Resume

• 2012

  Lone Star College

  San Jacinto College

  Cypress

  TX

  Biology and Medical Microbiology instructor

  Adjunct Faculty

  Lone Star College

  Minority Mentor

  American Society for Microbiology

  Member

  American Society for Microbiology

• 2008

  Francisco

  Alarcon-Chaidez

  UTMB

  Galveston

  TX

  Led the development of transcriptomic and proteomic strategies for the identification of gene expression signatures associated with the host immune response to vector blood feeding. Coordinated and assigned research activities

  trained and supervised personnel

  managed lab resources. Drafted grant proposals

  manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals

  and research protocols.

  Research Assistant Professor

  UTMB

• 2003

  Framington

  CT

  Project leader for functional transcriptomic studies of hematophagous vectors of disease. Developed and validated analytical methods for novel antigen purification using gel- and chromatography-based separation approaches and basic immunological techniques.

  Instructor

  University of Connecticut Health Center

• 2000

  University of Connecticut Health Center

  Farmington

  CT

  Project leader for functional transcriptomic studies. cDNA library construction and sequencing. Recombinant protein purification. Basic immunological testing. Personnel supervision.

  Postdoctoral Fellow

  University of Connecticut Health Center

  Microbiology and Pathology Instructor

  Adjunct Faculty

  Houston

  Texas Area

  San Jacinto College

• 1997

  Oklahoma State University

  Stillwater

  OK

  Conducted studies on the regulation of virulence factors produced by the pathogen Pseudomonas syringae. Generated genomic cosmid libraries from virulent strains and developed site-directed mutagenesis approaches to phenotypically characterize virulence factors.

  Postdoctoral Fellow

  Oklahoma State University

• 1992

  Ph.D.

  Microbiology Cell and Molecular Biology

  Oklahoma State University

  Biology I for Science Majors

  Protein Structure and Enzyme Function

  Genetics of Microorganisms

  Biology I for Non-Science Majors

  Microbial Evolution

  Biology II for Science Mjors

  Advance Molecular Genetics

  Molecular Genetics

  Medical Microbiology

  Microbial Physiology

• 1982

  Spanish

  English

  M.Sc.

  Food Science and Technology

  Texas A&M University

• 48

  Aronson JF

  Carmical JR

  DM Heinze

  Frontiers in Microbiology

  Tick salivary glands produce complex cocktails of bioactive molecules that facilitate blood feeding and pathogen transmission by modulating host hemostasis

  pain/itch responses

  wound healing

  and both innate and adaptive immunity. In this study

  cutaneous responses at Dermacentor andersoni bite-sites were analyzed using Affymetrix mouse genome arrays and histopathology at 12

  96 and 120 h post- infestation (hpi) during primary infestations and 120 hpi during secondary infestations. The microarray data suggests: (1) chemotaxis of neutrophils

  monocytes

  and other cell types; (2) production and scavenging of reactive oxygen species; and

  (3) keratin- based wound healing responses. Histological analysis supported the microarray findings.

  Murine cutaneous responses to the rocky mountain spotted fever vector

  Dermacentor andersoni

  feeding.

  Wikel SK.

  Adler AJ

  Alarcon-Chaidez FJ

  Thangamani S.

  Boppana VD

  This is the first report of the influence of a metastriate tick on the cytokine profile of antigen specific CD4+ T cells.

  Blood feeding by the Rocky Mountain spotted fever vector

  Dermacentor andersoni

  induces interleukin-4 expression by cognate antigen responding CD4+ T cells

• Protein Chemistry

  qPCR

  Scientific Writing

  Sequencing

  Genomics

  PCR

  ELISA

  Life Sciences

  Proteomics

  Biochemistry

  Cell Culture

  Teaching/mentoring

  HPLC

  Molecular Biology

  Confocal Microscopy

  Protein Purification

  Bioinformatics

  Grant Writing

  Microbiology

  Laboratory

  A novel sphingomyelinase-like enzyme in Ixodes scapularis tick saliva drives host CD4 T cells to express IL-4

  Boppana VD Hagymasi AT Adler AJ Wikel SK.

  An I. scapularis sphingomyelinase-like (IsSMase) protein is a Mg(2+)-dependent

  neutral (pH 7.4) form of sphingomyelinase. Significantly

  in an in vivo TCR transgenic adoptive transfer assay IsSMase programmed host CD4(+) T cells to express the hallmark Th2 effector cytokine IL-4.

  A novel sphingomyelinase-like enzyme in Ixodes scapularis tick saliva drives host CD4 T cells to express IL-4

  Saravanan Thangamani

  Stephen K Wikel

  Dar M Heinze

  Results support a model of tick feeding where lectin pattern recognition receptors orchestrate an innate inflammatory response during primary infestation that primes a mixed Th1/Th2 response upon secondary exposure.

  Transcriptional profiling of the murine cutaneous response during initial and subsequent infestations with Ixodes scapularis nymphs

  Thangamani S

  Wikel S