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Professional Experience | Courses Taught | Research Interests | Funded Projects | Publications | Professional Activities | Honors  

Professional Experience  
Assistant Professor, Tenure-track with research and teaching appointment, University of Maine, Orono, ME. 2003-present.

Research-Associate-Post-Doctorate Scholar, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 2003.

Courses Taught
FSN 238 Applied Food Microbiology and Sanitation (Every spring)

FSN 438 Food Microbiology (Fall, even years)

FSN 538 Food Fermentation (Fall, odd years)

Research Interests
Development of rapid methods and automation in microbiology including early detection, enumeration, identification, and characterization of bacteria, yeast, mold and other microorganisms in food, clinical, environmental, and industry samples
Utilization of natural ingredients for controlling foodborne pathogens

Mechanisms of natural ingredients and food processing on injury, survival and death of major foodborne/human pathogens

Functionalities of natural ingredients in food

Development of same day protocols for detections of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. in food by a combination of immuno-capture-circulating system and rapid colorimetric assay or polymerase chain reaction

Development of innovative methods for recovery of injured foodborne pathogens in liquid medium and food systems

Establishment of gene chips for evaluating the antimicrobial pathway of natural ingredients on the molecular level

Construction of HACCP plans

Efficient protocol to reduce and control microbial contamination of meat, poultry, egg, fruits or vegetables
 

Funded Projects

Development of post-harvest practical methods to reduce contaminations of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on fresh produce

Rapid methods and applications of natural ingredients for food safety and security

Development of Quartz Crystal Microbalance sensors to detect foodborne pathogens

Detection of the E. coli O157:H7 sequence using Au nanoparticles for signal amplification and sequence verification on a circulating-flow quartz crystal microbalance DNA sensing system

Development of gold nanoparticles sandwich hybridization sensors for detection of emerging pathogens.

Development of novel protocols for detecting and controlling E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes to promote food safety from farm to fork in Maine, USA, Taiwan and Shanghai, China
 
Study of antimicrobial properties of cranberries and wild blueberries for controlling foodborne pathogens (E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus)
 
Epidemiological approaches for controlling E. coli O157:H7, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. in dairy farms in Maine to promote food safety from farm to fork

An interdisciplinary approach to reducing patulin in food through novel sensor development, fungal identification and new processing methods

Maine berries as natural preservatives and the consumer acceptability

Strategies for prevention of potato spoilage during storage and application of Maine potatoes from the microbiology aspect

Practical microbial control approach and antimicrobial properties study for wild blueberries

Polymerase chain reaction-based system for simultaneous detection of foodborne pathogens in agricultural commodities and environmental samples from Maine

Utilizing Cranberries’ Antimicrobial Effect to Protect Human Health against Food Poisoning

Strengthen biotechnological personnel through international collaboration and workshop

Sanitation and microbial control for Maine potatoes and Maine wild blueberries.

Recent Publications 
 

Wu, V.C.H., X. Qiu, B. de los Reyes, C.S. Lin, and Y.J. Pan. 2009. Application of cranberry concentrate (Vaccinium macrocarpon) to control Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground beef and its antimicrobial mechanism related to the downregulated slp, hedeA and cfa. Food Microbiol. 26: 32-38.

Wu, V.C.H. 2008. A Review for Injury of Microorganisms. Food Micro. 25: 735-744

Wu, V.C.H., X. Qiu, and Y-H. P Hsieh. 2008. Evaluation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in apple juice with Cornus fruit (Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc.) extract by conventional media and thin agar layer method. Food Microbiol.25: 190-195.

Wu, V.C.H. and C.C. Wu. 2008. Filtration and removal of foodborne pathogens using dielectrophoretic phenomena. J. Rapid Methods and Auto. in Microbiol. 16: 69-79.

S-H. Chen, V.C.H Wu^†, Y-C. Chuang, and C-H. Lin. 2008. Using oligonucleotide-functionalized Au nanoparticles to rapidly detect foodborne pathogens on a piezoelectric biosensor. J Microbiol Methods. 73: 7-17.

Wu, V.C.H., X. Qiu, A. Bushway, and L. Harper. 2008. Antibacterial effect of American cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) on foodborne pathogens. LWT-Food Sci. and Tech. 41: 1834-1841.

Wu, V.C.H., S-H Chen, and C-H Lin. 2007. Real-time detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 sequence using a circulating-flow system of quartz crystal microbalance. Biosens Bioelectron.
22 (12): 2967-2975.

Zheng, X.D., T.Tu, B. Hung, and V.C.H. Wu. 2007. Inhibiting Penicillium expansum infection on pear fruit by Cryptococcus laurentii and cytokinin. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 45,
221-227.

Wu, V.C.H. and B. Kim. 2007. Effect of a simple chlorine dioxide method for controlling five foodborne pathogens, yeasts and molds on blueberries. Food Microbiol. 24, 794-800.

Qiu, X. and V.C.H. Wu. 2007. Evaluation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus in ground beef with cranberry concentrate by Thin Agar Layer Method. J. Rapid Methods and Auto. in Microbiol. 15 (3): 280-292.

Wu, V.C.H. and D.Y.C. Fung. 2006. Simultaneous recovery and detection of four heat-injured foodborne pathogens in ground beef and milk by a four-compartment thin agar layer plate. J. Food Safety. 26 (2) 126-136.

Wu, V.C.H. and D.Y.C. Fung. 2006. Theinvestigation of microbial succession and comparison between deMan Rogosa Sharpe (MRS) and Kang-Fung media in fermented vegetables (pickle). J. Rapid Methods and Auto. in Microbiol. 14: 337-348.

Wu, V.C.H., R.D. Oberst, and D.Y.C. Fung. 2004. Evaluation of a 5’-Nuclease (TaqMan) assay with the thin agar layer Oxyrase® method for the detection of Yersinia enterocolitica in ground pork samples. J. Food Prot. 67 (2) 271-277.

Wu, V.C.H. and D.Y.C. Fung. 2004. An improved method for Iso-Grid Hydrophobic Grid Membrane Filter (HGMF) system to detect heat-injured foodborne pathogens in ground beef. J. Food Sci. 69 (3). 85-89.

Wu, V.C.H, V. Gill, R. Oberst, R. Phebus, and D.Y.C. Fung. 2004. Rapid Protocol (5.25 hr) protocol for the detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in raw ground beef by an immuno-capture system (Pathatrix) in combination with Colortrix and CT-SMAC. J. Rapid Methods and Auto. in Microbiol. 12 (1) 57-67.

Wu, V.C.H., M. M. Muenzenberger, S. Kapil, and D.Y.C. Fung. 2003. Stability of SARS-like Coronavirus in ground beef. Food Safety Consortium.

Wu, V.C.H. and D.Y.C. Fung. 2003. Simultaneous recovery of four injured foodborne pathogens in the four-compartment thin agar layer plate. J. Food Sci. 68(2) 646-648.

Wu, V.C.H., P. Jitareerat and D.Y.C. Fung. 2003. Comparison of the Pulsifier and the Stomacher on recovering microorganisms in vegetables. J. Rapid Methods and Auto. in Microbiol. 11 (2) 145-152.

Wu, V.C.H. and D.Y.C. Fung. 2002. Simultaneous recovery and detection of four heat-injured foodborne pathogens in ground beef and milk by a four-compartment thin agar layer plate. Food Safety Consortium. 213-225.

Wu, V.C.H. and D.Y.C. Fung. 2002. Evaluation of recovery capacity in commercial nonselective media and modified nonselective media and the development of thin agar layer Oxyrase® method for recovery of heat-injured foodborne pathogens. Food Safety Consortium. 226-248.

Wu, V.C.H. and D.Y.C. Fung. 2002. Evaluation of the thin agar layer Oxyrase® method for recovery of heat-injured foodborne pathogens in liquid medium and food systems. Food Safety Consortium. 249-270.

Wu, V.C.H., D.Y.C. Fung, and D. H. Kang. 2001. Evaluation of thin agar layer method for recovery of cold-injured foodborne pathogens. J. Rapid Methods and Auto. in Microbiol. 9(1) 11–25.

Wu, V.C.H., D.Y.C. Fung, D.H. Kang, and L.K. Thompson. 2001. Evaluation of thin agar layer method for recovery of acid-injured foodborne pathogens. J. Food Prot. 64(7) 1067–1071.

Wu, V.C.H. and D.Y.C. Fung. 2001. Evaluation of thin agar layer method for recovery of heat-injured foodborne pathogens. J. Food Sci. 66(4) 580–583.


Professional Activities and/or Services
Editorial Board, Journal of Rapid Methods and Automation in Microbiology

Financial & Public Reactions Officer and Organizing Committee Officer of Global Chinese Health Food Symposium. Chicago, IL. 2007

Treasurer, Chinese American Food Society, 2005-Present

Member, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
 
IFT Food Microbiology Division 

IFT International Division 

Northeast Section 

Member, American Society for Microbiology (ASM) 

Member, Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society 

Member, Phi Tau Sigma Honor Society 

Member, Chinese American Food Society 

Member, Chinese American Microbiology Society.

Member, International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) 

Honors

Joint Appointed/ Adjunct Associate Professor. Department of Biological Science and Technology, Collage of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan. June 2008-present.

Joint Appointed/ Adjunct Professor. Shanghai Ocean University, China. June, 2008-present.
 

Adjunct Professor. School of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science. Zhejiang University, China. June, 2006-present.

Cooperating Chief Scientist and Expert. Zhejiang Test Academy of Food Quality and Safety, China. June, 2006-present.

Co-chair of “Sino-US symposium on food safety control from farm to fork” and “Workshop on Rapid Methods and Automation in Food Microbiology”. 2004

Poster Competition, First Place. Food Safety
Consortium Annual Meeting, Fayetteville, AR. 2003

Poster Competition, Fifth Place. Food Safety
Consortium Annual Meeting, Fayetteville, AR. 2003

The Scholarship Award. Chinese American Food Society. 2002

Poster Competition, Second Place. Rapid Methods and Automation in Microbiology Workshop, Manhattan, KS. 2000

Poster Competition, Second Place. Chinese American Microbiology Society. 2000

Poster Competition. Excellence in Food Science, Manhattan, KS. 2000

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