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Thomas Ficht

Thomas Ficht

Professor Emeritus Department of Veterinary Pathobiology
Contact
TFICHT@cvm.tamu.edu
9798454118
TAMU Mailstop: 4467

Research and Scholarly Interests

Mechanisms of invasion and survival of intracellular bacteria within host cells; study of bacterial and host gene expression during infection and its use in the development and application of biosignatures; development of improved vaccines using genetic approaches to attenuate survival and identify therapeutic targets; development of subunit vaccines. Characterization of bacterial population structures through genomic analysis.

EDUCATION

  • B.S., Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1972
  • M.S., Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, 1973
  • M.Phil., Columbia University, 1976
  • Ph.D., Columbia University, 1980

CREDENTIALS

  • AOAC-SPARDA Brucella Working Group, 2015 - 2016
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology
  • Genomics
  • Genetics
  • Infectious Disease
  • Public Health
  • Pathology
  • Microbiology
  • Biodefense
  • Pedro F Soler-Lloréns, Chris R Quance, Sara D Lawhon, Tod P Stuber, John F Edwards, Thomas A Ficht, Suelee Robbe-Austerman, David O'Callaghan, Anne Keriel (2016). A Brucella spp. Isolate from a Pac-Man Frog (Ceratophrys ornata) Reveals Characteristics Departing from Classical Brucellae. FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY.
  • Aseem Pandey, Ana Cabello, Lavoisier Akoolo, Allison Rice-Ficht, Angela Arenas-Gamboa, David McMurray, Thomas A Ficht, Paul de Figueiredo (2016). The Case for Live Attenuated Vaccines against the Neglected Zoonotic Diseases Brucellosis and Bovine Tuberculosis. PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES.
  • Elizabeth Di Russo Case, Judith A Smith, Thomas A Ficht, James E Samuel, Paul de Figueiredo (2016). Space: A Final Frontier for Vacuolar Pathogens. TRAFFIC (COPENHAGEN, DENMARK).
  • Pei J, Kahl-McDonagh M, Ficht TA (2014). Brucella dissociation is essential for macrophage egress and bacterial dissemination FRONT CELL INFECT MICROBIOL.
  • Turse, J. E., J. Pei (2011). Lipopolysaccharide-deficient Brucella variants arise spontaneously during infection FRONT MICROBIOL.
  • O'Shea B, Khare S, Klein P, Roussel A, Adams LG, Ficht TA, Rice-Ficht AC (2011). Amplified fragment length polymorphism reveals specific epigenetic distinctions between Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis isolates of various isolation types. J CLIN MICROBIOL. 6, 2222-9
  • Weeks JN, Galindo CL, Drake KL, Adams GL, Garner HR, Ficht TA (2010). Brucella melitensis VjbR and C12-HSL regulons: contributions of the N-dodecanoyl homoserine lactone signaling molecule and LuxR homologue VjbR to gene expression. BMC MICROBIOL. 10, 167
  • Ficht T (2010). Brucella taxonomy and evolution. FUTURE MICROBIOL. 6, 859-66
  • Ficht TA, Kahl-McDonagh MM, Arenas-Gamboa AM, Rice-Ficht AC (2009). Brucellosis: the case for live, attenuated vaccines. VACCINE. Suppl 4, D40-3
  • Arenas-Gamboa AM, Ficht TA, Davis DS, Elzer PH, Wong-Gonzalez A, Rice-Ficht AC (2009). Enhanced immune response of red deer (Cervus elaphus) to live rb51 vaccine strain using composite microspheres. J WILDL DIS. 1, 165-73
  • Pei J, Turse JE, Ficht TA (2008). Evidence of Brucella abortus OPS dictating uptake and restricting NF-kappaB activation in murine macrophages. MICROBES INFECT. 6, 582-90
  • Pei J, Wu Q, Kahl-McDonagh M, Ficht TA (2008). Cytotoxicity in macrophages infected with rough Brucella mutants is type IV secretion system dependent. INFECT IMMUN. 1, 30-7
  • Kahl-McDonagh MM, Ficht TA (2006). Evaluation of protection afforded by Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis unmarked deletion mutants exhibiting different rates of clearance in BALB/c mice. INFECT IMMUN. 7, 4048-57
  • Kahl-McDonagh MM, Elzer PH, Hagius SD, Walker JV, Perry QL, Seabury CM, den Hartigh AB, Tsolis RM, Adams LG, Davis DS, Ficht TA (2006). Evaluation of novel Brucella melitensis unmarked deletion mutants for safety and efficacy in the goat model of brucellosis. VACCINE. 24, 5169-77
  • Pei J, Turse JE, Wu Q, Ficht TA (2006). Brucella abortus rough mutants induce macrophage oncosis that requires bacterial protein synthesis and direct interaction with the macrophage. INFECT IMMUN. 5, 2667-75
  • O'Shea B, Khare S, Bliss K, Klein P, Ficht TA, Adams LG, Rice-Ficht AC (2004). Amplified fragment length polymorphism reveals genomic variability among Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis isolates. J CLIN MICROBIOL. 8, 3600-6
  • Khare S, Ficht TA, Santos RL, Romano J, Ficht AR, Zhang S, Grant IR, Libal M, Hunter D, Adams LG (2004). Rapid and sensitive detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in bovine milk and feces by a combination of immunomagnetic bead separation-conventional PCR and real-time PCR. J CLIN MICROBIOL. 3, 1075-81
  • Pei J, Ficht TA (2004). Brucella abortus rough mutants are cytopathic for macrophages in culture. INFECT IMMUN. 1, 440-50
  • Cohen ND, Smith KE, Ficht TA, Takai S, Libal MC, West BR, DelRosario LS, Becu T, Leadon DP, Buckley T, Chaffin MK, Martens RJ (2003). Epidemiologic study of results of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of isolates of Rhodococcus equi obtained from horses and horse farms. AM J VET RES. 2, 153-61
  • Ficht TA (2003). Intracellular survival of Brucella: defining the link with persistence. VET MICROBIOL. 3, 213-23
  • Ficht TA (2002). Discovery of Brucella virulence mechanisms using mutational analysis. VET MICROBIOL. 1-4, 311-5
  • Santos RL, Tsolis RM, Zhang S, Ficht TA, Bäumler AJ, Adams LG (2001). Salmonella-induced cell death is not required for enteritis in calves. INFECT IMMUN. 7, 4610-7
  • Endley S, McMurray D, Ficht TA (2001). Interruption of the cydB locus in Brucella abortus attenuates intracellular survival and virulence in the mouse model of infection. J BACTERIOL. 8, 2454-62
  • Barthel R, Piedrahita JA, McMurray DN, Payeur J, Baca D, Suárez Güemes F, Perumaalla VS, Ficht TA, Templeton JW, Adams LG (2000). Pathologic findings and association of Mycobacterium bovis infection with the bovine NRAMP1 gene in cattle from herds with naturally occurring tuberculosis. AM J VET RES. 9, 1140-4
  • Hong PC, Tsolis RM, Ficht TA (2000). Identification of genes required for chronic persistence of Brucella abortus in mice. INFECT IMMUN. 7, 4102-7
  • Tsolis RM, Adams LG, Hantman MJ, Scherer CA, Kimbrough T, Kingsley RA, Ficht TA, Miller SI, Bäumler AJ (2000). SspA is required for lethal Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infections in calves but is not essential for diarrhea. INFECT IMMUN. 6, 3158-63
  • Tsolis RM, Kingsley RA, Townsend SM, Ficht TA, Adams LG, Bäumler AJ (1999). Of mice, calves, and men. Comparison of the mouse typhoid model with other Salmonella infections. ADV EXP MED BIOL. 473, 261-74
  • Perumaalla VS, Adams LG, Payeur J, Baca D, Ficht TA (1999). Molecular fingerprinting confirms extensive cow-to-cow intra-herd transmission of a single Mycobacterium bovis strain. VET MICROBIOL. 3-4, 269-76
  • Tsolis RM, Townsend SM, Miao EA, Miller SI, Ficht TA, Adams LG, Bäumler AJ (1999). Identification of a putative Salmonella enterica serotype typhimurium host range factor with homology to IpaH and YopM by signature-tagged mutagenesis. INFECT IMMUN. 12, 6385-93
  • Tsolis RM, Adams LG, Ficht TA, Bäumler AJ (1999). Contribution of Salmonella typhimurium virulence factors to diarrheal disease in calves. INFECT IMMUN. 9, 4879-85
  • Allen CA, Adams LG, Ficht TA (1998). Transposon-derived Brucella abortus rough mutants are attenuated and exhibit reduced intracellular survival. INFECT IMMUN. 3, 1008-16
  • Lin J, Adams LG, Ficht TA (1996). Immunological response to the Brucella abortus GroEL homolog. INFECT IMMUN. 10, 4396-400
  • Perumaalla VS, Adams LG, Payeur JB, Jarnagin JL, Baca DR, Suárez Güemes F, Ficht TA (1996). Molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium bovis in Texas and Mexico. J CLIN MICROBIOL. 9, 2066-71
  • Ficht TA, Husseinen HS, Derr J, Bearden SW (1996). Species-specific sequences at the omp2 locus of Brucella type strains. INT J SYST BACTERIOL. 1, 329-31
  • Marquis H, Ficht TA (1993). The omp2 gene locus of Brucella abortus encodes two homologous outer membrane proteins with properties characteristic of bacterial porins. INFECT IMMUN. 9, 3785-90
  • Lin J, Adams LG, Ficht TA (1992). Characterization of the heat shock response in Brucella abortus and isolation of the genes encoding the GroE heat shock proteins. INFECT IMMUN. 6, 2425-31
  • Sowa BA, Kelly KA, Ficht TA, Adams LG (1992). Virulence associated proteins of Brucella abortus identified by paired two-dimensional gel electrophoretic comparisons of virulent, vaccine and LPS deficient strains. APPL THEOR ELECTROPHOR. 1, 33-40
  • Crawford RP, Adams LG, Ficht TA, Templeton JW, Williams JD (1991). Effect of stage of gestation on efficacy of Brucella abortus strain-19 vaccination in cattle. AM J VET RES. 11, 1848-51
  • Crawford RP, Adams LG, Ficht TA, Williams JD (1991). Effects of stage of gestation and breed on bovine responses to vaccination with Brucella abortus strain 19. J AM VET MED ASSOC. 7, 887-91
  • Sowa BA, Kelly KA, Ficht TA, Frey M, Adams LG (1991). SDS-soluble and peptidoglycan-bound proteins in the outer membrane-peptidoglycan complex of Brucella abortus. VET MICROBIOL. 3-4, 351-69
  • Davis DS, Templeton JW, Ficht TA, Huber JD, Angus RD, Adams LG (1991). Brucella abortus in Bison. II. Evaluation of strain 19 vaccination of pregnant cows. J WILDL DIS. 2, 258-64
  • Smith R 3rd, Adams LG, Sowa BA, Ficht TA (1990). Induction of lymphocyte responsiveness by the outer membrane-peptidoglycan complex of rough strains of Brucella abortus. VET IMMUNOL IMMUNOPATHOL. 1, 31-48
  • Davis DS, Templeton JW, Ficht TA, Williams JD, Kopec JD, Adams LG (1990). Brucella abortus in captive bison. I. Serology, bacteriology, pathogenesis, and transmission to cattle. J WILDL DIS. 3, 360-71
  • Ficht TA, Bearden SW, Sowa BA, Marquis H (1990). Genetic variation at the omp2 porin locus of the brucellae: species-specific markers. MOL MICROBIOL. 7, 1135-42
  • Smith R 3rd, Kapatsa JC, Sherwood SJ 3rd, Ficht TA, Templeton JW, Adams LG (1990). Differential reactivity of bovine lymphocytes to species of Brucella. AM J VET RES. 4, 518-23
  • Ficht TA, Bearden SW, Sowa BA, Adams LG (1989). DNA sequence and expression of the 36-kilodalton outer membrane protein gene of Brucella abortus. INFECT IMMUN. 11, 3281-91
  • Muzny DM, Ficht TA, Templeton JW, Adams LG (1989). DNA homology of Brucella abortus strains 19 and 2308. AM J VET RES. 5, 655-61
  • Ficht TA, Bearden SW, Sowa BA, Adams LG (1988). A 36-kilodalton Brucella abortus cell envelope protein is encoded by repeated sequences closely linked in the genomic DNA. INFECT IMMUN. 8, 2036-46
  • Arenas-Gamboa AM, Rice-Ficht AC, Kahl-McDonagh MM, Ficht TA (2011). Protective efficacy and safety of Brucella melitensis 16M?mucR against intraperitoneal and aerosol challenge in BALB/c mice. INFECTION AND IMMUNITY. 9, 3653-8
  • Paul de Figueiredo, Thomas A Ficht, Allison Rice-Ficht, Carlos A Rossetti, L Garry Adams (2015). Pathogenesis and immunobiology of brucellosis: review of Brucella-host interactions. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY.
  • de Figueiredo P, Ficht TA, Rice-Ficht A, Rossetti CA, Adams LG (2015). Pathogenesis and immunobiology of brucellosis: review of Brucella-host interactions AM J PATHOLOGY.
  • Arenas-Gamboa, A.M., A.C. Rice-Ficht, Y. Fan, M.M. Kahl-McDonagh, and T.A. Ficht (2012). Extended safety and efficacy studies of the attenuated Brucella vaccine candidates 16M∆vjbR and S19∆vjbR in the immunocompromised IRF-1-/- mouse model INFECTION AND IMMUNITY.
  • Qin, Q.-M., J. Luo, X. Lin, J. Pei, L. Li, T. A. Ficht, and P. de Figueiredo (2011). Functional analysis of host factors that mediate the intracellular lifestyle of Cryptococcus neoformans. PLOS PATHOG.
  • Gomez G, Adams LG, Rice-Ficht A, Ficht TA (2013). Host-Brucella interactions and the Brucella genome as tools for subunit antigen discovery and immunization against brucellosis FRONTIERS CELL INFECT MICROBIOL.
  • Lee, K.M., K.B. Chiu, H.A. Sansing, P.J. Didier, T.A. Ficht, A.M. Arenas-Gamboa, C.J. Roy, A.G. Maclean (2013). Aerosol-induced brucellosis increases tlr-2 expression and increased complexity in the microanatomy of astroglia in rhesus macaques FRONT CELL INFECT MICROBIOL.
  • Caswell CC, Elhassanny AE, Planchin EE, Roux CM, Weeks-Gorospe JN, Ficht TA, et al (2013). Diverse genetic regulon of the virulence-associated transcriptional regulator MucR in Brucella abortus 2308 INFECTION AND IMMUNITY.
  • Gomez G, Pei J, Mwangi W, Adams LG, Rice-Ficht A, Ficht TA (2013). Immunogenic and invasive properties of Brucella melitensis 16M outer membrane protein vaccine candidates identified via a reverse vaccinology approach PLOS ONE.
  • Meegan J, Dunn JL, Venn-Watson SK, Smith CR, Sidor I, Jensen ED, et al (2012). Serologic response in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus infected with Brucella sp. using a dolphin-specific indirect ELISA DIS AQUAT ORG.
  • Pei J, Ding X, Fan Y, Rice-Ficht A, Ficht TA (2012). Toll-like receptors are critical for clearance of Brucella and play different roles in development of adaptive immunity following aerosol challenge in mice FRONT CELL INFECT BIOL.
  • Russell-Lodrigue, K. E., Killeen, S. Z., Ficht, T. A., Roy, C. J. (2017). Mucosal bacterial dissemination in a rhesus macaque model of experimental brucellosis J MED PRIMATOL.
  • Roberto, F., Arce, J., Beck, L. C., Blank, T. R., Cahall, R., Damer, K., Ficht, T., Foster, J., Kiss, K., Nikolich, M., Olsen, S., Ozanich, R., Rozak, D., Schaefer, F., Sozhamannan, S., Tiller, R., Coates, S. G. (2017). Aoac Smpr 2016.009 J AOAC INT. 1, 255-260
  • Pandey, A., Ding, S. L., Qin, Q. M., Gupta, R., Gomez, G., Lin, F., Feng, X., Fachini da Costa, L., Chaki, S. P., Katepalli, M., Case, E. D., van Schaik, E. J., Sidiq, T., Khalaf, O., Arenas, A., Kobayashi, K. S., Samuel, J. E., Rivera, G. M., Alaniz, R. C., Sze, S. H., Qian, X., Brown, W. J., Rice-Ficht, A., Russell, W. K., Ficht, T. A., de Figueiredo, P. (2017). Global Reprogramming of Host Kinase Signaling in Response to Fungal Infection CELL HOST MICROBE. 5, 637-649

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