Jasna Kovac, Ph.D.

Jasna Kovac, Ph.D.

  • Lester Earl and Veronica Casida Career Development Professor of Food Safety
  • Associate Professor of Food Science
437 Rodney A. Erickson Food Science Building
University Park, PA 16803

Areas of Expertise

  • Microbial Food Safety
  • Foodborne Pathogens
  • Genomic Epidemiology
  • Microbiomes in Food Systems
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Education

  • BSc - University of Ljubljana (Microbiology, concentration: Microbial Biotechnology), 2011
  • PhD - University of Ljubljana (Biosciences, concentration: Biotechnology), 2015
  • Visiting scholar - University of Graz (Bucar lab), 2011
  • Visiting scholar - Iowa State University (Zhang lab), 2012
  • FEMS Fellow - Oxford University (Maiden lab), 2014
  • Erasmus Fellow - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Wagner lab, Stessl group), 2015
  • Postdoc - Cornell University (Wiedmann lab), 2015 - 2017

Honors and Awards

2024    Outstanding Teaching Award, Penn State Gamma Sigma Delta

2023    Integrated Team Award, College of Agricultural Science, Penn State

2023    Early Achievement in Research, Penn State Global

2023    Outstanding Young Scientist Award in honor of Samuel Cate Prescott, IFT

2022    Early Achievement in Research Award, College of Agricultural Science, Penn State

2021    Excellent Research Achievements Award, University of Ljubljana

2020    Community of Teaching Excellence Award, Penn State

2019    Casida Career Development Professor of Food Safety, Penn State

2019    Institut Mérieux Young Investigator Award, Institut Mérieux and the IAFP

2018    Harbaugh Faculty Scholars Award for Excellence in Teaching & Learning, Penn State

2016    Jesenko Award for Outstanding PhD Graduate in Biosciences, University of Ljubljana

Research

The goal of our research is to advance the understanding of genetic and environmental factors driving the:

  • persistence of foodborne pathogens in food systems;
  • expression of virulence factors;
  • development of antimicrobial resistance.

We use a precision food safety approach, including comparative genomics and metagenomics to generate the knowledge needed for the development of risk assessment tools and intervention strategies leading to a safer and sustainable food supply chain.

Lab Members

Visit our lab website.

Graduate students

Current:

Graduated:

Graduate Programs

PhD Dual-Title Degree Programs

Courses

  • FDSC 409 - Laboratory in Food Microbiology (Fall semester; 2 cr)
  • FDSC 517 - Microbial Genomic Epidemiology (Spring semester; 3 cr)
  • FDSC 497 - Microbial Whole-Genome Sequence Analyses (Spring; 1 cr)
  • FDSC/INTAG 460 - Food Production in Italy (Spring break; study abroad; 1 cr)
  • FDSC 496 - Independent Studies (all semesters; variable cr)
  • FDSC 600 - Thesis Research (all semesters, variable cr)
  • FDSC 494H - Honors Thesis - (all semesters, variable cr) 

Funding

Ongoing projects:

  • USDA NIFA
  • US AID
  • Penn State Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences HITS

Completed projects:

  • USDA NIFA
  • NIH NIGMS
  • CDC
  • FDA
  • State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania (SHAP)
  • Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment (IEE)
  • PA Department of Agriculture
  • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Publications

Seasonal variation of Salmonella enterica prevalence in milk and cottage cheese along the dairy value chain in three regions of Ethiopia
Food Safety and Risk, Admasu, Henok Nahusenay, Bedassa, Abdi, Tessema, Tesfaye Sisay, Kovac, Jasna, Vipham, Jessie L., Woldegiorgis, Ashagrie Zewdu, 2024

Outbreak-associated Salmonella Baildon found in wastewater demonstrates how sewage monitoring can supplement traditional disease surveillance.
Journal of clinical microbiology, M'ikanatha, N, Goldblum, Z, Cesari, N, Nawrocki, E, Fu, Y, Kovac, Jasna, Dudley, E, 2024

Assessment of the exposure to cytotoxic Bacillus cereus group genotypes through high-temperature, short-time milk consumption.
Journal of dairy science, Su, J, Chandross-Cohen, T, Qian, C, Carroll, L, Kimble, K, Yount, M, Wiedmann, M, Kovac, Jasna, 2024

Sanitizer Resistance and Persistence of Listeria monocytogenes Isolates in Tree Fruit Packing Facilities.
Journal of food protection, Méndez Acevedo, M, Acevedo, Marysabel, Rolon, M., Johnson, Beth, Burns, Logan, Stacy, Joshua, Aurand-Cravens, Ashley, LaBorde, Luke, Kovac, Jasna, 2024

Genomic diversity of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolated from the Ethiopian dairy supply chain.
PloS one, Admasie, A, Wei, X, Johnson, B, Burns, L, Pawar, P, Aurand-Cravens, A, Voloshchuk, O, Dudley, E, Sisay Tessema, T, Zewdu, A, Kovac, Jasna, 2024

Multi-species biofilms of environmental microbiota isolated from fruit packing facilities promoted tolerance of Listeria monocytogenes to benzalkonium chloride
Biofilm, Rolon, M. Laura, Rolon, Laura, Voloshchuk, Olena, Bartlett, Katelyn, LaBorde, Luke F., Kovac, Jasna, 2024

kmerDB: A database encompassing the set of genomic and proteomic sequence information for each species
Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, Mouratidis, I, Baltoumas, Fotis A., Chantzi, Nikol, Patsakis, Michail, Chan CSY, None, Chan, Candace S.Y., Montgomery, Austin, Konnaris, Maxwell A., Aplakidou, Eleni, Georgakopoulos, George C., Das, Anshuman, Chartoumpekis, Dionysios V., Kovac, Jasna, Pavlopoulos, Georgios A., Georgakopoulos-Soares, Ilias, 2024

Comparison of the performance of multiple whole-genome sequence-based tools for the identification of Bacillus cereus sensu stricto biovar Thuringiensis
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Chung, Taejung, Salazar, Abimel, Harm, Grant, Johler, Sophia, Carroll, Laura M., Kovac, Jasna, 2024

Genomic characterization of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua isolated from milk and dairy samples in Ethiopia
BMC Genomic Data, Wei, Xiaoyuan, Hassen, Anwar, McWilliams, Karen, Pietrzen, Karen, Chung, Taejung, Acevedo, Marysabel, Chandross-Cohen, Tyler, Dudley, Edward, Vipham, Jessie, Mamo, Hassen, Tessema, Tesfaye, Zewdu, Ashagrie, Kovac, Jasna, 2024

Seasonal variation in the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter species in milk and milk products in Ethiopia
International Dairy Journal, Admasie, Abera, Tessema, Tesfaye, Vipham, Jessie, Kovac, Jasna, Zewdu, Ashagrie, 2024

Context matters: environmental microbiota from ice cream processing facilities affected the inhibitory performance of two lactic acid bacteria strains against Listeria monocytogenes
Microbiology spectrum, Rolon, Laura, Rolon, M. Laura, Chandross-Cohen, Tyler, Kaylegian, Kerry, Roberts, Robert F., Kovac, Jasna, 2023

The composition of environmental microbiota in three tree fruit packing facilities changed over seasons and contained taxa indicative of L. monocytogenes contamination
Microbiome, Rolon, M, Tan, X, Chung, T, Gonzalez-Escalona, N, Chen, Y, Macarisin, D, LaBorde, Luke F., Kovac, Jasna, 2023

Prevalence of Campylobacter species and associated risk factors for contamination of dairy products collected in a dry season from major milk sheds in Ethiopia
Food Microbiology, Admasie, Abera, Eshetu, Adane, Tessema, Tesfaye Sisay, Vipham, Jessie, Kovac, Jasna, Zewdu, Ashagrie, 2023

Evaluation of microbial hygiene indicators in raw milk, pasteurised milk and cottage cheese collected across the dairy value chain in Ethiopia
International Dairy Journal, Mengstu, Betelhem, Tola, Alganesh, Nahusenay, Henok, Sisay, Tesfaye, Kovac, Jasna, Vipham, Jessie, Zewdu, Ashagrie, 2023

Prevalence of ciprofloxacin resistance and associated genetic determinants differed among Campylobacter isolated from human and poultry meat sources in Pennsylvania
Food Microbiology, Yan, Runan, M'ikanatha, Nkuchia, Nachamkin, Irving, Hudson, Lauren, Denes, Thomas, Kovac, Jasna, 2023

Evidence for the efficacy of pre-harvest agricultural practices in mitigating food-safety risks to fresh produce in North America
Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, Devarajan, Naresh, Weller, Daniel, Jones, M, Adell, Aiko, Adhikari, Achyut, Allende, Ana, Arnold, Nicole, Baur, Patrick, Beno, Sarah, Clements, Donna, Olimpi, Elissa, Critzer, Faith, Green, Hyatt, Gorski, Lisa, Ferelli Gruber, Angela, Kovac, Jasna, McGarvey, Jeffery, Murphy, Claire, Murphy, Sarah, Navarro-Gonzalez, Nora, Owen, Jeb, Pires, Alda, Richard, Nicole, Samaddar, Sandipan, Schmidt, Radomir, Scow, Kate, Shariat, Nikki, Smith, Olivia, Spence, Austin, Stoeckel, Don, Tran, Thao, Wall, Gretchen, Karp, Daniel, 2023

Prevalence and associated risk factors for Salmonella enterica contamination of cow milk and cottage cheese in Ethiopia
Food Safety and Risk, Bedassa, A, Nahusenay, H, Asefa, Z, Sisay, T, Girmay, G, Kovac, Jasna, Vipham, J, Zewdu, A, 2023

Short-Term Tomato Consumption Alters the Pig Gut Microbiome toward a More Favorable Profile
Microbiology spectrum, Goggans, Mallory L., Bilbrey, Emma A., Quiroz-Moreno, Cristian D., Francis, David M., Jacobi, Sheila K., Kovac, Jasna, Cooperstone, Jessica L., 2022

Laboratory Misidentifications Resulting from Taxonomic Changes to Bacillus cereus Group Species, 2018–2022
Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carroll, Laura M., Matle, Itumeleng, Kovac, Jasna, Cheng, Rachel A., Wiedmann, Martin, 2022

Recent paradigm shifts in the perception of the role of Bacillus thuringiensis in foodborne disease
Food Microbiology, Biggel, Michael, Jessberger, Nadja, Kovac, Jasna, Johler, Sophia, 2022

Strains Associated with Two 2020 Welder Anthrax Cases in the United States Belong to Separate Lineages within Bacillus cereus sensu lato
Pathogens, Carroll, Laura M., Marston, Chung K., Kolton, Cari B., Gulvik, Christopher A., Gee, Jay E., Weiner, Zachary P., Kovac, Jasna, 2022

Ability of Two Strains of Lactic Acid Bacteria to Inhibit Listeria monocytogenes by Spot Inoculation and in an Environmental Microbiome Context
Microbiology spectrum, Sinclair, Priscilla, Rolon, M. Laura, Feng, Jingzhang, Padín-López, A, Lopez, Adrian, LaBorde, Luke, Kovac, Jasna, 2022

Regulation of Enterotoxins Associated with Bacillus cereus Sensu Lato Toxicoinfection
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Prince, Cassidy, Kovac, Jasna, 2022

Editorial: Functional Diversity of Aquatic Microorganisms and Their Roles in Water Quality
Frontiers in Water, Liao, Jingqiu, Weller, Daniel L., Kovac, Jasna, Huang, Yi, 2022

Predators of Soil Bacteria in Plant and Human Health
Phytobiomes Journal, Martins, Samuel, Taerum, Stephen, Triplett, Lindsay, Emerson, Joanne, Zasada, Inga, de Toledo, Beatriz, Kovac, Jasna, Martin, Kendall, Bull, Carolee Theresa, 2022

Exploring the relationship between gender and food safety risks in the dairy value chain in Ethiopia
International Dairy Journal, Garsow, Ariel V., Biondi, Marie R., Kowalcyk, Barbara B., Vipham, Jessie L., Kovac, Jasna, Amenu, Kebede, Zewdu, Ashagrie, Colverson, Kathleen E., 2022

DNA-based assays, Kovac, Jasna, Rolon, Maria, Naum, L, Lampel, K, 2022

Effect of processing on the anti-inflammatory efficacy of cocoa in a high fat diet-induced mouse model of obesity
Nutrition Reports International, Weikart, Daphne, Indukuri, Vijaya, Racine, Kathryn, Coleman, Kiana, Kovac, Jasna, Cockburn, Darrell, Hopfer, Helene, Neilson, Andrew, Lambert, Joshua D., 2022

Challenging the “gold standard” of colony-forming units - Validation of a multiplex real-time PCR for quantification of viable Campylobacter spp. in meat rinses
International Journal of Food Microbiology, Stingl, Kerstin, Heise, Janine, Thieck, Maja, Wulsten, Imke F., Pacholewicz, Ewa, Iwobi, Azuka N., Govindaswamy, Janani, Zeller-Péronnet, Véronique, Scheuring, Sandra, Luu, Huong Quynh, Fridriksdottir, Vala, Gölz, Greta, Priller, Florian, Gruntar, Igor, Jorgensen, Frieda, Koene, Miriam, Kovac, Jasna, Lick, Sonja, Répérant, Elisabeth, Rohlfing, Annika, Zawilak-Pawlik, Anna, Rossow, Marko, Schlierf, Anja, Frost, Kirstin, Simon, Kirsten, Uhlig, Steffen, Huber, Ingrid, 2021

Kin discrimination promotes horizontal gene transfer between unrelated strains in Bacillus subtilis
Nature Communications, Stefanic, Polonca, Belcijan, Katarina, Kraigher, Barbara, Kostanjšek, Rok, Nesme, Joseph, Madsen, Jonas Stenløkke, Kovac, Jasna, Sørensen, Søren Johannes, Vos, Michiel, Mandic-Mulec, Ines, 2021

Development of a database and standardized approach for rpoB sequence-based subtyping and identification of aerobic spore-forming Bacillales
Journal of Microbiological Methods, Gaballa, Ahmed, Cheng, Rachel A., Trmcic, Aljosa, Kovac, Jasna, Kent, David J., Martin, Nicole H., Wiedmann, Martin, 2021

Phylogenetic analysis reveals source attribution patterns for campylobacter spp. In tennessee and pennsylvania
Microorganisms, Hudson, Lauren K., Andershock, William E., Yan, Runan, Golwalkar, Mugdha, M’ikanatha, Nkuchia M., Nachamkin, Irving, Thomas, Linda S., Moore, Christina, Qian, Xiaorong, Steece, Richard, Garman, Katie N., Dunn, John R., Kovac, Jasna, Denes, Thomas G., 2021

DNA-based assays, Kovac, Jasna, Rolon, Maria L., Naum, Marianna, Lampel, Keith A., 2021

Keeping up with the Bacillus cereus group: taxonomy through the genomics era and beyond
Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, Carroll, Laura M., Cheng, Rachel A., Wiedmann, Martin, Kovac, Jasna, 2021

Evaluation of the Thermal Inactivation of a Salmonella Serotype Oranienburg Strain During Cocoa Roasting at Conditions Relevant to the Fine Chocolate Industry
Frontiers in Microbiology, Yan, Runan, Pinto, Gabriella, Taylor-Roseman, Rebecca, Cogan, Karen, D’Alesandre, Greg, Kovac, Jasna, 2021

Alicyclobacillus mali sp. Nov., alicyclobacillus suci sp. nov. and alicyclobacillus fructus sp. nov., thermoacidophilic sporeforming bacteria isolated from fruit beverages
International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology, Roth, Katerina, Rana, Yadwinder Singh, Daeschel, Devin, Kovac, Jasna, Worobo, Randy, Snyder, Abigail B., 2021

Whole genome sequencing: the impact on foodborne outbreak investigations, Kovac, Jasna, Dudley, E, Nawrocki, E, Yan, Runan, Chung, Taejung, 2021

Unique inducible filamentous motility identified in pathogenic Bacillus cereus group species
ISME Journal, Liu, Martha M., Coleman, Shannon, Wilkinson, Lauren, Smith, Maren L., Hoang, Thomas, Niyah, Naomi, Mukherjee, Manjari, Huynh, Steven, Parker, Craig T., Kovac, Jasna, Hancock, Robert E.W., Gaynor, Erin C., 2020

Whole Genome Sequencing: The Impact on Foodborne Outbreak Investigations, Kovac, Jasna, Dudley, Edward G., Nawrocki, Erin M., Yan, Runan, Chung, Taejung, 2020

Novel Effective Bacillus cereus Group Species “Bacillus clarus” Is Represented by Antibiotic-Producing Strain ATCC 21929 Isolated from Soil
mSphere, Acevedo, Marysabel Méndez, Méndez Acevedo, M, Carroll, Laura M., Mukherjee, M, Mills, E, Xiaoli, Lingzi, Dudley, Edward G., Kovac, Jasna, 2020

Review of the prevalence of foodborne pathogens in milk and dairy products in Ethiopia
International Dairy Journal, Keba, Abdi, Rolon, M. Laura, Tamene, Aynadis, Dessie, Kindinew, Vipham, Jessie, Kovac, Jasna, Zewdu, Ashagrie, 2020

Whole-genome sequences of salmonella isolates from an ecological wastewater treatment system
Genome Announcements, Connolly, Charles J., Kaminsky, Laura, Pinto, Gabriella N., Sinclair, Priscilla C., Bajracharya, Gyasu, Yan, Runan, Nawrocki, Erin M., Dudley, Edward G., Kovaca, Jasna, 2020

Extended enrichment procedures can be used to define false-negative probabilities for cultural gold standard methods for salmonella detection, facilitating comparisons between gold standard and alternative methods
J.MILK.FOOD TECHNOL., Sullivan, Genevieve, Guo, Xiaodong, Tokman, Jeffrey I., Roof, Sherry, Trmcic, Aljosa, Baker, Robert C., Tang, Silin, Markwell, Peter, Wiedmann, Martin, Kovac, Jasna, 2020

Paenibacillus odorifer, the predominant Paenibacillus species isolated from milk in the United States, demonstrates genetic and phenotypic conservation of psychrotolerance but clade-associated differences in nitrogen metabolic pathways
mSphere, Beno, Sarah M., Cheng, Rachel A., Orsi, Renato H., Duncan, Diana R., Guo, Xiaodong, Kovac, Jasna, Carroll, Laura M., Martin, Nicole H., Wiedmann, Martin, 2020

(-)-α-Pinene reduces quorum sensing and Campylobacter jejuni colonization in broiler chickens
PLoS One, Šimunović, Katarina, Sahin, Orhan, Kovač, Jasna, Shen, Zhangqi, Klančnik, Anja, Zhang, Qijing, Možina, Sonja Smole, 2020

Dynamic laser speckle imaging meets machine learning to enable rapid antibacterial susceptibility testing (DYRAST)
ACS Sensors, Liu, Zhiwen, Zhou, Keren, Zhou, Chen, Sapre, Anjali, Zhou, Keren, Zhou, Chen, Pavlock, Jared, Sapre, Anjali, Weaver, Ashley, Pavlock, Jared Henry, Muralidharan, Ritvik, Noble, Joshua, Weaver, Ashley, Muralidharan, Ritvik, Kovac, Jasna, Noble, Josh, Liu, Zhiwen, Chung, Taejung, Ebrahimi, Seyedehaida, Kovac, Jasna, 2020

The anti-campylobacter activity and mechanisms of pinocembrin action
Microorganisms, Klančnik, Anja, Šimunović, Katarina, Kovac, Jasna, Sahin, Orhan, Wu, Zuowei, Vučković, Darinka, Abram, Maja, Zhang, Qijing, Možina, Sonja Smole, 2019

A century of gray: A genomic locus found in 2 distinct Pseudomonas spp. is associated with historical and contemporary color defects in dairy products worldwide
Journal of Dairy Science, Reichler, Samuel J., Martin, Nicole H., Evanowski, Rachel L., Kovac, Jasna, Wiedmann, Martin, Orsi, Renato H., 2019

Serotype-specific evolutionary patterns of antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella enterica
BMC Evolutionary Biology, Liao, Jingqiu, Orsi, Renato Hohl, Carroll, Laura M., Kovac, Jasna, Ou, Hongyu, Zhang, Hailong, Wiedmann, Martin, 2019

A conceptual framework for developing recommendations for no-harvest buffers around in-field feces
J.MILK.FOOD TECHNOL., Weller, Daniel L., Kovac, Jasna, Kent, David J., Roof, Sherry, Tokman, Jeffrey I., Mudrak, Erika, Wiedmann, Martin, 2019

Whole-genome sequences of Escherichia coli isolates from cocoa beans imported from bolivia
Genome Announcements, Nwanosike, Hephzibah, Chung, Taejung, Xiaoli, Lingzi, Condello, Megan, Dudley, Edward G., Kovac, Jasna, 2019

Genes associated with psychrotolerant bacillus cereus group isolates
Frontiers in Microbiology, Beno, Sarah M., Orsi, Renato H., Cheng, Rachel A., Kent, David J., Kovac, Jasna, Duncan, Diana R., Martin, Nicole H., Wiedmann, Martin, 2019

Assembly and characterization of a pathogen strain collection for produce safety applications: Pre-growth conditions have a larger effect on peroxyacetic acid tolerance than strain diversity
Frontiers in Microbiology, Harrand, Anna Sophia, Kovac, Jasna, Carroll, Laura M., Guariglia-Oropeza, Veronica, Kent, David J., Wiedmann, Martin, 2019

Characterization of emetic and diarrheal Bacillus cereus strains from a 2016 foodborne outbreak using whole-genome sequencing: Addressing the microbiological, epidemiological, and bioinformatic challenges
Frontiers in Microbiology, Carroll, Laura M., Wiedmann, Martin, Mukherjee, Manjari, Nicholas, David C., Mingle, Lisa A., Dumas, Nellie B., Cole, Jocelyn A., Kovac, Jasna, 2019

The occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes is associated with built environment microbiota in three tree fruit processing facilities
Microbiome, Tan, Xiaoqing, Chung, Taejung, Chen, Yi, Macarisin, Dumitru, LaBorde, Luke, Kovac, Jasna, 2019

Corrigendum: Genes associated with psychrotolerant bacillus cereus group isolates(Frontiers in Microbiology (2019) 10 (662) DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00662)
Frontiers in Microbiology, Beno, Sarah M., Orsi, Renato H., Cheng, Rachel A., Kent, David J., Kovac, Jasna, Duncan, Diana R., Martin, Nicole H., Wiedmann, Martin, 2019

Manipulating Wild and Tamed Phytobiomes: Challenges and Opportunities
Phytobiomes Journal, Collins, Alyssa, Bell, Terrence H, Hockett, Kevin, Esker, P, Alcala-Briseno, Ricardo, Gugino, B, Alcalá-Briseño, Ricardo, Barbercheck, Mary, Peter, K, Beattie, Gwyn, Bruns, Mary Ann, Carlson, John, Chung, Taejung, Collins, A, Emmett, Bryan, Esker, Paul, Garrett, Karen, Glenna, Leland, Gugino, Beth K., Del Mar Jiménez-Gasco, María, del Mar Jimenez Gasco, M, Jimenez Gasco, Maria del Mar, Kinkel, Linda, Kovac, Jasna, Kowalski, Kurt, Kowalski, Kurt, Leveau, Johan, Myrick, J, Kuldau, Gretchen, Peter, K, Leveau, Johan, Michalska-Smith, Matthew, Salazar, Maria, Myrick, Jessica, Shade, Ashley, Peter, Kari, Stopnisek, Nejc, Tan, Xiaoqing, Vivanco Salazar, Maria fernanda, Salazar, Maria, Shade, Ashley, Welty, Amy, Stopinsek, Nejc, Stopnisek, Nejc, Wickings, Kyle, Yergeau, Etienne, Tan, Xiaoqing, Welty, Amy, Wickings, Kyle, Wickings, Etienne, Yergeau, Etienne, 2019

Intraclade variability in toxin production and cytotoxicity of Bacillus cereus group type strains and dairy-associated isolates
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Miller, Rachel A., Jian, Jiahui, Beno, Sarah M., Wiedmann, Martin, Kovac, Jasna, 2018

Population structure and attribution of human clinical Campylobacter jejuni isolates from central Europe to livestock and environmental sources
Zoonoses and Public Health, Kovac, J., Stessl, B., Čadež, N., Gruntar, I., Cimerman, M., Stingl, K., Lušicky, M., Ocepek, M., Wagner, M., Smole Možina, S., 2018

Antimicrobial natural products against Campylobacter
Sustainable Development and Biodiversity, Mozina, Sonja, Smole Mozina, Sonja, Klancnik, Anja, Kovac, Jasna, Jersek, Barbara, Bucar, Franz, 2018

Escherichia coli transfer from simulated wildlife feces to lettuce during foliar irrigation: A field study in the Northeastern United States
Food Microbiology, Weller, Daniel L., Kovac, Jasna, Kent, David J., Roof, Sherry, Tokman, Jeffrey I., Mudrak, Erika, Kowalcyk, Barbara, Oryang, David, Aceituno, Anna, Wiedmann, Martin, 2017

Lactococcus petauri sp. nov., isolated from an abscess of a sugar glider
International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology, Goodman, Laura B., Lawton, Marie R., Franklin-Guild, Rebecca J., Anderson, Renee R., Schaan, Lynn, Thachil, Anil J., Wiedmann, Martin, Miller, Claire B., Alcaine, Samuel D., Kovac, Jasna, 2017

Precision food safety: A systems approach to food safety facilitated by genomics tools
TrAC - Trends in Analytical Chemistry, Kovac, Jasna, Bakker, Henk den, Carroll, Laura M., Wiedmann, Martin, 2017

Survival of Escherichia coli on lettuce under field conditions encountered in the Northeastern United States
J.MILK.FOOD TECHNOL., Weller, Daniel L., Kovac, Jasna, Roof, Sherry, Kent, David J., Tokman, Jeffrey I., Kowalcyk, Barbara, Oryang, David, Ivanek, Renata, Aceituno, Anna, Sroka, Christopher, Wiedmann, Martin, 2017

Genetic stability and evolution of the sigB allele, used for Listeria sensu stricto subtyping and phylogenetic inference
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Liao, Jingqiu, Wiedmann, Martin, Kovac, Jasna, 2017

Temporal genomic phylogeny reconstruction indicates a geospatial transmission path of Salmonella cerro in the United States and a clade-specific loss of hydrogen sulfide production
Frontiers in Microbiology, Kovac, Jasna, Cummings, Kevin J., Rodriguez-Rivera, Lorraine D., Carroll, Laura M., Thachil, Anil, Wiedmann, Martin, 2017

Bacillus wiedmannii sp. nov., a psychrotolerant and cytotoxic bacillus cereus group species isolated from dairy foods and dairy environments
International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology, Miller, Rachel A., Beno, Sarah M., Kent, David J., Carroll, Laura M., Martin, Nicole H., Boor, Kathryn J., Kovac, Jasna, 2016

Production of hemolysin BL by Bacillus cereus group isolates of dairy origin is associated with whole-genome phylogenetic clade
BMC Genomics, Kovac, Jasna, Miller, Rachel A., Carroll, Laura M., Kent, David J., Jian, Jiahui, Beno, Sarah M., Wiedmann, Martin, 2016

Antibiotic resistance modulation and modes of action of (-)-α-Pinene in Campylobacter jejuni
PLoS One, Kovač, Jasna, Šimunović, Katarina, Wu, Zuowei, Klančnik, Anja, Bucar, Franz, Zhang, Qijing, Možina, Sonja Smole, 2015

Virulence and antimicrobial resistance determinants of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) and of multidrug-resistant E. coli from foods of animal origin illegally imported to the EU by flight passengers
International Journal of Food Microbiology, Nagy, B., Szmolka, A., Smole Možina, S., Kovač, J., Strauss, A., Schlager, S., Beutlich, J., Appel, B., Lušicky, M., Aprikian, P., Pászti, J., Tóth, I., Kugler, R., Wagner, M., 2015

High genetic similarity of ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter jejuni in central Europe
Frontiers in Microbiology, Kovač, Jasna, Čadež, Neža, Stessl, Beatrix, Stingl, Kerstin, Gruntar, Igor, Ocepek, Matjaž, Trkov, Marija, Wagner, Martin, Možina, Sonja Smole, 2015

Natural products as antibacterial agents — antibacterial potential and safety of post-distillation and waste material from Thymus vulgaris L., Lamiaceae, Gavaric, N, Kovac, Jasna, Kretschmer, N, Kladar, N, Smole Mozina, S, Bucar, F, Bauer, R, Bozin, B, 2015

The evidence for clonal spreading of quinolone resistance with a particular clonal complex of Campylobacter jejuni
Journal of Hygiene, Kovač, J., Čadež, N., Lušicky, M., Nielsen, E. Møller, Ocepek, M., Raspor, P., Smole Možina, S., 2014

Characterization of egg laying hen and broiler fecal microbiota in poultry farms in Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia
PLoS One, Videnska, Petra, Rahman, Md Masudur, Faldynova, Marcela, Babak, Vladimir, Matulova, Marta Elsheimer, Prukner-Radovcic, Estella, Krizek, Ivan, Smole-Mozina, Sonja, Kovac, Jasna, Szmolka, Ama, Nagy, Bela, Sedlar, Karel, Cejkova, Darina, Rychlik, Ivan, 2014

Antimicrobial and resistance modulatory activity of alpinia katsumadai seed phenolic extract, essential oil and post-distillation extract
Food Technology and Biotechnology, Kovač, Jasna, Gavarić, Neda, Bucar, Franz, Možina, Sonja Smole, 2014

Identification and characterisation of new Campylobacter group III phages of animal origin
FEMS Microbiology Letters, Janež, Nika, Kokošin, Andreja, Zaletel, Eva, Vranac, Tanja, Kovač, Jasna, Vučković, Darinka, Možina, Sonja Smole, Serbec, Vladka Curin, Zhang, Qijing, Accetto, Tomaž, Podgornik, Aleš, Peterka, Matjaž, 2014