Environmental Health Science


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Erin K. Lipp

Associate Professor
elipp@uga.edu

Room 144, Environmental Health Science Building
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602-2102
706.542.8138 (voice)
706.542.7472 (fax)

Educational Background

Ph.D., Marine Science, University of South Florida

Area of Specialty

  • Water Pollution Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Microbial Ecology

Research Interests

  • Development of molecular methods to detect and monitor opportunistic pathogens (bacteria, protozoa and viruses) and toxic microorganisms (cyanobacteria) in the environment.
  • Evaluation of microbial indicator systems for recreational water use. Watershed approaches to pollution source tracking and development of predictive models for periods of poor water quality.
  • The role of climate on infectious waterborne diseases
  • Ecology of autochthonous aquatic pathogens (i.e., Vibrio cholerae, V. vulnificus, V. parahaemolyticus, and Aeromonas spp.)
  • Coastal water quality and wastewater impacts on coral reefs

Professional Affiliations

  • American Society for Microbiology
  • American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
  • International Society for Microbial Ecology
  • Southeast Branch of the American Society for Microbiology

Selected Publications

Lipp, E.K., Futch, J.C. and D.W. Griffin. 2007. Analysis of multiple enteric viral targets as sewage markers in coral reefs. Marine Pollution Bulletin. In Press.

Vereen, E., R.R. Lowrance, D.J. Cole and E.K. Lipp. 2007. Fate and ecology of campylobacters in coastal plain streams (Georgia, United States of America). Applied and Environmental Microbiology 73: 1395 – 1403.

Fong, T.T. and E. K. Lipp. 2005. Enteric viruses of humans and animals in aquatic environments: health risks, detection and potential water quality assessment tools. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews 69 (2): 357-371 .

Fong, T.T., D.W. Griffin and E.K. Lipp. 2005. Molecular assays for targeting human and bovine enteric viruses in coastal waters and application for library-independent source tracking. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 71 (4): 2070-2078.

Lipp, E.K.and D.W. Griffin. 2004. Analysis of coral mucus as an improved medium for detection of enteric microbes and for determining patterns of sewage contamination in reef environments. EcoHealth 1: 317-323.

Gil, A.I., V. Louis,I.N.G. Rivera, E.K. Lipp, A. Huq,C.F. Lanata, D.N. Taylor, E. Russek-Cohen, N. Choopun, R. Bradley Sack andR.R. Colwell. 2004. Occurrence and distribution of Vibrio cholerae in the coastal environment of Peru. Environmental Microbiology 6: 699-706.

Espeland, E.M., E.K. Lipp, A. Huq and R.R. Colwell. 2004. Polylysogeny and prophage induction by secondary infection in Vibrio cholerae. Environmental Microbiology 6: 760-763.

Wetz, J.J., E.K. Lipp, D.W. Griffin, J. Lukasik, D. Wait, M.D. Sobsey, T.M. Scott and J.B. Rose. 2004. Presence, infectivity and stability of enteric viruses in seawater: relationship to marine water quality in the Florida Keys. Marine Pollution Bulletin 48: 700-706

Lipp, E.K., I.N.G. Rivera, A.I. Gil, E.M. Espeland, N. Choopun, V. Louis, E. Russek-Cohen, A. Huq, and R.R. Colwell. Direct detection of Vibrio cholerae and ctxA in Peruvian coastal waters and plankton by PCR. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 69: 3676-3680.

Lipp, E.K., A. Huq and R.R. Colwell. 2002. Effects of global climate on infectious disease: the cholera model. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 15: 757 -770.

Courses Taught

EHSC(MIBO)(FDST) 4310/6310(L): Environmental Microbiology
EHSC 8310: Advanced Topics in Aquatic Microbiology, Health and the Environment
EHSC(MARS) 8410: Oceans and Human Health (pending approval)