CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS 

(*denotes High school student collaborator; ** denotes graduate student collaborator, underlined denotes post-doc collaborator and faculty; unlabeled denotes undergraduate collaborator)

2026: 

1. Identification and characterization of a novel heavy-metal tolerant Microbacterium species capable of xenobiotics degradation. Mitra M, 39th Annual Conference of the Southern section of AOAC (ASSOCIATION OF OFFICIAL ANALYTICAL COLLABORATION) International, April 1st, Atlanta (Invited speaker).

2025: 

1. Development of a Cost-Effective Minimal Growth Medium for Screening Bacterial Vitamin B Auxotrophs Capable of Xenobiotic Biodegradation, Mitra M, 38th Annual Conference of the Southern section of AOAC (ASSOCIATION OF OFFICIAL ANALYTICAL COLLABORATION) International, April 2nd, Atlanta (Invited speaker).

2022: 

1. Whole genome sequencing of a novel bacterial strain isolated from a contaminated green-   micro algal culture plate provides insight into its metabolome involved in heavy metal tolerance and xenobiotic biodegradation. Invited Speaker at the International Conference on Plants and Microbes: Health and Food, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, India, 29th December. (Invited speaker; virtual, Zoom).

2019: 

1. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: A “Rock Star” Green Biology Teaching Tool, Mitra M, Education session, Plant Biology, San Jose, CA, August 4th (Invited symposium speaker; competitive selection)

2. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: A “Rock Star” Green Biology Teaching Tool, Mitra M, Plant  Biology, San Jose, CA, August 4th.  (Interactive E-poster) [This I-poster was selected as an excellent example of  I-poster in Plant Biology 2020 Worldwide Summit, July 27th- July 30th 2020].

3.  Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (a pond scum/green yeast): A “Rock Star” Green Biology Teaching Tool. TenTalks, Innovations in Pedagogy, Tanner Health System School of Nursing Building, UWG, May 14th. (Invited speaker)

4. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: A “Rock Star” Plant Biology Teaching tool for K-16 students. Mitra M. Meeting of the southern section of the American Society of Plant Biologists, Watt Family Innovation Center, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, March 17th. (Invited speaker)

2018: 

1. Employment of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii/Chlamy, a Green Micro Alga (“green yeast”) for K16 Biology Education. Mitra M. Plant Biology 2018, Montreal Canada, 14th July -18th July. (Poster)

2017:  

1. Molecular characterization of two high light–sensitive Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutants, defective in a novel functionally uncharacterized gene LSR1. Mitra M, Nguyen K, Swint, J, Page J, Smith KP, Truong T, Kim K. Photosynthesis Gordon Research Conference, Newry, ME, July 16th - July 21st. (Poster and a Flash talk)

2. Identification of a novel gene LSR1 that plays a role in high light tolerance in the green micro-alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Mitra M, Nguyen K, Swint J, Page J, Smith KP, Truong T, Kim K. Southern sectional-American Society of Plant Biologists meeting, Orlando, FL, April 8th -10th. (Invited speaker)

2014: 

1. Identification and molecular characterization of a chlorophyll deficient non-photosynthetic Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutant. Mitra M, **Grovenstein PB, Smith KP, Truong T, Haye TC, Fuller T and Grimm B. American Society of Plant Biologists southern sectional meeting, Lexington, KY, March 29th- 31st. (Invited speaker)

2013: 

1. Characterization of two Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutants defective in chlorophyll biosynthesis. Mitra M, **Grovenstein PB, Wilson DA, Lankford KD, *Lennox CG, Smith KP, Brzezowski P, Grimm B, Haye TC and Gaston KA. The 16th International Congress on Photosynthesis Research, St. Louis, August 11th – 16th, 2013. (Poster)

2012: 

1. Employing functional genomics to study the regulation of tetrapyrrole metabolism in the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Mitra M, **Grovenstein P, Schlicke H, Grimm B, Wilson DA, Lankford KD, Gaston KA, and Smith J. The Annual Meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists, Austin, Texas, July 20th - July 24th. (Poster)

2. Employing functional genomics to study the regulation of tetrapyrrole metabolism in the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Mitra M, Brzezowski P, **Grovenstein P, Schlicke H, Wilson DA, Gaston KA, Lankford KD, Smith J and Grimm B. 15th International Conference on the Cell and Molecular Biology of Chlamydomonas, Potsdam, Germany, June 5th- 10th. (Poster)

3. TLA1, a novel gene for the regulation of the chlorophyll antenna size in the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Mitra M, **Kirst H, Dewez D, Ng, S and Melis A. Southern Sectional ASPB meeting, South Carolina, Myrtle Beach, March 3rd-5th. (Invited speaker)

2011: 

1. Regulation of the chlorophyll antenna size in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by TLA1 gene over-expression and RNA interference. Mitra M, **Kirst H, Dewez D, Ng S and Melis A. Presented at the 37th Annual Midwest/Southeast Photosynthesis Meeting, Marshall, Indiana, November 11th-13th. (Invited speaker)

2. Specific polyclonal antibodies against the 23 kDa TLA1 protein also recognize with high affinity a 28 kDa protein in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Mitra M, Dewez D, Bachman N and Melis A. Presented at the 28th Eastern Regional Photosynthesis meeting, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, April 1st- 3rd. (Invited speaker and Poster)

2010: 

1. Engaging high school seniors and college freshman undergraduates to basic molecular biology-based bioinformatics research projects. Mitra M and *Ross B (Advanced Academy of Georgia high school student). Presented at the STEM Institute at the University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, February, 2010. (Invited speaker)

2. Regulation of the chlorophyll antenna size in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by TLA1 gene over-expression and RNA interference. Mitra M, **Kirst H, Dewez D, Ng S and Melis A. Presented at the 19th Western Photosynthesis Conference, Asilomar, CA, January 7th-10th. (Poster)

2009: 

1. Genetic analysis of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Characterization of RDP1, a novel gene whose 3’UTR overlaps with the 5’UTR of the TLA1 gene. Mitra M and Melis A. Presented at the 18th Western Photosynthesis Conference, Asilomar, CA, January. (Poster)

2008: 

1. TLA1, a novel gene in the regulation of the photosynthetic chlorophyll antenna size. Mitra M, **Kirst H and Melis A. Presented at the 34th American Society for Photobiology Meeting, Burlingame, CA, June 20th-25th. (Invited speaker)

2007: 

1. TLA1, a novel protein that functions in the regulation of the chlorophyll antenna size in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Mitra M, **Kirst H, Titali S and Melis A. Presented at the 14th International Congress on Photosynthesis (organized by the International Society of Photosynthesis Research), Glasgow, Scotland, July 22nd-27th. (Poster)

2006:

1. Chlorophyll antenna size adjustments in Chlamydomonas involve coordinate regulations of TLA1, CAO and Lhcb gene expressions. Mitra M, Kanakagiri S and Melis A. Presented at the Gordon Research conference, Photosynthesis, Smithfield, RI July 2nd-7th. (Invited speaker)

2. Chlorophyll antenna size adjustments in Chlamydomonas involve coordinate regulations of TLA1, CAO and Lhcb gene expressions. Mitra M, Kanakagiri S and Melis A. Presented at the 15th Western Photosynthesis Conference, Antenna system and light harvesting session, Asilomar, CA, January. (Invited speaker)

2005:

1. Chlorophyll antenna size adjustments in Chlamydomonas involve coordinate regulations of TLA1, CAO and Lhcb gene expressions. Mitra M, Kanakagiri S and Melis A. Presented at the Plant Biology 2005, Photosynthesis mini-symposium, Seattle, WA, July 16th-20th. (Invited speaker)

2003: 

1. Identification of a novel intracellular beta carbonic anhydrase in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that is distinct from the mitochondrial forms of the enzyme. Mitra M, Lato S, **Ynalvez R and Moroney JV. Presented at the American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting at Honolulu, HI. July 25th-30th. (Poster)

2. Identification of a novel intracellular beta carbonic anhydrase in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that is distinct from the mitochondrial forms of the enzyme. Mitra M, Lato S, **Ynalvez R and Moroney JV. Presented at the Southern Sectional Meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists. Denton, TX, March 15th-17th. (Oral presentation)

1999: 

1. Characterization of an alpha carbonic anhydrase in higher plants. Mitra M and Moroney JV. Presented at the Southern Sectional Meeting of the American Society of Plant Biologists. Baton Rouge, LA, March 25th- 27th. (Oral presentation)