Hisako Masuda, Ph.D.

Phone:

765-455-9331

Email:

masudah@iu.edu

Website:

https://masudah.pages.iu.edu/

Campus:

IU Kokomo

Biography

Education

• NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 2009-2013
• Ph.D. Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, 2003-2009
• B.A. (Hons) Biochemistry, Hiram College, 1999-2003
• B.A Chemistry, Hiram College, 1999-2003  

Teaching

• C250 Introduction to Genomics, Proteomics and Transcriptomics
• C329 Biochemistry I
• C340 Biochemistry II
• C483 Biological Chemistry
• C487 Biochemistry Laboratory
• C495 Chemistry Capstone
• C109 Chemistry for nursing and health sciences
• C100 Chemistry for non-majors
• C490 Independent Research
• C390 Environmental Chemistry

Awards

• IU Trustees Teaching Award
• Senior Research Grant from the Indiana Academy of Sciences

Research

Research Interests: Cellular Physiology of Bacteria and Environmental Microbiology. Interests include elucidation of biodegradation pathways for organic pollutants, isolation of novel organic pollutant degrading bacteria, microbial genome analysis, bacterial stress response, and multicellular behavior of bacteria.

I utilize many different approaches from molecular genetics, proteomics, biochemistry and bioinformatics to answer intriguing questions such as:

Bacterial biodegradation of environmental contaminants 

• Gatz-Schrupp, J.*, B. Hufford*, P. Deckard*, S. Ly*, P. Tupa, and H. Masuda. 2020. Isolation and genomic analysis of 11-aminoundecanoic acid-degrading bacterium Pseudomonas sp. JG-B from nylon 11 enrichment culture. J Genomics.8: 16-20.
• Tupa, P. and H. Masuda. 2018. Comparative proteomic analysis of propane metabolism in Mycobacterium sp. strain ENV421 and Rhodococcus sp. strain ENV425. J Mol Microbiol and Biotechnol. 28:107-115.
• Tupa, P. and H. Masuda. 2018. The draft genome of a propanotroph Rhodococcus sp. strain ENV425, capable of degrading methyl tert-butyl ether and N-nitrosodimethylamine. Genome Announcements 6 (8), e00051-18.
• Tupa, P. and H. Masuda. 2018. Genomic analysis of propane metabolism in methyl tert-butyl ether-degrading Mycobacterium sp. strain ENV421. J Genomics. 6:24-29.
• Masuda H, Shiwa Y, Yoshikawa H, Zylstra GJ. 2014. The draft genome sequence of the versatile alkane-degrading bacterium Aquabacerium sp. strain NJ1. Genome announcement; 2(6). pii: e01271-14.
• Masuda H, McClay K, Steffan J, and Zylstra GJ. 2012. Biodegradation of tetrahydrofuran and 1,4-dioxane by soluble diiron monooxygenase in Pseudonocardia sp. strain ENV478. J Mol Microbiol Biotechnol. 22(5): 312-6.
• Fournier D, Hawari J, Halasz A, Streger, SH, McClay K, Masuda H, and Hatzinger, PB. 2009. Aerobic biodegradation of N-nitrosodimethylamine by the propanotroph Rhodococcus ruber ENV425. Appl Envir Microbiol. 15:5088.
• Vainberg S, McClay K, Masuda H, Root D, Condee C, Zylstra GJ, and Steffan RJ. 2006. Biodegradation of Ether Pollutants by Pseudonocardia sp. Strain ENV478. Appl Envir Microbiol. 72:5218.

Bacterial stress response (Toxin-antitoxin systems)

• Masuda H., and M. Inouye. 2017. Toxins of prokaryotic toxin-antitoxin systems with sequence-specific endoribonuclease activity. Toxins. 9.140.
• Masuda H., N. Awano, and M. Inouye. 2016. ydfD Encodes a Novel Lytic Protein in Escherichia coli. FEMS Micro Lett 363(6). pii: fnw039.
• Lin CY, Awano N, Masuda H, Park JH, Inouye M 2013. Transcriptional repressor HipB regulates the multiple promoters in Escherichia coli. J Mol Microbiol and Biotechnol 23(6): 440-7.
• Masuda H, Tan Q, Awano N, Yamaguchi Y, Inouye M. 2012. A novel membrane bound toxin for cell division, CptA (YgfX), inhibits polymerization of cytoskeleton proteins, FtsZ and MreB in Escherichia coli. FEMS Microbiol lett. 328(2):174-81.
• Masuda H, Tan Q, Inouye M. 2012. YeeU enhances the bundling of cytoskeltal polymers of MreB and FtsZ, antagonizing the CbtA (YeeV) toxicity in Escherichia coli. Mol Microbiol. 84(5):979-89.

Bacterial movements on solid surfaces

• Cochran C*. and Masuda H. 2015. Switching of the Rotational Direction of Rhizoidal Colonies in a Newly Isolated Bacillus mycoides Strain Ko01. J Gen Appl Micro. 62(2):47-51.

*designates undergraduate student coauthors

To prospective students:

If you are interested in conducting independent research in any of these topics (for credit or not for credit) under my supervision, please contact me via email. We can discuss potential projects and availability. Although the research fully utilizes many concepts and laboratory skills taught in molecular biology (L211) and Biochemistry I and II, please don't hesitate to contact me prior to the completion of these courses.

PUBLICATION in TEACHING PEDAGOGY

He Y, and H. Masuda. 2015. Teaching undergraduate science majors how to read biochemistry primary literature: a flipped classroom approach. JoTL 4(2): 51-57.