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Pillai, Suresh

Suresh Pillai

Professor and Associate Department Head
Office:  
KLCT 418B & CMAT 132
Email:  
Phone:  
979-458-3229; 979-321-5385
Suresh Pillai's Website

Education

Undergraduate Education
B.Sc. Botany, University of Madras, India.
Graduate Education
M.Sc. Industrial Microbiology, University of Madras, India.
Ph.D. Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arizona, Tucson
Awards
2018 Honorary Doctorate, Universidad Nacional del Altiplano-Peru
2017 TED talk at TEDx-TAMU -Are microbes responsible for criminal behavior?
2014-2018 Member, FDA Science Advisory Board. National Center for Toxicology Research
Courses Taught
Food Science
Food Safety & Quality
Molecular Detection and Characterization of Microbial Pathogens
Electron Beam (eBeam) Food Processing for Enhancing Food Quality, Safety, Shelf-life, and Phytosanitary Treatment

Areas of Expertise

  • Harnessing electron beam (eBeam) technology and molecular microbiology to heal, clean, feed, and shape this world and beyond

Professional Summary

Research Focus

  • Fate and transport of microorganisms and microbial populations in natural and man-made ecosystems
  • Detection and decontamination of microbial pathogens in natural and managed ecosystems; understanding microbial responses to inactivating agents by harnessing a suite of omic technologies
  • Harnessing high energy electron beam (eBeam) technology for food quality, safety, shelf-life and phytosanitary treatment
  • Harnessing eBeam technology for development of novel vaccines and therapeutics
  • Harnessing eBeam technology for environmental remediation to improve public health, environmental quality and food safety and quality
  • identifying links between the human microbiome and criminal behavior and microbial fate and transport in natural and managed environments

Student and Staff Support

Howie, Kendall  PhD     [email protected]
Kowald,Corinne Elise   MS     [email protected]
McCoy, James   MS     [email protected]
McNicholas, Rachel Elizabeth  MS    [email protected]

John Sullivan – MS Food Science & Technology [email protected]
Mingbao Feng – Post Doctoral Research Scientist [email protected]

Sohini Bhatia – Ph.D. – Poultry Science [email protected]
Alexandra Folcik – Ph.D. – Toxicology [email protected]

    Electron Beam Facility
Mickey Speakmon – Facilities Manager [email protected]
Sara Parsons- QA/Dosimetry Manager [email protected]
Amit Chaudhuri – Senior Accelerator Specialist. [email protected]
Johnie Karns- Student Research Assistant
Heidi Scarborough – Student Assistant
Cameron Williams – Student Assistant

    NASA/Wylie Space Food Processing Facility
Mickey Speakmon – Facilities Manager
Alexandria Rodriquez – Student Assistant
Amber Molina – Student Assistant
Bethany Gawalis – Student Assistant
Kendall Hough – Student Technician II
Leah Little – Student Technician II
Priscilla Tubbs – Student Technician
Tolu Ojo – Student Research Assistant

Ongoing Research

  • eBeam technology for the remediation of PFAS chemicals in the environment
  • Comparing the response of the medical device polymers to eBeam, X-ray and gamma irradiation technologies
  • Harnessing complementary technologies to eBeam processing for phytosanitary treatment of citrus fruits
  • Identifying links between the human microbiome and aggressive /criminal behavior

Publications