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Heather Silverman

Staff Scientist

Research Areas:

Biography:

Heather Silverman is an environmental molecular microbiologist who came to the Idaho National Laboratory in 1995 to be a post-graduate research fellow for a project involving the molecular biology and biochemistry of mollusc adhesive proteins. She has been a principal investigator, co-investigator or support research scientist for projects ranging from natural adhesive systems; antibody profiling identification; Next Generation Gas-Cooled Reactors; Radioisotope Power Systems for NASA spacecraft; lignocellulosic biofuels development; mapping of strategic mineable resources within the western United States and Canada; biological threat remediation; and methodologies for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) explosive detection program. She holds master’s degrees from Idaho State University and the University of Colorado, Boulder. She was the winner of an R&D 100 and a Federal Laboratory Consortium award in 2008 for Antibody Profiling Identification.  She is co-author of two U.S. patents for recombinant mollusc adhesive proteins.

Education:

​M.S., Idaho State University

M.S., University of Colorado, Boulder

B.S., University of California, Davis

Affiliations:

American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

American Biological Safety Association (ABSA)

Publications:

Poster presentation: “Diverse Biological Factories for Sustainable Manufacturing“, D.L. Daubaras, D.W. Reed, H.G. Silverman.  INL’s Annual LDRD 2015 Poster Session. Idaho Falls, ID, October 15, 2015.

STI Number: INL/MIS-15-36762
Revision: 0
Secondary Reference:
STI Title: Diverse Biological Factories for Sustainable Chemical Manufacturing
Authors: D.L. Daubaras; D.W. Reed; H.G. Silverman; J.M. Barnes; H.W. Rollins; J.A. Lacey; S.L. Fox; S. Hernandez; M. McIlwain

IAS-15901 (Integrated Assessment System): REC Annual Radiological Materials Inventory; September 30, 2015.  Heather Silverman, Lead Assessor.

DOE/ID-11441 (2014) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants—Calendar Year 2014 INL Report for Radionuclides, June 2015.

Allison E. Ray, Daniel Stevens, Gage Sowell, Kastli D. Schaller, Dayna L. Daubaras, Sabrina Morgan, Kara Cafferty, Lorenzo Vega Montoto, Nick J. Nagle, Lynn M. Wendt, and Heather Silverman. Dilute-acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of corn stover, switchgrass, Miscanthus, and paper blends. Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals, San Diego, CA; April 27-30, 2015.

DOE-ID, 2014, Technical Basis for Environmental Monitoring and Surveillance at the Idaho National Laboratory Site, DOE/ID-11485, Rev. 0, February 2014.
DOE-ID, 2015, Technical Basis for Environmental Monitoring and Surveillance at the Idaho National Laboratory Site, DOE/ID-11485, Rev. 1, in press.

INL/EXT-15-36044 “Preliminary Investigation of the Effect of AGC-2 Irradiation on the Strength of Different Grades of Nuclear Graphites” to meet the Level 3 milestone “Comparison between the Strength Levels of Baseline Nuclear Grade Graphite and Graphite Irradiated in AGC 2”

“Bioassay Support Overview and Results_ July 2014”; for Work Package Title:  Vapor Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP) Sterilization Process for NASA Planetary Protection Program), 2014.

DOE/ID-11441 (2013) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants—Calendar Year 2013 INL Report for Radionuclides, June 2014.

IAS – 14353 (Integrated Assessment System): REC Annual Radiological Materials Inventory, 2014.

U.S. EPA. Bio-Response Operational Testing and Evaluation (BOTE) Project - Phase 1: Decontamination Assessment. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-13/168, 2013.

U.S. EPA. Bio-Response Operational Testing and Evaluation (BOTE) Project - Phase 1: Decontamination Assessment. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-13/168, 2013. Technical Brief.

EPA’s Science Matters (Volume 4 Number 3, November 2013), Advanced Ways to Clean Up Drinking Water Systems, 2013.

BETO Biomass Engineering Milestone - 1.2.1.1 Harvest, Collection, & Storage; Project Leader: J.Richard Hess;  Milestone Title: “Conversion yield impacts of dry matter loss in storage on corn stover and switchgrass”.  Authors: Lynn Wendt, William Smith, Allison Ray, Daniel Stevens, Dayna Daubarus, Karen Delezene-Briggs, Ian Bonner, Heather Silverman, 2014.

BETO Biomass Engineering Milestone - Project Name: Biochem Blended Feedstock Development; Project Leader: Gary Gresham; Milestone Title:Use the correlation developed in Q3 to predict blend quality and performance based on individual feedstock characteristics for 3 additional blends.   Authors:Allison Ray, Dan Stevens, Kastli Schaller, Lynn Wendt, Kara Cafferty, Gage Sowell, Dayna Dabauras, Karen Delezene-Briggs, & Heather Silverman, 2014.

Report INL/EXT-14-33120 “Initial Comparison of Baseline Physical and Mechanical Properties for the VHTR Candidate Graphite Grades” completed the Very High Temperature Reactor Level 2 Milestone (M2GR-14IN06020310), due September 30, 2014.

Report INL/EXT-14-33120 “Initial Comparison of Baseline Physical and Mechanical Properties for the VHTR Candidate Graphite Grades” completed the Very High Temperature Reactor Level 2 Milestone (M2GR-14IN06020310), due September 30, 2014.

F.F. Roberto, H.G. Silverman, A.I. Stormberg, K.G. Cafferty, S.L. Fox, M.R. Walton, A.R. Miller, S. Rossberg, “Bio-Response Operational Testing & Evaluation (BOTE): Facility Decontamination Studies Involving the Simulated Biological Release of Bacillus anthracis”, April 2012. INL/CON-12-254-60.

Hope Lee, Heather Silverman, Brady Lee, “Contaminant Degradation in Vadose Zones: Validation of Microbial Activity”. Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds, Monterrey, CA, May 2012.  INL/CON-12-26048

Roberto, FF and HG Silverman, "Adhesive Proteins from Mussels".  In: Innovations in Materials Manufacturing, Fabrication, and Environmental Safety, M Schwartz, ed., Taylor and Francis Group LLC, Boca Raton\ Chapter 3.  pp 53-86; 2010.

Silverman, HG and FF Roberto,   "Byssus Formation in Mytilus". In: Biological Adhesive Systems: From Nature to Technical and Medical Application, von Bayern, J, I Grunwald, editors, Springer-Verlag/Wien, Austria.\Chapter 18.  pp 273-283; 2010.

Roberto, F., Hong, B., Silverman, H. and C. Permann, “Viral sequence motifs”. Final Report by the Idaho National Laboratory; Prepared under DOE Idaho Operations Office Contract DE-AC07-05ID14517, Idaho Falls, ID, 2009.
Silverman, HG and  FF Roberto.  INL Fact Sheet: “Natural Adhesive Systems”; 2008.

Silverman, H.G. and F.F. Roberto.  “Understanding Marine Mussel Adhesion”. Marine Biotechnology 9(6): 661-681; 2007. 

Rico, J., H. Silverman, P.A. Mole, and D. McCann,  "Effects of Six Weeks of Soccer Training on Aerobic Capacity and Body Composition"; In: Final Programme and Abstract Book Second World Congress On Science and Football, 1991; Journal of Sports Science 10(2): 139-205, 2002.

Roberto, F., D.B. Johnson, M. Delwiche, H. Silverman, D. Newby, A. Miller,“Analysis of Metal Resistance in Yellowstone Bacteria”, Yellowstone National Park Investigator’s Annual Report, Yellowstone National Park, Bozeman, Montana, 2001.

Rico-Sanz, J., H. Silverman, D. J. McCann, P.A. Mole, "Physiological Adaptations to 6 weeks of Specific Training of Intercollegiate Soccer Players"; Journal of Sports Medicine, Training and Rehabilitation, 10(1): 67-81, 2001.

Roberto, F.F., H.G. Silverman, M. Tsang, and R. Rodriguez, "A PCR Diagnostic System for Brucella in Wildlife Species.  Report for the USGS Bison Research Initiative: 1998-2000", Yellowstone National Park, Bozeman, Montana, 2000.

Silverman, HG. "Hormonal Responses to Exercise Stress With Age and Training”; Master’s Thesis –University of Colorado, Boulder; Boulder, CO, 1994.

Patents:

Silverman, H.G., Roberto, F.F., 2006, "Cloning and Expression of Recombinant Adhesive Protein Mefp-2 of the Blue Mussel, Mytilus edulis," Patent 6,995,012 B1, February 7, 2006.

 

Silverman, H.G. , Roberto, F.F., 2006, "Cloning and Expression of Recombinant Adhesive Protein Mefp-1 of the Blue Mussel, Mytilus edulis," Patent 6,987,170  B1, January 17, 2006.

Presentations:

​Silverman, HG. “Microbiological Capabilities at the INL”; for the EPA National Homeland Security Research Center (NHSRC) office of Research and Development (ORD) tour; October 2012.

Lee, H.L., Silverman, H., and B. Lee. “Contaminant Degradation in Vadose Zones: Validation of Microbial Activity”; Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds - The Eighth International Conference (Presented by Battelle); Monterey, CA.; May 21-24,2012.

Roberto, F.F. Stormberg, A.I., Cafferty, K.G., Fox, S.L., Walton, M.R., Miller, A.R., Rossberg, S. and H.G. Silverman.  “Bio-Response Operational Testing &Evaluation (BOTE): Facility Decontamination Studies Involving the Simulated Biological Release of Bacillus anthracis"; Annual Meeting of the Intermountain Branch of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM); Pocatello, ID; April 7th, 2012.

Silverman, HG. “Particle Size Analysis of  Nano Metal Oxides”; INL Biological Systems Technical Talk Series;  2011.

Silverman, HG. “Biological Adhesives”; INL Energy & Environment Technical Seminar Series; 2011.

Silverman, HG. “Research Business Structure and Funding Overview”; INL Group Mentoring Pilot Program; 02/15/2011.

Silverman, Heather and Frank Roberto, “Blue Mussel Adhesive”, INL RDD&D Professional Exchange; September 17, 2009.

Silverman, HG. “Women in Science” Panel, 9th Annual Women and Work Conference, Center for  New Directions, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID;  2008.

Silverman, HG. “Idaho National Laboratory - Meeting the Energy Challenges of Today and Tomorrow”, Idaho Falls Exchange Club, Idaho Falls, ID;  2008.

Silverman, HG. “Life is Good! “, Super Science Seminar, 17th Annual INL Scholastic Tournament, Boise, ID;  2007.

Deborah T. Newby; Jeffrey A. Lacey; Heather G. Silverman; Joni M. Barnes; Albert S. Colman; Stephen M. Techtmann; Dennis L. Maeder; Alexander Lebedinski; Linda J. Meincke; Tatyana Sokolova; Elizaveta Osmolovskaya. “Functional Genomics of Anaerobic, Thermophilic Hydrogenogens”; American Society of Microbiology General Meeting, American Society of Microbiology, Toronto, Canada, 05/21/2007.

"Physiology and Biochemistry of Extremophiles" by the American Society for Microbiology and presented at Thermophiles 2007 in Bergen, Norway, September 24 - 28, 2007.

C. R. Breckenridge; D. F. Bruhn; D. B. Blackwelder; P. A. Pryfogle; C. Wright; K. Kenney; L. M. Petzke; H. Silverman; R. Hess; C. Radtke. “Obtaining Representative Samples of Lignocellulosic Biomass Throughout Feedstock Supply Chains”; 29th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Denver, CO, 04/28/2007.

Radtke, CW, Wright, CT, Kenney, KL, Pryfogle, PA, Hoskinson, RL, Silverman, HG, Blackwelder, DB, Yancey, NA, Bruhn, DF, Breckenridge, CR, Hess, RJ, Bonner, E, Bond, WE, McNear, LT.  “Quality changes during dry storage of cereal straw for the biorefining industry”; Submitted to the 28th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals, 2006.

Radtke, CW, Wright, CT, Kenney, KL, Pryfogle, PA, Hoskinson, RL, Silverman, HG, Blackwelder, DB, Yancey, NA, Bruhn, DF, Breckenridge, CR, Hess, RJ, Bonner, E, Bond, WE, McNear, LT, Schechinger, TM.   “Quality changes during bunker-ensiled storage of corn stover for the biorefining industry”; Submitted to the 28th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals, 2006.

Radtke, CW, Wright, CT, Kenney, KL, Pryfogle, PA, Hoskinson, RL, Silverman, HG, Blackwelder, DB, Yancey, NA, Bruhn, DF, Breckenridge, CR, Hess, RJ.  “Preprocessing effects on lignocellulosic feedstock cost and quality for ethanol conversion”; Submitted to the 28th Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals, 2006.

Newby, D.T., J.A. Lacey, K.L. Epting, H.G. Silverman, J.M. Barnes, A.S. Colman, S. Techtmann, D.L. Maeder, and F.T. Robb, 2006.  Regulatation of hydrogen production by a thermophile oxidizing carbon monoxide to CO2 anaerobically.  Extremophiles.  Brest, France, Sept, 17-21st, 2006.  Poster-059.

Jessica Bruhn, 2006.  “Preparation of Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans Biomass for Proteome Analysis”, HS acknowledgement.; poster for INL summer internship.

Vicki Thompson, David Reed, Kastli Schaller, Joni Barnes, Cody Permann, Deborah Newby, Jeff Lacey, Heather Silverman, A. Colman, S. Techtman, D. Maeder and F. Robb, 2006.  “Proteomic analysis of Carboxydothermus hudrogenoformans grown on carbon monoxide or syngas”.  Assume VT to ??

Deborah Newby, Vicki Thompson, Kevin Epting, Joni Banres, Jeff Lacey, Heather Silverman, Cody Permann, 17 November 2006.  “Growth Conditiond Dependent Differential Gene Expression in the Carbon Monoxide Oxidizing Thermophile, Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans”; Assume J Lacey gave the talk to INL Technical Seminar?

Techtmann, S.M., D. Newby, J. Barnes, K. Epting, J. Lacy, H. Silverman, A.Colman, and F.T. Robb. “Life in Hot Carbon Monoxide with Hydrogen Production”, Society for Industrial Microbiology Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, July 2006.

Deborah T. Newby; Jeff Lacey; Kevin Epting; Heather Silverman; Joni M. Barnes; Albert S. Colman; Stephen Techtmann; Dennis L. Maeder; Frank T. Robb.   “Growth Condition Dependent Differential Gene Expression In The Carbon Monoxide Oxidizing Thermophile, Carboxydothermus Hydrogenoformans”; General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, 05/20/2006.

F.F. Roberto; H.G. Silverman; D.T. Newby.“ Comparison of Genotyping Methods for Brucella”; American Society for Microbiology Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, 05/21/2006.

K.L. Epting; J.M.Barnes; K.D. Schaller; J.A. Lacey; H.G. Silverman; C.J. Permann; A.S. Colman; D.L. Maeder; F.T. Robb; D.T. Newby; V.S. Thompson,  “Proteomic and genomic investigation of the hydrogen producing thermophile Carboxydothermus hydrogenoformans”;  54th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry, American Society for Mass Spectrometry, Seattle, Washington, 05/28/2006.

Versteeg, R.J., B. Blackwelder, C. Radtke, and H. Silverman, “Experimental Investigation of the Link Between Geophysical Signatures and Biogeochemical Properties and Processes: Experimental Design, Data Collection and Interpretation”; American Geophysical Union (AGU) – Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 2004.

Reed, D.W.,  D.F. Bruhn, J.M. Barnes, H.G. Silverman, C.W. Radtke, D.T. Newby, and F.F. Roberto,  “Development of a System for Monitoring Microbial Induced Corrosion of Metal from a Natural Environment”; American Society for Microbiology (ASM) - Intermountain Branch Annual Meeting, Poster #15, Idaho Falls, ID, March 2004.

Newby, D.T., H.G. Silverman, T. Hadfield, and F.F. Roberto, "Real-time PCR Detection of Brucella abortus: a Comparative Study of SYBR Green I, Taqman, and Hybridization Probe Assays”.  American Society for Microbiology, 102nd General Meeting, Poster Q-381, Salt Lake City, UT, May 2002. 

Newby, Deborah Trishelle; Silverman, Heather Gwen; Cummings, David Earl; Roberto, Francisco Figueroa, “An Introduction to Real-time PCR and Its Environmental Applications”;  2002 Intermountain Conference on the Environment, Pocatello, ID, 04/02/2002.

Awards:

R&D 100 Antibody Profiling Identification AbP ID (2008)

FLC Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer: Antibody Profiling Identification AbP ID (2008)

INL Best-In-Class Safety Award: Voluntary Protection Program (VPP); INL (2007)

First Annual Stoel Rives Innovation Awards, Chemicals Division Finalist: Blue Mussel Adhesive (2006)

Participation in Technology Transfer Research and Academic Institution Linkage for Students (TRAILS) Project; (INEEL) (2003)

Version: 11.0
Created at 11/17/2015 10:22 AM by Phyllis L. King
Last modified at 2/9/2017 11:16 AM by Phyllis L. King