Professor James McDonald
Honorary Professor

Contact info
James McDonald is Professor of microbial ecology at Bangor University.
Current research themes include microbiome analysis of biomass-degrading microorganisms for biofuels and biotechnology, high-throughput methods for the detection of human pathogens in aquatic environments, and microbiome analysis of the complex tree disease, Acute Oak Decline.
His group applies a combination of microbiological culture techniques and contemporary ‘omics’ technologies (e.g. genomics, metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and metaproteomics) to address these research themes.
Location: 2nd Floor ECW Building
Tel: +44 (0)1248 383077
Personal webpage: https://www.jamesmcdonaldlab.com/
- 2015
- Published
Impact of climate change on UK estuaries: A review of past trends and potential projections
Robins, P. E., Skov, M. W., Lewis, M. J., Gimenez, L., Davies, A. G., Malham, S. K., Neill, S. P., McDonald, J. E., Whitton, T. A., Jackson, S. E. & Jago, C. F., 17 Dec 2015, In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 169, p. 119-135Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Using chemical, microbial and fluorescence techniques to understand contaminant sources and pathways to wetlands in a conservation site
Rhymes, J. M., Rhymes, J., Jones, L., Lapworth, D. J., White, D., Fenner, N., McDonald, J. E. & Perkins, T. L., 20 Jan 2015, In: Science of the Total Environment. 511, p. 703-710Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
The intergenic transcribed spacer region 1 as a molecular marker for identification and discrimination of Enterobacteriaceae associated with acute oak decline
Doonan, J., Denman, S., Gertler, C., Pachebat, J. A., Golyshin, P. N. & McDonald, J. E., 1 Jan 2015, In: Journal of Applied Microbiology. 118, 1, p. 193-201 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- 2014
- Published
Sediment Composition Influences Spatial Variation in the Abundance of Human Pathogen Indicator Bacteria within an Estuarine Environment
Perkins, T. L., Clements, K., Baas, J. H., Jago, C. F., Jones, D. L., Malham, S. K. & McDonald, J. E., 14 Nov 2014, In: PLoS ONE. 9, 11Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Distribution and diversity of members of the bacterial phylum Fibrobacteres in environments where cellulose degradation occurs
Ransom-Jones, E., Jones, D. L., Edwards, A. & McDonald, J. E., 17 Jul 2014, In: Systematic and Applied Microbiology. 37, 7, p. 502-509Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
The interaction of human microbial pathogens, particulate material and nutrients in estuarine environments and their impacts on recreational and shellfish waters
Malham, S. K., Rajko-Nenow, P., Howlett, E., Tuson, K. E., Perkins, T. L., Pallett, D. W., Wang, H., Jago, C. F., Jones, D. L. & McDonald, J. E., 7 Jul 2014, In: Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts. 16, p. 2145-2155Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Developing Skills in Second Year Biological Science Undergraduates
Robinson, R. L. & McDonald, J. E., 1 Jul 2014, In: Bioscience Education. 22, 1, p. 42-53Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Enhancing first year undergraduate student engagement via the School of Biological Sciences tutorials module
McDonald, J. E. & Robinson, R. L., 1 Jul 2014, In: Bioscience Education. 22, 1, p. 54-69Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- 2013
- Published
Bioreduction of Sheep Carcasses Effectively Contains and Reduces Pathogen Levels under Operational and Simulated Breakdown Conditions
Golyshin, P., Gwyther, C. L., Jones, D. L., Golyshin, P. N., Edwards-Jones, G., McKillen, J., McNair, I., McDonald, J. E. & Williams, A. P., 21 May 2013, In: Environmental Science and Technology. 47, 10, p. 5267–5275Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Evaluation of spatial contamination patterns for norovirus and faecal indicator bacteria near to a coastal sewage discharge using Mytilus edulis as biosentinels
Winterbourn, J. B., Clements, K., Malham, S., McDonald, J. & Jones, D. L., Jan 2013, 92 McLeod et al (eds.). Proc. 9th Int. Conf. Molluscan Shellfish Safety . p. 89-92Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
- 2012
- Published
Importance of Micromonospora spp. as colonizers of cellulose in freshwater lakes as demonstrated by quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR of 16S rRNA
de Menezes, A. B., McDonald, J. E., Allison, H. E. & McCarthy, A. J., May 2012, In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 78, 9, p. 3495-9 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
The microbial ecology of anaerobic cellulose degradation in municipal waste landfill sites: evidence of a role for fibrobacters
McDonald, J. E., Houghton, J. N., Rooks, D. J., Allison, H. E. & McCarthy, A. J., 1 Apr 2012, In: Environmental Microbiology. 14, 4, p. 1077-1087Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
The Fibrobacteres: an Important Phylum of Cellulose-Degrading Bacteria
Ransom-Jones, E., Jones, D., McCarthy, A. J. & McDonald, J. E., Feb 2012, In: Microbial Ecology. 63, 2, p. 267-281Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Metagenomic approaches to the discovery of cellulases
Rooks, D. J., McDonald, J. E. & McCarthy, A. J., 2012, In: Methods in Enzymology. 510, p. 375-94 20 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Methods for the isolation of cellulose-degrading microorganisms
McDonald, J. E., Rooks, D. J. & McCarthy, A. J., 2012, In: Methods in Enzymology. 510, p. 349-74 26 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- 2010
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Identification of carbohydrate metabolism genes in the metagenome of a marine biofilm community shown to be dominated by gammaproteobacteria and bacteroidetes
Edwards, J. L., Smith, D. L., Connolly, J., McDonald, J. E., Cox, M. J., Joint, I., Edwards, C. & McCarthy, A. J., 26 Oct 2010, In: Genes. 1, 3, p. 371-84 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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454-pyrosequencing: a molecular battiscope for freshwater viral ecology
Rooks, D. J., Smith, D. L., McDonald, J. E., Woodward, M. J., McCarthy, A. J. & Allison, H. E., 21 Jul 2010, In: Genes. 1, 2, p. 210-26 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Development and validation of a qPCR-based method for quantifying Shiga toxin-encoding and other lambdoid bacteriophages.
Rooks, D. J., Yan, Y., McDonald, J. E., Woodward, M. J., McCarthy, A. J. & Allison, H. E., 1 May 2010, In: Environmental Microbiology. 12, 5, p. 1194-1204Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
High-Throughput Method for Rapid Induction of Prophages from Lysogens and Its Application in the Study of Shiga Toxin-Encoding Escherichia coli Strains
McDonald, J. E., Smith, D. L., Fogg, P. C., McCarthy, A. J. & Allison, H. E., 1 Apr 2010, In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 76, 7, p. 2360-2365Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Published
Composition of the landfill microbial community as determined by application of domian- and group-specific 16s and 18s rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes.
McDonald, J. E., Allison, H. E. & McCarthy, A. J., 1 Feb 2010, In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 76, 4, p. 1301-1306Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- 2009
- Published
Molecular biological detection and quantification of novel Fibrobacter populations in freshwater lakes.
McDonald, J. E., De Menezes, A. B., Allison, H. E. & McCarthy, A. J., 1 Aug 2009, In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 75, 15, p. 5148-5152Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- 2008
- Published
Detection of novel Fibrobacter populations in landfill sites and determination of their relative abundance via quantitative PCR.
McDonald, J. E., Lockhart, R. J., Cox, M. J., Allison, H. E. & McCarthy, A. J., 1 May 2008, In: Environmental Microbiology. 10, 5, p. 2360-2365Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review