Research Microbiologist (Staff Fellow) — Division of Microbiology

Jing Han, Ph.D.
(870) 543-7121
[email protected]  

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 About  |  Publications 

Background

Dr. Jing Han is a research microbiologist (staff fellow) in the Division of Microbiology at FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) in Jefferson, Arkansas. Dr. Han received a Bachelor of Science degree in veterinary medicine from Shandong Agricultural University and a Master of Science degree in veterinary microbiology and preventive medicine from China Agricultural University. Her research focused mainly on the development of an ALV (Avian Leukosis Virus) detection kit, where she expressed and purified the ALV P27 protein, then developed mouse anti-P27 monoclonal antibodies and rabbit anti-P27 polyclonal antibodies using the purified P27 as antigen. Using the monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal antibodies that Dr. Han developed, an ALV detection kit was developed and has been commercialized in China and extensively used by poultry farms to detect virus antigens and antibodies in serum or egg samples. Dr. Han then earned a Ph.D. in veterinary microbiology at Iowa State University, where she worked on the identification of novel mechanisms involved in the emergence and fitness of fluoroquinolone (FQ)–resistant Campylobacter. 

Dr. Han joined NCTR as a postdoctoral fellow and conducted research mainly related to the mechanisms that facilitate the spread and persistence of virulent and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Following her postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Han joined the Public Health Laboratory of the Arkansas Department of Health as a microbiologist, where she conducted microbiological testing and interpretation of results, data analyses, and performed administrative duties. In 2015, Dr. Han rejoined NCTR as a research microbiologist where she served as a leading investigator on a project funded by FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products focusing on smokeless tobacco-associated microbiology. Currently, Dr. Han serves as the principal investigator of an NCTR protocol that aims to develop improved databases for Salmonella virulence, gene identification, and plasmid characterization and to develop the analytical tools for data analyses.

Research Interests

Dr. Han’s main research interests are in the fields of antimicrobial resistance, pathogenesis of foodborne pathogens, and genetic characterization of enteric bacteria using molecular techniques. Her research projects at NCTR include:

• Genetic characterization of antimicrobial resistance and associated genetic factors in Salmonella serovars associated with food animals and invasive human infections
• Sequencing and functional analysis of plasmids isolated from multi-antimicrobial resistant bacteria
• Evaluation of the relative selective potential of antimicrobial agents to trigger the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors to susceptible Salmonella
• Investigation of microbial populations in different tobacco products

Professional Societies/National and International

American Society for Microbiology
Member
2007 – Present

MidSouth Conference on Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
Member
2017 – Present

Selected Publications

Incompatibility Group I1 (IncI1) Plasmids: Their Genetics, Biology, and Public Health Relevance.
Foley S.L., Kaldhone P.R., Ricke S.C., and Han J.
Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews. 2021, 85 (2).

Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Incompatibility Group FIB Positive Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Isolates from Food Animal Sources.
Aljahdali N., Khajanchi B.K., Weston K., Deck J., Cox J., Singh R., Gilbert J., Sanad Y., Han J., Nayak R., and Foley S.L.
Genes. 2020, 11(11), 1307. 

Whole Genome Sequences of 66 Incompatibility Group FIB Plasmid-carrying Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium Isolates from Food Animal Sources.
Aljahdali N., Foley S.L., Han J., Sanad Y., Nayak R., and Khajanchi B.K.
Microbiol Resour Announc. 2020, 9:e01435-19.

Evaluation of Incompatibility Group I1 (IncI1) Plasmid-Containing Salmonella enterica and Assessment of the Plasmids in Bacteriocin Production and Biofilm Development.
Kaldhone P.R., Carlton A., Aljahdali N., Khajanchi B.K., Sanad Y., Han J., Deck J., Ricke S.C., and Foley S.L.
Front. Vet. Sci. 2019.

Impact of Co-Carriage of IncA/C Plasmids with Additional Plasmids on the Transfer of Antimicrobial Resistance in Salmonella enterica Isolates.
Han J., Pendleton S.J., Deck J., Singh R., Gilbert J., Johnson T.J., Sanad Y.M., Nayak R., and Foley S.L.
Int. J. Food Microbiol. 2018, 271:77-84.

Evaluation of the Genetics and Functionality of Incompatibility 1 (IncI1) Plasmids from Salmonella enterica.
Kaldhone P.R., Han J., Deck J., Khajanchi B., Nayak R., Foley S.L., and Ricke S.C.
Foodborne Path. Dis. 2018, 15(3):168-176.

Cj1199 Affect the Development of Erythromycin Resistance in Campylobacter jejuni Through Regulation of Leucine Biosynthesis.
Hao H., Li F., Han J., Foley S.L., Dai M., Wang X., Wang Y., Huang L., Sun Y., Liu Z., and Yuan Z.
Front. Microbiol. 2017, 8:16.
 
Bacterial Populations Associated with Smokeless Tobacco Products.
Han J., Sanad Y., Deck J., Sutherland J.B., Li Z., Walters M.J., Duran N., Holman M.R., and Foley S.L.
Appl Enivron Microbiol. 2016, 82(20):6273-6283.

Evaluation of Virulence and Antimicrobial Resistance in Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis Isolates From Humans and Chicken- and Egg-associated Sources.
Han J., Gokulan K., Barnette D., Khare S., Rooney A.W., Deck J., Nayak R., Stefanova R., Hart M.E., and Foley S.L.
Foodborne Path Dis. 2013, 10(12):1008-1015.

The Contribution of ArsB to Arsenic Resistance in Campylobacter jejuni.
Shen Z., Han J., Wang Y., Sahin O., and Zhang Q.
PLOS ONE. 2013, 8(3):e58894.

Impact of Plasmids, Including Those Encoding VirB4/D4 type IV Secretion Systems on Salmonella enterica Serovar Heidelberg Virulence in Macrophages and Epithelial Cells.
Gokulan K., Han J., Khare S., Rooney A.W., Lynne A.M., and Foley S.L.
PLOS ONE. 2013, 8(10):e77866.

DNA Sequence Analysis of Multidrug Resistance Encoding Plasmids from Salmonella enterica Serotype Heidelberg Isolates.
Han J., Lynne A.M., David D.E., Tang H., Xu J., Nayak R., Kaldhone P., Logue C.M., and Foley S.L.
PLOS ONE. 2012, 7(12):e51160.

Genetic Characterization of Antimicrobial Resistance in Salmonella enterica Serovars Isolated from Dairy Cattle in Wisconsin.
Marrero-Ortiz R., Han J., Lynne A.M., Stemper M.E., David D.E., Nayak R., and Foley S.L.
Food Res Int. 2012, 45(2):962-967.

A Fluoroquinolone Resistance Associated Mutation in GyrA Affects DNA Supercoiling in Campylobacter jejuni.
Han J., Wang Y., Sahin O., Shen Z., Guo B., Shen J., and Zhang Q.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2012, 2:21.

Sequencing of Plasmids from a Multi-antimicrobial Resistant Salmonella enterica Serovar Dublin Strain.
Han J., Lynne A.M., David D.E., and Foley S.L.
Food Res Int. 2012, 45(2):931-934.

Characterization of Antimicrobial Resistance in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Isolates from Food Animals in the U.S.
Louden B.C., Haarman D., Han J., Foley S.L., and Lynne A.M.
Food Res Int. 2012, 45(2):968-972.

Comparison of Salmonella enterica Serovar Heidelberg Isolates From Human Patients With Those From Animal and Food Sources.
Han J., David D., Deck J., Lynne A.M., Kaldhone P., Nayak R., Stefanova R., and Foley S.L.
J Clin Microbiol. 2011, 49(3):1130-33.

Evaluation of a Virulence Factor Profiling In the Characterization of Veterinary Escherichia coli.
David D., Lynne A.M., Han J., and Foley S.L.
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2010, 76(22):7509-7513.

Antibiotic Resistance in Campylobacter: Emergence, Transmission and Persistence.
Luangtongkum T., Jeon B., Han J., Plummer P., Logue C.M., and Zhang Q.
Future Microbiol. 2009, 4(2):189-200.

Key Role of Mfd in the Development of Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Campylobacter jejuni.
Han J., Sahin O., Barton Y.W., and Zhang Q.
PLOS Pathog. 2008, 4(6):e1000083.