JOHN F. GRIFFITH - Microbiologist

EDUCATION:

Ph.D., Marine Environmental Biology, University of Southern California. 2006

B.S., Biology, University of Southern California. 1995

B.S., Environmental Studies, University of Southern California. 1995

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Dr. Griffith specializes in the development and testing of methods to detect and identify sources of fecal contamination and human pathogenic viruses in the marine environment. In this role, he has participated in large-scale epidemiological studies of Santa Monica Bay and Mission Bay in San Diego. He has been involved in efforts to identify sources of indicator bacteria responsible for beach closures and postings in the cities of Huntington Beach, and Avalon, California, as well research funded through USC SeaGrant to examine relationships between levels of indicator bacteria and the presence of human pathogenic viruses in the coastal waters of Los Angeles. While at the University of Southern California, Dr. Griffith also participated in research on benthic foraminiferans as bio-indicators of environmental quality surrounding a major sewage outfall.

Dr. Griffith received his Ph.D. in Marine Environmental Biology at the University of Southern California. His dissertation research focused on measurement methods and source identification of fecal contamination in near-shore marine waters.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Microbiologist, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Westminster, California. 2001-Present

Research Assistant, Marine Biology Research Section, University of Southern California. Los Angeles, California. 2000-2001

Doctoral Fellow, NSF Integrative Graduate Education and Training. Environmental Studies, Policy and Engineering - Sustainable Cities Program, University of Southern California. Los Angeles, CA 1999-2000

Teaching Assistant, University of Southern California. Los Angeles, CA 1995-1999

Trainee, USC Sea Grant Program. Los Angeles, CA 1995-2001

Laboratory Assistant, University of Southern California. Los Angeles CA 1993-1995

HONORS AND AWARDS

National Science Foundation IGERT Doctoral Fellowship 1998-2000
LAS Dean's Advisory Board, University of Southern California 1994 -1997
LAS Dean's List, University of Southern California 1994, 1995
Phi Sigma National Biological Honor Society, Chapter President 1993-1994
Dean's List, University of California, Irvine 1993
President's Honor Roll, Fullerton College 1992
Golden Key National Honor Society

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

American Society for Microbiology
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
The Oceanographic Society International Water Association

PUBLICATIONS

Colford, Jr., J.M., Wade, T.M., Schiff, K.C., Wright, C.C., Griffith, J.F., Sukhminder, K.S., Burns, S.B., Hayes, J., Sobsey, M.D., Lovelace, G., and S.B.Weisberg. 2006. Water quality indicators and the risk of illness at non-point source beaches in Mission Bay, California. Epidemiology. In press

Griffith, J.F., L.A. Aumand, I.M. Lee, C.D. McGee, L.L. Othman, K.J. Ritter, K.O. Walker and S.B. Weisberg. 2006. Comparison and verification of bacterial water quality indicator measurement methods using ambient coastal water samples. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. In press.

Noble, R.T., Griffith, J.F., Blackwood, A.D., Fuhrman, J.A., Gregory, J.B., Hernandez, X., Liang, X., Bera, A.A., and K. Schiff. 2006. Multi-tiered Approach Using Quantitative PCR to Track Sources of Fecal Pollution Affecting Santa Monica Bay, California. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 72:1604-1612

Griffith, J.F., Weisberg, S.B. and C.D. McGee. 2004. Evaluation of new, rapid methods for measuring microbiological water quality. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Annual Report. 354-362.

Griffith, J.F., Weisberg, S.B., and C.D. McGee. 2003 Evaluation of microbial source tracking methods using mixed feal sources in aqueous test samples. Journal of Water and Health. 1:141-151

Field, K.D., Chern, E.C., Dick, L.K., Fuhrman, J., Griffith, J., Holden, P.A., LaMontangne, M.G., Le, J., Olson, B., and M.T. Simonich. 2003. A comparative study of cultue-independent, library-independent genotypic methods of fecal source tracking. Journal of Water and Health. 1:181-194

Fuhrman, J.A., Griffith, J.F., and M.S. Schwalbach. 2000. Prokaryotic and viral diversity in marine plankton. Ecological Research. 17:183-194

Stott, L.D., T.P. Hayden, and J.F. Griffith. 1996 Benthic Foraminifera at the Los Angeles County Whites Point Outfall Revisited. Journal of Foraminiferal Research. 26 357-368

This page was last updated on: 09/29/2008