Directory

Biography

Preston Garcia joined the Natural Sciences faculty in August 2010.

He has been studying microbiology and conducting research since his time as an undergraduate student in the lab of Bruce A. Wiggins, Ph.D. at James Madison University in Virginia.

Before attending graduate school, Dr. Garcia spent two years working as a departmental technician in the Biology department at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. There, he spent time helping faculty with research in Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell and Developmental Biology.

Dr. Garcia attended graduate school at the University of Connecticut where he earned his Master's of Science and Ph.D. under the direction of Daniel J. Gage, Ph.D. His research focused on the mechanisms of Succinate-Mediated Catabolite Repression in the nitrogen-fixing bacterial symbiont, Sinorhizobium meliloti.

After receiving his doctorate, he was an NIH Postdoctoral fellow in Infectious Disease at the University of Virginia working on vaccine development for the pathogen, Burkholderia mallei in the lab of Joanna B. Goldberg, Ph.D.

Dr. Garcia currently serves as the Biology Program coordinator and has continued his research from his graduate studies here at Castleton. He has received external grant support which has provided funding for undergraduate student independent research projects, summer stipends and travel to national meetings.

Education

PostDoc, University of Virginia
Ph.D., University of Connecticut
M.S., University of Connecticut
B.S., James Madison University

Society Memberships

Sigma Xi
American Society for Microbiology
International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions

Recent Grants Received

National Science Foundation, MCB Systems and Synthetic Biology, $308,000, 2018-2021
Vermont Genetics Network, NIH, INBRE, Project Grant, $75,000, 2017-2018
Vermont Genetics Network, NIH, INBRE, Summer Undergraduate Stipend Grant, $5000, 2017
Vermont Genetics Network, NIH, INBRE, Pilot Grant, $25,000, 2016-2017
Pittsburgh Conference Memorial National College Grants Program, $10,000, 2017
ProteinSimple Grant Program, FluorChem Western Blot and Gel Imager, $35,000 2016
Vermont Genetics Network, NIH, INBRE, Small Equipment Grant, Microscope Camera, $5000, 2016
Vermont Genetics Network, NIH, INBRE, Small Equipment Grant, Plate Reader, $5000, 2016
Vermont Genetics Network, NIH, INBRE, Pilot Grant, $25,000 2015-2016

Recent abstracts

(*Denotes UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS)

Garcia PP, Gage, DJ, and Arango Pinedo C. Do the Phosphotransferase System (PTS) and the Sma0113/Sma0114 Two Component System in Sinorhizobium meliloti Have a Common Regulon? Accepted Abstract for the American Society for Microbiology Microbe Meeting 2020. Chicago, IL. June 18th, 2020 (*Meeting cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic)

*Nadler, MA *Babiarz BM, *Laniewski AD, *D'Amico VC, Garcia PP.  Identifying Unknown Protein Partners of the Sma0114 Response Regulator in Sinorhizobium meliloti. Accepted Abstract for the American Society for Microbiology Microbe Meeting 2020. Chicago, IL. June 18th, 2020 (*Meeting cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic)

*Henderson, J, *Hoak M, Arango Pinedo, C and Garcia PP. Identification of stress inducing compounds that affect the combined PTS and two-component regulatory system in Sinorhizobium meliloti. Accepted Abstract for the American Society for Microbiology Microbe Meeting 2020. Chicago, IL. June 18th, 2020 (*Meeting cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic)

*Laniewski, A., *Nadler, M, Garcia PP, Complementary Approaches for Identification of Proteins Associated with the Sma0114 Response Regulator in Sinorhizobium meliloti. Invited Joint Oral Presentation, New England Symbiosis Workshop, University of Vermont, November 2019.

*Babiarz, B, *Harvey, D, *Nadler, M, Garcia PP, Complementary Approaches for Identification of Proteins Associated with the Sma0114 Response Regulator in Sinorhizobium meliloti. Oral Presentation Castleton University Natural Sciences Research Fair, Castleton VT May 2019.

*Babiarz, B, *Nadler, M and Garcia PP. Complementary Approaches for Identification of Protein Partners Associated with the Sma0114 Response Regulator in Sinorhizobium meliloti: NEMPET: Northeast Microbiologists: Physiology, Ecology and Taxonomy Meeting, Blue Mountain Lake, New York, June 28, 2019.

*Ihunna Amugo, I, Braverman, J, Garcia, P and Arango C, Can We Identify Regulatory Sequences for Control of Gene Expression by the non-DNA Binding Response Regulator Sma0114 in S. meliloti using a Motif Recognition Algorithm? NEMPET: Northeast Microbiologists: Physiology, Ecology and Taxonomy Meeting, Blue Mountain Lake, New York, June 28, 2019.