Tara N. Furstenau, Ph.D.

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Research Experience

2018-Present

Assistant Research Professor
The School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems
Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ

2016-2017

Postdoctoral Scholar in Viacheslav Fofanov’s lab
The School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems
Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ

2013-2016

Graduate Student in Reed A. Cartwright’s lab
Center for Human and Comparative Genomics · The Biodesign Institute
Arizona State University · Tempe, AZ

2010–2013

Research Associate in Roberto Gaxiola’s lab
School of Life Sciences · Arizona State University · Tempe, AZ

2009–2010

Undergraduate Student Researcher in Lei Lei’s lab
School of Life Sciences · Arizona State University · Tempe, AZ

Education

2010-2016

PhD, Molecular and Cellular Biology · Arizona State University · Tempe, AZ
Advisor: Reed A. Cartwright

Dissertation title: Spatial Genetic Structure under Limited Dispersal: Theory, Methods and Consequences of Isolation-by-Distance

2008-2010

BSc, Bioinformatics and Genomics · Arizona State University · Tempe, AZ

Dean’s List · magna cum laude

Publications

Hepp, CM, Cocking, JH, Valentine, M, Young, SJ, Damian, D, Sheridan-Crow, K, Fofanov, VY, Furstenau, TN, Busch JD, Erickson DE, Lancione, RC, Smith, K. Will, J, Townsend, J, Keim, PS, Engelthaler, DM. Phylogenetic analysis of West Nile Virus in Maricopa County, Arizona: Evidence of endemic and ephemeral circulation of strains in two major lineages. PLOS ONE. 13(11): e0205801. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0205801

Furstenau, TN, Cocking, J, Sahl, JW, and VY Fofanov. (2018). Variant site strain typer (VaST): Efficient strain typing using a minimal number of variant genomic sites. BMC Bioinformatics. 19:222:1-13. doi:10.1186/s12859-018-2225-z

Fofanov, VY, Furstenau, TN, Sanchez D, Hepp, C, Cocking, J, Sobek, C, Pagel, N, Walker, F, and CL Chambers. (2018). Guano exposed: Impact of aerobic conditions on bat fecal microbiota. Ecology and Evolution. 00:1-12. doi:10.1002/ece3.4084 (Cover Article)

Furstenau, TN, and RA Cartwright. (2017) The impact of self-incompatibility systems on the prevention of biparental inbreeding. PeerJ 5:e4085 doi:10.7717/peerj.4085

Furstenau, TN, and RA Cartwright (2016). The effect of the dispersal kernel on isolation-by-distance in a continuous population. PeerJ 4:e1848. doi:10.7717/peerj.1848

Pizzio GA, Paez-Valencia J, Khadilkar AS, Regmi K, Patron-Soberano A, Zhang S, Sanchez-Lares J, Furstenau T, Li J, Sanchez-Gomez C, Valencia-Mayoral P, Yadav UP, Ayre BG, and RA Gaxiola (2015). Arabidopsis proton-pumping pyrophosphatase AVP1 expresses strongly in phloem where it is required for PPi metabolism and photosynthate partitioning. Plant Physiology 167:1541-1553. doi:10.1104/pp.114.254342

Scientific Software

Presentations

Talks

May 2017

Strain-level pathogen identification using targeted PCR amplicon sequencing
The Biodefense and Disease Ecology Center Meeting
The Pathogen and Microbiome Institute · Flagstaff, AZ

December 2015

Spatial genetic structure under limited dispersal
Job Talk
Informatics and Computing Program · Flagstaff, AZ

September 2015

Bayesian estimation of neighborhood size using composite marginal likelihoods
Molecular and Cellular Biology Colloquium
The Biodesign Institute · Tempe, AZ

July 2015

Bayesian estimation of neighborhood size using composite marginal likelihoods
Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution Meeting
Hofburg Imperial Palace · Vienna, Austria

September 2014

Evolution of Self-Incompatibility: Investigating the role of self-incompatibility systems in the prevention of biparental inbreeding
Molecular and Cellular Biology Colloquium
The Biodesign Institute · Tempe, AZ

October 2013

Evolution of Self-Incompatibility: Investigating the role of self-incompatibility systems in the prevention of biparental inbreeding Molecular and Cellular Biology Colloquium
The School of Life Sciences · Arizona State University · Tempe, AZ

March 2012

The roll of the H+-pyrophosphatase in the regulation of sucrose transport in plants Molecular and Cellular Biology Colloquium
The School of Life Sciences · Arizona State University · Tempe, AZ

Posters

June 2018

Strain level characterization of select pathogens from complex shotgun metagenomic sequence data.
American Society for Microbiology Microbe
Atlanta, GA

June 2018

Efficient bacterial strain typing using highly multiplexed amplicon sequencing panels
American Society for Microbiology Microbe
Atlanta, GA

April 2018

Tracing lineages of Staphylococcus aureus using minority variant approaches
Arizona/Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting
Las Vegas, NV
(Presented by Undergraduate Mentee, Ryan Lancione)

April 2018

Tracing lineages of Staphylococcus aureus using minority variant approaches
College of Engineering, Forestry, and Natural Sciences Undergraduate Research and Design Symposium
Flagstaff, AZ
(Presented by Undergraduate Mentee, Ryan Lancione)

April 2018

Culturing and Sequencing Causative Agents of Early Childhood Caries
College of Engineering, Forestry, and Natural Sciences Undergraduate Research and Design Symposium
Flagstaff, AZ
(Presented by Undergraduate Mentee, Daryn Erickson)

June 2017

Effects of Exposure on Bat Guano Microbiome
Microbiome Bioinformatics with QIIME 2 Workshop
Las Vegas, NV

June 2017

Preemptive establishment of baseline bat microbiome diversity before White-Nose Syndrome strikes the Southwest
Microbiome Bioinformatics with QIIME 2 Workshop
Las Vegas, NV
(Presented by Graduate Student Mentee, Nicole Pagel)

June 2014

The effect of the dispersal distribution on isolation-by-distance in a continuous population
Society for the Study of Evolution Meeting
Raleigh, NC

March 2014

Characterization of Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana overexpressing AVP1 and PLAFP
Arizona State University Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium
The School of Life Sciences · Arizona State University · Tempe, AZ
(Presented by Undergraduate Student Mentee, Sean Wilson)

Aug 2012

H+-PPase AVP1 is necessary for phloem development in Arabidopsis thaliana
Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Student Retreat
The School of Life Sciences · Arizona State University · Tempe, AZ

July 2012

H+-PPase AVP1 is necessary for phloem development in Arabidopsis thaliana
American Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting
Austin, TX

Teaching Experience

Courses

Arizona State University

Fall 2014

BIO340 General Genetics
Head Teaching Associate

Spring 2014

BIO355 Introduction to Computational Molecular Biology
Innovative Teaching Associate

Fall 2013

PLB108 Concepts in Plant Biology iCourse
Instructor/Developer

Spring 2013

BIO340 General Genetics
Teaching Associate

Fall 2012

BIO340 General Genetics
Teaching Associate

Spring 2012

BIO340 General Genetics
Teaching Associate

Fall 2011

BIO340 General Genetics
Teaching Associate

Summer 2011

BIO181 General Biology I Laboratory
Teaching Associate

Spring 2011

BIO182 General Biology II Laboratory
Teaching Associate

Fall 2010

MBB343 Genetic Engineering and Society Laboratory
Teaching Associate

Northern Arizona University

Spring 2017

INF503 Large-Scale Data Structures and Organization
2 Guest Lectures

Workshops

May 2016

Software Carpentry
Instructor
Biodesign Institute · Arizona State University · Tempe, AZ

June 2015

Software Carpentry
Helper
Wrigley Institute of Sustainability · Arizona State University · Tempe, AZ

Mentoring

2018

Honor’s Thesis Committee Member
Shelby Prestwich
Thesis: A Review of the Human Vermiform Appendix and its Proposed Function

2011-2013

Honor’s Thesis
Sean Wilson
Thesis: Characterization of Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana Overexpressing a Type I H+-Pyrophosphatase and the Phloem Lipid-Associated Family Protein.

Service and Outreach

• Software Carpentry Certified Instructor
• ASU’s Night of the Open Door Volunteer
• Ask-A-Biologist Volunteer Corespondent
• Green Labs Initiative Coordinator and Promoter
• Phosphorus Sustainability Research Coordination Network Core Participant
• Obama Scholars Mentor

Professional Development

April 2018

AnacondaCon
Anaconda, Inc. · Austin, TX

June 2017

Microbiome Bioinformatics with QIIME 2 Workshop
QIIME Development Team · Las Vegas, NV

July 2013

Next Generation Population Genomics for Non-model Taxa Workshop
American Genetics Association · Cornell University · Ithica, NY

Dec 2011

Univector Plasmid-Fusion System Training
Childrens Nutritional Research Center · Baylor College of Medicine · Houston, TX