Faculty Profile for Megan Boulette

Biography Section

Biography and Education

Teaching, service, and research in biological sciences have been central to my career. After earning a BS in Zoology with special honors in cancer research, I pursued a PhD and Postdoctoral Fellowship in the human infectious pathogens Shigella and Pseudomonas. Those experiences ultimately led to my focus in higher education -- teaching biology and microbiology to future wildlife, conservation, exercise science, healthcare, and computer science professionals. My strengths lie in my advocacy for science, health, students, and diversity, and I teach with gratitude for the experiences that have led to the intersection of my path with those of my wonderful students and this great institution.

Education
University of Texas, Austin, TX - Post-doctoral training — 2007-2010
University of Texas, Austin, TX - PhD Microbiology and Genetics — 2000-2007
University of Texas, Austin, TX - BS Zoology, Special Honors — 1993-1998
Study abroad in science at University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain — 1995
Study abroad in language and culture at Cemanahuac, Cuernavaca, Mexico — 1994
Bastrop High School, Bastrop, TX - Diploma with Honors, Top 10 — 1989-1993

Teaching Interests

Lecturer, Texas State University — 2024-present
I teach sections of the general education course Functional Biology at both Round Rock and San Marcos.
Adjunct Faculty in Microbiology, Concordia University — 2021-present
I created and taught Microbiology in Health Sciences course for pre-nursing students and General Microbiology course for upper division undergraduate majors, including class & lab curriculum development, instruction, office hours, and evaluation.
Substitute Teacher, Austin ISD — 2019-present Daily flexibility and preparation help me teach subjects to and connect with students of all ages while overseeing family needs and remote education during the pandemic.
Science Fair Chair and Volunteer, Highland Park Elementary — 2013-present
Science Fair Chair (education, setup, communications, etc) ; PTA, Archery and Yearbook committee member
BioSciences Lecturer/Lab Coordinator, St. Edward’s Univ. — 2010-2011
Freshman Biology Laboratory coordinator and lecturer including curriculum development and assessment, preparation of materials, hiring and training laboratory Teaching Assistants (T Voong, J Rozacky, G Kroh, T La, J Svoboda, Y Ashrawi, K Vaziri, T Henegar, A Lewis, E Kaweesa, J McCann, J Emerick JT Gabriel), leading weekly meetings for faculty and TAsBiological Sciences lab and safety coordinator including ordering and stocking supplies and overseeing waste disposalAdditional duties including teaching majors and non-majors courses as needed and service in departmental activities
Adjunct faculty, Microbiology Lab, St. Edward’s Univ. — 2010
Microbiology Laboratory instructor for upper division undergraduate majors including curriculum instruction and assessment, preparation of materials, hiring and training laboratory Teaching Assistants (K Sullaway, A Cox), and leading weekly meetings
Post-doctoral Research Associate, UT Austin — 2007-2010
Research in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PQS virulence expression in response to nutrients and communities (PI: M Whiteley). Techniques used: BIOLOG Multiplex analyses by LMS, biofilm and bacterial plate assays, B-gal fusion assays, plasmid construction, bacterial transformation, sequencing analysis, bacterial culture techniques, phenol isolation of bacterial signals and thin-layer chromatographic analysis. bacterial mutagenesis, DNA isolation; Grant, manuscript, and chapter writing and editing; Presentations at international science meetings and participation in weekly lab meetings; Laboratory mentorship of undergraduates from St. Edwards (NSF Minority Research program and McNairs Scholars C Corkill, James McCann, S Wells); Collaboration and consultation with graduate and undergraduate colleagues
Graduate Research Associate, UT Austin — 2001-2007
Research in HPV E6 ubiquitination and p53 degradation in cancer cells (PI: J Huibregtse), understanding mobile genetic elements for mutagenesis (PI:A Lambowitz), and Shigella flexneri iron regulation in response to oxygen availability (PI: SM Payne). Techniques learned: PCR, rtPCR, rtRT-PCR, chemostat culture, cell culture, mutant library creation using introns, plasmid construction, bacterial transformation, sequencing analysis, aerobic and anaerobic bacterial culture techniques, bacterial mutagenesis, large-scale and column prep DNA isolation, novel anaerobic bacterial plaque studies, microarrays, BSL-2 safety training, Western blotting, gel electrophoresis, radioactive labeling, microphage P1 transduction; Grant, manuscript, and chapter writing and editing; Presentations at national science meetings and participation in weekly lab meetings; Laboratory mentorship of undergraduate students from UT (IJ Whitney) and St. Edwards (NSF Minority Research program and McNairs Scholar D Izaguirre) and UT graduate student (H Graham)
Graduate Teaching Assistant, UT Austin, 2000-2001
Laboratory training of undergraduates in Immunology Lab courses (under the direction of D Broussard; Tissue culture, pipetting, dilutions, blood cells, T cell rosettes, mouse work (splenic extraction), ConA culture, fluorescent staining, ELISA, IgG purification, SDS prep and dialysis, Ion exchange chromatography, protein quantitation, immunoelectrophoresis, Immunodiffusion, Immunoblotting, grading, preparation and presentation of lectures, and preparation of materials)
Graduate Research Associate and teaching assistant, UTHSCSA, 1998-1999
Research in mapping disease phenotypes with chromosome loss in human chromosome 18q disorders (PI: RJ Leach); Immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization studies (PI: DA Troyer); Human chromosomal gene mapping (PI: SL Naylor); Teaching assistant assignment in Medical Didactics Course - Human Genetics
Undergraduate Research Associate and Grader, UT Austin, 1997-1998
Research experiences in quantification of nutritional therapeutics for breast cancer (with BG Sanders); Presentation at lab meeting; Laboratory training of undergraduate and graduate scientists; Grader assignments for Cancer Immunogenetics (for BG Sanders) and Immunology courses (for E Weiss-Kuziel)
Visitor Services and Camp Counselor, Austin Nature Center — 1993-1995
Duties including office assistant, program scheduling, greeting patrons, processing payments, and instructing volunteersLeading science-based summer camp groups through science and nature activities

Research Interests

Dissertation
Shigella flexneri ArcA and FNR regulate iron acquisition and contribute to plaque formation under anaerobic conditions. ML Boulette. 2007. University of Texas. Dissertation
Book Chapter
Oral Microbial Communities: Genomic Inquiry and Interspecies Communication. PE Kolenbrander, ed. 2011; ASm Press; Chapter 20: Metabolite Sensing in a Model Polymicrobial Community. MR Ramsey, ML Boulette, PJ Jorth, and M Whiteley. pdf
Peer-reviewed Journals
Schertzer, JW, Boulette, ML, and M Whiteley. More than a signal: non-signaling properties of quorum sensing molecules. Trends in Microbiology, 2009. Vol 17, Issue 5, 189-195. pdf
Boulette, ML, Baynham, PJ, Jorth, PJ, Kukavica-Ibrulj I, Longoria, A, Barrera, K, Levesque, RC, and M Whiteley. Characterization of Alanine Catabolism in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Its Importance in Proliferation In Vivo. Journal of Bacteriology, 2009. Vol 191, Number 20, 6329-6334. pdf
Wyckoff, EE, Boulette ML, and Sm Payne. Genetics and environmental regulation of Shigella iron transport systems. Biometals, 2009. Vol 22, Issue 1, 43-51. pdf
Boulette, ML and SM Payne. Anaerobic Regulation of Shigella flexneri Virulence: ArcA Regulates fur and Iron Acquisition Genes. Journal of Bacteriology, 2007. Vol 189, Number 19, 6957-6967. pdf
Payne, Sm, Wyckoff, EE, Murphy, ER, Oglesby, AG, Boulette ML, and NML Davies. Iron and Pathogenesis of Shigella: Iron Acquisition in the Intracellular Environment. Biometals, 2006. Vol 19, Issue 2, 173-180. pdf