Peter J. McCarthy, Ph.D.    

Current Position

Research Professor
Center for Marine Biomedical and Biotechnology Research
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University

Education

1979-1983 Ph.D. Microbiology/Biochemistry,
University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
Supervisors: Keith Gull (UKC), Peter Troke (Pfizer, UK), Neil Ryder (Sandoz, Austria)

1976-1979 B.Sc. (Hons) Class II (1) Biochemistry,
Victoria University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.

Citizenship

USA / Great Britain

Research Focus

The discovery of novel natural products produced by heterotrophic marine-derived microorganisms.

Experience

• 2008 – Present: Research Professor, Center for Marine Biomedical and Biotechnology Research, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University.
  Duties include: The establishment and maintenance of an active research program in the discovery of novel therapeutic agents from marine microorganisms; establishing and maintaining screens to detect antimicrobial agents including those active against pathogenic bacteria (e.g. MRSA) and fungi; supervision of technical staff, post-doctoral scientists, students and volunteers; preparation of progress reports for use by senior management; establishment of annual budgets and operation of research program within budget limits; participation in scientific conferences and panels at the national/international level. Teaching responsibilities include a one semester course in Marine Microbiology and Molecular Biology aimed at advanced undergraduate/graduate students.
• 2006-2007: Senior Scientist, Head of Microbiology, Center for Ocean Exploration, HBOI
• 2002- present: Affiliate Professor, Biology Department, Florida Atlantic University
• 2003-2008: Radiation Safety Officer, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution.
• 2002- 2006: Associate Division Director/Head of Microbiology, DBMR
• 1996-2002: Group Leader, DBMR Microbiology Laboratory
• 1994-6: Group Leader, DBMR Screening and Biochemistry Laboratories
• 1992-4: Group Coordinator, DBMR High-Throughput Screening Laboratory
• 1988-92: Group Coordinator Antifungal Discovery, HBOI/Division of Biomedical Marine Research
• 1985-8 Research Consultant, SeaPharm Project, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution: Antifungal Discovery/Marine Microbiology
• 1983-5 Post-Doctoral Research Scientist, Dept. of Natural Products Pharmacology, Smith Kline and French Labs (Supervisors, Drs. Louis J. Nisbet and David Newman)
• 1979-83 Ph.D. Student, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK (Supervisor, Dr. Keith Gull) and Sandoz Research Institute Vienna, Austria (Supervisors, Drs. Peter F. Troke and Neil S. Ryder).

Publications

1. McCarthy, P.J. Peptide transport in Candida albicans. Ph.D. Dissertation. University of Kent at Canterbury (1983).
2. McCarthy, P.J., P.F. Troke and K. Gull. Mechanism of action of nikkomycin and the peptide transport system of Candida albicans. J. Gen. Microbiol., 131, 775-780 (1985).
3. McCarthy, P.J., L.J. Nisbet, W.D. Kingsbury and J. Boehm. The multiplicity of peptide permeases in Candida albicans: Evidence from novel chromogenic peptides. J. Bacteriology, 161, 1024-1029, (1985).
4. McCarthy, P.J., D.J. Newman, L.J. Nisbet and W.D. Kingsbury. Relative rates of transport of peptide drugs by Candida albicans. Antimicrob. Ag. Chemother. 28, 494-499, (1985).
5. Wright, A.E., S. Pomponi, O.J. McConnell, S. Komoto and P. McCarthy. (+)-Curcuphenol, A cytotoxic metabolite with antifungal activity from the marine sponge Didiscus. J. Nat. Products 50, 976-978, (1987).
6. Wright, A.E., McCarthy, P. and Schulte, G. Sulfircin, a new sesterpene sulfate from the sponge Ircinia sp. J. Org. Chem. 54, 3472-3474, (1989).
7. Hirsch, S., Miroz, A., McCarthy, P., and Kashman, Y. Etzionin, a new antifungal metabolite from a Red Sea tunicate. Tet. Letts. 30, 4291-4294, (1989).
8. Gunasekera, S.P., Gunasekera, M., Gunawardana, G.P., McCarthy, P., and Burres, N. Two new bioactive cyclic peroxides from the marine sponge Plakortis angulospiculatus. J. Nat. Prod. 53, 669-674, (1990).
9. Sun, H.H., S. Sakemi, N. Burres and P. McCarthy. Isobatzellines A, B, C and D. Cytotoxic and antifungal pyrroloquinoline alkaloids from the marine sponge Batzella sp. J. Org. Chem. 55, 4964-4966, (1990).
10. Gunasekera, S.P., M. Gunasekera and P. McCarthy. Discodermide: A new bioactive macrocyclic lactam from the marine sponge Discodermia dissoluta. J. Org. Chem. 56, 4830-4833 (1991).
11. Wright, A.E., S.A. Pomponi, S.S. Cross and P.J. McCarthy. A new bis-indole-alkaloid from a marine sponge of the genus Spongosorites. J. Org. Chem. 57, 4772-4775 (1992).
12. McCarthy, P.J., T.P. Pitts, G.P. Gunawardana, M. Kelly-Borges and S.A. Pomponi. Antifungal activity of meridine, a natural product from the marine sponge Corticium sp. J. Nat. Prod. 55, 1664-1668 (1992).
13. McCarthy, P.J. Antifungal Agents: recent research and patent activity. Current Opinion in Therapeutic Patents. 3, 367-373 (1993).
14. Killday, B.K., R. Longley, P.J. McCarthy, S.A. Pomponi, A.E. Wright, R.E. Neale and M.A. Sills. Sesquiterpene derived metabolites from the deep water marine sponge Poecillastra sollasi. J. Nat. Prod. 56, 500-507 (1993).
15. Gulavita, N.K., A.E. Wright, P.J. McCarthy, S.A. Pomponi, M. Kelly-Borges, M. Chin and M.A. Sills. Isolation and structure elucidation of 34-sulfato- bastadin-12, an antagonist of the endothelin receptor, from a sponge of the genus Ianthella. J.Nat. Prod. 56, 1613-1617 (1993).
16. Gunasekera, S.P., S.A. Pomponi and P.J. McCarthy. Discobahamins A and B, new peptides from the Bahamian deep water sponge Discodermia sp. J. Nat. Prod. 57, 79-83 (1994).
17. Wright, A. E. and P. J. McCarthy. Drugs from the sea at Harbor Branch. Sea Technology. 35(8), 10-19 (1994).
18. Gunasekera, S.P., P.J. McCarthy, and M. Kelly-Borges. Hamacanthin A and B, new antifungal bis-indole alkaloids from the marine sponge Hamacantha sp. J. Nat. Prod. 57(10), 1437-1441 (1994).
19. Gunasekera, L.S., A.E. Wright, S.P. Gunasekera, P.J. McCarthy and J. Reed. Antimicrobial constituent of the brown alga Sporochnus pedunculatus. Int. J. Pharmocognosy 33(3) 253-255 (1995).
20. Gulavita, N.K., A.E. Wright, P.J. McCarthy, S.A. Pomponi and R.E. Longley. Cytotoxic peptides from marine sponges. J. Nat. Tox. 5(2) 225-234 (1996).
21. Gunasekera, S.P., P.J. McCarthy, M. Kelly-Borges, E. Lobkovsky and J. Clardy. Dysidiolide: A novel protein phosphatase inhibitor from the Caribbean sponge Dysidea etheria de Laubenfels. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 118, 8759-8760 (1996).
22. Pomponi, S.A., J.K. Reed, A.E. Wright, and P.J. McCarthy. Diversity and bioactivity of marine sponges of the Caribbean: the Turks and Caicos Islands. Caribbean Journal of Agriculture and Natural Resources 1(1), 41-49 (1996).
23. McCarthy, P.J., and A.E. Wright. Progress and future challenges in marine biotechnology. Sea Technology 38(1), 44-46 (1997).
24. Fuoco, D.M., B. Tucker, R. Wood, N. Rauert, T. Miller, A. Wright, P. McCarthy, S. Pomponi and C. Selitrennikoff. Creating and developing an antifungal drug discovery program from the biotechnology perspective. SIM News 47(6), 280-285 (1997).
25. Wood, R.L., T.K. Miller, A. Wright, P. McCarthy, C.S. Taft, S. Pomponi, and C.P. Selitrennikoff. Characterization and optimization of in vitro assay conditions for (1,3)??-glucan synthase activity from Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans for enzyme inhibition screening. J. Antibiotics 51(7), 665-675 (1998).
26. Reed, J.K., S.H. Sennett, P.J. McCarthy, T.A. Pitts, A.E. Wright, and S.A. Pomponi. Bioactivity of marine organisms: Relationships with taxonomy, geography and depth. Proceedings of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences 1998, 50-61 (1998).
27. Gunasekera, S.P., P.J. McCarthy, R.E. Longley, S.A. Pomponi, A.E. Wright, E. Lobkovsky, and J. Clardy. Discorhabdin P, a new enzyme inhibitor from a deep water Caribbean sponge of the genus Batzella. J. Nat. Prod. 62(1), 173-175 (1999).
28. Gunasekera, S.P., P.J. McCarthy, R.E. Longley, S.A. Pomponi and A.E. Wright. Secobatazellines A and B, two new enzyme inhibitors from a deep-water Caribbean sponge of the genus Batzella. J. Nat. Prod. 62(8), 1208-1211 (1999).
29. Lopez, J.V., P.J. McCarthy, Kathleen E. Janda, R. Willoughby and S.A. Pomponi. Molecular techniques reveal wide phyletic diversity of heterotrophic microbes associated with Discodermia spp. (Porifera:Demospongia). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 44 329-341 ISSN 0079-8835 (1999).
30. Pomponi, S., A. Wright, J. Reed and P. McCarthy. Marine natural products: Drugs from the sea. pp 248-251 In McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science and Technology 2000 ISSN 0076-2016 (1999).
31. Olson, J. B., C.C. Lord and P. McCarthy. Improved recoverability of microbial colonies from marine environmental samples. Microb. Ecol. 40(2) 139-147 (2000).
32. Chen, Y, K.B. Killday, P.J. McCarthy, R. Schimoler, K. Chilson, C. Selitrennikoff, S.A. Pomponi and A.E. Wright. Three new peroxides from the sponge Plakinistrella sp. J. Nat. Prod. 64(2) 262-264 (2000).
33. Olson, J. B., D. K. Harmody, and P. J. McCarthy. Alpha-proteobacteria cultivated from marine sponges display branching rod morphology. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 211(2) 169-173 (2002).
34. Chen, Y., P.J. McCarthy, D.K. Harmody, R. Schimoler-O’Rourke, K. Chilson, C. Selitrennikoff, S.A. Pomponi and A.E. Wright. New bioactive peroxides from marine sponges of the family Plakiniidae. J. Nat. Prod. 65 1509-1512 (2002).
35. Sennett, S.H., P.J. McCarthy, A.E. Wright and S.A. Pomponi. Natural products from marine invertebrates: The Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution experience. Pharmaceutical News. 9 483-488 (2002).
36. Gunasekera, A.S., K.S. Sfanos, D.K. Harmody, S.A. Pomponi, P.J. McCarthy, J.V. Lopez. HBMMD: an enhanced database of the microorganisms associated with deeper water marine invertebrates. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 66 373-376 (2005).
37. Sfanos, K.A., C.L. Peterson, D.K. Harmody, P.J. McCarthy, S.A. Pomponi and J.V. Lopez. A molecular systematic survey of sponge-derived marine microbes. Systematic Appl. Microbiol. 28:242-264 (2005).
38. Olson J.B., and P.J. McCarthy. Associated bacterial communities of two deep-water sponges. Aquatic Microb. Ecol. 30:47-55 (2005).
39. Park, Y.C., S.P. Gunasekera, J.V. Lopez, P.J. McCarthy, and A.E. Wright. Metabolites from the marine-derived fungus Chromocleista sp. isolated from the deep-water sediment sample collected in the Gulf of Mexico. J. Nat. Prod. 69:580-584 (2006).
40. Sennett, S.H. and P.J. McCarthy. Deep-water marine invertebrates: A source of Pharmaceuticals. Screening: Trends in Drug Discovery, 7(4):22-23 (2006).
    This article was also published in BioForum Europe, October 2006:30-31
41. Duckworth A.R., W.M. Brück, K.E. Janda, T.P. Pitts and P.J. McCarthy. Retention efficiencies of the coral reef sponges Aplysina lacunosa, Callyspongia vaginalis and Niphates digitalis determined by Coulter counter and plate culture analysis. Marine Biology Research. 2:243-248 (2006).
42. Olson, J.B., D.K. Harmody, A. Bej, and P.J. McCarthy. Tsukamurella spongiae sp. nov., a novel actinomycete isolated from a deep-water marine sponge. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 57(7):1478-1481 (2007).
43. Wright, A.E., Cook Botelho, J., Guzmán, E., Harmody, D., Linley, P., McCarthy, P.J., Pitts, T.P, Pomponi, S.A, and Reed, J.K. Neopeltolide a new macrolide from a Lithistid sponge of the family Neopeltidae. J. Nat. Prod. 70(3):412-416 (2007)
44. Bruck, T.B., W.M. Bruck, L.Z. Santiago-Vazquez, P.J. McCarthy and R.G. Kerr. Diversity of the bacterial communities associated with the azooanthellate deep water octocorals Leptogorgia minimata, Icillogorgia scrammii and Swiftia exertia. Marine Biotechnol. 9:561-576 (2007).
45. Santiago-Vázquez, L.Z., T.B. Brück, W.M. Brück, A.P. Duque-Alarcón, P.J. McCarthy and R.G. Kerr. The diversity of the bacterial communities associated with the azooxanthellate hexacoral Cirrhipathes lutkeni. ISME Journal. 1:654-659 (2007).
46. Bruck, W.M., S.H. Sennett, S.A. Pomponi, P. Willenz and P.J. McCarthy. Identification of the bacterial symbiont Entotheonella sp. in the mesohyl of the marine sponge Discodermia sp. ISME Journal. Published on-line Feb 7 2008 (2008).
47. Cassler, M., C.L. Peterson, A. Ledger, S.A. Pomponi, A.E. Wright, R. Winegar, P.J. McCarthy, and J.V. Lopez. Use of Real-Time qPCR to quantify members of the unculturable heterotrophic bacterial community in a deep sea marine sponge, Vetulina sp. Microbial Ecology. 55:384-394 (2008).
48. Zhao, Y., P.J. McCarthy and C. Parkanyi. Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of bis-intercalators with varied linkers between aminochloropyrimidine rings. Journal of Heterocyclic Chemistry (submitted).

U.S. Patents Awarded:

1. Wright, A. E. and P. McCarthy. Sulfircin and derivatives thereof as therapeutic agents. U.S. Patent # 4,870,099, Sep 26,1989.
2. Sun, H. H, S. Sakemi, S. Gunasekera, Y. Kashman, M. Lui, N. Burres and P. McCarthy. Bis-indole compounds which are useful antitumor and antimicrobial agents. U.S. Patent # 4,970,226, Nov 13, 1990.
3. Gunasekera, S.P., M. Gunasekera and P.J. McCarthy. Novel bioactive discodermides and methods of use. U.S. Patent # 5,059,618, Oct 22, 1991.
4. Gunawardana, G.P., P.J. McCarthy and N.S. Burres. Bioactive heterocycle alkaloids and methods of use. US Patent # 5,182,287, Jan 26, 1993.
5. Gulavita, N.K., S.P. Gunasekera, S.A. Pomponi, R.E. Longley and P.J. McCarthy. Antibacterial peptide and methods of use. US Patent 5,336,757, Aug. 9, 1994.
6. Gulavita, N.K., S.P. Gunasekera, S.A. Pomponi, R.E. Longley and P.J. McCarthy. Antibacterial peptide and methods of use. US Patent 5,516,755, May 14, 1996.
7. Gunasekera, S.P., P.J. McCarthy, R.E. Longley, A.E. Wright and S.A. Pomponi. Discorhabdin compounds and methods of use. U.S. Patent 6,057,333, May 2, 2000.
8. Gunasekera, S.P., P.J. McCarthy, R.E. Longley, S.A. Pomponi, and A.E. Wright. Aminoiminoquinone and aminoquinone alkaloid compounds and method of use. U.S. Patent 6,218,419, April 17, 2001.
9. Chen, Y., K. Chilson, K.B. Killday, D. Harmody, P.J. McCarthy, S.A. Pomponi, R. Schimoler, C. Selitrennikoff, and A.E. Wright. Cyclic peroxides as novel antifungal agents. US Patent 6,521,551, Feb 18, 2003.
10. Wright, A.E., S.A. Pomponi, P.J. McCarthy, Y. Chen, and R.E. Longley. Biologically active lasonolide compounds. US Patent 7,115,756 B2, Oct 3, 2006.
11. Wright, A.E., S.A. Pomponi and P.J. McCarthy. Biologically active neopeltolide compounds. US Patent 7,179,828 B2, Feb 20, 2007.

Invited Speaker Presentations

1. Medical Mycology Society of New York: October 19, 1984. Exploitation of Candida albicans peptide transport.
2. National Fisheries Institute Conference. February 11-14, 2001. Technical Innovation for Seafood Products and Processing. Orlando, FL. Opening lecturer.
3. World Ocean Forum, New York, NY. November 15-16, 2004.The Development of Marine Natural Products as Therapeutic Agents: Challenges and Future Prospects.
4. World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing. Orlando, FL. April 20-22, 2005. Marine Microorganisms in Drug Discovery.
5. Connecting the Gulf of Mexico and Human Health. Gulfport, MS. May 4-6 2005. Marine Microorganisms in Drug Discovery.

Teaching Experience

1986: Florida Institute of Technology, Jensen Beach Campus. Medical Lab Technology Program. “Medical Mycology”

2004 - present: Florida Atlantic University at HBOI. BSC 4930 and BSC 6936 “Marine Microbiology and Molecular Biology”. Senior undergraduate and graduate level 4 credit course. Course offered on an annual basis.

Grant Review Panels

• NOAA-Ocean Exploration. Silver Spring MD, November 2004
• Illinois Sea Grant. Champagne IL, July 2005
• NIUST, Microbial Observatory, Oxford MS, July 2005
• European Commission, KBBE FP7, April 2008

External Review Panels

National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology (NIUST), external review panel for NURP. Oxford, MS. September, 2006

Competitive Funding

NCI-CM-67983: NCI Small Business Innovative Research Contract Phase I. "Detection of Antitumor Agents from Marine Microorganisms" 9/86-3/87. Principal Investigator. ($50,000)

1-R41 AI40715-01: NIAID Small Business Technology Transfer Program Phase I. “Screening of marine organisms for antifungal activity” 10/96-9/97. Co-PI with Claude Selitrennikoff, MycoTox Inc., Denver, CO. ($100,000, $50,000 to HBOI)

R/LR-MB-7 (SI-98-29): Florida Sea Grant. “Marine Natural Products Discovery Program: Cellular Localization and Production of Bioactive Discodermia Metabolites” 2/98-1/00. Co-PI with Susan Sennett, HBOI. ($120,000)

2-R42AI40715-02: NIAID Small Business Technology Transfer Program Phase II. “Screening of marine organisms for antifungal activity” 9/98-8/01 Claude Selitrennikoff (PI), MycoTox Inc., Denver, CO. Co-Investigators P. McCarthy, A. Wright, D. A. Stevens, K.V. Clemons. ($450,360, $199,999 to Co-Investigators at HBOI)

1R21GM58147-01: NIH “Cell Culture for Bioactive Marine Natural Products” 9/98-8/00 Susan Sennett (PI), HBOI. Co-Investigator, Microbiology Project Manager ($74,808)

PO1 CA83155-01 Consortium Group #1: NCI “Combinatorial Creation of New Anticancer Agents” Sherman, U. of Minnesota (PI), 9/99 - 2/04 $ 95,943 (Annual Direct). Co-Investigator, Project 1

PO1 CA83155-01 Core A: NCI “Combinatorial Creation of New Anticancer Agents” Sherman, U. of Minnesota (PI), 9/99 - 2/04 $ 107,779 (Annual Direct). Principal-Investigator, Core A

NA76RG-0120: NOAA SeaGrant College Program “Methods to Increase Microbial Recovery from Deep Water Samples” Julie Olson (PI) 10/99 - 9/01 $149,720. Co-Investigator.

974984: NSF “Molecular Evolution and Adaptation of Microbial Polyketide Biosynthetic Sequences” Jose Lopez (PI) 9/99 – 8/01 $ 81,792. Consultant.

DEB-0103668: NSF “Taxonomic Inventory of Marine Invertebrate Associated Microbes from the Microbial Culture Collection of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution”. Jose Lopez (PI) 9/01-8/04 $208,756. Co-PI.

Florida Oceans Initiative “Discovery of novel antibiotic substances from marine-derived microorganisms”. 7/1/04-12/31/07, $200,000 per annum. Principal Investigator.

SI-08-25: Florida Sea Grant “Development of a Sustainable Biological Production Method for the Potent Cytotoxic Agent Leiodermatolide” 3/1/08 – 2/28/10. $159,928. Principal Investigator.

Professional Societies (Current Memberships)

1981 Society for General Microbiology
1983 American Society for Microbiology
1992 Society for Industrial Microbiology
1997 Florida Branch, American Society for Microbiology
2005 Sigma Xi
2006 International Society for Microbial Ecology

Elected Offices

1999-2001 President Elect, Florida Branch of the American Society for Microbiology
2001-2003 President, Florida Branch of the American Society for Microbiology
2003-2007 ASM National Councilor

Affiliate Faculty and Advisory Positions

Department of Chemistry, Florida Atlantic University
Department of Biology, Florida Atlantic University
Scientific Advisory Board, PiPets, LLC

Graduate Student Committees

Steven Jett, Ph.D candidate, Florida Atlantic University (Degree awarded 2007)
Nealie Newberger, Ph.D, Florida Atlantic University (Degree awarded 2006)
Priscilla Winder, Ph.D. Florida Atlantic University

Post-Doctoral Fellows

1992-1994 Stefan Vasile, Ph.D.
1999-2002 Julie Olson, Ph.D.
2003-2006 Wolfram Bruck, Ph.D.
2008-Present Jennifer Choate, Ph.D.