My research is focused on the discovery of novel bioactive natural products from marine microorganisms. Within this field I am interested in the biology, diversity and biogeography of prokaryotes from marine habitats. I am particularly interested in bacteria beloning to the bacterial class Actinomycetales. I am also interested in the genetic and biochemical processes involved in the production of natural products in marine microorganisms. In the Kerr research group I am responsible for directing mirobiology (bacteria)-related aspects of student projects.

 

 

 

Bachelor of Science, University College of the Cariboo (Thompson Rivers University), Kamloops, BC, Canada (1998).

Master of Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada (2001)

 

 

Research Scientist 1, Wyeth Research, Natural Products Discovery Research.  Pearl River, NY, USA, (2001-2008)

Research Manager, University of Prince Edward Island, Kerr Marine Natural Products Laboratory, Charlottetown, PE, Canada (2008 - )

Bacterial NP Discovery Group Leader, Nautilus Biosciences Canada Inc, Charlottetown, PE, Canada (2009-)

 

1.      Tangerina M.P., Correa H., Haltli B., Vilegas W., Kerr R.G. Bioprospecting from cultivable bacterial communities of marine sediment and invertebrates from the underexplored Ubatuba region of Brazil. Arch Microbiol. 2017 199: 155-169.
2.      McCauley E.P., Haltli B., Correa H., Kerr R.G. Spatial and temporal investigation of the microbiome of the Caribbean octocoral Erythropodium  caribaeorum. FEMS Micro Ecol. 2016 92: pii: fiw147. doi: 10.1093/femsec/fiw147.
3.      Robertson V.*, Haltli B.*, Overy D., Kerr R.G. Highly variable bacterial communities associated with the octocoral Antillogorgia elisabethae. Microorganisms 2016 4: pii:E23. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms 4030023.
4.      Pastrana-Camacho N., Suárez Z., Acosta-González A., Arango C., Haltli B., Correa H., Kerr R.G., Duque C., Diaz L.E. Bioprospecting for culturable actinobacteria with antimicrobial properties isolated from rivers in Colombian Orinoquia. Trop J Pharm Res. 2016 15: 1259-1265.
5.      Sommer B., Overy D.P., Haltli B., Kerr R.G. Secreted lipases from Malassezia globosa: recombinant expression and determination of their substrate specificities. Microbiology 2016 162: 1069-79.
6.      Herzog B., Overy D.P., Haltli B., Kerr R.G. Discovery of keratinases using bacteria isolated from marine environments. Syst Appl Microbiol. 2016 39: 49-57.
7.       Arens J.C., Haltli B., Kerr R.G. Draft Genome Sequence of Kitasatospora griseola Strain MF730-N6, a Bafilomycin, Terpentecin, and Satosporin Producer. Genome Announc. 2015  3: e00208-15.
8.      McCauley E.P., Haltli B., Kerr R.G. Description of Pseudobacteriovorax antillogorgiicola gen. nov., sp. nov., a bacterium isolated from the gorgonian octocoral Antillogorgia elisabethae, belonging to the family Pseudobacteriovoracaceae fam. nov., within the order Bdellovibrionales. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2015 65: 522-30.
9.      Duncan K.R., Haltli B., Gill K.A., Correa H., Berrué F., Kerr R.G. Exploring the diversity and metabolic potential of actinomycetes from temperate marine sediments from Newfoundland, Canada. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol. 2015 42: 57-72.
10.    Janso J.E., Haltli B.A., Eustáquio A.S., Kulowski K., Waldman A.J., Zha L., Nakamura H., Bernan V.S., He H., Carter G.T., Koehn F.E., Balskus E.P. Discovery of the lomaiviticin biosynthetic gene cluster in Salinispora pacifica. Tetrahedron. 2014 70: 4156-4164.
11.    Duncan K., Haltli B., Gill K. A., Kerr R.G. Bioprospecting from marine sediments of New Brunswick, Canada: exploring the relationship between total bacterial diversity and Actinobacteria diversity. Mar Drugs. 2014 12: 899-925.
12.    Correa H., Haltli B., Duque C., Kerr R.G. Bacterial communities of the gorgonian octocoral   Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae Microb Ecol. 2013 66: 972-85.
13.    Pike R.E., Haltli B., Kerr R. G. Description of Endozoicomonas euniceicola sp. nov. and Endozoicomonas gorgoniicola sp. nov., bacteria isolated from the octocorals Eunicea fusca and Plexaura sp., and an emended description of the genus Endozoicomona.  Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2013 63: 4294-4302.
14.    McCulloch M. W. B., Haltli B., Marchbank D. H., Kerr R. G. Evaluation of pseudopteroxazole and pseudopterosin derivatives against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other pathogens. Mar Drugs. 2012 10: 1711-1728.
15.    McCulloch M.W.B., Berrue F., Haltli B., Kerr R.G. One-pot syntheses of pseudopteroxazoles from pseudopterosins: a rapid route to non-natural congeners with improved antimicrobial activity. J Nat Prod. 2011 74: 2250-2256.
16.    Jiang H., Haltli B., Feng X., Cai P., Summers M., Lotvin J., He M. Investigation of the biosynthesis of the pipecolate moiety of neuroprotective polyketide meridamycin. J Antibiot 2011 64: 533-538.
17.    Berrue F., Withers S. T., Haltli B., Withers J., Kerr R.G.  Chemical screening method for the rapid identification of microbial sources of marine invertebrate-associated metabolites.  Mar Drugs. 2011 9:  369-381.
18.    Liu H., Jiang H, Haltli B., Kulowski K., Muszynska E., Feng X., Summers M., Young M., Graziani E., Koehn F., Carter G. T., Min H.  Rapid cloning and heterologous expression of the meridamycin biosynthetic gene cluster using a versatile Escherichia coli-Streptomyces artificial chromosome vector, pSBAC. J Nat Prod. 2009 72 (3): 389-395.
19.    Ratnayake A. S., Haltli B., Feng X., Bernan V. S., Singh M. P., He H., Carter G.T.  Investigating the biosynthetic origin of the nitro group in pyrrolomycins. J Nat Prod. 2008 71 :  1923–1926.
20.    He M., Haltli B., Summers M., Feng X., Hucul J.A.  Isolation and characterization of the meridamycin biosynthetic gene cluster from Streptomyces species NRRL 30748.  Gene. 2006 377: 109-118.

21.   Magarvey N. A., Haltli B., He M., Greenstein M. and Hucul J.A.  Biosynthetic pathway for mannopeptimycins, lipoglycopeptide antibiotics active against drug-resistant gram-positive pathogens. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2006 50: 2167-2177.

22.   Haltli B., Tan Y., Magarvey N.A., Wagenaar M., Yin X., Greenstein M., Hucul J.A., Zabriskie T.M. Investigating beta-hydroxyenduracididine formation in the biosynthesis of the mannopeptimycins. Chem Biol. 2005 12(11): 1163-1168. 
23.   Ritacco F. V., Haltli  B., Janso J. E., Greenstein M., Bernan V.S.  Dereplication of Streptomyces soil isolates and detection of specific biosynthetic genes using an automated Ribotyping instrument. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol. 2003 30: 472-479.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My research is primarily focused on the discovery and development of natural products with a range of applications in human health and wellness. Our team utilizes a LC/MS-based metabolomics approach to profile microbial extracts and identify potentially novel compounds through statistical analysis. This work also includes purification and structure elucidation of natural products and characterization of their properties. My efforts are also focused on the synthesis of natural product analogues to expand our knowledge of structure-activity relationships and develop new lead compounds. As a senior chemist with Nautilus Biosciences, I am interested in the development of organic UV filters, biosurfactants, antimicrobials, and antioxidants.

 

PhD, University of Prince Edward Island (2013)

BSc (Hons) in Chemistry, University of Prince Edward Island (2008)

 

Research Manager, Chemistry Department, University of Prince Edward Island (2015 - present)

Senior Scientist, Nautilus Biosciences Canada Inc., Charlottetown, PE, Canada (2015 - present)

Research Assistant, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada (2014 - 2015)

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Prince Edward Island (2013)

 

McCulloch, M.W.B.; Haltli, B.H.; Marchbank, D.H.; Kerr, R.G. Evaluation of pseudopteroxazole and pseudopterosin derivatives against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other pathogens. Mar. Drugs 2012, 10, 1711-1728.

Marchbank, D.H.; Berrue, F.; Kerr, R.G. Eunicidiol, an anti-inflammatory dilophol diterpene from Eunicea fusca. J. Nat. Prod. 2012, 75, 1289-1293.

Marchbank, D.H.; Kerr, R.G. Semisynthesis of fuscoside B analogues and eunicosides, and analysis of anti-inflammatory activity. Tetrahedron 2011, 67, 3053-3061.