
Marc Verhougstraete
- Assistant Professor, Public Health
- (520) 621-0254
- Roy P. Drachman Hall, Rm. A231
- Tucson, AZ 85721
- mverhougstraete@email.arizona.edu
Biography
Marc Verhougstraete is an assistant professor at the Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and a co-director for the Environment, Exposure Science and Risk Assessment Center (ESRAC). Prior to arriving at The University of Arizona, Dr. Verhougstraete studied at Michigan State University and was a post-doctor research associate at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
Dr. Verhougstraete's research has focused on environmental microbiology and water quality. To this aspect, Marc's focus is primarily on understanding the sources, occurrence, and transport of waterborne pathogens using fecal indicator organisms and molecular source tracking. Marc's research interests also include the integration of microbial water quality with hydrological catchment dynamics, landscape patterns, and Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment to improve environmental management that protect human and ecosystem health. Recent efforts investigate irrigation water quality in rural Arizona. In all aspects of research, his primary objectives are to prevent human exposure to pathogenic organisms through increased scientific understanding of complex environments using a multifaceted toolbox approach.
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Degrees
- Ph.D. Integrated water quality microbiology
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States
- Measuring microbial water quality responses to land and climate using fecal indicator bacteria and molecular source tracking in rivers and near-shore surface waters of Michigan
- B.S. Environmental Biology and Zoology
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States
Interests
Research
Water quality microbiologyEnvironmental microbiologyAgriculture and food safetyIrrigation water qualityDrinking water and climate change connectionsQuantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA)
Courses
2020-21 Courses
-
Dissertation
EHS 920 (Spring 2021) -
Intro to Environ & Occu Health
EHS 375 (Spring 2021) -
Rural Hlth Svs Lrng Inst
PHPM 497D (Spring 2021) -
Rural Hlth Svs Lrng Inst
PHPM 597D (Spring 2021) -
Special Topics in EHS
EHS 196 (Spring 2021) -
Thesis
EHS 910 (Spring 2021) -
Dissertation
EHS 920 (Fall 2020) -
Thesis
EHS 910 (Fall 2020)
2019-20 Courses
-
Env+Occupatnl Hlth Smr
EHS 696R (Spring 2020) -
Independent Study
EHS 599 (Spring 2020) -
Independent Study
EHS 699 (Spring 2020) -
Intro to Environ & Occu Health
EHS 375 (Spring 2020) -
Master's Report
EHS 909 (Spring 2020) -
Preceptorship
EHS 491 (Spring 2020) -
Research
EHS 900 (Spring 2020) -
Rural Hlth Svs Lrng Inst
PHPM 597D (Spring 2020) -
Thesis
EHS 910 (Spring 2020) -
Env+Occupatnl Hlth Smr
EHS 696R (Fall 2019) -
Master's Report
EHS 909 (Fall 2019) -
Research
EHS 900 (Fall 2019) -
Thesis
EHS 910 (Fall 2019)
2018-19 Courses
-
Master's Report
EHS 909 (Summer I 2019) -
Rural Hlth Svs Lrng Inst
PHPM 597D (Summer I 2019) -
Env+Occupatnl Hlth Smr
EHS 696R (Spring 2019) -
Independent Study
EHS 699 (Spring 2019) -
Intro to Environ & Occu Health
EHS 375 (Spring 2019) -
Thesis
EHS 910 (Spring 2019) -
Env+Occupatnl Hlth Smr
EHS 696R (Fall 2018) -
Independent Study
EHS 699 (Fall 2018) -
Intro to Environ & Occu Health
EHS 375 (Fall 2018) -
Thesis
EHS 910 (Fall 2018)
2017-18 Courses
-
Directed Research
EHS 492 (Spring 2018) -
Env+Occupatnl Hlth Smr
EHS 696R (Spring 2018) -
Independent Study
EHS 699 (Spring 2018) -
Master's Report
EHS 909 (Spring 2018) -
Thesis
EHS 910 (Spring 2018) -
Env+Occupatnl Hlth Smr
EHS 696R (Fall 2017) -
Intro to Environ & Occu Health
EHS 375 (Fall 2017)
2016-17 Courses
-
Rural Hlth Svs Lrng Inst
CPH 597D (Summer I 2017) -
Env+Occupatnl Hlth Smr
CPH 696R (Spring 2017) -
Research
CPH 900 (Spring 2017) -
Intro to Environ & Occu Health
CPH 375 (Fall 2016) -
Preceptorship
CPH 491 (Fall 2016) -
Research
CPH 900 (Fall 2016)
2015-16 Courses
-
Independent Study
CPH 599 (Summer I 2016) -
Rural Hlth Svs Lrng Inst
CPH 597D (Summer I 2016)
Scholarly Contributions
Chapters
- Verhougstraete, M. P., Sexton, J. D., & Reynolds, K. A. (2015). Recreational Water Exposure. In Handbook for Water and Health(pp 151-158). New York: EarthScan.
Journals/Publications
- Eisenburg, J., Wade, T., Zanoli Satof, M., Conde Lamparellie, C., Reynolds, K. A., Canales, R. A., Pogreba Brown, K. M., & Verhougstraete, M. (2019). Using Local Data in a Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Water Research. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2019.115294
- Madera-Garcia, V., Mraz, A. L., Lopez-Galvez, N., Weir, M. H., Werner, J., Beamer, P. I., & Verhougstraete, M. P. (2019). Legionella pneumophila as a Health Hazard to Miners: A Pilot Study of Water Quality and QMRA. WATER, 11(8).
- Munoz-Gutierrez, K. M., Canales, R. A., Reynolds, K. A., & Verhougstraete, M. P. (2019). Floor and environmental contamination during glove disposal. JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION, 101(3), 347-353.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2019). Cost-benefit of point-of-use devices for lead reduction. Environmental Research.
- Verhougstraete, M., Werner, J. D., Beamer, P., & Madera-Garcia, V. (2018). Legionella is a Miner issue. International Journal of Mining Science and Technology.
- Wilson, A., Canales, R. A., Verhougstraete, M., & Reynolds, K. A. (2019). Validation of a Stochastic Discrete Event Model Predicting Virus Concentration on Nurse Hands. Risk Analysis.
- Alshammari, M., Reynolds, K. A., Verhougstraete, M., & O'Rourke, M. K. (2018). Comparison of Perceived and Observed Hand Hygiene Compliance in Healthcare Workers in MERS-CoV Endemic Regions. Healthcare.
- Canales, R. A., Wilson, A. M., Pearce-Walker, J. I., Verhougstraete, M. P., & Reynolds, K. A. (2018). Methods for Handling Left-Censored Data in Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment. APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, 84(20).
- Lothrop, N., Bright, K. R., Sexton, J., Pearce-Walker, J., Reynolds, K. A., & Verhougstraete, M. P. (2018). Optimal strategies for monitoring irrigation water quality. AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT, 199, 86-92.
- Munoz-Gutierrez, K., Canales, R. A., Reynolds, K. A., & Verhougstraete, M. (2018). Floor and environmental contamination during glove disposal. Journal of Hospital Infections. doi:10.1016/J.JHIN.2018.10.015
- Nshimyimana, J. P., Martin, S. L., Flood, M., Verhougstraete, M. P., Hyndman, D. W., & Rose, J. B. (2018). Regional Variations of Bovine and Porcine Fecal Pollution as a Function of Landscape, Nutrient, and Hydrological Factors. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, 47(5), 1024-1032.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2018). Comparison of Perceived and Observed Hand Hygiene Compliance in Healthcare Workers in MERS-CoV Endemic Regions. Healthcare.
- Verhougstraete, M., Gerald, J. K., Gerba, C. P., & Reynolds, K. A. (2019). Cost-benefit of point-of-use devices for lead reduction. Environmental Research.
- Verhougstraete, M., Reynolds, K. A., Sexton, J. D., Bright, K., & Lothrop, N. Z. (2018). Optimal strategies for monitoring irrigation water quality and the development of guidelines for the irrigation of food crops in the Southwestern United States. Agricultural Water Management.
- Verhougstraete, M., Verhougstraete, M., Reynolds, K. A., Reynolds, K. A., Gerba, C. P., & Gerba, C. P. (2017). Lead in drinking water: Point of use cost benefit analysis.. Environmental Health Perspectives.
- Lothrop, N. Z., Bright, K., Sexton, J. D., Reynolds, K. A., & Verhougstraete, M. (2016). Optimal strategies for monitoring irrigation water quality and the development of guidelines for the irrigation of food crops in the Southwestern United States. Agricultural Water Management.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2016). On Tap: Water Issues: Global Concerns and Global Issues. Water Conditioning & Purification International.More infoTrade journal article peer reviewed by a technical advisory committee. http://www.wcponline.com/2016/01/15/on-tap-water-issues-global-concerns-and-global-issues/
- Verhougstraete, M. (2016). Use of a portable air disinfecting system to remove seeded coliphage in hospital rooms. American Journal of Infection Control.
- Verhougstraete, M., & Reynolds, K. (2016). Use of a portable air disinfecting system to remove seeded coliphage in hospital rooms. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INFECTION CONTROL, 44(6), 714-715.
- Lamparelli, C. C., Pogreba-Brown, K., Verhougstraete, M. P., Sato, M. I., {de Castro Bruni}, A., Wade, T. J., & Eisenberg, J. N. (2015). Are fecal indicator bacteria appropriate measures of recreational water risks in the tropics: A cohort study of beach goers in Brazil?. Water Research, 87, 59--68.
- Lothrop, N., Wilkinson, S. T., Verhougstraete, M., Sugeng, A., Loh, M. M., Klimecki, W., & Beamer, P. I. (2015). Home Water Treatment Habits and Effectiveness in a Rural Arizona Community. WATER, 7(3), 1217-1231.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2015). Are fecal indicator bacteria appropriate measures of recreational water risks in the tropics: A cohort study of beach goers in Brazil?. Water Research.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2015). Lessons learned from implementing a wet laboratory molecular training workshop for beach water quality monitoring. PLoS ONE.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2015). Linking fecal bacteria in rivers to landscape, geochemical, and hydrologic factors and sources at the basin scale. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
- Verhougstraete, M. P., Brothers, S., Litaker, W., Blackwood, A. D., & Noble, R. (2015). Lessons Learned from Implementing a Wet Laboratory Molecular Training Workshop for Beach Water Quality Monitoring. PLOS ONE, 10(3).
- Verhougstraete, M. P., Martin, S. L., Kendall, A. D., Hyndman, D. W., & Rose, J. B. (2015). Linking fecal bacteria in rivers to landscape, geochemical, and hydrologic factors and sources at the basin scale. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112, 201415836.
- Verhougstraete, M., & Reynolds, K. A. (2015). Use of a portable air disinfecting system to remove seeded coliphage in hospital rooms. American Journal of Infection Control.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2014). Microbial investigations of water, sediment, and algal mats in the mixed use watershed of Saginaw Bay, Michigan. Journal of Great Lakes Research.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2010). Cladophora in the Great Lakes: Impacts on beach water quality and human health. Water Science and Technology.
Presentations
- Madera-Garcia, V., Verhougstraete, M., Werner, J. D., Beamer, P., Beamer, P., Werner, J. D., Madera-Garcia, V., & Verhougstraete, M. (2018, May). Legionella is a Miner Issue. University of North Carolina Water Microbiology conference. Chapel Hill, NC.
- Mclain, J. E., Pogreba Brown, K. M., Cooper, K. K., Verhougstraete, M., Verhougstraete, M., Cooper, K. K., Pogreba Brown, K. M., & Mclain, J. E. (2019, November). Breaking down scientific silos: using One Health to address the World’s wicked problems. TENWEST Impact Festival. Tucson, Arizona.More infoMcLain, J.E. K. Cooper, K. Pogreba-Brown, and M. Verhougstraete. Breaking down scientific silos: using One Health to address the World’s wicked problems. Tucson, Arizona, October 14, 2019.
- Pearce-Walker, J., Wilson, A., Canales, R., Bright, K., Gerba, C., & Verhougstraete, M. (2019, May). Adenovirus infection risk from irrigated leafy green consumption. University of North Carolina Water Microbiology conference. Chapel Hill, NC.
- Pogreba Brown, K. M., Verhougstraete, M., Cooper, K. K., & Mclain, J. E. (2019, November). Breaking down scientific silos: using One Health to address the World’s wicked problems. TENWEST Impact Festival. Tucson, Arizona.More infoMcLain, J.E. K. Cooper, K. Pogreba-Brown, and M. Verhougstraete. Breaking down scientific silos: using One Health to address the World’s wicked problems. Tucson, Arizona, October 14, 2019.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2019, April). There’s we in water. Georgia Southern Environmental Health Graduate seminar. Statesboro, Georgia: Georgia Southern.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2019, December). Development of Health Eects Endpoint Dose Response and QMRA Models for Two Healthcare Associated Infections MRSA and Clostroides dicile. The Society for Risk Analysis (SRA). Arlington, VA.
- Verhougstraete, M., & Beamer, P. (2019, April). PFAS report update. Pima Board of Health monthly meeting. Tucson, AZ: Pima Board of Health.
- Verhougstraete, M., & Nshimyimana, J. P. (2018, June). Regional variations of bovine and porcine fecal pollution. IAGLR 2018 Conference on Great Lakes Research. Toronto.
- Verhougstraete, M., & Zimmer-Faust, A. (2019, May). Young professionals workshop. University of North Carolina Water Microbiology conference. Chapel Hill, NC.More infoLead a young scientist workshop for 33 student researchers. Included 6 senior mentors from around the world to discuss careers in federal, state, and local government, non-profit, industry, and academia. Helped students develop elevator speeches and practice.
- Verhougstraete, M., Gerald, J. K., Reynolds, K. A., & Gerba, C. P. (2019, June). Cost-Benefit of Point of Use Devices for Lead Reductions. American Water Works Association ACE 2019. Denver, CO: WQRF.
- Verhougstraete, M., Weir, M., & Miller, J. (2017, May). International Risk Consortium side event. University of North Carolina Water Microbiology conference. Chapel Hill, NC.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2016, December). Practical tips for effective water sampling. Washington State Fruit Tree Association annual meeting. Wenatchee, WA.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2016, June). Optimal strategies for monitoring irrigation water quality and the development of guidelines for the irrigation of food crops. Center for Produce Safety annual meeting. Seattle, WA.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2016, May). Optimal strategies for monitoring irrigation water quality and the development of guidelines for the irrigation of food crops. University of North Carolina Water Microbiology conference. Raleigh, NC.
- Verhougstraete, M. P., & Bright, K. (2015, July). Optimal strategies for monitoring irrigation water quality and the development of guidelines for the irrigation of food crops. Center for Produce Safety annual meeting. Atlanta, GA, USA: Center for Produce Safety.
- Verhougstraete, M. P., Martin, S., Kendall, A., Hyndman, D., & Rose, J. (2015, December). Linking fecal bacteria in rivers to landscape, geochemical, and hydrologic factors and sources at the basin scale. Michigan Department of Environmental Quality webinar. Lansing, Michigan, US: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
Poster Presentations
- Verhougstraete, M., Zimmer-Faust, A., White, M., & Pearce-Walker, J. (2019, April). Assessing the Efficacy of Antimicrobial Ear Drops for Microbial Reductions. University of Arizona Public Health Poster Forum. Tucson, AZ.
- Wagoner, R., & Verhougstraete, M. (2019, August). Addressing Water Quality Alongside Community Health Workers in a Farm Worker Community. International Society Of Exposure Science and International Society Of Indoor Air Quality And Climate. Kaunas, Lithuania.
- Troup, D., Verhougstraete, M., & Reynolds, K. A. (2017, April). Bioaerosol Reduction with a Passive Air Treatment System in a Controlled Chamber. MEZCOPH Student Poster Forum. Tucson, AZ.
Others
- Beamer, P., Pountain, M., Nematollahi, A., Verhougstraete, M., & Pearce-Walker, J. (2019, December). Environmental Toxic Substance Assessment: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Pima County Water. Pima County Health Department.More infoA review report on PFAS in Pima County, Arizona groundwater and the health effects of PFAS on humans.
- Pearce-Walker, J., Verhougstraete, M., Nematollahi, A., Pountain, M., & Beamer, P. (2019, December). Environmental Toxic Substance Assessment: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Pima County Water.More infoA review report on PFAS in Pima County, Arizona groundwater and the health effects of PFAS on humans.
- Verhougstraete, M. (2020, January). Combined Surface Sampling and Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment Modeling To Optimize Surface Cleaning For Targeted HAI Reduction.More infoFinal report for CDC funded research project. A comprehensive, 200 page report. J. Pearce-Walker, J., A. Yoder, M.H. Weir, and M. Verhougstraete. 2019. Combined Surface Sampling and Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment Modeling To Optimize Surface Cleaning For Targeted HAI Reduction. For Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Verhougstraete, M., Gerba, C. P., & Reynolds, K. A. (2016, September). Cost benefit of point-of-use devices in reduction of health risks from drinking water..More infoVerhougstraete, M.P., K., Reynolds, A. Tamimi, and C. Gerba. 2016. Cost benefit of point-of-use devices in reduction of health risks from drinking water. A technical report For Water Quality Research Foundation.