Nicholas Ashbolt

PhD

Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Translational Research Chair in Waterborne Disease Prevention

Professor, School of Public Health, University of Alberta

Location

Edmonton, Alberta

Keywords

QMRA, biofilms, metagenomics, resistome, Legionella, non-tuberculous mycobacteria, Norovirus, Adenovirus, bacteriophages, Campylobacter, Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, spores of Clostridium perfringens, yeasts, and amoebae hosts

Research interests

My research focuses on the collection of missing environmental pathogens (both faecal and water-based pathogens) and antibiotic-resistance data with the view to stochastic description of pathogen presence and removal by treatment processes and use in quantitative microbial risk assessment models to inform water safety management plans.

Expertise in

Public Health

Relevant publications

Ashbolt, N. J.; Amézquita, A.; Backhaus, T.; Borriello, S. P.; Brandt, K.; Collignon, P.; Coors, A.; Finley, R.; Gaze, W. H.; Heberer, T.; Lawrence, J.; Larsson, D. G. J.; McEwen, S. A.; Ryan, J.; Schönfeld, J.; Silley, P.; Snape, J. R.; van den Eede, C.; Topp, E., Human health risk assessment (HHRA) for environmental development and transfer of antibiotic resistance. Environmental Health Perspectives 2013, 121, (9), 993-1001.

Buse, H. Y.; Lu, J.; Struewing, I. T.; Ashbolt, N. J., Preferential colonization and release of Legionella pneumophila from mature drinking water biofilms grown on copper versus unplasticized polyvinylchloride coupons. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 2014, 217, (1), 219-225.

Buse, H. Y.; Lu, J.; Lu, X.; Mou, X.; Ashbolt, N. J., Microbial diversities (16S and 18S rRNA gene pyrosequencing) and environmental pathogens within drinking water biofilms grown on the common premise plumbing materials unplasticized polyvinylchloride and copper. FEMS microbiology ecology 2014, 88, (2), 280-95.

Lu, J.; Buse, H.; Gomez-Alvarez, V.; Struewing, I.; Santo Domingo, J.; Ashbolt, N. J., Impact of drinking water conditions and copper materials on downstream biofilm microbial communities and Legionella pneumophila colonization. Journal of applied microbiology 2014, doi:10.1111/jam.12578.

Schoen, M. E.; Xue, X.; Hawkins, T. R.; Ashbolt, N. J., Comparative Human Health Risk Analysis of Coastal Community Water and Waste Service Options. Environmental science & technology 2014, DOI: 10.1021/es501262p.

Zimmerman, B. D.; Ashbolt, N. J.; Garland, J. L.; Keely, S.; Wendell, D., Human mitochondrial DNA and endogenous bacterial surrogates for risk assessment of graywater reuse. Environmental science & technology 2014, 48, (14),7993-8002.

Contact

Room 3-57D, South Academic Building

University of Alberta

Edmonton, AB T6G 2G7

ashbolt@ualberta.ca