Case Studies

    Technical Support and Training

Dr. Schneegurt was initially contacted by a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Boston about issues with reagent ampule stability during storage. Changes in pH and composition suggested the involvement of cyanobacteria. A site visit was made to discuss the potential of this explanation. During the visit, Dr. Schneegurt presented a general overview of cyanobacteria to the entire staff as part of the company's professional development program. A detailed report was submitted after the visit, along with answers to follow-up questions.

    Research and Technical Support

Dr Schneegurt was approached as an objective thrid-party for a field test of a biostimulant product for the remediation of swine farm wastes. Working with this national company, Dr. Schneegurt designed a study, secured appropriate partners, and prepared a grant proposal. We were successful in securing a $150K award from the state of Kansas. After performing the two-month study, a report was prepared for the company detailing the effectiveness of their product. Dr. Schneegurt presented the study at regional and national scientific meetings. He prepared and submitted a manuscript for publication in a mainstream scientific journal.

The company needed details of the mechanism of action of the biostimulant and again worked with Dr. Schneegurt. The firm provided a small research grant through WSU to support molecular biology studies of relevant microbial populations and genes central to the processes in wastewater lagoons. Quantitative PCR was used to demonstrate that the product stimulated changes in the microbial community that were consistent with the process-level changes observed in the field study. Results were submitted as an internal report and as a manuscript for publication. Knowledge of its mechanism of action has become central to marketing this product, the annual sales of which have grown substantially. Dr. Schneegurt supports this company through technical consultation continuing their 10-year collaboration.

    Technical Report Authorship

Dr. Schneegurt worked with a large overseas food manufacturer to evaluate biotechnology options for greener manufacturing processes. This involved a technical review of the literature and its application to their process. A 30-page report was submitted that was valuable in directing decisions on moving forward with the new process.

    Textbook Reivew and Authorship

Dr. Schneegurt has worked in academic publishing for over a decade, partnering with one of the largest education publishers. His work has included technical and pedagogical reviews of important textbooks in general biology and microbiology. He has ghost authored chapters for several textbooks with large readerships and is a credited author on student study guides and instructor materials. Further, he led the preparation of detailed online course materials encompassing hundreds of nested and linked questions supporting the textbook. Dr. Schneegurt is a prolific author and continues to seek textbook projects with educational publishers.

    Expert Testimony

Dr. Schneegurt was approached by a biotechnology company that offers live microbiological products for wastewater remediation. The company had mistakenly applied the product to surface waters without proper permitting and was prosecuted. Dr. Schneegurt prepared a report for the court in Colorado on the potential hazards of the product, which helped to mitigate the situation in favor of the company.