Michael Criscitiello
Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies Deans Office
9798455092
317W, VENI
TAMU Mailstop: 4461
TAMU Mailstop: 4461
Research and Scholarly Interests
Research Interests: My Comparative Immunogenetics Laboratory studies immunology, molecular genetics, and evolution. Most recently, we have been working on lymphocyte development in shark thymus that suggests plasticity across the B lymphocyte/T lymphocyte divide, immunoglobulin heavy and light chain isotype pairing in an amphibian system, immunogenetics in marine mammals of conservation importance, mucosal humoral immunity in diverse tetrapods and cattle antibodies with an unheralded domain extending for novel antigen-binding possibilities.
Scholarly Service: My service is centered in graduate programs (Biomedical Sciences, Medical Sciences, Genetics, Biotechnology, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Toxicology, and Reproductive Sciences), student committees, research infrastructure, and high school science outreach.
Biography
Dr. Criscitiello is the Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies and a Professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology. A native of coastal North Carolina, he received degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill, East Carolina University and the University of Miami, and was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Maryland School of Medicine at Baltimore.
Dr. Criscitiello’s research merges immunology, genetics and evolution. A focus is the early natural history of the vertebrate adaptive immune system, with particular attention to lymphocyte antigen receptor genes (e.g., antibodies and T cell receptors), and genetic diversification mechanisms for receptor repertoires. NIH, USDA and NSF grants have funded this work in shark, frog, shrimp, tuna and cattle.
Dr. Criscitiello teaches a unique course in Immunogenetics and Comparative Immunology as well as contributing lectures to courses in microbiology, immunology, genetics, cell and molecular biology, and aquaculture diseases. He is passionate for training graduate students in collaborative research, and has served on >70 MS and PhD committees. He enjoys traveling with his wife and three daughters, sports, maps, gardening, live music, jogging, and bike commuting.
Education
- BS, Biology, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, 1993
- MS, Molecular Biology, East Carolina University, 1997
- PhD, Immunology, University of Miami, 2003
- Postdoctoral, Immunology, University of Maryland–Baltimore, 2003-2008
Recent Experience
- Assistant Professor in Veterinary Pathobiology (VTPB), 2008-2013
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Interdisciplinary Program, Interdisciplinary Faculty of Genetics, Interdisciplinary Faculty of Reproductive Biology, 2008-present
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Professional Program in Biotechnology, 2010-present
- Joint Appointment, Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Sciences Center, 2014-present
- Associate Professor with tenure in Veterinary Pathobiology, 2014-present
- Associate Department Head for Research & Graduate Studies in VTPB, 2015-2017
- Track Leader, Infection & Immunity (BIMS Graduate Program), 2016-present
- Assistant Dean for Research & Graduate Studies (CVMBS), 2017-2020
- Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies (CVMBS), 2020-present
Current Professional Memberships
- International Society of Developmental & Comparative Immunologists (VP, Americas), 1996-present
- American Association of Immunologists (Vet Immuno Committee, Director HS Teachers), 2001-present
- Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (SEBM, Editorial Board 2011-2014), 2012-present
- Society of Mucosal Immunology (SMI), 2012-present
- Society for Immunogenetics (IMGT, Editorial Board 2014-present), 2013-present
Recent Honors & Awards
- CVM Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award, 2014
- CVM Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor Award, 2017
- Texas A&M University Presidential Impact Fellow, 2018-2021
Personal Statement
My Comparative Immunogenetics Laboratory studies immunology, molecular genetics and evolution. Most of our group’s research focuses on the natural history and future application of the vertebrate adaptive immune system, with particular attention given to the genetics of lymphocyte antigen receptors. Particular expertise lies in the evolution of vertebrate immunoglobulin loci, T cell receptor loci, and the major histocompatibility complex. Additionally, we are interested in the evolution of diversification mechanisms at work there (e.g., recombination activating genes (RAG), activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), and the high allelic polymorphism maintained by classical MHC genes). Most recently, we have been working on lymphocyte development in shark thymus that suggests plasticity across the B lymphocyte/T lymphocyte divide, immunoglobulin heavy and light chain isotype pairing in an amphibian system, immunogenetics in marine mammals of conservation importance, mucosal humoral immunity in diverse tetrapods, and cattle antibodies with an unheralded domain extending for novel antigen binding possibilities.
My service is centered in graduate programs (Biomedical Sciences, Medical Sciences, Genetics, Biotechnology, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Toxicology, and Reproductive Sciences), student committees, research infrastructure, and high school science outreach. Since 2017, I have served as Assistant Dean for Research & Graduate Studies in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. My teaching is focused on immunology and genetics at the graduate level, with some undergraduate. I have chaired three DVM MS students during their residencies and two summer DVM students in this program, one to a publication in Mucosal Immunology (impact factor 7.4), two of whom went on to residencies at Johns Hopkins, with one doing a PhD there.
Additional details listed in my CV.
- Immunology
- Toxicology
- Genomics
- Genetics
- Infectious Disease
- Education
Highlighted Research Support
- NIH-NIAID (R21). Taylor (PI), Criscitiello (Co-PI). Evaluation of novel INF-epsilon across human pregnancy. 2018-2020.
- NSF (IOS-SDSR). Criscitiello (PI). Evolution of diversification mechanisms for lymphocyte antigen receptors. 2017-2020.
- NIH/USDA (R01). Smider (PI), Criscitiello (Co-PI). Dual purpose with dual benefit: Bovine ultralong CDR3 cattlebodies in viral epitope discovery. 2017-2022.
- NIH-NIAMS (R21). Alge (PI), Criscitiello (Co-PI). Impact of the anti-PEG response on the efficacy of PEG hydrogel-mediated bone regeneration. 2019-2021.
Additional research support details listed in my CV.
Teaching Activities
At Texas A&M my teaching focuses on training students in molecular immunology at the bench in my laboratory as well as teaching a complete semester-long immunology class every spring. The teaching in my lab has extended not only to graduate students and undergraduates but also to veterinary students, high school students, post-doctoral fellows, visiting national and international scholars and one high school teacher.
I alternate my spring teaching: even years I teach a large undergraduate general immunology class for juniors and seniors (VTPB409) with basic biology and microbiology prerequisites, odd years my unique Comparative Immunology and Immunogenetics (VTPB415VMTI615) for a few seniors but targeted to graduate students and residents who have strong fundamentals in immunology and genetics, and possibly comparative, veterinary or evolutionary interests.
I also run and teach an immunology block for a techniques laboratory course (BIOT602) for students in the Professional Program in Biotechnology, teach a three-week module of the graduate Advanced Immunologic Concepts (VMTI662), our Veterinary Pathobiology and Infection Immunity and Epidemiology seminar series fall and spring (VTMI681) and give many guest lectures in other courses.
I appreciate that compared to my colleagues in Biology, I have a comparatively light classroom-based teaching load in which I can strive for excellence and individualized attention to my students without the need for teaching assistants. Compared to many of my medical school colleagues, I teach a lot.
Details about specific classes are listed in my CV.
STUDENTS IN THE COMPARATIVE IMMUNOGENETICS LAB
High School Students
- 2009 Audrey Vitter, A&M Consolidated High School Student Researcher, currently Internal Consultant at General Electric, Erie PA
- 2014 Heather Weir, A&M Consolidated High School Student Researcher, currently matriculating to PA school at UTMB Galveston for fall 2018, Galveston TX
- 2014 Jenna Harrison, A&M Consolidated High School Student Researcher, currently a full-time technician in my lab between BS and graduate school
- 2015 Naomi McCauley, A&M Consolidated High School Student Researcher, currently TAMU student, College Station TX
- 2016 Ellen Li, A&M Consolidated High School Student Researcher, currently Rice University student, Houston TX
- 2017 Sydney Pham, A&M Consolidated High School Student Researcher, currently U. of Texas student, Austin TX
- 2018 Christi Koufteros, A&M Consolidated High School Student Researcher, currently Bowdoin College student, Portland ME
Undergraduate Research
- 2008-2009 Andrea Wallace, Genetics/Biochemistry & Biophysics Undergraduate Research Student, currently Assistant Professor, Lonestar College, Houston TX
- 2009 Brendan Jacobs, Genetics/Biochemistry & Biophysics Undergraduate Research Student, currently Chemist with St. Gobain Inc., Houston TX
- 2010-2011; Zach Olschwanger, BIMS Undergraduate Research Student, currently Owner and Manager of Austin Bouldering, Austin TX
- 2010-2011; Jonathan Walker, Biology Undergraduate Research Student, currently Nurse Anesthetist, Bryan Anesthesiology Associates, Bryan TX
- 2011; Natalie Jacobs, BIMS Undergraduate Research Student, currently in Research Technician, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX
- 2013; Mikaela Gondolfe, BIMS Undergraduate Research Student, currently DVM student at Texas A&M University, College Station TX
- 2015; Katie Brock, BIMS Undergraduate Research Student, currently DVM student at Texas A&M University, College Station TX
- 2015; Alex Bass, BIMS Undergraduate Research Student, currently MD student at Texas Tech, Lubbock TX
- 2015; Rebecca Daniel, BIMS Writing Intensive Undergraduate Research Student, currently DVM student Lincoln University, Harrogate TN
- 2016; Jenna Harrison, BIMS Writing Intensive Undergraduate Research Student, currently student in Texas A&M School of Nursing, College Station TX
- 2016; Kehan Vohra, BIMS Undergraduate Research Student, currently MD student UT Southwestern, Dallas TX
- 2017; Conneley Sears, Genetics Undergraduate Research Student, currently applying to veterinary school
- 2018; Madeleine Pohlmann, BIMS Undergraduate Research Student, currently DVM student at UC Davis
- 2018-2019; Kaitlyn Romoser, Environmental Sciences and Oceanography Undergraduate Research Student
- 2019-2020; Ruth Scego, Nutrition, Research Student
- 2019-2020; Omar Manzur, Nutrition, Research Student
Graduate Directed Studies
- 2009-2010; Camilo Pohlenz-Castillo, Wildlife & Fisheries PhD Student, currently Product Developer, BioMar Aquaculture, Jaco, Costa Rica
- 2009-2010 Dhivya Ramakrishnan, Biotechnology Program MS Student, currently Research Associate at Gilead Virology, Foster City CA
- 2011-2012; Christina Du, Comparative Medicine Resident, currently Interim Director of Comparative Medicine, Scott and White Hospitals, Temple TX
- 2011; Shehnaz Lokhandwala, Biotechnology Program MS Student, currently Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Kansas State, Manhattan KS
- 2011-2013; Natalie Jacobs, BIMS Non-thesis Option MS student, currently in Research Technician, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX
- 2012-2014; Ashley Peterson, Comparative Medicine Resident, deceased
- 2016; Dana Pollard, Veterinary Pathobiology, currently Animal Health Technician at Health Resources and Services Administration, Baton Rouge LA
- 2017; Katie Cerami, BIMS Non-thesis Option MS student, currently applying to medical school
- 2017; Danielle Garza, BIMS Non-thesis Option MS student, currently applying to medical school
- 2018; Troy Lobue, MS Non-thesis Option MS student
- 2018-2019; Brooke Norwood, Biotechnology MS student
- 2018; Rolando Gomez, MS Non-thesis Option MS student
- 2019; Abishai Dominic Louis Raj, PhD Medical Sciences
DVM Student Research
- 2011; Anna Goodroe, Veterinary Medical Scientist Research Training Program, currently Veterinarian at Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Madison WI
- 2013 and 2014, Ashley Heard-Ganir, Veterinary Medical Scientist Research Training Program, currently Veterinarian at Carrolton West Pet Hospital, Dallas TX
- 2016, Natalie Castell, Veterinary Medical Scientist Research Training Program, currently DVM student Texas A&M, College Station TX
Additional trainee/mentee details are listed in my CV.