Courses:  Biological Science I (BIOL 121), Biological Science II (BIOL 122), Microbiology (BIOL 330/330L), Biology of Human Cancers (BIOL 345), Plant Physiology (BIOL 349/349L), Mycology (BIOL 424/424L)

Research Interests: I am a Plant Pathologist by training with an emphasis in soil microbiology and mycology. My recent research has focused on the evolution of type III effector proteins of isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from soil. I am also interested in the molecular phylogeny and ecology of fungi.

• Evolution of type III effector proteins in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• Identification of novel type III secretion systems in environmental species of bacteria
• Development of a molecular system for analysis of mycorrhizal fungi in coastal wetland plants
• Molecular phyologeny of the fungal genus Amanita

Selected Publications:

*Stevens, M., *Malinky, C., Olson, J.C., and Ferguson, M. W. 2002 Analysis of the exoS, exoT and exoU genes in P. aeruginosa Cystic Fibrosis isolates. Bulletin of the South Carolina Academy of Science, Vol LXIV, p 98.

*Huckaby, R., *Stevens, M., Olson, J.C., and Ferguson, M. W.. 2002. Does the exoU gene from Pseudomonas aeruginosa move via a plasmid? Bulletin of the South Carolina Academy of Science, Vol LXIV, p 75.

Ferguson, M.W., *Maxwell, J.A., Vincent, T.S., Da Silva, J., and Olson, J.C.. 2001. Comparison of the exoS Gene and Protein Expression in soil and clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Infection and Immunity. 69 (4):2198-2210

Olson, J.C. and M.W. Ferguson. 2001. The Role of Bacterially Translocated Exoenzyme S in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections in Cystic Fibrosis Patients. Abstract. Eleventh Broken Arrow Conference, September 7-8, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

*Baker, C. and M. W. Ferguson. 1999. Effect of Exoenzyme S produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, on viability and embryogenesis of Caenorhabditis elegans. South Carolina Academy of Sciences. (Vol. LXI) p 69