profile picture of Morgan Smith
  • Graduate Student, Sorg Lab

Research Interests

  • Bacterial pathogenesis
  • Microbiology
  • Microbial genetics
  • Microbial-microbial interactions

Educational Background

  • B.S. Microbiology, James Madison University.  2018
  • Ph.D. Microbiology, Texas A&M University, In Progress

Selected Publications

  • Publications:

    • Reynoso G, Smith MR, Holmes CP 2nd, et al. Bacterial community structure and response to nitrogen amendments in Lake Shenandoah (VA, USA). Water Sci Technol. 2019;80(4):675-684. doi:10.2166/wst.2019.311. In print.
    • Consalvo KM, Rijal R, Tang Y, Kirolos SA, Smith MR, Gomer RH. Extracellular signaling in Dictyostelium. Int J Dev Biol. 2019;63(8-9-10):395-405. doi:10.1387/ijdb.190259rg. In print.

    Presentations:

    • Morgan R. Smith and Joseph A. Sorg. The Identification and Characterization of YabG Targets in Clostridioides difficile. 2020. Life Sciences Symposium. College Station, TX. Poster.
    • Guadalupe Reynoso, Morgan Smith, Silvia Naewell, Morgan Steffen, and Louie Wurch. Microbial Community Structure Dring a Microcystis Bloom in Lake Erie: Cultured Versus Uncultured Representatives. 2018. ALSO Aquatic Sciences.Victoria, British Colombia. Poster.
    • Guadalupe Reynoso, Morgan Smith, Morgan Steffen, and Louie Wurch. Microbial Community Structure Dring a Microcystis Bloom in Lake Erie. 2018. James Madison University Biosymposium. Harrisonburg, VA. Poster.
    • Ayad, A., Bamania, R., Chen, W., Dunlabp, E., Earp, M., Flores, M., Hacker, R. Lowry, M., Smith, H., Smith, M., Renfreo, R. Effect of Synthetic seed Storage Conditions on Emergence of Saintpaulia rupicola. 2017. James Madison University Biosymposium. Harrisonburg, VA. Poster.
    • Chen, W., Flores, M., Lowry, W., Smith, H., Smith, M., Renfroe, M. Inducing the Production of Astaxanthin in Haematococcus pluvialis. 2017. James Madison University Biosymposium. Harrisonburg, VA. Poster.
    • Roy, M., Smith, M.R., Enke, R. Using Exising RNA –seq DAT to Identify Differentially Expressed Genes in the Gallus gallus Embryonic Retina. 2017. James Madison University Biosymposium. Harrisonburg, VA. Poster.
    • Smith, M.R., Wurch, L. Expression of Aureococcus anophagerfferens Genes Putatively Invovled in Microbial Defense. 2017. Shenandoah Chapter of the American Society for Microbiology. Harrisonburg, VA. Poster.
    • **Awarded student award for outstanding poster presentation**
    • Guest speaker at James Madison Uiveristy’s Biology seminar series (Study Abroad Ecology of St. Croix) 2017.