Ryan Cristiano Aundal Fink
Ryan Cristiano Aundal Fink
Assistant Professor

St. Cloud State University
USA

Education

  • Ph.D. in Biotechnology, University of Milano, Italy (2000).
  • M.S. in Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of Milano, Italy (1996).

Biography

Dr. Fink obtained his Ph.D. in 2000 from the University of Milan, Italy, with a research project focused on the molecular and quantitative genetics of corn.  Between 2001 and 2005, he moved to North Carolina State University and sharpened his research focus on the effects of oxidative stress in plants first and then microbes (Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli) by working with Dr. John Scandalios’ and Dr. Hosni Hassan’s research groups.  In 2005, Dr. Fink moved to the “Leonard Miller” School of Medicine at the University of Miami to continue his research in Dr. Murray Deutscher's team. At this time he developed independent projects in collaboration with HerbalScience Group, LLC to identify the mode-of-action of extracts with antiviral and antimicrobial properties and isolate their bioactive compounds. In 2010, Dr. Fink joined the University of Minnesota studying the molecular mechanisms employed by Salmonella interacting with fresh produce and dry food matrices. In 2014, Dr. Fink joined St. Cloud State University faculty to teach and continue his research on Salmonella as a foodborne pathogen.

Research Interest

  1. Molecular food microbiology
  2. Host-microbe interactions
  3. Salmonella-microbiome interactions

 

Professional Activities:

Academic Committees and Service

  • Diversity Committee, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, 2012 – present
  • Departmental 40th Anniversary Celebration Organizing Committee, 2012
  • Department Safety Officer Assistant, 2012
  • Graduate & Research Policy & Review Committee (GRPRC), 2010-2011

Professional Societies

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science (2004)
  • American Society for Microbiology (2003)

Honors and Awards

  • IdeaConnection Featured Problem Solver (2009)
  • IdeaConnection Award for original ideas and contribution (2009)
  • Sigma Iota Rho, Eta Chapter (2005)
  • Honor Society for International Relations
  • Sigma Xi, North Carolina State University Chapter (2005)
  • Scientific Research Society
  • Recognition of Outstanding Research (2005)
  • International Expo, North Carolina State University

 

Publications

  1. Martinez-Vaz B.M., Fink R.C., Diez-Gonzalez F., Sadowsky M. J., Enteric Pathogen-Plant Interactions: Molecular Connections Leading to Colonization and Growth and Implications for Food Safety. Microbes and Environ. 2014. In print.
  2. Paulus Compart D. M., Carlson A. M., Crawford G. I., Fink R. C., Diez-Gonzalez F, DiCostanzo A., ShursonG. C. Presence and Biological Activity of Antibiotics Used in Fuel Ethanol and Corn Co-product Production. J. Anim. Sci. 2013. 91: 2395-2404
  3. Fink R.C., Popowski J. M., Anderson J. E., Dahlberg J. L., Kalyanikutty S., Crawford G. I, DiCostanzo A., Cox R. B., Diez-Gonzalez F. Impact of Feedlot Management Practices and Distillers’ Grains Feeding on the Prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 in Beef Cattle Raised in Minnesota.Foodborne Path. Dis. 2013.10: 559-565
  4. Hou Z., Fink R.C., Radtke C., Sadowsky M. J., Diez‐Gonzalez F.Incidence of Natural Internalization of Foodborne Pathogens in Lettuce. Int. J. Food Microbiol. 2013. 162: 260-265
  5. Hou Z., Fink R.C., Black P.E., Sugawara M., Zhang Z., Diez‐Gonzalez F., Sadowsky M.J. Gene Expression Profiling of Escherichia coli in Response to Interactions with the Lettuce Rhizosphere. J. Appl.Microbiol.2012. 103:1076–1086
  6. Fink R.C., Black P.E., Hou Z., Sugawara M., Sadowsky M.J., Diez-Gonzalez F.Transcriptional Responses of Escherichia coli K12 and O157: H7 in Association with Lettuce Leaves. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2012. 78: 1752-1764
  7. Troxell B.S.,Fink R.C., Porwollik S., Vazquez-Torres A., Jones-Carson J., McClelland, M., Hassan H.M. Transcriptional and Biochemical Analysis of the Fur Regulon in Anaerobically Grown Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium:  Regulation of Metal Homeostasis, Metabolism and Virulence. BMC microbiology.2011, 11: 236.
  8. Evans M.R., Fink R.C., Vazquez-Torres A., Porwollik S., Jones-Carson J., McClelland, M., Hassan H.M. Analysis of the ArcA regulon in anaerobically grown Salmonella enterica sv. Typhimurium. BMC Microbiology, 2011. 11:58.
  9. Troxell B.S., Sikes M.L., Fink R.C., Vazquez-Torres A., Jones-Carson J., Hassan H.M., Fur Negatively Regulates hns and is Required for the Expression of HilA and Virulence in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Journal of Bacteriology, 2011. 193: 497-505.
  10. Shytle, R. D.; Tan, J.; Bickford, P. C.; Rezai-zadeh, K.; Houb, L.; Zeng, J.; Sanberg, P. R.; Sanberg, C. D.; Roschek Jr., B.; Fink, R. C.; Alberte, R. S., Optimized turmeric extracts reduce β-Amyloid and tau pathology in Alzheimer’s transgenic mice. Current Alzheimer Research. 2011. 9:500-506.
  11. Smith A.J., Shytle R.D., Tan J., Bickford P.C., Rezai-Zadeh K., Hou L., Zeng J., Sanberg P.R., Sanberg C.D., Roschek Jr., B., Fink R.C., Alberte R.S. Turmeric Extract Reduces beta-Amyloid and Tau Pathology in Alzheimer's Mice, Cell Transplantation. 2009, 18: 235-235.
  12. Roschek Jr., B.; Fink, R. C.; McMichael, M. D.; Li, D.; Alberte, R. S., Elderberry flavonoids bind to and prevent H1N1 infection in vitro. Phytochemistry 2009. 70:1255-1261.
  13. Fink, R. C.; Roschek Jr, B.; Alberte, R. S., HIV-1 entry inhibitors with a new mode-of-action Antiviral Chemistry anf Chemotherapy. 2009. 19:243-255
  14. Roschek Jr., B.; Fink, R. C.; Li, D.; McMichael, M.; Tower, C. M.; Smith, R. D.; Alberte, R. S., Pro-inflammatory enzymes, COX1, COX2, and 5LOX, inhibited by stabilized rice bran extracts Journal of Medicinal Food. 2009. 12:615-623.
  15. Shytle, R. D.; Bickford, P. C.; Rezai-zadeh, K.; Hou, L.; Zeng, J.; Tan, J.; Sandberg, P. R.; Sandberg, C. D.; Roschek, J., B.; Fink, R. C.; Alberte, R. S., Optimized turmeric extracts have potent anti-amyloidogenic effects Current Alzheimer Research. 2009. 6: 564-571.
  16. Roschek Jr., B.; Fink, R. C.; McMichael, M.; Alberte, R. S., Nettle extract (Urtica dioica) affects key receptors and enzymes associated with allergic rhinitis Phytotherapy Research. 2009. 23: 920-926.
  17. Rees, C. R.; Costin, J. M.; Fink, R. C.; McMichael, M.; Fontaine, K. A.; Isern, S.; Michael, S. F., In vitro inhibition of dengue virus entry by p-sulfoxy-cinnamic acid and structurally related combinatorial chemistries. Antiviral Research. 2008. 80: 135-142.
  18. Fink, R.C., Evans, M.R., Porwollik S., Vazquez-Torres, A., Jones-Carson, J., Troxell, S.B., Libby, S.J., McClelland, M., and Hassan, H.M. FNR is a Global Regulator of Virulence and Anaerobic Metabolism in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (ATCC 14028s). Journal of Bacteriology. 2007. 189:2262-2273
  19. Evans, M.R., Swaminathan, B., Graves, L.M., Altermann, E., Klaenhammer, T.R., Fink, R.C., Kernodle, S. and Kathariou, S. Genetic markers unique to Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b differentiate epidemic clone II (hot-dog outbreak strains) from other lineages. Applied and Environmental Microbiology.2004. 70:2383-2390
  20. Fink, R.C. and Scandalios, J.G. Molecular evolution and structure-function relationships of the superoxide dismutase gene families in Angiosperms and their relationship to other eukaryotic and prokaryotic superoxide dismutases. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics.2002. 399:19-36
  21. Fink, R., Gatti, E., Gianfranceschi, L., Gallavotti, A., Isaac, P.G., Pe’, M.E. and Sari Gorla, M. Localization and fine mapping of gaMS1, a male gametophytic mutant in maize. Sexual Plant Reproduction.2001.14:95-99
  22. Pozzi, C., Faccioli, P., Terzi, V., Stanca, M., Cerioli, S., Castiglioni, P., Fink, R., Capone, R., Müller, K.J., Bossinger, G., Rohde, W., and Salamini, F. Developmental alternative states of a barley floral bract. Genetics,2000. 154:1335-1346
  23. Scotti, I., Magni, F., Fink, R., Powell, W., Binelli, G. and Hedley, P.E. Microsatellite repeats are not randomly distributed within Norway spruce (Picea abies K.) expressed sequences. Genome.2000. 43:41-46

Patents

  1. Alberte, R. S.; Roschek Jr, W.; Fink, R. C. Rice Bran Extracts and the Methods of Use Thereof. Application 61/147,305, January 26, 2009, 2009.
  2. Alberte, R. S.; Roschek Jr, B.; Fink, R. C.; Li, D. Curcuma and Methods of Use Thereof. Application 61/105,995, 2008.
  3. Hassan, H.M., Fink R. C., Evans M.R. (2006) “Attenuated FNR Deleted Enterobacteria.” U.S. Patent Number 60/831821.

Book Chapters

  1. Alberte, R. S.; Li, D.; Roschek Jr., B.; Ayers, S.; Fink, R. C.; McMichael, M.; Sypert, G.; Smith, R. D.; Gow, R. T., Dose-reliable botanical extracts for clinical studies. In The H.E.R.B.A.L. Guide: Evidence-based dietary supplement resources for clinicians, Bonakdar, R., Ed. Wolters Kluwer Publisher: 2009; In Press.
  2. Binelli, G., Scotti, I., Fink, R., Magni, F. and Sari Gorla, M. 1998. Cap. 2.6 Estimates of genetic damage in forest tree populations (Chapt. 2.6:163-173) and. Measured genetic damage (Chapt. 4.9:315-328) In Ballarin Denti, A., Cocucci, S.M. and Sartori, F. eds. Monitoring of forests undergoing environmental stress. Fondazione Lombardia per l’Ambiente, Milano, Italy

 

 

 

 

 

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