Julie Markham

• Biography
• Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise
• Grants / Current Projects
• Selected Publications
• Optional
• Contact Details

Biography

I completed my undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the University of Sydney. The research topic for my postgraduate study was ‘Serological Characteristics of some oral streptococci and lactobacilli, with particular reference to teichoic acid components’. For six years I was part of a research team at the Institute of Dental Research, Sydney, studying the role and structure of teichoic and lipoteichoic acids in oral bacteria. Since my appointment to UWS, I have been actively involved in research, teaching microbiology and biotechnology at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, course and curriculum development and course coordination. I am currently Course Advisor for BMed Sc and BSc (Biotechnology) degrees at Hawkesbury campus of UWS. My current research focuses on antimicrobial compounds and their effects on bacterial biofilms, the identification and characterisation of novel plant-derived antimicrobials and the bioremediation of lignocellulosic wastes.

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Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise

The bioactivity of plant extracts, especially essential oils, from Australian native plants; bioremediation of olive mill waste; antimicrobial susceptibility testing; mode of action of antimicrobials; antibiotic resistance of biofilms; problem-solving as a teaching and learning strategy.

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Grants / Current Projects

Current projects include:

A problem-solving approach to learning concepts in microbiology (2007-2010). This collaborative project with microbiology academics at UWS is funded by a Learning and Teaching Action Plan grant.

The role of persister cells in the tolerance of biofilms to antibiotics. Funded by UWS postgraduate awards.

Recycling Solid and Liquid Waste from the Olive Oil Extraction Process. This research, which has been partly funded by RIRDC (2006-8), is in collaboration with the Centre for Plants and Environment at UWS.

The production of fuel ethanol from lignocellulosic waste. Funded by UWS postgraduate awards.

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Selected Publications

Mann, J., Markham, J.L., Peiris, P., Nair, N., Spooner-Hart, R.N. and Holford, P. (2010) Screening and selection of fungi for bioremediation of olive mill wastewater. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 26(3), 567-571.

Fu, N., Peiris, P., Markham, J. And Bavor, J. (2009) A novel co-culture process with Zymomonas mobilis and Pichia stipitis for efficient ethanol production on glucose/xylose mixtures. Enzyme and Microbial Technology 45:210–217.

Cox, S.D. & Markham, J.L. 2007, "Susceptibility and intrinsic tolerance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to selected plant volatile compounds", Journal of Applied Microbiology, vol. 103, no. 4, pp. 930-936.

Al-Shuneigat, J., Cox, S.D. & Markham, J.L. 2005, "Effects of a topical essential oil-containing formulation on biofilm-forming coagulase-negative staphylococci", Letters in Applied Microbiology, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 52-55.

Cox, S.D., Jayasinghe, K.C. & Markham, J.L. 2005, "Antioxidant activity in Australian native sarsaparilla (Smilax glyciphylla)", Journal of Ethnopharmacology, vol. 101, no. 1-3, pp. 162-168.

Griffin, S.G., Grant Wyllie, S. & Markham, J.L. 2005, "Antimicrobially active terpenes cause K+ leakage in E. coli cells", Journal of Essential Oil Research, vol. 17, no. 6, pp. 686-690.

Cox, S.D., Mann, C.M. & Markham, J.L. 2001, "Interactions between components of the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia", Journal of Applied Microbiology, vol. 91, no. 3, pp. 492-497.

Cox, S.D., Mann, C.M., Markham, J.L., Bell, H.C., Gustafson, J.E., Warmington, J.R. & Wyllie, S.G. 2000, "The mode of antimicrobial action of the essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea tree oil)", Journal of Applied Microbiology, vol. 88, no. 1, pp. 170-175.

Markham, J.L. (1999) Biological Activity of Tea Tree Oil in Southwell, I. and Lowe, R. (eds) Tea Tree, the genus Melaleuca. Amsterdam: Harwood Academic Publishers

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Optional

Member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Essential Oil Research

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