Robert Miller
Short Bio
I am a microbiologist (bacteriologist) with over 20 years of experience in research, teaching, and laboratory leadership across academia, government, and commercial sectors. My work has focused primarily on foodborne pathogens, with publications in the field and service as a subject matter expert for the Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Commerce in the area of biological weapons. I co-founded a commercial microbiology testing laboratory and most recently serve as Microbiology Lab Coordinator, where I train students in core laboratory techniques.
Education
BS Microbiology Auburn University 2003
MS Poultry Science Auburn University 2008
Professional Experience
Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences; Auburn, AL
Coordinator III, Science Teaching Laboratories, August 2011 – Present
Live Oaks Microbiology LLC; Opelika, AL
Co-founder and President, May 2015 – December 2021
Savannah River National Laboratory; Aiken, SC
Scientist, October 2009 – August 2011
Auburn University, Department of Poultry Science; Auburn, AL
Research Assistant II/III, October 2003 – September 2009
Innovation
S. Leskinen, E. Kearns, W. Jones, R. Miller, C. Betivas, M. Kingsley, Brigmon, R., D. Lim. 2012. Automated dead-end ultrafiltration of large volume water samples to enable detection of low-level targets and reduce sample variability. J Appl Microbiol. 113(2):351-360.
R. Brigmon, S. Leskinen, E. Kearns, W. Jones, R. Miller, C. Betivas, M. Kingsley, D. Lim. 2011. Automated dead-end ultrafiltration for enhanced surveillance of Legionella pneumophila and Legionella spp. in cooling tower waters. Appl. Environ. Microb. 113(2):351-360.
Miller R.S., W. Miller, M. Behringer, H. Hariharan, V. Matthew, O. A. Oyarzabal. 2010. DNA Identification and Characterization of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli Isolated from Cecal Samples of Chickens in Grenada. J. Appl. Microbiol. 108:1041–1049
Liu L., S.K. Hussain, R.S. Miller, O.A. Oyarzabal. 2009. Efficacy of Mini VIDAS for the Detection of Campylobacter spp. from Retail Broiler Meat Enriched in Bolton Broth with or without the Supplementation of Blood. J. Food Prot. 72:2428-32
Fergus, J. W., O. A. Oyarzabal, R. S. Miller, W. F. Gale, and D.E. Conner. 2009. Reductions of Escherichia coli, coliforms, aerobic plate counts, and Campylobacter jejuni by a small-scale, high-pressure system devised to clean a miniaturized poultry giblet transport system. J. Food Safety 29: 650–660
Miller, R. S., L. Speegle, A. J. Lastovica, and O. A. Oyarzabal. 2008. An Evaluation of Three Commercial Latex Agglutination Tests for the Identification of Campylobacter spp. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46:3546-3547
Oyarzabal, O. A., S. Backert, L. L. Williams, A. J. Lastovica, R. S. Miller, S. J. Pierce, S. L. Vieira and F. Rebollo-Carrato. 2008. Molecular typing, serotyping and cytotoxicity testing of Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from commercial broilers in Puerto Rico. J. Appl. Microbiol. 105:800-812
Bano, L., I. Drigo, K. S. Macklin, S. W. Martin, R. S. Miller, R. A. Norton, O. A. Oyarzabal, and S. F. Bilgili. 2008. Development of a polymerase chain reaction assay for specific identification of Clostridium colinum. Avian Pathol. 37(2):179-181
Potturi-Venkata L.-P., S. Backert, A. J. Lastovica, S. L. Vieira, R. A. Norton, R. S. Miller, S. Pierce, and O. A. Oyarzabal. 2007. Evaluation of Different Plate Media for Direct Cultivation of Campylobacter Species from Live Broilers. Poultry Sci. 86(7): 1304-1311
Oyarzabal, O. A., S. Backert, M. Nagaraj, R. S. Miller, S. K. Hussain, E. A. Oyarzabal. 2007. Efficacy of supplemented buffered peptone water for the isolation of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli from broiler retail products. J. Microbiol. Meth. 69:129-136
Oyarzabal, O. A., K. S. Macklin, J. M. Barbaree, and R. S. Miller. 2005. Evaluation of agar plates for direct enumeration of Campylobacter spp. from poultry carcass rinses. Appl. Environ. Microb. 71:3351-3354
