The University of Oklahoma Biocorrosion
Paul Lawson, Associate Professor of Microbiology
Department of Botany and Microbiology
University of Oklahoma; Norman, OK 73019
Email: paul.lawson@ou.edu
RESEARCH:
Dr. Lawson's major contribution is both in the analysis of the molecular inventories derived from 16S rRNA gene sequencing methods and the cultivation of key, unique microorganisms belonging to this environment. The vast majority of these organisms are strict anaerobes which he has spent most of his career investigating. Prior to relocating to the US, Dr. Lawson's work was based in the laboratory of M. David Collins, a world-renowned microbial taxonomist. As a Senior Research Fellow he was involved exclusively in the study of the human GI tract funded through the Microbe Diagnostics part of the PROEUHEALTH- The Food, GI-tract Functionality and Human Health Cluster, of the European Community. This concerned the “Development and application of high throughput molecular and cultivation methods for studying the human gut microbiota in relation to diet and health”. Using these techniques Dr. Lawson constructed a molecular inventory of organisms identifying those organisms that, have to-date, evaded successful identification due to our inability to grow them in the laboratory. This phylogenetic “roadmap” was then used to target organisms for cultivation. Dr. Lawson's major academic achievements in bacterial systematics include a fundamental restructuring of the genus Clostridium and relatives, and the description of a plethora of a wide range of novel taxa from environmental, clinical and veterinary sources. Dr. Lawson's record of success is demonstrated by his publication record in addition to contributing 16 chapters to the Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, widely regarded as the preeminent resource for microbial identification and taxonomy. In addition to collaborating with many recognized leaders in this field (e.g. Sydney Finegold, Harry Flint, Micheal Blaut) our department is regarded as one of the foremost establishments for anaerobic microbiology with almost every faculty member involved in this field and therefore a vast recourse to tap into.
SELECT PUBLICATIONS:
Lawson, P.A.; Llop-Perez P.; Hutson R.A.; Hippe H. & Collins, M.D. Towards a phylogeny of the clostridia based on 16S rRNA sequences. FEMS Microbiol Letts (1993), 113, 87-92.
Collins, M.D.; Lawson, P.A.; Willems, A.; Cordoba., J.J.; Fernandez-Garayzabal, J.; Garcia, P.; Cai, J. & Farrow, J.A.E. The Phylogeny of the Genus Clostridium: Proposal of five new genera and eleven new species combinations. Int J Syst Bacteriol (1994), 44, 812-826.
Finegold S.M; Lawson, P.A.; Vaisanen, M.L.; Molitoris, D.; Song, Y.; Liu, C. & Collins M.D. Anaerofustis stercorihominis gen. nov., sp. nov., from human faeces. Anaerobe (2004), 10, 41-45.
Holmstrøm, K.; Collins, M.D.; Moller, T.; Falsen, E. & Lawson, P.A. Subdoligranulum variabile gen. nov., sp. nov. from human faeces. Anaerobe (2004), 10, 197-203.
Namsolleck, P.; Thiel, R.; Lawson, P.; Holmstrøm, K.; Rajilic, M.; Vaughan, E.E.; Rigottier-Gois, L.; Collins, M.D.; De Vos, W. & Blaut, M. Molecular Methods for the Analysis of Gut Microbiota. Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease (2004), 16, 71-85.
Mohan, R.; Namsolleck, P.; Lawson, P.; Osterhoff, M.; Collins, M.D.; Alpert, C.A. & Blaut, M. Clostridium asparagiforme sp. nov., Isolated from a Human Faecal Sample. Syst Appl Microbiol (2006), 29, 292-299.
Robert, C.; Chassard, C.; Lawson, P.A., & Bernalier-Donadille, A. Bacteroides cellulosilyticus sp. nov., a cellulolytic bacterium from the human gut microbial community. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol (2007), 57, 1516-1520.
Robert, C.; Chassard, C.; Lawson, P.A., & Bernalier-Donadille, A. Bacteroides xylanisolvens sp. nov., a xylan degrading bacterium from the human gut microbial community. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol (2008), 58, 1008-1013.
Liu, C.; Finegold, S.M.; Song, Y. & Lawson, P.A. Reclassification of Clostridium coccoides, Ruminococcus hansenii, Ruminococcus hydrogenotrophicus, Ruminococcus luti, Ruminococcus productus and Ruminococcus schinkii as Blautia coccoides gen. nov., comb. nov., Blautia hansenii comb. nov., Blautia hydrogenotrophica comb. nov., Blautia luti comb. nov., Blautia producta comb. nov., Blautia schinkii comb. nov. and description of Blautia wexlerae sp. nov., isolated from human faeces. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol (2008), 58,1896-1902.
ADDITIONAL RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF IMPORTANCE TO THE FIELD:
Greetham, H.; Collins, M.D.; Gibson, G.R.; Giffard, C.; Falsen, E. & Lawson, P.A. Sutterella stercoricanis sp. nov., isolated from canine faeces. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol (2004), 54, 1581-1584.
Lawson, P.A.; Greetham, H.; Gibson, G.R.; Giffard, C.; Falsen, E. & Collins, M.D. Slackia faecalicanis sp. nov., isolated from canine feces. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol (2005), 55, 1243-1246.
Whitehead, T.R.; Cotta, M.A.; Collins, M.D.; Falsen, E. & Lawson, P.A. Bacteroides coprosuis sp. nov., isolated from swine-manure storage pits. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol (2005), 55, 2515-2518.
Cotta, M.A.; Whitehead, T.R.; Collins, M.D.; Falsen, E.; Moore, E. & Lawson, P.A. Robinsonella peoriae gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from a swine-manure storage pit and a human clinical source. Int J Syst EvolMicrobiol (2009), 59, 150-155.
Summanen, P.H.; Lawson, P.A. & Finegold, S.M. Porphyromonas bennonis sp. nov., isolated from human clinical specimens. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol (2009), 59, 1727-1732.
Lawson, P.A.; Carlson, P.; Wernersson, S.; Moore, E.R.B. & Falsen, E. Dysgonomonas hofstadii sp. nov., isolated from a human clinical source. Anaerobe (2010), 16, 161-164.