Gregory Zock
133 Cohen Street, Athens,Georgia
Summary
Motivated and eager research assistant with strong microbiological, environmental, metagenomic, and bioinformatic knowledge of food-borne pathogens in pre-harvest and post-harvest broiler chicken production.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
ORISE Postgraduate Research Assistant
United States Department Of Agriculture
01.2023 - Current
- 40 hours per week at GS-07 comparable level
- Designed and performed growth curve experiments with poultry industry sanitizers on Salmonella infantis using optical density.
- Performed and taught local and international graduate students how to perform DNA extractions, qPCR, and statistical analysis on chicken tissue and litter samples.
- Team leader for on-farm pre-harvest Salmonella challenge trials.
- Essential team member through all phases of research processes and experimental planning including laboratory, field, and analytical work while assuming full technical and operational responsibility for specific areas of molecular biology, genetic, and antibiotic resistance research.
- Responsible for drafting manuscripts of projects and experiments that I am involved with.
Microbiology Research Assistant
United States Department Of Agriculture
01.2017 - 12.2021
- 40 hours per week at GS-05 comparable level
- Extracted DNA from environmental samples and bacterial culture to quantify concentration for further genetic analysis.
- Carried out Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) of chromosomal, plasmid, and phage DNA and assisted in creating unit-wide protocol.
- Performed qPCR and real-time PCR techniques to identify presence of specific genes in environmental samples for several studies.
- Used Sensititre Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test panels and disc diffusion to confer antibiotic resistance.
- Skilled in producing large quantities of media and broths with different selectivity.
- Operated and calibrated NanoDrop spectrophotometer and Qubit fluorometer to determine concentration of bacteria and DNA/RNA, respectively.
- Conducted culture experiments involving isolation and identification of bacteria from biological and environmental samples.
- Provided comprehensive and thorough training for new techniques, equipment, and safety procedures to colleagues and new students.
- IACUC trained and certified for live animal studies involving oral and intercloacal gavage of chickens.
- Responsible for soil, water, produce, and compost sample collection, preparation, processing, verification, and storage from on-going collaborations between USDA, UGA, and FDA.
- Assembled and calibrated new equipment with proper protocol and safety procedures.
- Responsible for drafting materials and methods, results, and discussions of projects and experiments
that I am involved with for peer-review journals.
Poultry Science Graduate Research Assistant
University Of Georgia
08.2019 - 12.2021
- Researched information regarding particulate matter, microbes, and antibiotic resistant genes in a poultry house to assist department with academic pursuits.
- Worked on live animal projects studying effects of poultry litter, environmental conditions, and feed conversion ratio on poultry behavior and physiological wellbeing.
- Gathered, prepared, evaluated, and tested various biological samples such as airborne E. coli and coliforms, litterborne E. coli and coliforms, and chicken cecum.
- Engineered new methods of obtaining environmental samples to achieve research goals.
- Collaborated with outside departments to design and build poultry housing units for future experimentation.
- Presented results to field experts at the Poultry Science Association (PSA) with research accepted for American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) and World Poultry Congress (WPC) conferences (postponed due to COVID-19).
Executive Head Chef
Heirloom Cafe And Fresh Market
12.2021 - 12.2022
- Hired, managed and trained kitchen staff.
- Inspected kitchens to observe food preparation quality and service, food appearance and cleanliness of production and service areas.
- Created recipes and prepared advanced dishes.
- Monitored line processes to maintain consistency in quality, quantity and presentation.
- Handled and stored food to eliminate illness and prevent cross-contamination.
- Maintained high food quality standards by checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
- Placed orders to restock items before supplies ran out.
- Inventoried food, ingredient and supply stock to prepare and plan vendor orders.
- Forecasted supply needs and estimated costs.
Interdisciplinary Field Program Chef
University Of Georgia
06.2018 - 08.2022
- Designed and maintained $25,000 budget with surplus for 2 months in 2018, 2019, and 2022.
- Used professional and academic experience to aid instructors in ecology, geology, and soil chemistry coursework.
- Educated students about proper nutrition, local and seasonal foods, cooking techniques, and safe food handling operations with respect to different harsh outdoor environments.
- Provided three meals for approximately 34 people per day.
HARVEST Project Manager
University of Georgia
02.2017 - 06.2018
- Organized student volunteers, farmers, and agencies to plan for large-scale studies spanning several years.
- Analyzed and compiled data with competencies including Excel and SigmaPlot which included several labs and researchers to ensure a broad range of information would be available to study.
- Consistently took water and soil field samples to represent areas of interest.
- Inventoried and stored lab test solutions, compounds and reagents, and other non-hazardous research materials.
- Implemented strong acid digestion to extract heavy metals and pesticides from environmental samples.
- Trained new team members how to properly take field samples, use instruments, and record data relevant to the study.
Sous Chef
Heirloom Cafe And Fresh Market
02.2015 - 06.2018
- Worked quickly and efficiently in high-stress scenarios while focusing on safety and positive environments.
- Oversaw daily kitchen operations of fifteen people by ensuring quality of items produced and leading by example.
- Trained new team members on safety, efficiency, and cooking techniques. Played key role in designing compost bins that resulted in reduced food waste. Cut food, labor, and other expenses by 15% by reducing unnecessary waste and thinking of innovative ways to build business.
- Ability to learn and apply new information quickly in regards to techniques, recipes, and menu writing.
- Skilled in taking inventory and maintaining product flow through proper ordering and delivery timings.
Education
Master of Science - Poultry Science
University of Georgia
Athens, GA2021
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Chemistry
University of Georgia
Athens, GA2017
Skills
- Extensive work in Biological Safety Level 2 labs including culture work, sterile technique, and lab safety
- Experienced in experimental design including interdisciplinary live-animal studies
- Effective at antimicrobial susceptibility testing with Sensititre, disc diffusion, and real-time BAX systems
- Adept in manual/automated DNA, RNA, and Plasmid Extraction and quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR)
- Experienced in Next-generation sequencing (NGS) library prep and Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS)
- Skilled operation and execution of many lab instruments and techniques including optical density readers and water activity meters
- Competencies tabulating data using several statistical and analytical programs to summarize information
- Highly motivated and comfortable teaching and learning from others
- Thorough with tuning, calibration, and protocol preparation of equipment
- Passionate about waste reduction and environmental solutions
- Willing to understand limitations and ask for help to ensure quality, accuracy, and collaboration
- Quick, efficient, clean, and organized
Peer Reviewed Publications
- Zwirzitz, B., Oladeinde, A., Johnson, J., Zock, G., et al. "Temporal dynamics of the cecal and litter microbiome of chickens raised in two separate broiler houses." Frontiers in Physiology, 14, 326, 2023.
- Oladeinde, Adelumola, Abdo, Zaid, Cook, Kimberly, Cox, Nelson, Zock, Gregory, et al. “Litter Commensal Bacteria Can Limit the Horizontal Gene Transfer of Antimicrobial Resistance to Salmonella in Chickens.” Applied and Environmental Microbiology, vol. 88, no. 9, 2022. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/aem.02517-21.
- Oladeinde, Adelumola, Abdo, Zaid, Cook, Kimberly, Cox, Nelson, Zock, Gregory, et al. “Horizontal Gene Transfer Is the Main Driver of Antimicrobial Resistance in Broiler Chicks Infected with Salmonella Enterica Serovar Heidelberg.” MSYSTEMS, vol. 6, no. 4, July 2021, pp. e00729-21. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1128/mSystems.00729-21.
- Oladeinde, Adelumola, Abdo, Zaid, Cook, Kimberly, Cox, Nelson, Zock, Gregory, et al. “Gene Flux and Acid-Imposed Selection Are the Main Drivers of Antimicrobial Resistance in Broiler Chicks Infected with Salmonella Enterica Serovar Heidelberg (Updated April 19, 2021).” Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week, May 2021, p. 1746. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.660421163&site=eds-live.
- Johnson, J., Zwirzitz, B., Oladeinde, A., Zock, G., et al. “Succession Patterns of the Bacterial Community in Poultry Litter after Bird Removal and Sodium Bisulfate Application.” Journal of Environmental Quality, vol. 50, no. 4, 2021, pp. 923–33. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jeq2.20248.
- Guo, YangYang, Aggrey, Samuel, Oladeinde, Adelumola, Johnson, Jasmine, Zock, Gregory, Chai, Lilong. “A Machine Vision-Based Method Optimized for Restoring Broiler Chicken Images Occluded by Feeding and Drinking Equipment.” Animals, vol. 11, no. 1, 2021. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/123/htm. et al. “A Machine Vision-Based Method Optimized for Restoring Broiler Chicken Images Occluded by Feeding and Drinking Equipment.” Animals, vol. 11, no. 1, 2021. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/123/htm.
- Cox, N. A., Oladeinde, A.A., Cook, K.L., Zock, G.S., Berrang, M.E., Ritz, C.W., Hinton, A. “Research Note: Evaluation of Several Inoculation Procedures for Colonization of Day-Old Broiler Chicks with Salmonella Heidelberg.” Poultry Science, vol. 99, no. 3, Mar. 2020, pp. 1615–17. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2019.10.020.
- Yangyang Guo, Lilong Chai, Samuel E. Aggrey, Adelumola Oladeinde, Jasmine Johnson, Gregory Zock. “A Machine Vision-Based Method for Monitoring Broiler Chicken Floor Distribution.” Sensors, vol. 20, no. 3179, June 2020, p. 3179. EBSCOhost, doi:10.3390/s20113179.
- Bucher MG, Zwirzitz B, Oladeinde A, Cook K, Plymel C, Zock G, et al. “Reused Poultry Litter Microbiome with Competitive Exclusion Potential against Salmonella Heidelberg.” Journal of Environmental Quality, vol. 49, no. 4, July 2020, pp. 869–881. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=edo&AN=144669203&site=eds-live.
- Oladeinde A, Cook K, Lakin S, Woyda R, Abdo Z, Looft T, Kyler H, Zock G, et al. “Horizontal Gene Transfer and Acquired Antibiotic Resistance in S. Heidelberg Following in Vitro Incubation in Broiler Ceca.” Applied & Environmental Microbiology, vol. 85, no. 22, Nov. 2019, pp. 1–42. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1128/AEM.01903-19.
- Oladeinde A, Cook K, Orlek A, Zock G, Herrington K, et al. (2018) Hotspot mutations and ColE1 plasmids contribute to the fitness of Salmonella Heidelberg in poultry litter. PLOS ONE 13(8): e0202286. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0202286
Presentations
- Gregory Zock, Lilong Chai, Adelumola Oladeinde, Samuel E Aggrey, Jasmine Johnson, Yangyang Guo. Broiler house particulate matter, aerobiome, and antibiotic resistant E. coli under “raised without antibiotics” production. Poster presentation at the Poultry Science Association (PSA), Virtual, March 11, 2020.
- Greg Zock, Kimberly L. Cook, Ade Oladeinde, Jodie Plumblee Lawrence, Carolina Hall, Latoya
Wiggins, Sandra House, Eric Line, Kelli Hiett and Anne Marie Zimeri. Longitudinal environmental
sampling of small organic farms for foodborne pathogens and indicator bacteria as part of the
HARVEST Initiative. Poster presentation at the American Society for Microbiology (ASM),
Atlanta, GA, June 7 – 11, 2018. - Oladeinde, A., Cook, K., Orlek, A., Zock, G., Herrington, K., Cox, N., ... & Hall, C. (2018). ColE1
plasmids potentiate the fitness of Salmonella Heidelberg in poultry litter. Oral presentation at the
17th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology, Leipzig, Germany, August 12 – 17, 2018. - Adelumola Oladeinde, Kimberly Cook, Steven Lakin, Zaid Abdo, Carolina Hall, Gregory Zock,
Jodie Plumblee Lawrence. Horizontal transfer of plasmids and bacteriophages from broiler
chicken microbiome to Salmonella Heidelberg. Poster presentation at the 17th International
Symposium on Microbial Ecology, Leipzig, Germany, August 12 – 17, 2018. - Adelumola Oladeinde, Kimberly Cook, Alex Orlek, Casey Ritz, Jodie Plumblee, Nelson Cox, Greg
Zock, Kyler Herrington, Carolina Hall. Col Plasmids Contribute to the Fitness of Salmonella
Heidelberg in Poultry Litter Evolution Experiment. Poster presentation at the American Society for
Microbiology (ASM), Atlanta, GA, June 7 – 11, 2018. - A. Oladeinde, K.L. Cook, N.A. Cox, C.W. Ritz, D.E. Cosby, J.R. Plumblee Lawrence, S.L. House,
G.S. Zock, and J.S. Jackson (2018). Incidence and degree of Salmonella Heidelberg colonization of
day old broiler chicks using several methods of inoculation. Poster presentation at the International
Production and Processing Expo (IPPE), Atlanta, GA, January 30 – February 01, 2018.
Certifications & Proficiencies
Certifications:
- OSHA-Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER )
- Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
- ServSafe
- Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI)
Proficiencies:
- SAS/SigmaStat/JMP/SPSS and other statistical packages
- Microsoft Office
- Bash Scripting
Relevant Coursework
- Applied Genome Analysis gave hands-on application of bioinformatics approaches used in whole genome analyses including genome assembly, comparative genomics, and ChIP-sequencing.
- Avian Anatomy and Physiology, Reproductive Endocrinology, Monogastric Nutrition, and Microbiology linked several disciplines to understand host-interactions between microbes and poultry.
- Design of Experiments for Research Workers demonstrated several methods for constructing experiments with in depth statistical analysis using advanced packages (SAS).
- Environmental Sampling and Design emphasized soil and water experiment modeling at all stages with added use of specialized tools and instruments.
- Water Pollution and Human Health, Soil Chemistry, and Environmental Air Quality instruction prepared well-rounded assimilation of several environmental components and their effects on animals and humans.
- Sustainability in Agriculture honed interpersonal communication through qualitative research by conducting series of interviews and community presentations.
- Instrumental Analysis and Analytical Chemistry provided in-depth understanding of inner-workings of several common instruments with relevant applications to professional lab settings.
- Physical Chemistry deepened understanding of chemistry as it applies to environmental reactions and couples with current microbial studies to paint more complete pictures of daily research.
- Biochemistry and Toxicology tied years of previous study together by adding physiological elements to overall comprehension.
- Solid and Hazardous Waste Management and Environmental Law broadened knowledge of remediation and regulations which increased passion for waste reduction.
- Viticulture and Enology allowed travel to Italy which shifted perspectives on global environmental problems, inter-connectivity of several disciplinary fields, and diversity of land.
References
Dr. Ade Odaleinde - (404)-509-1251 - ade.oladeinde@ars.usda.gov
Research Microbiologist
Dr. Sammy Aggrey - (706)-621-1981 - saggrey@uga.edu
Graduate Advisor
Dr. Kim Cook - (706)-296-7233 - kim.cook@ars.usda.gov
Former Research Leader and Research Microbiologist at USDA-ARS
Timeline
ORISE Postgraduate Research Assistant
United States Department Of Agriculture
01.2023 - Current
Executive Head Chef
Heirloom Cafe And Fresh Market
12.2021 - 12.2022
Poultry Science Graduate Research Assistant
University Of Georgia
08.2019 - 12.2021
Interdisciplinary Field Program Chef
University Of Georgia
06.2018 - 08.2022
HARVEST Project Manager
University of Georgia
02.2017 - 06.2018
Microbiology Research Assistant
United States Department Of Agriculture
01.2017 - 12.2021
Sous Chef
Heirloom Cafe And Fresh Market
02.2015 - 06.2018
Master of Science - Poultry Science
University of Georgia
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Chemistry
University of Georgia
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