Sylvia Franke McDevitt

Sylvia Franke McDevitt serves as Associate Professor in the Biology Department at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY, where she conducts research on microbial metal homeostasis and teaches courses including Microbial Genetics, General Microbiology, Microbes in Society, and Bacterial Pathogens.

Education:

• B.S. in Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle, Germany (1996)
• M.S. in Microbiology, Martin-Luther-University Halle, Germany (1999)
• Ph.D. in Microbiology/Molecular Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle, Germany (2002)
• Postdoctoral Associate, Martin-Luther-University Halle (2002-2003)
• Postdoctoral Associate, University of Arizona (2003-2006)

Her research centers on bacterial regulation of essential transition metals (copper, zinc, iron) and resistance to toxic metals (silver). She investigates copper/silver resistance mechanisms in Escherichia coli involving periplasmic export systems, and examines zinc's role in Salmonella typhimurium pathogenicity through macrophage infection studies. This work addresses critical questions about bacterial adaptation to metal stress and implications for combating antibiotic-resistant pathogens using biocides like silver.

Analysis of her 2004-2007 publications reveals consistent focus on metal transport systems, particularly cation diffusion facilitators and copper resistance proteins. Her work bridges microbiology, molecular biology, and biochemistry, with recurring themes in metal-dependent pathogenesis, biocide resistance mechanisms, and evolutionary adaptation of transport systems across bacterial species.

Scientific Awards:

• No awards mentioned in source text

Advising and grants: The provided materials list no graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, or specific grant funding sources. Her research appears conducted within institutional academic frameworks without mention of external funding.

Laboratory and team structure is not described in the source text, though her publications indicate collaborative work with researchers including C. Rensing, G. Grass, and others on metal transport projects.