Dr. Feng Chen

Professor, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET)
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

Phone: (410) 234-8866 | Email: chenf@umces.edu | Fax: (410) 234-8896

Website | IMET

Education

University of Texas at Austin (1995)
Ph.D., Marine Microbial Ecology

First Institute of Oceanography, the State Oceanic Administration, China (1988)
M.S., Phytoplankton Ecology

Ocean University of China (1985)
B.S., Marine Biology 

Research Interests

  1. Marine viruses: isolation, physiology, biogeography, genomics and metagenomics of viruses in aquatic environments
  2. Phage-host interactions: focus on two model systems (cyanobacteria and cyanophage; Roseobacter and roseophage); evolution of viruses and their hosts, gene transfer agent (GTA)
  3. Molecular microbial ecology: application of genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics to explore the diversity and functions of microorganisms living in the sea
  4. Microalgal biotechnology: isolation and characterization of microalgae from diverse habitats; selection of microalgae for mitigation of green house gases, removal of nutrients from animal wastes, and identification of potential biofuel producers; integration of algae-based clean and green biotechnologies on the pilot scale

Selected Publications

  1. Chi, Y.X., F. Chen, and Y. Takiguhi. 2015. Effect of nitrogen on biomass and lipid production of a marine microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica IMET1. Green Sustain. Chem. DOI: 10.4236/gsc.2015.5201
  2. Xu, Y., N. Jiao, F. Chen*. 2015. Heterogeneous cyanobacteria endure cold winter in the coastal estuary. J. Phycol. DOI: 10.1111/jpy.1231
  3. Zhan, Y.C., A. Buchan, and F. Chen. 2015. Unexpected genetic diversity of N4 like phages in the natural environment. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. doi:10.1128/AEM.00832-15
  4. Huang, S.J., S. Zhang, N.J. Jiao, and F. Chen. 2015. Marine cyanophages demonstrate biogeographic patterns throughout the global ocean. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 81:441-452
  5. Huang, S.J., Y.Q. Liu, A. Hu, X.B. Liu, F. Chen, T.D. Yao, and N.Z. Jiao. 2014. Genetic diversity of picocyanobacteria in Tibetan lakes: assessing the endemic and universal distributions. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 80:7640-765
  6. Zheng, L., F. Zhang, F. Chen. 2013. High throughput screening of CO2-tolerating microalgae using GasPak bags. Aquat. Bios. 9:23
  7. Marsan, D., K.E. Wommack, J. Ravel, F. Chen. 2013. Draft genome sequence of Synechococcus sp. strain CB0101 isolated from the Chesapeake Bay estuary. Genome Anno. 2: e01111-13. doi: 10.1128/genomeA.01111-1
  8. Wang, D.M., K. Ning, J. Li, D. Han, H. Wang, X.W. Zeng, X.Y. Jing, J.Q. Hu, X.Z. Chang, A.H. Wang, W. Wang, J. Jia, L. Wei, Y. Xin, Y.H. Qiao, R.R. Huang, J. Chen, B. Han, R.T. Hill, Y. Zohar, F. Chen, Q. Hu, and J. Xu. 2013. Nannochloropsis phylogenome reveals evolution of microalgal oleaginous traits. PLoS Genet. 10: e1004094.
  9. Jiao, N., G.J. Herndl, D.A. Hansell, R. Benner, G. Kattner, S.W. Wilhelm, D.L. Kirchman, M.G. Weinbauer, T.W. Luo, F. Chen, and F. Azam. 2011. The microbial carbon pump and the oceanic recalcitrant dissolved organic matter pool. Nat. Rev. Microbiol. (in press).
  10. Huang, S., S.W. Wilhelm, H.R. Harvey, K. Taylor, N.Z. Jiao, and F. Chen. 2011. Novel lineages of Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus in the global oceans. ISME J (in press).
  11. Huang, S., K. Wang, N.Z. Jiao, and F. Chen. 2011. Genome sequences of four Synechococcus siphoviruses: a new insight into the diversity of marine cyanophage. Environ. Microbiol. (in press).
  12. Weinbauer, M., F. Chen, S. Wilhelm. 2011. Virus mediated redistribution and partitioning of carbon in the global oceans. pp. 54-55. In: Jiao et al. (ed). Microbial Carbon Pump in the Ocean. Science/AAAS, Washington, DC.
  13. Kan, J. T.E. Hanson, and F. Chen. 2011. Synchronicity between population structure and proteome profiles: A metaproteomic analysis of Chesapeake Bay bacterial communities. In: Frans J. de Bruijn (ed.). Handbook of Molecular Microbial Ecology I: Metagenomics and Complementary Approaches. Wiley-Blackwell, New Jersey.
  14. Huang, S., Y.Y. Zhang, F. Chen, N.Z. Jiao. 2011. Complete genome sequence of a marine roseophage provides evidence into the evolution of gene transfer agent in alphaproteobacteria. Virology Journal 8:124 (doi:10.1186/1743-422X-8-124).
  15. Jiao, N., G.J. Herndl, D.A. Hansell, R. Benner, G. Kattner, S.W. Wilhelm, D.L. Kirchman, M.G. Weinbauer, T.W. Luo, F. Chen, and F. Azam. 2010. Microbial production of recalcitrant dissolved organic matter: long-term carbon storage in the global ocean. Nature Rev. Microbiol.8: 593-599.
  16. Cai, H.Y., K. Wang, S.J. Huang, N.Z. Jiao, and F. Chen. 2010. Shift of picocyanobacterial populations between winter and summer in Chesapeake Bay. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 76: 2955–2960.
  17. Huang, S.J., S. Wilhelm, N.Z. Jiao, and F. Chen. 2010. Ubiquitous cyanobacterial podoviruses in the global oceans unveiled through viral DNA polymerase gene sequences. ISME J. 4: 1243-1251.
  18. Fu, Y., D.M. MacLeod, R.B. Rivkin, F. Chen, A. Buchan, and A.S. Lang. 2010. High diversity of Rhodobacterales in the sub-arctic North Atlantic Ocean and gene transfer agent protein expression in isolated strains. Aquat. Microb. Ecol. 59:283-293.
  19. Zhao, Y.L., K. Wang, H-W. Ackermann, N. Z. Jiao, F. Chen. 2010. Searching for a “hidden” prophage in a marine bacterium. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 76: 589–595.

Biosketch

Dr. Feng Chen is a Professor at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. He received his B.S. in Marine Biology from the Ocean University of China in 1985, M.S. in Phytoplankton Ecology from the First Institute of Oceanography, the State Oceanic Administration, China in 1988, and Ph.D. in Marine Microbial Ecology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1995. He joined the faculty of University of Maryland in 2000.  

His main research focuses on the diversity and function of microorganisms (mainly viruses, bacteria, cyanobacteria and microalgae) and their ecological role in the marine ecosystem. He applies both traditional cultivation methods and advanced molecular or omics technologies to discover novel microbes and understand their physiology, ecology and evolution. He also develops algae-based biotechnology as a solution for sustainable environments and renewable energy. He has published 11 book chapters and 70 peer-reviewed research articles. His studies on the Chesapeake Bay microbiota have led to discoveries of novel microbes in the estuarine environment.

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