Michael Benton
	Assistant Professor Cain Professor Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2007 Office: 318 Telephone:  225.578.3056 E-mail: benton@lsu.edu

Research Interests

The recent proliferation of microarrays and other high throughput genomic screens has greatly increased our understanding of how gene expression is modulated under various cellular growth conditions. We are using these techniques to develop novel methods of monitoring real-time gene expression to characterize the cellular microenvironment. By monitoring gene expression changes within a cell, we can identify stresses present in the local environment, such as nutrient depletion and mutagenicity. Additionally, by modifying yeast gene expression patterns, we can improve metabolic performance to enhance the biomanufacturing of ethanol and other commodity products.

Current Focus

The role of the DNA damage response in cancer prevention

Biosensors for the enhanced detection of carcinogens

Metabolic engineering of yeasts for increased ethanol production

Publications

• Benton, M.G., N. R. Glasser, and S.P. Palecek, “The utilization of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae HUG1P-GFP promoter- reporter construct for the selective detection of DNA damage,” accepted for publication in Mutat Res.
  
  
• Benton, M.G., S. Somasundaram, J.D. Glasner, and S.P. Palecek, “Analyzing the dose-dependence of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae global transcriptional response to methyl methanesulfonate and ionizing radiation,” BMC Genomics. 2006 Dec 1;7:305
  
  
• Benton, M.G. and C.S. Brazel, “An Investigation of the Degree and Rate of Polymerization of Poly (methyl methacrylate) in the Ionic Liquid 1-Butyl-3- Methylimidazolium Hexafluorophosphate,” Polymer International 53 (2004) 1113-1117.
  
  
• Rahman, M., M.G. Benton, M.P. Scott and C. S. Brazel, “Room Temperature Ionic Liquids as Environmentally Benign Plasticizers and Reaction Media for Polymerization Reactions,” Proceed. Green Chem. Eng. Conf. 7 (2003) 180-183.
  
  
• Scott, M.P., M.G. Benton, M. Rahman, and C.S. Brazel, “Plasticizing Effects of Imidazolium Salts in PMMA: High Temperature Stable Flexible Engineering Materials,” in Rogers, R.D., and K.R. Seddon, eds. Ionic Liquids as Green Solvents: Progress and Prospects, Washington, DC: American Chemical Society Symposium Series, 856 (2003) 468-477.
  
  
• Brazel, C.S., G.S. Maddox, M.F. Garcia, L.M. Savoy, M.G. Benton, and A.M. Thornton, “Fundamental Chemical Differences between Polyacidic and Polybasic Materials for the Design of pH-Responsive Systems,” Proceed. Intern. Symp. Control. Rel. Bioact. Mater., 29 (2002) #007.
  
  
• Benton, M.G. and C.S. Brazel, "Effect of Room Temperature Ionic Liquids as Replacements for Volatile Organic Solvents in Free Radical Polymerization," in Rogers, R.D. and K.R. Seddon, eds., Ionic Liquids: Industrial Applications for Green Chemistry, Washington, DC: American Chemical Society Symposium Series 818 (2002) 125-133.
  
  
• Scott, M.P., C.S. Brazel, M.G. Benton, J.W. Mays, J. D. Holbrey, and R.D. Rogers, “Application of Ionic Liquids as Plasticizers for Poly(methyl methacrylate),” Chem. Comm., 2002 (2002) 1370-1371.
  
  
• Benton, M.G. and C.S. Brazel, “Comparison of Kinetics for Solution Polymerization of Poly(methyl methacrylate) in Green Ionic Liquid Solvents Versus Traditional Volatile Solvents,” Polym. Prepr. 43 (2002) 881-882.
  
  

This page was last modified on May16, 2007