World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Microbiology

D-Index
56
Citations
13016
World Ranking
3684
National Ranking
1448

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2019 - Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Overview

Wayne L. Nicholson is affiliated with the University of Florida in the United States. Nicholson's research primarily focuses on various aspects of biology and space science, contributing to understanding how spaceflight affects biological systems as well as broader topics in planetary science and microbial genetics.

The scientist's recent papers cover multiple disciplines and have been published in diverse scientific venues. Some notable publications include:

  • "Mechanotransduction in Prokaryotes: A Possible Mechanism of Spaceflight Adaptation," 2021, Life
  • "The Spectrum of Spontaneous Rifampin Resistance Mutations in the Bacillus subtilis rpoB Gene Depends on the Growth Environment," 2021, Applied and Environmental Microbiology
  • "Shelf Life and Simulated Gastrointestinal Tract Survival of Selected Commercial Probiotics During a Simulated Round-Trip Journey to Mars," 2021, Frontiers in Microbiology
  • "Comparisons of Transcriptome Profiles from Bacillus subtilis Cells Grown in Space versus High Aspect Ratio Vessel (HARV) Clinostats Reveal a Low Degree of Concordance," 2020, Astrobiology
  • "Environmental Dependence of Competitive Fitness in Rifampin-Resistant rpoB Mutants of Bacillus subtilis," 2022, Applied and Environmental Microbiology

Nicholson collaborates frequently with a range of coauthors, including:

  • Patricia Fajardo-Cavazos
  • Ralf Moeller
  • Joss D. Leehan
  • Michael D. Morrison
  • Caleb Turner

The scientist often publishes in the following venues:

  • Astrobiology
  • Applied and Environmental Microbiology
  • Life
  • Frontiers in Microbiology
  • Frontiers in Space Technologies

Wayne L. Nicholson's academic work spans across several fields of study, including:

  • Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • Physics and Astronomy
  • Medicine

Within these domains, Nicholson's research touches on subfields such as:

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Physiology
  • Genetics
  • Ecology
  • Molecular Medicine

Main topics of investigation include:

  • Spaceflight effects on biology
  • Planetary Science and Exploration
  • Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
  • Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
  • Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
  • Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
  • Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology

Among professional recognitions, Wayne L. Nicholson was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2019.

Best Publications

  • Resistance of Bacillus endospores to extreme terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments.

    Wayne L. Nicholson;Nobuo Munakata;Gerda Horneck;Henry J. Melosh

  • Sporulation germination and outgrowth

    W. L. Nicholson

  • Roles of Bacillus endospores in the environment.

    W. L. Nicholson

  • Catabolite repression of alpha-amylase gene expression in Bacillus subtilis involves a trans-acting gene product homologous to the Escherichia coli lacl and galR repressors.

    T. M. Henkin;F. J. Grundy;W. L. Nicholson;G. H. Chambliss

  • Role of the Spore Coat Layers in Bacillus subtilis Spore Resistance to Hydrogen Peroxide, Artificial UV-C, UV-B, and Solar UV Radiation

    Paul J. Riesenman;Wayne L. Nicholson

  • A new analysis of Mars "Special Regions": findings of the second MEPAG Special Regions Science Analysis Group (SR-SAG2)

    John D. Rummel;David W. Beaty;Melissa A. Jones;Corien Bakermans

  • The solar UV environment and bacterial spore UV resistance: considerations for Earth-to-Mars transport by natural processes and human spaceflight

    Wayne L. Nicholson;Andrew C. Schuerger;Peter Setlow

  • Microbial characterization of the Mars Odyssey spacecraft and its encapsulation facility.

    Myron T. La Duc;Wayne Nicholson;Roger Kern;Kasthuri Venkateswaran

  • Artificial and solar UV radiation induces strand breaks and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers in Bacillus subtilis spore DNA.

    Tony A. Slieman;Wayne L. Nicholson

  • Role of dipicolinic acid in survival of Bacillus subtilis spores exposed to artificial and solar UV radiation.

    Tony A. Slieman;Wayne L. Nicholson

  • UV Resistance of Bacillus anthracis Spores Revisited: Validation of Bacillus subtilis Spores as UV Surrogates for Spores of B. anthracis Sterne

    Wayne L. Nicholson;Belinda Galeano

  • The Bacillus subtilis ydjL (bdhA) gene encodes acetoin reductase/2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase

    Wayne L. Nicholson

  • Role of DNA Repair by Nonhomologous-End Joining in Bacillus subtilis Spore Resistance to Extreme Dryness, Mono- and Polychromatic UV, and Ionizing Radiation

    Ralf Moeller;Ralf Moeller;Erko Stackebrandt;Günther Reitz;Thomas Berger

  • Extreme spore UV resistance of Bacillus pumilus isolates obtained from an ultraclean Spacecraft Assembly Facility.

    L. Link;J. Sawyer;K. Venkateswaran;W. Nicholson

  • Survival of bacteria exposed to extreme acceleration: implications for panspermia

    R.M.E Mastrapa;H Glanzberg;J.N Head;H.J Melosh

  • Paradoxical DNA repair and peroxide resistance gene conservation in Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032.

    Jason Gioia;Shailaja Yerrapragada;Xiang Qin;Huaiyang Jiang

  • Ancient micronauts: interplanetary transport of microbes by cosmic impacts

    Wayne L. Nicholson

  • Resistance of Bacterial Endospores to Outer Space for Planetary Protection Purposes—Experiment PROTECT of the EXPOSE-E Mission

    Gerda Horneck;Ralf Moeller;Jean Cadet;Thierry Douki

  • Bacillus nealsonii sp. nov., isolated from a spacecraft-assembly facility, whose spores are gamma-radiation resistant.

    Kasthuri Venkateswaran;Michael Kempf;Fei Chen;Masataka Satomi

  • Bacterial endospores and their significance in stress resistance

    Wayne L Nicholson;Patricia Fajardo-Cavazos;Roberto Rebeil;Tony A Slieman

Frequent Co-Authors

Peter Setlow
Peter Setlow University of Connecticut Health Center
Antonio J. Ricco
Antonio J. Ricco Ames Research Center
Kasthuri Venkateswaran
Kasthuri Venkateswaran Jet Propulsion Lab
Richard C. Quinn
Richard C. Quinn Ames Research Center
Barbara Setlow
Barbara Setlow University of Connecticut Health Center
Thierry Douki
Thierry Douki Grenoble Alpes University
Eric W. Triplett
Eric W. Triplett University of Florida
H. J. Melosh
H. J. Melosh Purdue University West Lafayette
Jean Cadet
Jean Cadet Université de Sherbrooke
Aidan J. Doherty
Aidan J. Doherty University of Sussex

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

For those interested in microbiology, exploring related online degrees can open diverse career opportunities. Programs like the online medical billing and coding certificate fast offer a quick pathway into the healthcare administration field, complementing scientific knowledge with essential administrative skills.

Additionally, students can broaden their expertise by pursuing various what medical degree can i get online options, from nursing to health informatics. These degrees provide flexible learning formats suitable for microbiology graduates looking to pivot or enhance their qualifications in the health sector.

Public health is another promising field, especially with many institutions offering some of the which online mph programs are easiest to get into. These programs enable microbiology students to engage with community health, epidemiology, and disease prevention, vital areas in today’s global health landscape.

Lastly, for those passionate about working directly with children and families in healthcare settings, the role of child life specialists salary reflects a rewarding career pathway. This profession blends psychology, education, and health sciences—fields that can align well with microbiology degrees emphasizing human biology and health.

Best Scientists Citing Wayne L. Nicholson

Trending Scientists

Recently Published Articles