Dr. Rupa Iyer, Associate Professor of Biotechnology, Director of Center for Life Sciences Technology, Founding Director of Biotechnology Undergraduate and Graduate Programs

College of Technology, Department of Engineering Technology

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• Areas of expertise

  • Environmental biotechnology
  • Bioremediation and biodegradation
  • Intergradation of interdisciplinary education and research

• Awards

  • Selected, UH Nominee, Texas Minnie Piper Stevens Award, 2016-2017
  • Fulbright Specialist Grant, Morocco, July 2016
  • Distinguished Leadership in Teaching Award, University of Houston, 2016-2017
  • Selected, Fulbright Specialist Roster, US Department of State, 2015-2020
  • Certificate, Outstanding COT Faculty, UH Provost, 2015
  • University of Houston Excellence in Teaching Award, 2014
  • Selected to participate in the first cohort UH's Chairs Leadership Academy Program, 2013-2014
  • Flour Award for Service Excellence, College of Technology, UH, 2013
  • Summer Undergraduate Research Award (SURF) Mentor, Student, Lisa Lau, 2013
  • Outstanding Indian Award, teaching, India Culture Center, 2011, Houston
  • Third Place award for best paper: Givmanesh, A., Iyer, R., Smith K. "Enhancing Bioreactor Functionality in Bio-Processing Courses", Proceedings of the 2011 ASEE Gulf-Southwest Annual Conference
  • Nominated Who's Who among America's Teachers, 2006
  • WCJC Faculty of the Year Award, 2004
  • Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement Program Award, American Society for Microbiology, Board of Education and Training, 2002
  • WCJC Faculty Council Chairman's Outstanding Faculty Award, 2000
  • Sigma Xi Research Grant, 1989
  • Thoman Fellow, Michigan State University, 1989-1990
  • Short Term Enrichment Grant from American Phytopathological Society, 1988

• Publications

  • Iyer, R., **Aggarwal, J., and Iken, B. (2016). A Review of the Texas, USA San Jacinto Superfund site and the deposition of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in the San Jacinto River and Houston Ship Channel. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23(17).
  • Iyer, R., and Damania, A. (2016). Draft Genome Sequence of Exiguobacterium sp. KKBO11, Isolated Downstream of a Wastewater Treatment Plant in Houston, Texas. Genome Announcements, 4(4), e00681-16.
  • Iyer, R., and Damania, A. (2016). Draft genome sequence of Pseudomonas putida CBF10-2, a soil isolate with bioremediation potential in agricultural and industrial environmental settings. Genome Announcements, 4(4), e00670-16.
  • Iyer, R., Iken, B., and **Leon, A. (2016). Characterization and Comparison of Putative Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia Methyl Parathion Hydrolases. Bioremediation Journal, 20(1), 71 - 79.
  • Iyer, R., and Damania, A. (2016). Draft genome sequence of alkane-degrading Acinetobacter venetianus JKSF02, isolated from contaminated sediment of the San Jacinto River in Houston, Texas. Genome announcements, 4(2), e00286-16.
  • Iyer, R., and Damania, A. (2016). Draft genome sequence of Pseudomonas stutzeriODKF13, isolated from farmland soil in Alvin, Texas. Genome announcements, 4(2), e00293-16.
  • **Savio, A, Fletcher, J., Smith, K. Iyer, R., Bao, J., and Hernandez, Robles. (2016). Environmentally Effective Photocatalyst CoO-TiO2 Synthesized by thermal precipitation of Co in Amorphous TiO2. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental.
  • Iyer, R., and Damania, A. (2016). Draft Genome Sequence of Rhizobium sp. GHKF11, Isolated from Farmland Soil in Pecan Grove, Texas. Genome Announcements, 4(4), e00682-16.
  • Iyer, R., and Damania, A. (2016). Draft genome sequence of Stenotrophomonas maltophiliaCBF10-1, an organophosphate-degrading bacterium isolated from ranch soil in Fairchilds, Texas. Genome announcements, 4(3), e00378-16.
  • Iyer, R., and Damania, A. (2016). Draft genome sequence of the broad-spectrum xenobiotic degrader Achromobacter xylosoxidans ADAF13.Genome announcements, 4(2), e00203-16.

  More publications available in faculty website above.

• Patents

  • None available.

• Grants and Funded Research

  • $74,887 NIST grant for Integration of Standards and Science Policy for the 21st Century Biotechnology Workforce. PI. 2015-2018.
  • $4,283.80 Fullbright Specialist Grant, Morocco. PI. 2016.
  • $50,000 NSF grant for I- Corps L: Social Entrepreneurship to Integrate Education, Research, and Training- A University of Houston Model. PI. 2015-2016.
  • $296,094 TWC grant for Building a 21st Century Biotechnology Workforce. PI. 2011-2012.
  • $392,604 TWC grant for Building a Competitive Workforce in Life Sciences and Biotechnology. PI. 2009-2010.
  • $10,000 grant for Interdisciplinary Research based Bioprocessing Laboratory. 2009.
  • $100,000 grant from Li Cor Biosciences towards the purchase of 4300 sequencer.

  More grants and funded research in CV below.

   

• Curriculum Vitae

  • Rupa Iyer CV

• Contact information

  College of Technology Building, Room 385

  Phone:  (713) 743-0099 | Fax: 713-743-4032

  riyer@uh.edu