M. A. Benjaminson



Morris Aaron Benjaminson (b. Bronx, New York, August 6 1930) is a Professor and Chairman of Applied Bioscience at Touro College School of Health Sciences in Bay Shore, New York.

He is the director of the school's Clinical Engineering program and Biotechnology - Bioprocessing program, as well as Chairman of the college's Public Relations committee and Chairman of the Committee for Scholarly Research.

Dr. Benjaminson has published more than 45 papers in as many years. A holder of a Ph.D. in Genetics and a Microbiologist by training, Dr. Benjaminson has made contributions in the areas of Public Health, Veterinary Medicine, Microbiology, Bacteriology, Genetics, and Gravitational Biology.

He is perhaps best known for his pioneering work in the development of an in vitro edible muscle protein production system, which he developed in cooperation with NASA. A steadfast believer in the future of manned space exploration, Dr. Benjaminson has also received NASA grants to study and create methods for producing edible mushrooms using waste materials in a closed system, and for a system that uses protists to convert waste water into usable water.

Dr. Benjaminson is also the Director of North Star Research, a division of Zymotech Enterprises, Ltd, a private scientific research and consulting firm.

Education

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Patents
Katz, I.J., M.A. Benjaminson and N. Satriano, A wind directional air sampling device. Patent No: 3587323. 1970.

Katz, I.J., M.A. Benjaminson and N. Satriano, Automated fluorescent viability detector. Patent No: 3586859. 1970.

Benjaminson, M.A., Multipurpose antimicrobial, desiccant, deodorant powder. Patent No: 4261849. 1981.

Selected Publications
Benjaminson, M.A., The genetic analysis of the mode of inheritance of a melanotic tumor in the tu y2v:vg strain of Drosophila  melanogaster. Masters Thesis, New York University, 1961.

Maestrone, G. and M.A. Benjaminson, Leptospira infection in the goldfish (Carassius auratus). Nature 195: 719-720, 1962.

Weil, A.J. and M.A. Benj aminson, Incidence and susceptibility to antibiotics of bacteria causing common infections in a general hospital. Clinical Medicine 70: 1059-2066, 1962.

Weil, AJ. and M.A. Benjamison, The Klebsiella-Aerogenes group in a general hospital: prevalence, speciation and antibiotic sensitivity. Bacteriological Proceedings. M127. 1963.

Coffin, D. and G. Maestrone (Technical assistance: M.A. Benjaminson), The use of an improved fluorescent antibody procedure in the demonstration of Leptospira in animal tissue. Canadian Journal of Comparative Medicine and Veterinary Science, 27: 108-112. 1963.

Coffin and G. Maestrone (Technical Assistance: M.A. Benjaminson), Study of Newcastle Disease by means of fluorescent antibody technique. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 25: 217-223. 1964.

Weil, AJ. and M.A. Benjaminson, The Klebsiella-Aerobacter-Serratia division: its role in common infections. Transactions of the New York Academy of Sciences, 27:65-72, 1964.

Benjaminson, M.A., A.J. Weil and B.C. DeGuzman, Voges-Proskauer test: expeditious techniques for routine use. Journal of Bacteriology, 97: 234-235. 1964.

Benjaminson, M.A., S.L. Bazil, F. D'Oria and S. Carito, Feritin Labeled enzymes: a tool for electron microscopy. Nature, 211: 1275-1278. 1966.

Benjaminson, M.A. and S. Carito, Semi-specific detection of biological aerosols by fluorescent enzymes. Proceedings of the Conference on Rapid Identification of Biological Agents, pp. 124-137. Brooks AFB, 1966.

Benjaminson, M.A., Oncogenesis in the (tu) v2v:vg strain of Drosophila melanogaster. Ph.D. Thesis, New York University, 1967.

Benjaminson, M.A., S. Lehrer and R.R. Raje; A new scientific instrument for biogenetic toxicity testing. Final report, Air Force contract (SBIR), 1967.

Benjaminson, M.A., D.H. Hunter and I.J. Katz, Flourescein isothiocyanate labeled deoxyribonuclease: a specific stain for cell nuclei. Science, 160: 1359-1360. 1968.

Benjaminson, M.A. and D.H. Hunter, Fluorescent enzyme microfluorometry. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 157: 139-148. 1969.

Benjaminson, M.A., Conjugates of chitinase with flourescein isothiocyanate or lissaimine rhodamine as specific stains for chitin in situ. Stain Technology, 44: 27-31. 1969.

Benjaminson, M.A., D.H. Hunter, LJ. Katz and N.Satriano, Purified fluorescent enzymes: preparation oflarge batch quantities. Analytical Biochemistry, 34: 298-300. 1970.

Benjaminson, M.A. and I.J. Katz, Properties on SITS (4-acetamide-4'- isothiocyanostibene 2, 2' disulphonic acid): fluorescence and biological staining. Stain Technology, 45: 57-62. 1970.

Grayson, H., W.K.P. Lee and M.A. Benjaminson, Viability of bacteria in high speed dental drill aerosols with antimicrobials in the water coolant system. Journal of Dental Research, 52: 7-12. 1973.

Pereira, R. and M.A. Benjaminson, Microbial air pollitants: dissemination by a sewage treatment plant. Symposium on the Aerobiology of Diseases, Pests and Allergens in the Western Hemisphere, pp. 32-34. 1973.

Pereira, R. and M.A. Benjaminson, Broadcast of microbial aerosols by stacks of sewage treatment plants and effects of ozonation on bacteria in the gaseous efluent. Public Health Reports, 90:208-212. 1975.

Seibert, G.R., H. Hoffman and M.A. Benjaminson, A conjugate of cellulose with flourescein isothiocynate: a specific stain for cellulose. Stain Technology, 53: 103-106. 1978.

Benjaminson, M.A., B. Baker and A.R. Castle, problems associated with aerobio1ogical measurements. In Quality Assurance of Environmental Measurements. Denver, Colorado, Nov. 27-29, 1978.

Castle, A.R., M. Torrusio, M.R. Pereira and M.A. Benjaminson, Health impact of microbial emissions from a natural drift cooling tower: a case study. In, Proceedings of the 14th Conference on Agriculture and Forest Meteorology and Fourth Conference on Biometeorology. Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 2-6, 1979.

Vigo, T.L. and M.A. Benjaminson, Antibacterial fiber treatments and disinfection. Textile Research Journal, 51: 454-465. 1981.

Benjaminson, M.A. and I.J. Katz, Fluorescent/ferritin tagged enzymes: versatile tools for cytochemical analysis and measurement. Life Science '81. New York, 3-5 November, 1981.

Benjaminson, M.A. and T. Satyanarayana, A rapid method for the preparation of fluorescent proteins. Preparative Biochemistry. 13: 41-44. 1983.

Benjaminson, M.A. and M.R. Pereira, Cooling towers as point sources of airborne microbes. Second International Conference on Aerobiology. Seattle, Washington, August 4-6, 1982.

Benjaminson, M.A., J. Jainchill, M.H. Harnly and M.J. Kopac, A heritable, transmissible blood anomaly in Drosophila melanogaster: regulation of incidence and development. Xith symposium of the International Association for Comparative Research on Leukemia and Related Diseases. Cambridge, England, July 3-8, 1983.

Benjaminson, M.A., G.R. Seibert, H. Hoffman and K. Witkon, Fluorescent cellulose traces in situ cellulose depositing in Dictyostelium discoideum. 2nd U.S. - Japan Histochemistry and Cytochemistry Congress, San Francisco, California, June 21-26, 1987.

Benjaminson, M.A., M.R. Pereira and S.A. Shahidi, Klebsiella from natural waters: An indicator of air pollution by a mechanical draft cooling tower via an unsuspected mechanism. Proceedings of the International Conference on Water and Wastewater Microbiology. Newport Beach, California, February 8-11, 1988.

Benjaminson, M.A. and M.J. Kopac, Histogenesis of a melanotic blood lesion in Droso~hila Detection of pre-melanotic cells with fluorescent tyrosinase. Eighth International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry. Washington, D.D., July 31 - August 5, 1988.

Benjaminson, M.A. and A.H. Brown, Effects of chronic 5g and 109 centrigugation on Dictyostelium cultures from developmentally homogeneous and mixed inocula. Fourth Annual Meeting, American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology; Washington D.C., 20-23 October, 1988.

Benjaminson, M.A., S. Lehrer and R.R. Raje; Embryo vitality monitor. Final report, grant from the Science and Technology Foundation of the State of New York, 1988.

Benjaminson, M.A., L. Brazil and FJ. D'Oria, In situ localization of chitin in sections of fungal cell walls by ferritin-labeled chitinase and transmission electron microscopy. 40th Annual Meeting of the Histochemical Society; Orlando, Florida March 31-Apri12, 1989.

Benjaminson, M.A., Gravity response and tropisms in Ditvostelium discoideum: F ASEB Conference on Biochemical and Biophysical Mechanisms of Gravity Response; Copper Mountain, Colorado 25-30 June, 1989.

Benjaminson, M.A., Dictvostelium discoideum: Bases for decisions in the design of flight experiments. Fifth Annual Meeting of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology, Coco Beach, Florida 24-28 October, 1989.

Benjaminson, M.A., A Biological Rate Responses to Micro-g: A Theory. 28th COSP AR Plenary Meeting. June 1990. Accepted.

Marzovilla, R. and M.A. Benjaminson, Chronic Arthritis and Lyme Disease. Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 4: 114-123. 1990.

Benjaminson, M.A., S. Lehrer and E. Rogers, A Dictyostelium Based Wastewater Reclamation System. ASGSB Bulletin. 8:104.1994.

Benjaminson, M.A., S. Lehrer and D.A. Macklin, Waste cellulose to edible mushroom conversion system (CMCS). ASGSB Bulletin. 9:36.1995.

Benjaminson, M.A., The Dictvoselium life cycle: A sensitive gauge of cellular and organisimic response to gravity. Space Life Sciences Symposium: Three Decades of Life Science Research In Space; Washington D.C. 21-26 June, 1997.

Benjaminson, M.A., Time, Gravity, Energy and Biochronology: A Theory, Gravitational and Space Biology Bulletin. 10:8. 1996.

Benjaminson, M.A., S. Lehrer and D.A. Macklin, Bioconversion systems for food and water on long term Space missions. 12th Man In Space Symposium, IAA/NASAlUSA, 1997.

Benjaminson, M.A., S. Lehrer and D.A. Macklin, 1997. Biconversion Systems for Food and Water on Long Term Space Missions. Acta Astronautica. 43:329-348.

Benjaminson, M.A., J.A. Gilchrest and M. Lorenz, 2002. An in vitro edible muscle protein production system. Acta Astronautica 51: 879-889

Honors and Awards

 * Founders Day Award, New York University, 1967
 * Several patent related awards from U. S. Navy, 1965-6
 * Letter of Appreciation from New York City Department of Air Resources, 1975
 * Summer Faculty Fellowships, ASEE (NASA/Stanford), 1981, 1982
 * Certificate of Recognition, NASA 1995