Karen Preston
Research Support Specialist
Academic Background
- M. S. (Zoology) 1983,Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
- B.A. (Biology) 1980, Randolph-Macon Woman´s College, Lynchburg, Virginia
Professional Background
- Research Technologist, Molecular Microbiology, Albany Medical Center Hospital, Albany, NY (1992-2004)
- Laboratory Technician, Laboratory of Biochemical and Genetic Toxicology, New York State Dept. of Health, Albany, NY (1987-1992)
Awards and Honors
- Phi Sigma Society, 1981, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
- Phi Beta Kappa, 1979, Randolph-Macon Woman´s College, Lynchburg, Virginia
- Distinguished Scholar Award, 1976-1980, Randolph-Macon Woman´s College, Lynchburg, Virginia
Research Experience
- Bacterial strain typing by conventional and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for epidemiological studies
- Isolation and characterization of plasmids, plasmid- associated antibiotic resistance genes, β-lactamases, and mobile DNA elements in hospital-acquired Enterobacteriacae
- Development of gene probes for Southern and dot blots for surveillance of plasmid-encoded resistance and other factors occurring in hospital-acquired bacteria
- Culture of and detection of antibodies to Helicobacter pylori, a microaerophilic bacterium associated with gastric ulcers
- Production and screening of mammalian cDNA libraries for the catalase gene, and other genes encoding antioxidant enzymes
- Polymerase chain reactions, standard and real-time
Selected Publications
- Preston, K. E., Venezia, R. A., and Stellrecht, K. A. 2004. The SHV-5 extended-spectrum β-lactamase gene of pACM1 is located on the remnant of a compound transposon. Plasmid 51: 48-53
- Preston, K. E., Graffunder, E. M., Evans, A. M., and Venezia, R. A. 2003.Survey of plasmid-associated genetic markers in Enterobacteriaceae with reduced susceptibilities to cephalosporins. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 47: 2179-2185
- Preston, K. E. and Venezia, R. A. 2002. Chromosomal sequences from Klebsiella pneumoniae flank the SHV-5 extended-spectrum ß-lactamase gene in pACM1. Plasmid 48: 73-76
- Preston, K. E., Radomski, C. C. A., and Venezia, R. A. 2000. Nucleotide sequence of the chromosomal ampC gene of Enterobacter aerogenes. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 44:3158-3162
- Preston, K. E. and Venezia, R. A. 1999. Restriction map and properties of Klebsiella oxytoca plasmid pACM1. Plasmid 42: 92-103
- Preston, K. E., Radomski, C. C. A., and Venezia, R. A. 1999. The cassettes and 3' conserved segment of an integron from Klebsiella oxytoca plasmid pACM1. Plasmid 42: 104-114
- Venezia, R. A., Scarano, F. J., Preston, K. E., Steele, L. M., Root, T. P., Limberger, R., and Archinal, W. 1995. Molecular epidemiology of an SHV-5 extended-spectrum ß-lactamase in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from infants in a neonatal intensive care unit. Clin. Infect. Dis. 21: 915-923
- Shaffer, J. B., Preston, K. E., Shepard, B. A. 1990. Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of mouse catalase: molecular analysis of a low activity mutant. Nucleic Acids Res. 18: 4941