Benjamin C. Stark Professor of Biology Associate Chair for Biology
	B.S.:	University of Michigan
	Ph.D.:	Yale University
	Office:	182 Life Sciences Building
	Phone:	312.567.3488       Fax:  312.567.3494
	e-mail:	benjamin.stark@iit.edu

Professional Interests

Molecular biology, biochemistry and physiology of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin, a novel bacterial hemoglobin; use of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin to genetically engineer improved biochemical properties of diverse bacteria

I recently finished my 21^st marathon.

Representative Publications

• Stark, B. C., Urgun-Demirtas, M., and K. R. Pagilla, "Role of hemoglobin in improving biodegradation of aromatic contaminants under hypoxic conditions," J. Mol. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 15, 181-189 (2008).
  
  
• Kaur, R., Ahuja, S., Anand, A., Singh, B., Stark, B. C., Webster, D. A., and K. L. Dikshit, "Functional implications of the proximal site hydrogen bonding network in Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb): role of Tyr95 (G5) and Tyr126 (H12)," FEBS Lett (in press).
  
  
• Chung, Y. T., B. C. Stark, and D. A. Webster, “Role of Asp544 in subunit I for Na+ pumping by Vitreoscilla cytochrome bo,” Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 348, 1209-1214 (2006).
  
  
• Urgun-Demirtas, M., K. R. Pagilla, and B. C. Stark, “Comparison of 2-chlorobenzoic acid biodegradation in a membrane bioreactor by B. cepacia and B. cepacia bearing the bacterial hemoglobin gene,” Water Research 40, 3123-3130 (2006).
  
  
• Chi, P., D. A. Webster, and B. C. Stark, “Vitreoscilla hemoglobin aids respiration under hypoxic conditions in its native host,” Microbiol. Research (in press).
  
  

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