Dr. Sturino will use Systems Biology to investigate the tripartite interactions between probiotic and pathogenic bacteria and their human host. Information garnered from these studies will be used to develop strains of probiotic bacteria with improved health-promoting functionality. In addition, he will identify and augment strains of lactic acid bacteria for use as biocatalysts with accelerated activity and enhanced stability for the production of fermented foods (such as wines and yogurt), biofuels (such as ethanol) and bioactive molecules (including vaccines).

Dr Sturino won the Chr. Hansen Innovation Excellence Award for Best Project Proposal in 2002 – 2004. He has been inducted into the Phi Tau Sigma Food Science Honor Society, the Alpha Chi Sigma Professional Chemistry Fraternity and the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society. In 2002, he was elected to the Sigma Xi Executive Council. He holds 1 U.S. and 3 world patents. He is keen to return to a university role so that he can relate his research and industry experience to undergraduate and graduate students.

General Research Areas:

• Microbiota Profiling
• Probiotics & Prebiotics
• Foodborne Pathogens
• Bacteriophage Genetics
• Bioprocessing and Biocatalyst Optimization

Contract Research

• Contact for Details

Teaching Responsibilities

• Probiotics and Alimentary Microbiology
  NUTR/FSTC 489/689 (Section 699)
  http://agonline.tamu.edu/nutr489/
• Nutrition Seminar
  NUTR 481 (Section 903)

Currently training students majoring in

• Genetics (M.S. or Ph.D.)
• Nutrition (M.S. or Ph.D.)
• Food Science & Technology (M.S. or Ph.D.)
• Biotechnology http://www.tamu.edu/ppib/ (Master of Biotechnology)