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/

  1. Published

    Tracing the fate of wastewater viruses reveals catchment-scale virome diversity and connectivity

    Adriaenssens, E. M., Farkas, K., McDonald, J. E., Jones, D. L., Allison, H. E. & McCarthy, A. J., 15 Sept 2021, In: Water Research. 203

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  2. Published

    Improving quantification of bivalve larvae in mixed plankton samples using qPCR: A case study on Mytilus edulis

    Alexander, J., Malham, S., Smyth, D., Webb, J., Fidler, D., Bayford, P., McDonald, J. & Le Vay, L., 15 Feb 2021, In: Aquaculture. 532, 736003.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  3. Published

    Fifty important research questions in microbial ecology

    Antwis, R. E., Griffiths, S. M., Harrison, X. A., Aranega-Bou, P., Arce, A., Bettridge, A. S., Brailsford, F., de Menezes, A., Devaynes, A., Forbes, K. M., Fry, E. L., Goodhead, I., Haskell, E., Heys, C., James, C., Johnston, S. R., Lewis, G. R., Lewis, Z., Macey, M. C., McCarthy, A., McDonald, J., Mejia-Florez, N. L., O'Brien, D., Orland, C., Pautasso, M., Reid, W. D. K., Robinson, H. A., Wilson, K. & Sutherland, W. J., May 2017, In: Fems Microbiology Ecology. 93, 5, fix044.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  4. Published

    Impact of Sediment Concentration on the Survival of Wastewater-Derived blaCTX-M-15-Producing E. coli, and the Implications for Dispersal into Estuarine Waters

    Bashawri, Y. M. A., Robins, P., Jones, D. L., McDonald, J., Cooper, D. & Williams, P., 19 Oct 2020, In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17, 20, 15 p., 7608.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  5. Taxonomy and identification of bacteria associated with acute oak decline

    Brady, C., Arnold, D., McDonald, J. & Denman, S., Jul 2017, In: World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 33, 7, p. 143

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

  6. Published

    Extraction of Microbial and Host DNA, RNA, and Proteins from Oak Bark Tissue

    Broberg, M. & McDonald, J., 5 Feb 2019, In: Methods and Protocols. 2, 1, 15.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  7. Published

    Integrated multi-omic analysis of host-microbiota interactions in acute oak decline

    Broberg, M., Doonan, J., Mundt, F. & McDonald, J., 30 Jan 2018, In: Microbiome. 6, 21.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  8. E-pub ahead of print

    Soil metabolomics - current challenges and future perspectives

    Brown, R., Reay, M. K., Centler, F., Chadwick, D., Bull, I. D., McDonald, J., Evershed, R. P. & Jones, D. L., 1 Jun 2024, In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 109382.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  9. Published

    A multiplex real‐time PCR assay enables simultaneous rapid detection and quantification of bacteria associated with acute oak decline

    Crampton, B. G., Plummer, S., Kaczmarek, M., McDonald, J. & Denman, S., Sept 2020, In: Plant Pathology. 69, 7, p. 1301-1310 10 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  10. Published

    Isolation studies reveal a shift in the cultivable microbiome of oak affected with Acute Oak Decline

    Denman, S., Plummer, S., Peace, A. & McDonald, J., 1 Oct 2016, In: Systematic and Applied Microbiology. 39, 7, p. 484-490

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  11. Published

    Microbiome and infectivity studies reveal complex polyspecies tree disease in Acute Oak Decline

    Denman, S., Doonan, J., Ransom-Jones, E., Broberg, M., Plummer, S., Kirk, S. A., Scarlett, K., Griffiths, A., Kaczmarek, M., Foster, J., Peace, A., Golyshin, P., Hassard, F., Brown, N., Kenny, J. G. & McDonald, J., 2018, In: The ISME Journal. 12, p. 386-399

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  12. Published

    Identification of Armillaria species on declined oak in Britain: implications for oak health

    Denman, S., Barrett, G., Kirk, S. A., McDonald, J. & Coetzee, M. P. A., 7 Jan 2017, In: Forestry. 90, 1, p. 148-161

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  13. Published

    Shotgun Metagenomic Sequencing Analysis of Soft-Rot Enterobacteriaceae in Polymicrobial Communities

    Doonan, J., Denman, S., McDonald, J. & Golyshin, P., 30 Nov 2016, Metagenomics. Streit, W. R. & Daniel, R. (eds.). Springer New York, Vol. 1539. p. 85-97 (Methods in Molecular Biology; vol. 1539).

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

  14. Published

    Genomic analysis of bacteria in the Acute Oak Decline pathobiome

    Doonan, J., Denman, S., Pachebat, J. A. & McDonald, J., 8 Jan 2019, In: Microbial Genomics. 5, 1, 15 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  15. 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 journalArticlepeer-review

  16. Published

    Host–microbiota–insect interactions drive emergent virulence in a complex tree disease

    Doonan, J., Broberg, M., Denman, S. & McDonald, J., 26 Aug 2020, In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 287, 1933, 20200956.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  17. 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 journalArticlepeer-review

  18. Published

    Spatial patterns and environmental constraints on ecosystem services at a catchment scale

    Emmett, B., Cooper, D., Smart, S., Jackson, B., Thomas, A., Cosby, B., Evans, C., Glanville, H., McDonald, J., Malham, S., Marshall, M., Jarvis, S., Rajko-Nenow, P., Webb, G. P., Ward, S., Rowe, E., Jones, L., Vanbergen, E. J., Keith, A., Carter, H., Pereira, M. G., Hughes, S., Lebron, I., Wade, A. & Jones, D., 1 Dec 2016, In: Science of the Total Environment. 572, p. 1586-1600

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  19. Published

    Critical Evaluation of CrAssphage as a Molecular Marker for Human-Derived Wastewater Contamination in the Aquatic Environment

    Farkas, K., Adriaenssens, E. M., Walker, D. I., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 1 Jun 2019, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 11, 2, p. 113-119

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  20. Published

    Concentration and Quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in Wastewater Using Polyethylene Glycol-Based Concentration and qRT-PCR.(vol 4, 17, 2021)

    Farkas, K., Hillary, L. S., Thorpe, J., Walker, D. I., Lowther, J. A., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K. & Jones, D. L., 12 Nov 2021, In: Methods and Protocols. 4, 4

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  21. Published

    Two-Step Concentration of Complex Water Samples for the Detection of Viruses

    Farkas, K., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 10 Sept 2018, In: Methods and Protocols. 1, 3, 35.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  22. Published

    Seasonal and diurnal surveillance of treated and untreated wastewater for human enteric viruses

    Farkas, K., Marshall, M., Cooper, D., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K., Peters, D. E., Maloney, J. D. & Jones, D. L., Nov 2018, In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 25, 33, p. 33391-33401

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  23. Published

    Evaluation of Molecular Methods for the Detection and Quantification of Pathogen-Derived Nucleic Acids in Sediment

    Farkas, K., Hassard, F., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D., 24 Jan 2017, In: Frontiers in Microbiology. 6, p. 1-12 53.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  24. Published

    Viral indicators for tracking domestic wastewater contamination in the aquatic environment

    Farkas, K., Walker, D., Adriaenssens, E., McDonald, J., Hillary, L., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 15 Aug 2020, In: Water Research. 181, 115926.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  25. Published

    Concentration and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater using polyethylene glycol-based concentration and qRT-PCR

    Farkas, K., Hillary, L., Thorpe, J., Walker, D., Lowther, J. A., McDonald, J., Malham, S. & Jones, D. L., 23 Feb 2021, In: Methods and Protocols. 4, 1, 10 p., 17.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  26. Published

    Evaluation of Two Triplex One-Step qRT-PCR Assays for the Quantification of Human Enteric Viruses in Environmental Samples

    Farkas, K., Peters, D. E., McDonald, J., de Rougemont, A., Malham, S. & Jones, D., Sept 2017, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 9, 3, p. 342-349

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  27. Published

    Wastewater and public health: the potential of wastewater surveillance for monitoring COVID-19

    Farkas, K., Hillary, L., Malham, S., McDonald, J. & Jones, D. L., Oct 2020, In: Current Opinion in Environmental Science & Health. 17, p. 14-20 7 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  28. Published

    Shifts in Soil Structure, Biological, and Functional Diversity Under Long-Term Carbon Deprivation

    George, P. B. L., Fidler, D. B., Van Nostrand, J. D., Atkinson, J. A., Mooney, S. J., Creer, S., Griffiths, R. I., McDonald, J. E., Robinson, D. A. & Jones, D. L., 14 Sept 2021, In: Frontiers in Microbiology. 12, 735022.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  29. 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. 5267–5275

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  30. Published

    Abundance and Distribution of Enteric Bacteria and Viruses in Coastal and Estuarine Sediments—a Review

    Hassard, F., Gwyther, C. L., Farkas, K., Andrews, A., Jones, V., Cox, B., Brett, H., Jones, D., McDonald, J. & Malham, S., 1 Nov 2016, In: Frontiers in Microbiology.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  31. Published

    Critical Review on the Public Health Impact of Norovirus Contamination in Shellfish and the Environment: A UK Perspective

    Hassard, F., Sharp, J., Taft, H., Le Vay, L., Harris, J., McDonald, J., Tuson, K., Wilson, J., Jones, D. & Malham, S., Jun 2017, In: Food and Environmental Virology. 9, 2, p. 123-141

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  32. Published

    Physicochemical Factors Influence the Abundance and Culturability of Human Enteric Pathogens and Fecal Indicator Organisms in Estuarine Water and Sediment

    Hassard, F., Andrews, A., Jones, D. L., Parsons, L., Jones, V., Cox, B. A., Daldorph, P., Brett, H., McDonald, J. & Malham, S., Oct 2017, In: Frontiers in Microbiology. 8, 1996.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  33. Published

    RNA-viromics reveals diverse communities of soil RNA viruses with the potential to affect grassland ecosystems across multiple trophic levels

    Hillary, L. S., Adriaenssens, E. M., Jones, D. L. & McDonald, J. E., 8 Apr 2022, In: ISME Communications. 2, 1, p. 34 34.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  34. Published

    Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in municipal wastewater to evaluate the success of lockdown measures for controlling COVID-19 in the UK

    Hillary, L. S., Farkas, K., Maher, K. H., Lucaci, A., Thorpe, J., Distaso, M. A., Gaze, W. H., Paterson, S., Burke, T., Connor, T. R., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K. & Jones, D. L., 15 Jul 2021, In: Water Research. 200, p. 117214 1 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  35. Published

    Shedding of SARS-CoV-2 in feces and urine and its potential role in person-to-person transmission and the environment-based spread of COVID-19

    Jones, D. L., Baluja, M. Q., Graham, D. W., Corbishley, A., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K., Hillary, L. S., Connor, T. R., Gaze, W. H., Moura, I. B., Wilcox, M. H. & Farkas, K., 20 Dec 2020, In: Science of the Total Environment. 749, 141364.

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

  36. Published

    Multilocus sequence typing provides insights into the population structure and evolutionary potential of Brenneria goodwinii, associated with acute oak decline

    Kaczmarek, M., Mullett, M. S., McDonald, J. & Denman, S., 1 Jun 2017, In: PLoS ONE. 12, 6, e0178390.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  37. Published

    A comparison of precipitation and filtration-based SARS-CoV-2 recovery methods and the influence of temperature, turbidity, and surfactant load in urban wastewater

    Kevill, J. L., Pellett, C., Farkas, K., Brown, M. R., Bassano, I., Denise, H., McDonald, J. E., Malham, S. K., Porter, J., Warren, J., Evens, N. P., Paterson, S., Singer, A. C. & Jones, D. L., 20 Feb 2022, In: Science of the Total Environment. 808, 151916.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  38. Published

    Seasonal and spatial dynamics of enteric viruses in wastewater and in riverine and estuarine receiving waters

    Malham, S., Farkas, K., McDonald, J., Jones, D. L., Cooper, D. & de Rougemont, A., 1 Sept 2018, In: Science of the Total Environment. 634, p. 1174 1183 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  39. 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. 2145-2155

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  40. Published

    Characterising the Canine Oral Microbiome by Direct Sequencing of Reverse-Transcribed rRNA Molecules

    McDonald, J., Larsen, N., Pennington, A., Connolly, J., Wallis, C., Rooks, D. J., Hall, N., McCarthy, A. J. & Allison, H. E., 8 Jun 2016, In: PLoS ONE. 11, 6, e0157046.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  41. Published

    Application of ecological and evolutionary theory to microbiome community dynamics across systems

    McDonald, J., Marchesi, J. R. & Koskella, B., 23 Dec 2020, In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 287, 1941, 20202886.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  42. 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. 54-69

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  43. 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 journalArticlepeer-review

  44. 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. 1301-1306

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  45. 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. 2360-2365

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  46. 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. 2360-2365

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  47. 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. 1077-1087

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  48. 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. 5148-5152

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  49. Published

    Decay rates of faecal indicator bacteria from sewage and ovine faeces in brackish and freshwater microcosms with contrasting suspended particulate matter concentrations

    Perkins, T. L., Perrow, K. A., Rajko-Nenow, P., Jago, C. F., Jones, D. L., Malham, S. K. & McDonald, J. E., 1 Dec 2016, In: Science of the Total Environment. 572, p. 1645-1652

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  50. 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, 11

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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