Richard Bonocora

Richard Bonocora is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He holds a Ph.D. in Biology from the State University of New York at Albany (2004) and completed postdoctoral research at the National Institutes of Health (2005-2010) and the Wadsworth Center, NYS Department of Health (2011-2015). His research focuses on bacterial transcriptional regulation, emphasizing non-canonical promoter activity and microbial adaptation to extreme environments.

• Ph.D., Biology, State University of New York at Albany (2004)
• B.S., Biology, State University of New York at Albany (1992)
• Postdoctoral Researcher, National Institutes of Health (2005-2010)
• Postdoctoral Researcher, Wadsworth Center, NYS Department of Health (2011-2015)

Dr. Bonocora investigates how bacteria regulate gene expression through RNA polymerase interactions with Sigma factors, revealing pervasive non-canonical promoter activity within genes. His work integrates Next Generation Sequencing (ChIP-seq, RNA-seq) to map transcriptional networks and explore mobile genetic elements. Recent studies examine microbial behavior in space bioreactors and microgravity environments.

The 2013-2022 publications demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches combining Microbiology, Genomics, and Space Biology. Key themes include intragenic transcriptional regulation (σ factors, H-NS), horizontal gene transfer mechanisms, quorum sensing inhibition, and microgravity effects on bacterial growth. His 2015 methods paper on ChIP-seq remains foundational for bacterial DNA-binding analyses.