Volume 7, Issue 10, November 2010

On November 5, Patrick Brennan received an Honor Alumni Award for lifetime achievement from the institution where he received his PhD degree, Trinity College, Dublin University. He was one of only 4 recipients of the award. In the typical Trinity style (it was founded at the same time as Oxford and Cambridge Universities by Queen Elizabeth I) the award was bestowed with a lot of pomp and circumstance (which Pat's family attempted to fracture by the attendance of his 4-year-old and 2-month-old grandchildren). In the end, the kids behaved very well and looked splendid in their black tie and velvet cocktail dress.

In Pat's own words:
Trinity College Dublin conferred a rather auspicious honor on me at their Alumni Awards Ceremony on November 5 (another honoree was Martin McAleese, husband of Mary McAleese, President of Ireland, who has distinguished himself in his own right by bringing the warring sides together in Northern and Southern Ireland.  The only member of our party to meet the President was our 4 year old grandson, Rafael, who was exiting from the toilet as she left with her entourage.  She asked him for his name and when he told her she said "Oh that's the name of an archangel" and asked him if he also was "an angel".  He answered in the affirmative!  Overall, it was a grand event done in the classical TCD style (our 3 children, their spouses and our 2 grandchildren were there, as were my remaining 2 brothers and 4 sisters and some of their spouses).

On October 22-23, ~60 hearty microbiologists congregated on the campus of the University of Wyoming in Laramie for the Fall meeting of the Rocky Mountain Branch of the American Society for Microbiology. Attendees heard outstanding plenary presentations from Drs. Naomi Ward and Rachel Watson, 18 talks from submitted abstracts and mulled over a slew of interesting posters. Several awards were doled out for student and postdoc presentations, but alas MIP was shut out of the bling for the first time in recent memory (foretelling the performance of the CSU football team in the Bronze Boot border war game I guess). No worries though – another opportunity for MIP undergrads, grad students and postdocs to present their research is just around the corner. The Spring meeting of the RM-ASM will take place April 1-2, 2011 on the CU-Boulder campus.

Alexa Dickson wins presentation award at RNA Stability Meeting

Congratulations to Alexa Dickson of the Wilusz Lab for winning the ‘Best Post-doc Oral Presentation’ at the RNA Stability Meeting held Oct 17-20 in Montreal.

MIP Researchers Receive Funds to Support Undergrad Research Opportunities

12 MIP faculty were awarded $500 allocations from the CVMBS College Council to support undergraduate research projects next semester. Demonstrating the strong commitment to undergraduate research in MIP, two-thirds of the funds awarded by the Council at its Nov. 16th meeting went to applications from our department. Congratulations to Drs. Chatterjee, Eckstein, Gonzalez-Juarrero, Inamine, Izzo, Klein, Olver, Ordway, Quackenbush, Schenkel, C. Wilusz and J. Wilusz for submitting successful applications. Looks like we should expect a strong contingent of micro majors presenting their research at the CURC once again this April!

Michael Wiseman, DVM, presented his MS Defense entitled, "Flow cytometry in the diagnosis and prognosis of canine lymphoma and leukemia", on Tues, Nov 2. Dr. Paul Avery is his advisor

In the News...

On October 29th, Don Klein gave the keynote talk for the fall meeting of the Texas Branch of the American Society for Microbiology. Congratulations Don!

BluePort: a platform to study the eosinophilic response of mice to the bite of a vector of Leishmania parasites, Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies.

Santiago Mejia, Amanda Toot-Zimmer, Pat Schultheiss, Barry Beaty and Richard Titus

PLoS One. 2010 Oct 27;5(10):e13546

Anyone who has spent long hours in the cold room doing column chromatography knows how it can really get under your skin at times. Perhaps this was the inspiration for Santiago et al to take cibracron blue agarose beads - a common column matrix for separating albumin from blood samples – and literally injecting the beads into the dermis of mice. Interestingly (and pardon the upcoming bad pun), the mice didn't ‘dye’, but rather the beads remained in place for months, inducing a highly vascularized, macrophage-rich tissue compartment around a collagen-rich extracellular matrix. The beads also produced an easy to recognize blue nodule in the skin under the fur of our four-legged little lab friends.

While turning regions of mouse skin Duke blue is pretty cool in and of itself given that we're now into college basketball season, the five MIP amigos in the author line set out to do a few other neat things with these nodules. They used this region to assess the localized immune reaction to the saliva in sandfly bites, an important mediator of Leishmania transmission. In a series of well-documented experiments, they demonstrated that a switch in the inflammatory response from the typical invasion of neutrophil cells towards a more eosinophil-centric response occurred faster in the cibacron blue nodular areas. This switch to the recruitment of pink-staining white blood cells is strongly associated with acquired immunity to sandfly saliva delivery of Leishmania, implying that the beads could help with vaccine development. The other interesting aspect of this study is that the authors demonstrate that the cibacron dye beads may be setting up a type of ectopic lymph node. If this is indeed true, it may have far-reaching implications in terms of antigen delivery for vaccine development and a novel way to study immunological reactions to pathogens delivered through the skin.

So why did we chose this PLoS One-of-a-kind article for our coveted MIPublication of the month? First, it represents an interesting, and as far as we can tell fairly novel technique for studying and inducing immune reactions to antigens injected subcutaneously. Second, with three different MIP labs involved, the paper is a great example of the outstanding synergy that we've grown accustomed to seeing among departmental research teams. Finally, it gives us an opportunity to reinforce the fact that MIP parasitology research is not just a fad anymore, it's Leish-mania!

MIP Publications Late Oct 2010 - Early Nov 2010

Batlivala TP, Bacon NJ, Avery AC, Barabas K, Gunn-Christie RG, Conway J, Avery PR.  Paraneoplastic T cell lymphocytosis associated with a thymoma in a dog.  J Small Anim Pract. 2010 Sep;51(9):491-4.

Mejia JS, Toot-Zimmer AL, Schultheiss PC, Beaty BJ, Titus RG.  BluePort: a platform to study the eosinophilic response of mice to the bite of a vector of Leishmania parasites, Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies. PLoS One. 2010 Oct 27;5(10):e13546

Garcia-Rejon JE, Blitvich BJ, Farfan-Ale JA, Loroño-Pino MA, Chi Chim WA, Flores-Flores LF, Rosado-Paredes E, Baak-Baak C, Perez-Mutul J, Suarez-Solis V, Fernandez-Salas I, Beaty BJ.  Host-feeding preference of the mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, in Yucatan State, Mexico.  J Insect Sci. 2010;10:32.

Brackney DE, Scott JC, Sagawa F, Woodward JE, Miller NA, Schilkey FD, Mudge J, Wilusz J, Olson KE, Blair CD, Ebel GD.  C6/36 Aedes albopictus cells have a dysfunctional antiviral RNA interference response.  PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2010 Oct 26;4(10):e856.

Scott JC, Brackney DE, Campbell CL, Bondu-Hawkins V, Hjelle B, Ebel GD, Olson KE, Blair CD.  Comparison of dengue virus type 2-specific small RNAs from RNA interference-competent and -incompetent mosquito cells.  PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2010 Oct 26;4(10):e848.

Basile F, Sibray T, Belisle JT, Bowen RA.  Analysis of lipids from crude lung tissue extracts by desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and pattern recognition. Anal Biochem. 2011 Jan 15;408(2):289-96.

Guerin ME, Korduláková J, Alzari PM, Brennan PJ, Jackson M.  Molecular basis of phosphatidyl-myo-inositol mannoside biosynthesis and regulation in mycobacteria.  J Biol Chem. 2010 Oct 29;285(44):33577-83.

Van Regenmortel MH, Burke DS, Calisher CH, Dietzgen RG, Fauquet CM, Ghabrial SA, Jahrling PB, Johnson KM, Holbrook MR, Horzinek MC, Keil GM, Kuhn JH, Mahy BW, Martelli GP, Pringle C, Rybicki EP, Skern T, Tesh RB, Wahl-Jensen V, Walker PJ, Weaver SC.  A proposal to change existing virus species names to non-Latinized binomials.  Arch Virol. 2010 Nov;155(11):1909-19.

Kruh NA, Troudt J, Izzo A, Prenni J, Dobos KM.  Portrait of a Pathogen: The Mycobacterium tuberculosis Proteome In Vivo.  PLoS One. 2010 Nov 11;5(11):e13938.

Wolfe LM, Mahaffey SB, Kruh NA, Dobos KM.  Proteomic definition of the cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.  J Proteome Res. 2010 Nov 5;9(11):5816-26.

Somprasong N, McMillan I, Karkhoff-Schweizer RR, Mongkolsuk S, Schweizer HP.  Methods for genetic manipulation of Burkholderia gladioli pathovar cocovenenans.  BMC Res Notes. 2010 Nov 16;3(1):308.

Ondrak JD, Keen JE, Rupp GP, Kennedy JA, McVey DS, Baker WD.  Repeated testing by use of culture and PCR assay to detect Tritrichomonas foetus carrier bulls in an infected Nebraska herd. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2010 Nov 1;237(9):1068-73.

Mathur G, Sanchez-Vargas I, Alvarez D, Olson KE, Marinotti O, James AA.  Transgene-mediated suppression of dengue viruses in the salivary glands of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti.  Insect Mol Biol. 2010 Dec;19(6):753-63.

Olver CS, Webb TL, Long LJ, Scherman H, Prenni JE.  ORIGINAL RESEARCH: Comparison of methods for depletion of albumin and IgG from equine serum.  Vet Clin Pathol. 2010 Sep;39(3):337-45.

Orme IM.  The Achilles heel of BCG.  Tuberculosis (Edinb). 2010 Nov;90(6):329-32.

White SN, Spraker TR, Reynolds JO, O'Rourke KI.  Association analysis of PRNP gene region with chronic wasting disease in Rocky Mountain elk.  BMC Res Notes. 2010 Nov 18;3(1):314.

Wolfe LL, Diamond B, Spraker TR, Sirochman MA, Walsh DP, Machin CM, Bade DJ, Miller MW.  A bighorn sheep die-off in southern Colorado involving a Pasteurellaceae strain that may have originated from syntopic cattle.  J Wildl Dis. 2010 Oct;46(4):1262-8.

Root JJ, Bentler KT, Nemeth NM, Gidlewski T, Spraker TR, Franklin AB.  Experimental infection of raccoons (Procyon lotor) with West Nile virus.  Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2010 Oct;83(4):803-7.

MIP is adopting 3 families this year through the Salvation Army – each family has 4 kids. Like last year, there will be Christmas trees with tags listing suggestions for gifts and $ amounts located in the departmental offices at Pathology, Microbiology and out at the foothills. We will take only new items as this is the only time many of these kids receive anything brand new. We will also accept Walmart Gift Cards, cash donations and wrapping supplies.

Gifts/donations must be returned to the Department Offices or to Carol Wilusz by December 14 so they can be delivered to the families in time for the holidays.

Once again, the Annual Thanksgiving Potluck was a well-attended gathering of the MIP Family filled with delicious foods and friendly conversation. A BIG THANKS to John Spencer, Carol Blair, and Susan Deines for providing Turkey's and to RoxAnn Karkhoff-Schweizer for providing the Ham. Also, a HUGE THANKS to Karen Hofmaier, Corrine Lindstadt, and Heidi Runge for all their hard work at coordinating and setting-up the event.
Be sure to take a look at the Potluck Photo Gallery.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

The College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) 12th Annual CVMBS Research Day will be held on March 5, 2011.

Abstracts are due Dec 18. Electronic submission will be available on the Research Day webpage which will be advertised on the CVMBS Homepage after Dec 1.

If you have questions contact Dr. James Graham at jkgraham@colostate.edu

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

This year's Celebrate Undergraduate Research and Creativity event will be held on April 19 in the Main Ballroom of the Lory Student Center. Registration will open in January 2011 at the CURC website. Presenting at CURC is a great resume builder and awards will be given for most outstanding poster presentations.

A group of enterprising undergraduate students at the University of Wyoming in Laramie have recently formed an official ASM Student Chapter. This student chapter will function in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Branch of the ASM. This new chapter represents an excellent networking opportunity for our Microbiology Student Association. If there is any interest in getting a formal chapter going here in MIP/CSU, please contact either Dr. J. Wilusz or Dr. Karkhoff-Schweizer.

The Green is Gold challenge for faculty and staff kicked-off on Nov. 1! The Green is Gold campaign is a campus-wide initiative to save energy and reduce energy costs. Teammates from each MIP facility need to work together to implement energy saving measures in your building.

Unlike past years, this year's competition will be divided up into monthly challenges specific to one aspect of living green on campus and in the community.

November's challenge is energy usage. Winners will receive remote-controlled power strips for their work area.

Energy saving tips for November:
1. Set printers and copiers to default to double-sided printing
2. Turn off lights in rooms that are unused for 15 minutes or more during the day
3. Convert all desk and floor lamps to compact fluorescent bulbs

The Colorado Combined Campaign (CCC) - the annual campus fund-raising event - begins today, November 1 and runs through December 31.

The campaign this year is going totally green with a paperless campaign so you will not be receiving information through campus mail.

To make your online pledge, please go to the CCC Website and click "Pledge Now".

You can choose the charity you wish to donate to by going to the 2010 CCC Charity Listings web page.

MIP 700 - Topics Course
"Current Issues in Autoimmune Disease"

This class will examine the mechanisms and pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. The first 2 – 3 weeks of the semester will be devoted to understanding the mechanisms protecting us from autoimmune disease, including central and peripheral T and B cell tolerance, and regulatory T cell biology. For the remainder of the semester we will examine individual autoimmune diseases with an emphasis on how they develop despite tolerance mechanisms, and how autoimmune results in clinical disease.

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. "

Believe it or not folks - this picture has not been ‘Photoshopped’

Alternative Captions:
1. A recently retired MIP professor offers to give spelling and hyphenation lessons to the CSU signage office
2. Charlie always thought the AIDL might slip a bit when he left – he just never thought it would be this obvious
3. Forget the iPOD, I want one of them 'anthro-PODs' for Xmas!
4. Submit your own

On October 29, various members of the MIP Family enjoyed Halloween by wearing costumes, ‘putting for treats’ in Jim Frantz' office, or eating some of Susan Deines' yummy spider cupcakes. The MIP Office staff also participated in a Chili contest where Ida Tieman won the "Hottest Chili", Jeanette Fritzler won the "Best Chili", and Cathy Griffin won "Best Costume". In addition, witnesses have reported that Dr. Hoover was seen consulting with the Great Pumpkin....

Be sure to check out all the great costumes at our MIP 2010 Halloween Photo Gallery.

Happy Thanksgiving to the entire MIP Family!

Alternative Captions
1. Can you pick out the turkey in this picture?
2. Dean demonstrates how to pick up chicks (…er poults) at the MIP TKG potluck lunch
3. Dean's attempt to distract a frustrated soul that might someday come at the MRL Director with an axe
4. How many turkeys can one MRL director manage?
5. Submit your own

Questions for MIPuzzle #59
MIPuzzle #59 Answers

Lars Eisen, "Dengue in Mexico: A Coupled Systems Approach to Climate Change and Socio-ecological Factors", Univ. Corp. for Atmospheric Research

Anne Lenaerts, "Mouse Models for the Early Stage of Lead Drug Candidates against Mycobacterial Species TO A-04-SUB TO 3", NIH-NIAID.

Diane Ordway-Rodriguez, &Drug Treatment against Highly Virulent MDR-TB", University of Cambridge

Becky Rivoire, "HIV Vaccine Development and Manufacturing", Sumagen Canada, Inc.

Herbert Schweizer, "Sequence Defined Burkholderia Pseudomallei and Francisella Tularensis Libraries", NIH-NIAID

• Non-competing grant renewals being paid at 90%

  While Washington has a continuing resolution budget in effect, NIAID will issue noncompeting grants at up to 90 percent of the amount requested. So please remember to spend accordingly.

• More new NIH forms on the horizon

  NIH grant submissions for deadlines after May 7, 2011 must use an updated forms package called ADOBE-FORMS-B1. For deadlines before then, applicants may use either the new forms package or the current one, ADOBE-FORMS-B. There are some exceptions: K, T, D or F series applications submitted for deadlines on or after January 25, 2011, must use the new forms package. For more information, see Notice NOT-OD-11-008 and Notice6666 NOT-OD-11-007

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri
1	2 Grad Student Seminar 12-noon, 103 Path	3 Microscopy Seminar 8am, 101 DMC	4	5
8	9 Grad Student Seminar 12-noon, 103 Path	10 Microscopy Seminar 8am 101 DMC Faculty Seminar 4pm, Path 103	11	12
15	16 Faculty Seminar 12-noon 103 Path	17 Microscopy Seminar 8am 101 DMC	18	19
22 THA B	23 NKS R	24 GIV E	25 IN A Univ Offices Closed	26 G K Univ Offices Closed
29	30 Grad Student Seminar 12-noon, 103 Path

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