, Fox GE. Bacillus pumilusSAFR-032 Genome Revisited: Sequence Update and Re-Annotation. PLoS ONE. 2016;11(6):e0157331; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157331.
  96. Singh NK, Blachowicz A, Checinska A, Wang C, Venkateswaran K. Draft Genome Sequences of Two Aspergillus fumigatus Strains, Isolated from the International Space Station. Genome Announc. 2016;4(4); doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00553-16.
  97. Mayer T, Blachowicz A, Probst AJ, Vaishampayan P, Checinska A, Swarmer T, et al. Microbial succession in an inflated lunar/Mars analog habitat during a 30-day human occupation. Microbiome. 2016;4(1):1-17; doi: 10.1186/s40168-016-0167-0.
  98. Knox BP, Blachowicz A, Palmer JM, Romsdahl J, Huttenlocher A, Wang CC, et al. Characterization of Aspergillus fumigatusIsolates from Air and Surfaces of the International Space Station. mSphere. 2016;1(5); doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00227-16.
  99. Checinska Sielaff A, Singh NK, Allen JE, Thissen J, Jaing C, Venkateswaran K. Draft Genome Sequences of Biosafety Level 2 Opportunistic Pathogens Isolated from the Environmental Surfaces of the International Space Station. Genome announcements. 2016;4(6); doi: 10.1128/genomeA.01263-16.
  100. Blachowicz A, Knox BP, Romsdah lJ, Palmer JM, Huttenlocher A, Wang CCC, et al.: Characterization of Aspergillus fumigatusisolated from air and surfaces of the International Space Station. In: 13th European Conference on Fungal Genetics. Paris, France, April 3-6, 2016; 2016.
  101. Benardini JN, Venkateswaran K. Application of the ATP assay to rapidly assess cleanliness of spacecraft surfaces: a path to set a standard for future missions. AMB Express. 2016;6(1):113; doi: 10.1186/s13568-016-0286-9.
  102. Onofri S, de Vera JP, Zucconi L, Selbmann L, Scalzi G, Venkateswaran KJ, et al. Survival of Antarctic Cryptoendolithic Fungi in Simulated Martian Conditions On Board the International Space Station. Astrobiology. 2015;15(12):1052-9; doi: 10.1089/ast.2015.1324.
  103. Moissl-Eichinger C, Auerbach AK, Probst AJ, Mahnert A, Tom L, Piceno Y, et al. Quo vadis? Microbial profiling revealed strong effects of cleanroom maintenance and routes of contamination in indoor environments. Scientific reports. 2015;5.
  104. Mahnert A, Vaishampayan P, Probst AJ, Auerbach A, Moissl-Eichinger C, Venkateswaran K, et al. Cleanroom Maintenance Significantly Reduces Abundance but Not Diversity of Indoor Microbiomes. PLoS ONE. 2015;10(8):e0134848; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134848.
  105. Gunashree BS, Venkateswaran G. Extracellular phytase from Aspergillus niger CFR 335: purification and characterization. J Food Sci Technol. 2015;52(7):4558-64; doi: 10.1007/s13197-014-1304-z.
  106. Checinska A, Probst AJ, Vaishampayan P, White JR, Kumar D, Stepanov VG, et al. Microbiomes of the dust particles collected from the International Space Station and Spacecraft Assembly Facilities. Microbiome. 2015;3(1); doi: 10.1186/s40168-015-0116-3.
  107. Venkateswaran K, Vaishampayan P, Cisneros J, Pierson DL, Rogers SO, Perry J. International Space Station environmental microbiome - microbial inventories of ISS filter debris. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2014;98(14):6453-66; doi: 10.1007/s00253-014-5650-6.
  108. Venkateswaran K, Vaishampayan P, Benardini JN, 3rd, Rooney AP, Spry JA. Deposition of extreme-tolerant bacterial strains isolated during different phases of Phoenix spacecraft assembly in a public culture collection. Astrobiology. 2014;14(1):24-6; doi: 10.1089/ast.2013.0978.
  109. Venkateswaran K, La Duc MT, Horneck G. Microbial existence in controlled habitats and their resistance to space conditions. Microbes Environ. 2014;29(3):243-9.
  110. Vaishampayan P, Roberts AH, Augustus A, Pukall R, Schumann P, Schwendner P, et al. Deinococcus phoenicissp. nov., an extreme ionizing-radiation-resistant bacterium isolated from the Phoenix Lander assembly facility. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2014;64(Pt 10):3441-6; doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.063107-0.
  111. Stepanov VG, Vaishampayan P, Venkateswaran K, Fox GE. Draft genome sequence of Deinococcus phoenicis, a novel strain isolated during the Phoenix Lander spacecraft assembly. Genome Announc. 2014;2(2):e00301-14. doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00301-14.(2):e00301-14. doi: 10.1128/genomeA.-14.
  112. Shivanna GB, Venkateswaran G. Phytase production by Aspergillus niger CFR 335 and Aspergillus ficuum SGA 01 through submerged and solid-state fermentation. ScientificWorldJournal. 2014;2014:392615; doi: 10.1155/2014/392615.
  113. Monsieurs P, Mijnendonckx K, Provoost A, Venkateswaran K, Ott CM, Leys N, et al. Genome Sequences of Cupriavidus metallidurans Strains NA1, NA4, and NE12, Isolated from Space Equipment. Genome announcements. 2014;2(4):e00719-14; doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00719-14.
  114. Monsieurs P, Mijnendonckx K, Provoost A, Venkateswaran K, Ott CM, Leys N, et al. Draft Genome Sequences of Ralstonia pickettiiStrains SSH4 and CW2, Isolated from Space Equipment. Genome announcements. 2014;2(5); doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00887-14.
  115. La Duc MT, Venkateswaran K, Conley CA. A genetic inventory of spacecraft and associated surfaces. Astrobiology. 2014;14(1):15-23; doi: 10.1089/ast.2013.0966.
  116. Krebs JE, Vaishampayan P, Probst AJ, Tom LM, Marteinsson VT, Andersen GL, et al. Microbial Community Structures of Novel Icelandic Hot Spring Systems Revealed by PhyloChip G3 Analysis. Astrobiology. 2014;14(3):229-40; doi: 10.1089/ast.2013.1008.
  117. Derecho I, McCoy KB, Vaishampayan P, Venkateswaran K, Mogul R. Characterization of hydrogen peroxide-resistant Acinetobacter species isolated during the Mars Phoenix spacecraft assembly. Astrobiology. 2014;14(10):837-47; doi: 10.1089/ast.2014.1193.
  118. Venkateswaran K, La Duc MT, Vaishampayan P, Spry JA. Microbial life in extreme low-biomass environments – a molecular approach. Washington DC: American Society for Microbiology; 2013.
  119. Vaishampayan P, Probst AJ, La Duc MT, Bargoma E, Benardini JN, Andersen GL, et al. New perspectives on viable microbial communities in low-biomass cleanroom environments. ISME J. 2013;7(2):312-24; doi: 10.1038/ismej.2012.114.
  120. Vaishampayan P, Moissl-Eichinger C, Pukall R, Schumann P, Sproer C, Augustus A, et al. Description of Tersicoccus phoenicisgen. nov., sp. nov. isolated from spacecraft assembly clean room environments. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2013;63(7):2463-71; doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.047134-0.
  121. Tirumalai MR, Rastogi R, Zamani N, O'Bryant Williams E, Allen S, Diouf F, et al. Candidate genes that may be responsible for the unusual resistances exhibited by Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 spores. PLoS ONE. 2013;8(6):e66012; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066012.
  122. Probst AJ, Holman HY, Desantis TZ, Andersen GL, Birarda G, Bechtel HA, et al. Tackling the minority: sulfate-reducing bacteria in an archaea-dominated subsurface biofilm. ISME J. 2013;7:635-51; doi: 10.1038/ismej.2012.133.
  123. Mijnendonckx K, Provoost A, Ott CM, Venkateswaran K, Mahillon J, Leys N, et al. Characterization of the survival ability of Cupriavidus metallidurans and Ralstonia pickettiifrom space-related environments. Microb Ecol. 2013;65(2):347-60; doi: 10.1007/s00248-012-0139-2.
  124. Cherie MO, Michele NB, Victoria AC, Kasthuri JV, Parag AV, Kathy UJ, et al. Microbial Monitoring of Common Opportunistic Pathogens by Comparing Multiple Real-Time PCR Platforms for Potential Space Applications. In: 43rd International Conference on Environmental Systems. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; 2013.
  125. Bargoma E, La Duc MT, Kwan K, Vaishampayan P, Venkateswaran K. Differential recovery of phylogenetically disparate microbes from spacecraft-qualified metal surfaces. Astrobiology. 2013;13(2):189-202.
  126. Venkateswaran K, La Duc MT, Vaishampayan P: Genetic Inventory Task: Final Report, JPL Publication 12-12. In., vol. 1 and 2. Pasadena, CA.: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology; 2012: 1-117.
  127. Vaishampayan P, Rabbow E, Horneck G, Venkateswaran K. Survival of Bacillus pumilusspores for a prolonged period of time in real space conditions. Astrobiology. 2012;12(5):487-97.
  128. Stam CN, Bruckner J, Spry JA, Venkateswaran K, La Duc MT. A molecular method to assess bioburden embedded within silicon-based resins used on modern spacecraft materials. International Journal of Astrobiology. 2012;11(03):141-5; doi: doi:10.1017/S1473550412000031.
  129. Onofri S, de la Torre R, de Vera J, Ott S, Zucconi L, Selbmann L, et al. Hitchhikers between planets? – Rock-colonising organisms survive 1.5 years in outer space. Astrobiology. 2012;12(5):508-16.
  130. McCoy KB, Derecho I, Wong T, Tran HM, Huynh TD, La Duc MT, et al. Insights into the Extremotolerance of Acinetobacter radioresistens 50v1, a Gram-Negative Bacterium Isolated from the Mars Odyssey Spacecraft. Astrobiology. 2012;12(9):854-62; doi: 10.1089/ast.2012.0835.
  131. La Duc MT, Vaishampayan P, Nilsson HR, Torok T, Venkateswaran K. Pyrosequencing-derived bacterial, archaeal, and fungal diversity of spacecraft hardware destined for Mars. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2012;78(16):5912-22; doi: AEM.01435-12 [pii] 10.1128/AEM.01435-12.
  132. Krebs JE, Schrader M, Vaishampayan P, Rabbow E, Rettberg P, K. V. Assessment of Bacillus horneckiae spore survival under simulated space ISS conditions. 2012 American Society for Microbiology General Meeting, San Francisco Convention Center, San Francisco, CA. 2012.
  133. Horneck G, Moeller R, Cadet J, Douki T, Mancinelli RL, Nicholson WL, et al. Resistance of bacterial endospores to outer space for planetary protection purposes--experiment PROTECT of the EXPOSE-E mission. Astrobiology. 2012;12(5):445-56; doi: 10.1089/ast.2011.0737.
  134. Duc MT, Vaishampayan P, Nilsson HR, Torok T, Venkateswaran K. Pyrosequencing-derived bacterial, archaeal, and fungal diversity of spacecraft hardware destined for Mars. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2012;78; doi: 10.1128/aem.01435-12.
  135. Choi S, Chang MS, Stuecker T, Chung C, Newcombe DA, Venkateswaran K. A fosmid cloning strategy for detecting the widest possible spectrum of microbes from the international space station drinking water system. Genomics Inform. 2012;10(4):249-55; doi: 10.5808/GI.2012.10.4.249.
  136. Zhu D, Vaishampayan PA, Venkateswaran K, Fox GE. STITCH: algorithm to splice, trim, identify, track, and capture the uniqueness of 16S rRNAs sequence pairs using public or in-house database. Microb Ecol. 2011;61(3):669-75; doi: 10.1007/s00248-010-9779-2.
  137. Roberts A, Augustus A, Vaishampayan P, Schwendner P, Rettberg P, Salmassi T, et al.: Deinococcus phoenicis sp. nov., a novel and highly ionizing-radiation-resistant bacteria isolated from Phoenix Lander assembly facility. In: 111th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiologists. New Orleans, LA: ASM; 2011.
  138. Moseley MA, Dubois LG, Soderblom EJ, Thompson JW, Carnell L, Fox G, et al.: Differential Expression Proteomic Phenotyping of Enhanced Survivability of Bacillus pumilusfollowing 18-Month Extraterrestrial Exposure aboard the International Space Station. In: American Society for Mass Spectrometry. Denver, CO: ASMS; 2011.
  139. Kwan K, Cooper M, La Duc MT, Vaishampayan P, Stam C, Benardini JN, et al. Evaluation of procedures for the collection, processing, and analysis of biomolecules from low-biomass surfaces. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2011;77(9):2943-53; doi: 10.1128/aem.02978-10.
  140. Gómez F, Walter N, Amils R, Rull F, Klingelhöfer AK, Kviderova J, et al. Multidisciplinary integrated field campaign to an acidic Martian Earth analogue with astrobiological interest: Rio Tinto. International Journal of Astrobiology. 2011;10(Special Issue 03):291-305; doi: doi:10.1017/S147355041100005X.
  141. Cooper M, La Duc MT, Probst A, Vaishampayan P, Stam C, Benardini JN, et al. Comparison of innovative molecular approaches and standard spore assays for assessment of surface cleanliness. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2011;77(15):5438-44; doi: 10.1128/aem.00192-11.
  142. Benardini JN, Vaishampayan PA, Schwendner P, Swanner E, Fukui Y, Osman S, et al. Paenibacillus phoenicissp. nov., isolated from the Phoenix Lander assembly facility and a subsurface molybdenum mine. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2011;61(Pt 6):1338-43; doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.021428-0.
  143. Augustus A, Roberts A, Vaishampayan P, Schwendner P, Moissl-Eichinger C, Salmassi T, et al.: Description of Arthrobacter phoenicissp. nov., isolated from the Phoenix Lander assembly facility. In: ASM 111th General Meeting. New Orleans, LA: ASM; 2011.
  144. Vaishampayan P, Probst A, Krishnamurthi S, Ghosh S, Osman S, McDowall A, et al. Bacillus horneckiae sp. nov., isolated from a spacecraft-assembly clean room. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2010;60(Pt 5):1031-7; doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.008979-0.
  145. Vaishampayan P, Osman S, Andersen G, Venkateswaran K. High-density 16S microarray and clone library-based microbial community composition of the Phoenix spacecraft assembly clean room. Astrobiology. 2010;10(5):499-508.
  146. Schwendner P, Vaishampayan P, Osman S, Rabbow E, Moissl-Eichinger C, Horneck G, et al.: Viability of Bacillus pumilusSAFR-032 spores after exposing to space and Mars conditions using EXPOSE EuTEF module. In: 110th General meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. 2010.
  147. Probst A, Vaishampayan P, Osman S, Moissl-Eichinger C, Andersen GL, Venkateswaran K. Diversity of anaerobic microbes in spacecraft assembly clean rooms. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2010;76(9):2837-45; doi: AEM.02167-09 [pii] 10.1128/AEM.02167-09.
  148. Miller LD, Mosher JJ, Venkateswaran A, Yang ZK, Palumbo AV, Phelps TJ, et al. Establishment and metabolic analysis of a model microbial community for understanding trophic and electron accepting interactions of subsurface anaerobic environments. BMC Microbiol. 2010;10:149; doi: 10.1186/1471-2180-10-149.
  149. Ghosh S, Osman S, Vaishampayan P, Venkateswaran K. Recurrent isolation of extremotolerant bacteria from the clean room where Phoenix spacecraft components were assembled. Astrobiology. 2010;10(3):325-35; doi: 10.1089/ast.2009.0396.
  150. Vaishampayan P, Miyashita M, Ohnishi A, Satomi M, Rooney A, La Duc MT, et al. Description of Rummeliibacillus stabekisii gen. nov., sp. nov. and reclassification of Bacillus pycnusNakamura et al. 2002 as Rummeliibacillus pycnus comb. nov. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2009;59(Pt 5):1094-9; doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.006098-0.
  151. Newcombe D, Dekas A, Mayilraj S, Venkateswaran K. Bacillus canaveralius sp. nov., an alkali-tolerant bacterium isolated from a spacecraft assembly facility. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2009;59(Pt 8):2015-9; doi: ijs.0.009167-0 [pii] 10.1099/ijs.0.009167-0.
  152. La Duc MT, Osman S, Venkateswaran K. Comparative analysis of methods for the purification of DNA from low-biomass samples based on total yield and conserved microbial diversity. Journal of Rapid Methods & Automation in Microbiology. 2009;17(3):350-68; doi: 10.1111/j.1745-4581.2009.00153.x.
  153. La Duc MT, Osman S, Vaishampayan P, Piceno Y, Andersen G, Spry JA, et al. Comprehensive census of bacteria in clean rooms by using DNA microarray and cloning methods. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2009;75(20):6559-67; doi: 10.1128/aem.01073-09.
  154. Osman S, Peeters Z, La Duc MT, Mancinelli R, Ehrenfreund P, Venkateswaran K. Effect of shadowing on survival of bacteria under conditions simulating the Martian atmosphere and UV radiation. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2008;74(4):959-70; doi: 10.1128/AEM.01973-07.
  155. Osman S, LaDuc MT, Dekas A, Newcombe D, Venkateswaran K. Microbial bioburden and diversity of commercial airline cabin air during short- and long-duration of travel. ISME J. 2008;2:482-97.
  156. Newcombe DA, LaDuc MT, Vaishampayan P, Venkateswaran K. Impact of assembly, testing, and launch operations on the airborne bacterial diversity within a spacecraft assembly facility clean-room. Intern J Astrobiol. 2008;7(3 & 4):223-36.
  157. Moissl C, Bruckner JC, Venkateswaran K. Archaeal diversity analysis of spacecraft assembly clean rooms. ISME J. 2008;2(1):115-9; doi: http://www.nature.com/ismej/journal/v2/n1/suppinfo/ismej200798s1.html .
  158. Gunashree BS, Venkateswaran G. Effect of different cultural conditions for phytase production by Aspergillus niger CFR 335 in submerged and solid-state fermentations. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol. 2008;35(12):1587-96; doi: 10.1007/s10295-008-0402-1.
  159. Bruckner JC, Osman S, Conley C, Venkateswaran K. Space Microbiology: Planetary Protection, Burden, Diversity and Significance of Spacecraft Associated Microbes. In: Schaechter M, editor. Encyclopedia of Microbiology Oxford: Elsevier; 2008. p. 52-65.
  160. Urgiles E, Wilcox J, Montes O, Osman SAOS, Venkateswaran KAVK, Cepeda MACM, et al.: Electron beam Irradiation for Microbial Reduction on Spacecraft Components. In: Aerospace Conference, 2007 IEEE. Edited by Wilcox J; 2007: 1-15.
  161. Satomi M, Vogel BF, Venkateswaran K, Gram L. Description of Shewanella glacialipiscicola sp. nov. and Shewanella algidipiscicola sp. nov., isolated from marine fish of the Danish Baltic Sea, and proposal that Shewanella affinis is a later heterotypic synonym of Shewanella colwelliana. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2007;57(2):347-52; doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.64708-0.
  162. Osman S, Moissl C, Hosoya N, Briegel A, Mayilraj S, Satomi M, et al. Tetrasphaera remsis sp. nov., isolated from the Regenerative Enclosed Life Support Module Simulator (REMS) air system. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2007;57(Pt 12):2749-53; doi: 57/12/2749 [pii] 10.1099/ijs.0.65137-0.
  163. Moores JE, Smith PH, Tanner R, Schuerger AC, Venkateswaran K. The shielding effect of small-scale Martian surface geometry on ultraviolet lux. ICARUS. 2007;192:417-33.
  164. Moissl C, Osman S, La Duc MT, Dekas A, Brodie E, DeSantis T, et al. Molecular bacterial community analysis of clean rooms where spacecraft are assembled. FEMS microbiology ecology. 2007;61(3):509-21; doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2007.00360.x.
  165. Moissl C, Hosoya N, Bruckner J, Stuecker T, Roman M, Venkateswaran K. Molecular microbial community structure of the Regenerative Enclosed Life Support Module Simulator air system. Int J Astrobiol. 2007;6(2):131-45.
  166. La Duc MT, Stucker T, Venkateswaran K. Molecular bacterial diversity and bioburden of commercial airliner cabin air. Can J Microbiol. 2007;53:1259-71.
  167. La Duc MT, Dekas A, Osman S, Moissl C, Newcombe D, Venkateswaran K. Isolation and Characterization of Bacteria Capable of Tolerating the Extreme Conditions of Clean Room Environments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2007;73(8):2600-11; doi: 10.1128/aem.03007-06.
  168. Gioia J, Yerrapragada S, Qin X, Jiang H, Igboeli OC, Muzny D, et al. Paradoxical DNA repair and peroxide resistance gene conservation in Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032. PLoS ONE. 2007;2(9):e928; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000928.
  169. Duc MT, Dekas A, Osman S, Moissl C, Newcombe D, Venkateswaran K. Isolation and characterization of bacteria capable of tolerating the extreme conditions of clean room environments. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2007;73; doi: 10.1128/aem.03007-06.
  170. Bruckner JC, Venkateswaran K. Overview of methodologies to sample and assess microbial burden in low biomass environments. Jap J Food Microbiol. 2007;24(2):61-70.
  171. Schuerger AC, Richards JT, Newcombe DA, Venkateswaran K. Rapid inactivation of seven Bacillus spp. under simulated Mars UV irradiation. ICARUS. 2006;181(1):52-62; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2005.10.008 .
  172. Satomi M, Vogel BF, Gram L, Venkateswaran K. Shewanella hafniensis sp. nov. and Shewanella morhuae sp. nov., isolated from marine fish of the Baltic Sea. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2006;56(1):243-9; doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.63931-0.
  173. Satomi M, La Duc MT, Venkateswaran K. Bacillus safensis sp. nov., isolated from spacecraft and assembly-facility surfaces. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2006;56(Pt 8):1735-40.
  174. Russell E, Newcombe DA, Spry A, Wainwright N, Venkateswaran K: Characterization of microbes isolated from the Mars Express Orbiter and its assembly environments. In: ASM-Extremophiles. Virginia, USA: ASM; 2006.
  175. Pillai SD, Venkateswaran K, Cepeda M, Soni K, Mittasch S, Maxim J, et al.: Electron beam (10 MeV) irradiation to decontaminate spacecraft components for planetary protection. In: Aerospace Conference, 2006 IEEE. Edited by Kasthuri V; 2006: 9 pp.
  176. Osman S, Satomi M, Venkateswaran K. Paenibacillus pasadenensis sp. nov. and Paenibacillus barengoltzii sp. nov., isolated from a spacecraft assembly facility. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2006;56(Pt 7):1509-14.
  177. Gatson JW, Benz BF, Chandrasekaran C, Satomi M, Venkateswaran K, Hart ME. Bacillus tequilensis sp. nov., isolated from a 2000-year-old Mexican shaft-tomb, is closely related to Bacillus subtilis. International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology. 2006;56(7):1475-84; doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.63946-0.
  178. Dekas AE, Moissl C, Osman S, La Duc MT, Newcombe Da, Venkateswaran K: The Spacecraft Assembly Facility: A Niche for Clean Room Extremophiles. In: 106th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Orlando, FL: American Society for Microbiology, Washingto D.C.; 2006: 389; Abstract #: N-094.
  179. Behar A, Matthews J, Venkateswaran K, Bruckner J, Jonsson J. A deep sea hydrothermal vent bio-sampler for large volume in-situ filtration of hydrothermal vent fluids. Cahiers de Biologie Marine. 2006;47:443-7.
  180. Stuecker TN, D.A. Newcombe, E. Murdock, R. Sumner, and K. Venkateswaran Characterization of the VBNC state of two opportunistic pathogens isolated from ISS drinking water: Implications for biocide treatment and bioburden detection. In: 34th International Conference on Environmental Systems. July, 2005, Rome, Italy: SAE Technical paper series; 2005.
  181. Osman S, Stuecker T, Newcombe D, Venkateswaran K: Microbial burden and community profiles of the Genesis curation laboratory. In: 105th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Edited by Microbiology ASf, vol. Abstracts. Atlanta, GA.; 2005.
  182. Newcombe DA, Schuerger AC, Benardini JN, Dickinson D, Tanner R, Venkateswaran K. Survival of spacecraft-associated microorganisms under simulated martian UV irradiation. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005;71(12):8147-56.
  183. Kern R, Kazarians G, Beaudet RA, Venkateswaran K, Chen F: Rapid enzyme-based microbial burden assays: The case for certifying total adenosine triphosphate assay for use on spacecraft hardware. JPL D-30970. In.: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA; 2005: 1-141.
  184. Kempf MJ, Chen F, Kern R, Venkateswaran K. Recurrent isolation of hydrogen peroxide-resistant spores of Bacillus pumilus from a spacecraft assembly facility. Astrobiology. 2005;5(3):391-405.
  185. Bruckner JC, Yalamanchili RC, Fields R, Sumner R, Venkateswaran K: Systematic sampling and processing of nucleic acids for low biomass samples. In: 105th General meeting of the American Society of Microbiology. Atlanta, GA: American Society of Microbiology; 2005.
  186. Benardini J, Ballinger J, Crawford R, Roman M, Sumner R, Venkateswaran K. In: 34th International Conference on Environmental Systems, International Space Station Internal Thermal Coolant System: An initial assessment of the microbial communities within fluids from ground support and flight hardware. July, 2005, Rome, Italy: SAE Technical paper series; 2005.
  187. Venkateswaran K, Chung S, Allton J, Kern R. Evaluation of various cleaning methods to remove Bacillusspores from spacecraft hardware materials. Astrobiology. 2004;4:377-90.
  188. Srivaths PR, Rozans MK, Kelly E, Jr., Venkateswaran L. Bacillus cereus central line infection in an immunocompetent child with hemophilia. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2004;26(3):194-6.
  189. Link L, Sawyer J, Venkateswaran K, Nicholson W. Extreme spore UV resistance of Bacillus pumilus isolates obtained from an ultraclean spacecraft assembly facility. Microb Ecol. 2004;47:159-63.
  190. La Duc MT, Satomi M, Venkateswaran K. Bacillus odysseyi sp. nov., a round-spore-forming bacillus isolated from the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2004;54:195-201.
  191. La Duc MT, Satomi M, Agata N, Venkateswaran K. gyrB as a phylogenetic discriminator for members of the Bacillus anthracis-cereus-thuringiensis group. Journal of microbiological methods. 2004;56(3):383-94.
  192. La Duc MT, Pierson DL, Venkateswaran K. Evidence of pathogenic microbes in the International Space Station drinking water: Reason for concern? Habitation. 2004;10:39-48.
  193. La Duc MT, Kern RG, Venkateswaran K. Microbial monitoring of spacecraft and associated environments. Microbial ecology. 2004;47:150-8.
  194. Duc MT, Satomi M, Agata N, Venkateswaran K. gyrB as a phylogenetic discriminator for members of the Bacillus anthracis-cereus-thuringiensis group. J Microbiol Methods. 2004;56; doi: 10.1016/j.mimet.2003.11.004.
  195. Dickinson DN, La Duc MT, Satomi M, Winefordner JD, Powell DH, Venkateswaran K. MALDI-TOFMS compared with other polyphasic taxonomy approaches for the identification and classification of Bacillus pumilus spores. Journal of microbiological methods. 2004;58(1):1-12.
  196. Dickinson DN, La Duc MT, Haskins WE, Gornushkin I, Winefordner JD, Powell DH, et al. Species differentiation of a diverse suite of Bacillus spores by mass spectrometry-based protein profiling. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 2004;70(1):475-82.
  197. Venkateswaran K, Kempf M, Chen F, Satomi M, Nicholson W, Kern R. Bacillus nealsonii sp. nov., isolated from a spacecraft-assembly facility, whose spores are γ-radiation resistant. International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology. 2003;53(1):165-72.
  198. Venkateswaran K, Hattori N, La Duc MT, Kern R. ATP as a biomarker of viable microorganisms in clean-room facilities. Journal of microbiological methods. 2003;52(3):367-77; doi: 10.1016/s0167-7012(02)00192-6.
  199. Liu Y, Zhou J, Omelchenko MV, Beliaev AS, Venkateswaran A, Stair J, et al. Transcriptome dynamics of Deinococcus radiodurans recovering from ionizing radiation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2003;100(7):4191-6.
  200. La Duc MT, Sumner R, Pierson DL, Venkateswaran K: Characterization and monitoring of microbes in the International Space Station drinking water. In: Proceedings form the 33rd International Conference on Environmental Systems. Vancouver, Canada; 2003.
  201. La Duc MT, Nicholson W, Kern R, Venkateswaran K. Microbial characterization of the Mars Odyssey spacecraft and its encapsulation facility. Environ Microbiol. 2003;5(10):977-85.
  202. Benardini JN, Sawyer J, Venkateswaran K, Nicholson WL. Spore UV and acceleration resistance of endolithic Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus subtilis isolates obtained from Sonoran desert basalt: Implications for lithopanspermia. Astrobiology. 2003;3(4):709-17.
  203. Venkateswaran K, Satomi M, Chung S, Kern R, Koukol R, Basic C, et al. Molecular Microbial Diversity of a Spacecraft Assembly Facility. Systematic and applied microbiology. 2001;24(2):311-20; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1078/0723-2020-00018 .
  204. Chung S, Venkateswaran K, Echeverria C, La Duc M, Schubert W, Kazarians G, et al.: Microbial Populations in Spacecraft Assembly Facilities as Determined by LAL Assay. In: 101st General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Orlando, FL: American Society for Microbiology; 2001.
  205. Vogel BF, Venkateswaran K, Christensen H, Falsen E, Christiansen G, Gram L. Polyphasic taxonomic approach in the description of Alishewanella fetalis gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from a human foetus. International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology. 2000;50 Pt 3:1133-42.
  206. Venkateswaran K, Vu A, Musick M, Echeverria C, Chung S, Satomi M, et al.: Phylogenetic characterization and description of novel heat-tolerant Bacillusspecies isolated from spacecraft assembly facility. Proceedings from the 30th International Conference on Environmental Systems, July, 2000, Toulouse, France. Society of Automotive Engineers Technical paper series #00ICES-129. In.; 2000.
  207. Venkateswaran K, Dohmoto N. Pseudoalteromonas peptidolyticasp. nov., a novel marine mussel-thread- degrading bacterium isolated from the Sea of Japan. International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology. 2000;50 Pt 2:565-74.
  208. Venkateswaran A, McFarlan SC, Ghosal D, Minton KW, Vasilenko A, Makarova K, et al. Physiologic determinants of radiation resistance in Deinococcus radiodurans. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2000;66(6):2620-6; doi: 10.1128/aem.66.6.2620-2626.2000.
  209. Yamada S, Ohashi E, Agata N, Venkateswaran K. Cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis of gyrB of Bacillus cereus, B. thuringiensis , B. mycoides, and B. anthracis and their application to the detection of B. cereus in rice. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1999;65(4):1483-90.
  210. Venkateswaran K, Moser DP, Dollhopf ME, Lies DP, Saffarini DA, MacGregor BJ, et al. Polyphasic taxonomy of the genus Shewanellaand description of Shewanella oneidensissp. nov. Int J Syst Bacteriol. 1999;49:705-24.
  211. Venkateswaran K, Dollhopf ME, Aller R, Stackebrandt E, Nealson KH. Shewanella amazonensis sp. nov., a novel metal-reducing facultative anaerobe from Amazonian shelf muds. International journal of systematic bacteriology. 1998;48 Pt 3:965-72.
  212. Venkateswaran K, Dohmoto N, Harayama S. Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the gyrB gene of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and its application in detection of this pathogen in shrimp. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1998;64(2):681-7.
  213. Venkateswaran K, Kamijoh Y, Ohashi E, Nakanishi H. A simple filtration technique to detect enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coliO157:H7 and its toxins in beef by multiplex PCR. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1997;63(10):4127-31.
  214. Venkateswaran K, Murakoshi A, Satake M. Comparison of commercially available kits with standard methods for the detection of coliforms and Escherichia coli in foods. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1996;62(7):2236-43.
  215. Venkateswaran K, Kurusu T, Satake M, Shinoda S. Comparison of a fluorogenic assay with a conventional method for rapid detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafoods. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1996;62(9):3516-20.
  216. Venkateswaran K, Kiiyukia C, Nakanishi K, Nakano H, Matsuda O, Hashimoto H, et al. The role of sinking particles in the overwintering process of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in a marine environment. FEMS microbiology letters. 1990;73(2):159-66; doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-1097(90)90662-A .
  217. Venkateswaran K, Kiiyukia C, Nakanishi K, Nakano H, Matsuda O, Hashimoto H. The role of sinking particles in the overwintering process of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in a marine environment. FEMS microbiology letters. 1990;73(2):159-66; doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-1097(90)90662-A .
  218. Simpson AC, Tighe S, Wong S, Leo P, Parker C, Chander AM, et al. Analysis of Microbiomes from Ultra-Low Biomass Surfaces Using Novel Surface Sampling and Nanopore Sequencing. Journal of Biomolecular Techniques. 2023;34(3); doi: 10.7171/3fc1f5fe.bac4a5b3.
  219. Leo P, de Melo Texeira M, Chander AM, Singh NK, Simpson AC, Yurkov A, et al. Genomic characterization and radiation tolerance of Naganishia kalamii sp. nov. and Cystobasidium onofriisp. nov. from Mars 2020 mission assembly facilities. IMA Fungus. 2023;14(1):15; doi: 10.1186/s43008-023-00119-4.
Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran
Address: 
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109
Phone: 818.393.1481
Fax Number: 818.393.4176