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Beth A Ahner

Associate Professor

Primary Research Areas

  • agricultural biotechnology
  • aquatic science
  • biochemistry
  • biogeochemistry
  • biological and environmental engineering
  • earth science
  • environmental engineering
  • environmental sciences
  • plant biology
  • transgenic plants

Graduate Fields

Research Focus

My research in environmental biotechnology explores how organisms adapt to trace metal stress in the environment and how they in turn influence the form of metals in the environment – for example how plants solubilize, take up, detoxify and sequester metals. My laboratory group focuses on research questions involving intracellular detoxification mechanisms and how biological processes affect the biogeochemical cycling of metals in the natural environment and in engineered systems. One application of this research is to phytoremediation, the use of plants to remove metals from contaminated soils. As part of a collaborative effort with other faculty on campus, I have also become interested in biomolecular farming or the production of specialty enzymes, such as cellulases, and other proteins in transgenic plants. My group is focused on how the hydroponic growth medium composition can be manipulated to optimize transgenic protein expression. We are examining the trace metal bioavailability and other nutrients such as nitrogen.

Educational Background

Ph.D., Civil and Environmental Engineering, MIT, September 1994.
B.S., Civil and Environmental Engineering, MIT, June 1989.

Research Grants

  • COPPER SPECIATION IN SEAWATER: STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF NOVEL CHELATORS

Selected Publications

PubMed Listings

  1. Vadas, T. M., X. Zhang, A.M. Curran, and B. A. Ahner. Fate of DTPA, EDTA and EDDS in hydroponic media and effects on plant mineral nutrition. Journal of Plant Nutrition (in press).

  2. Dupont, C. L., R. R. Bidigare, J. W. Moffett, and B. A. Ahner.  Distributions of dissolved and particulate biogenic thiols in the North Pacific Ocean.  Deep Sea Research I 53: 1961-1974 (2006).

  3. Kim, H.-S. and B. A. Ahner.  Calibration of Phen Green™ SK for use as a Cu(I)-Selective fluorescent indicator. Analytica Chimica Acta 575: 223-229 (2006).

  4. Dupont, C. L. and B. A. Ahner. Effects of Cu, Cd, Zn on the production and exudation of thiols by Emiliania huxleyi. Limnology and Oceanography 50:508-515 (2005).

  5. Wei, L. and B. A. Ahner.  Sources and sinks of dissolved phytochelatin in natural seawater. Limnology and Oceanography 50:13-20 (2005).

  6. Dupont, C. L., R. K. Nelson, S. Bashir, J. W. Moffett, and B. A. Ahner.  Novel copper-binding and nitrogen-rich thiols produced and exuded by Emiliania huxleyi. Limnology and Oceanography 49:1754-1762 (2004).

  7. Dupont, C. L., L. Wei, T. J. Goepfert, P. Lo and B. A. Ahner.  Diurnal cycling of glutathione and cysteine in marine phytoplankton.  Limnology and Oceanography 49: 991-996 (2004).

  8. Wei, L., J. R. Donat, G. Fones and B. A. Ahner.  Interactions between Cd, Cu, and Zn influence particulate phytochelatin concentrations in marine phytoplankton: Laboratory results and preliminary field data. Environmental Science and Technology 37:3609-3618 (2003).

  9. Maier, E. A., R. D. Matthews, J. A. McDowell, R. Walden and B. A. Ahner.  Environmental Cd levels induce phytochelatin and glutathione in lettuce grown in a chelator-buffered nutrient solution. Journal of Environmental Quality 32:1356-1364 (2003).

  10. Hill, K. A., L. W. Lion, and B. A. Ahner.  Reduced Cd accumulation in Zea mays: A protective role for phytosiderophores?  Environmental Science and Technology 36:5363-5368 (2002).

  11. Ahner, B. A., J. R. Oleson, N. Ogura, and L. Wei.  Glutathione and other low molecular weight thiols in marine phytoplankton under metal stress.  Marine Ecology Progress Series. 232:93-103 (2002).

  12. Ebbs, S., I. Lau, B. A. Ahner, and L. Kochian. Phytochelatin synthesis is not responsible for Cd tolerance in the Zn/Cd Hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens (J&C Presl). Planta 214:635-640 (2002).