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Thomas Shelite

Thomas Robert Shelite

Graduate Assistant, Pathology Education

 

Office: (409) 772-4817
trshelit@utmb.edu

Professional Education

Degree Institution Field of Study Graduation Year
B.S. Wichita State University, Wichita, KS Biological Sciences 2003
M.S. Wichita State University, Wichita, KS Biological Sciences 2006

Honors

2012 Robert E. Shope, M.D. Endowed Scholarship Award
Nov 2012 ASTMH - Participant in the Young Investigator Award competition
2012-2013 Bromberg Scholar
July 2012 American Society for Rickettsiology Travel Award
May 2012 The Robert C. Braiser Award for Outstanding Performance as a Bench Tutorial; Scientific Research and Design Mentor
2011 The Center for Tropical Diseases Graduate Student Award
2011-2012 Bromberg Scholar
2009-present T32-AI060549 Biodefense Training Grant
Aug 2009 American Society for Rickettsiology Travel award
2009 ASIP Young Pathologist Fellowship
2004-2005 Anderson Fellowship
2005-2006 Anderson Fellowship
Spring 2003 Dean's Honor Roll
2002-2003 Harris Endowed Scholarship
2002-2003 Biology Department Scholarship
2001 Magna Cum Laude Pratt Community College
2001 Who's Who in America's Junior Colleges
1999-2000 National Dean's List two semesters
1999-2001 Pratt Community College Dean's List
1999-2001 Above & Beyond Scholarship Recipient

 

Research Interests

My research interest includes determining the mechanisms of immunity and pathogenesis of scrub typhus infection and development of relevant animal models.

 

Selected Publications

A. ARTICLES IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS:

  1. Gong B, Ma L, Liu Y, Gong Q, SHELITE T, Bouyer D, Boor PJ, Lee YS, Oberhauser A spotted fever group rickettsiae induce microvascular hyperpermeability via phosphorylation of VE-cadherins: Evidence from atomic force microscopy and biochemical studies in human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells.  PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2012 Jun;6 (6):e1699. Epub 2012 Jun 12. PMC PMID# 22720111

  2. Xin L, SHELITE TR, Gong B, Soong L, Fang R, Walker DH. Systemic treatment with CpG-B after sublethal rickettsial infection induces mouse death through indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO).  PLoS ONE 2012 Mar: 7(3):e34062. PMC PMID# 22470514
    Oliveira KA, Pinter A, Medina-Sanchez A, Boppana VD, Wikel SK, Saito TB, SHELITE TR, Blanton L, Popov V, Teel PD, Walker DH, Galvao MA, Mafra C, Bouyer DH.  Amblyomma imitator ticks as vectors of Rickettsia rickettsii, Mexico. Emerg Infect Dis. 2010 Aug; 16(8):1282-4.  PMC PMID# 20678325

  3. Fang R, Ismail N, Shelite TR and Walker DH.  CD4+CD25+Foxp3- T regulatory cells produce both IFN-γ and IL-10 during acute severe murine spotted fever rickettsiosis. Infect Immun. 2009 Sep 77(9):3838-49. Epub 2009 Jun 29 PMC PMID# 19564386

  4. Shelite TR, Rogers CM, Litzner BR, Johnson RR, Schneegurt MA.  2008.  West Nile virus antibodies in permanent resident and overwintering migrant birds in south-central Kansas.  Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases.  (8) 3: 321-29. PMC PMID#18471059

B. PRESENTATIONS:

  1. Shelite TR*. Friend, Foe, or Both? The Janus-like behavior of neutrophils during scrub typhus infection. Pathology Work-in-Progress Presentation, November 2012.

  2. Shelite TR,  Saito TB, Xu G, Gong B, Walker DH.  Characterization of a Murine Model for Human Scrub Typhus Abstract # 1058.  American Society Tropical Medicine and Hygiene: Young Investigator Award competition, November 2012.

  3. Shelite TR*,  Saito TB, Xu G, Gong B, Walker DH.  Characterization of a Murine Model for Human Scrub Typhus Abstract # 1058.  American Society Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, November 2012.

  4. Gong B, Ma L, Gong Q, Shelite T, Mendell NL*, Chang Q, Olano J, Walker DH, Oberhauser A. Tracking adhesion forces between VE-cadherin and human cerebral microvascular endothelial cell during infection of Rickettsia montanensis using atomic force microscopy.  American Society for Rickettsiology, July 2012.

  5. Gong B, Ma L, Liu Y, Gong Q, Shelite T*,  Bouyer DH,  Boor PJ, Lee YS,  Oberhauser A.  Rickettsiae induce microvascular hyperpermeability via phosphorylation of VE-cadherins: Evidence from atomic force microscopy and biochemical studies.  American Society for Rickettsiology, July 2012.

  6. Mendell NL*, Goez-Rivillas Y, Brouwer D, Shelite TR, Xu G, Gong B, Valbuena GA, Soong L,  Olano JP,  Walker DH, Bouyer DH. Characterizing the histopathology of intradermal infection model of human scrub typhus disease.  American Society for Rickettsiology, July 2012.

  7. Saito TB*, Thirumalapura N, Shelite TR,  Walker DH.  Development of a mouse model of human ehrlichiosis caused by emerging new pathogenic Ehrlichia species.  American Society for Rickettsiology, July 2012.

  8. Shelite TR,  Saito TB, Xu G, Gong B, Walker DH.  Characterization of hematogenously disseminated Orientia tsutsugamushi: A human scrub typhus disease model in mice.  American Society for Rickettsiology, July 2012.

  9. Xu G*, Shelite T, Mendell NL, Brouwer D, Walker DH,  Bouyer DH.  Persistence of Orientia tsutsugamushi in a newly developed intradermally inoculated mouse model.  American Society for Rickettsiology, July 2012.

  10. Shelite TR, Saito TB, Xu G, Gong B, Walker DH.  Characterization of a murine model for human scrub typhus.  Pathology Research Day-Poster, May 2012.

  11. Shelite TR, Saito TB, Xu G, Gong B, Walker DH.  Characterization of a murine model for human scrub typhus.  IHII/McLaughlin Symposium-Poster, April 2012.

  12. Shelite TR, Saito TB, Gong B, and Walker DH.  2010. Development of a model of hema-togenously disseminated scrub typhus disease in mice.  6th International Meeting on Rickettsiae and Rickettsial Diseases, Heraklion, Crete, Greece, June 2011. Presented by David H. Walker.

  13. Shelite TR, Saito TB, Gong B, and Walker DH.  2010. Development of a model of hema-togenously disseminated scrub typhus disease in mice.  Pathology Poster Day, April 2011.

  14. Xin L, Shelite TR, Gong B, Fang R, and Walker DH. The role of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in rickettsial infection.  Pathology Poster Day, April 2011.

  15. Shelite TR, Saito TB, Gong B, and Walker DH.  2010. Development of a model of hema-togenously disseminated scrub typhus disease in mice.  Pathology Work-in-Progress presentation, April 2011.

  16. Xin L, Shelite TR, and Walker DH. The role of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in rickettsial infection.  American Association of Immunologists-Poster, May 2011.

  17. Shelite TR, Saito TB, Gong B, and Walker DH.  2010. Development of a model of hematogenously disseminated scrub typhus disease in mice.  IHII/McLaughlin Symposium-Poster, March 2011.

  18. Shelite TR and Walker DH. 2010. Ehrlichial and rickettsial diseases: vector-borne, intracellular pathogens of animals and humans. GSBS Program Fair-Poster, October 2010.

  19. Shelite TR, Saito TB, Gong B, and Walker DH.  2010. Development of a scrub typhus disease model via intravenous inoculation of mice.  ASR-Poster August 2010.

  20. Shelite TR.  Immunity and Pathogenesis of Arthropod-borne Rickettsioses.  Experimental Pathology Work-in-Progress, March 2010.

  21. Shelite TR and Walker DH.  2010. Development of a relevant disease model for scrub typhus, Orientia tsutsugamushi.  IHII/McLaughlin/UK Controlling Infectious Disease in the 21st Century symposium- February 2010.

  22. Shelite TR, Rong F, Pinter A, Ismail, N, Walker DH.  2009.  The effects of tick saliva on the dendritic cell-rickettsia interaction, in vitro.  Sealy Center for Vaccine development symposium-Poster November 2009.

  23. Shelite TR, Rong F, Pinter A, Ismail, N, Walker DH.  2009.  The effects of tick saliva on the dendritic cell-rickettsia interaction, in vitro.  ASR-Poster August 2009.

  24. Shelite TR, Rong F, Pinter A, Ismail, N, Walker DH.  2009.  The effects of tick saliva on the dendritic cell-rickettsia interaction, in vitro.  McLaughlin Symposium-Poster.  February 2009

  25. Shelite TR, Rong F, Pinter A, Ismail, N, Walker DH.  2008.  The effects of tick saliva on the dendritic cell-rickettsia interaction, in vitro.  Fourteenth annual Pathology Day-Poster.  May 2008.

  26. Shelite TR, Rong F, Pinter A, Ismail, N, Walker DH.  2008.  The effects of tick saliva on the dendritic cell-rickettsia interaction, in vitro.  McLaughlin Symposium-Poster. May 2008.

  27. Shelite TR, Rong F, Pinter A, Ismail, N, Walker DH.  2008.  The effects of tick saliva on the dendritic cell-rickettsia interaction, in vitro.  49th National Science Research Forum-Poster.  April 2008.

  28. Shelite TR, Rogers CM, Litzner BR, Johnson RR, Schneegurt MA.  2006.  West Nile virus and natural bird populations: two hypotheses.  Graduate Research And Scholarly Projects Symposium-Poster.  April 2006.

 

Financial Support

T32-AI060549 Biodefense Training Grant 2009-2011: The Effects of Tick Saliva on the Dendritic Cell-Rickettsia Interactions, In vitro. In the first year of this award I worked on establishing a tick transmission model for spotted fever rickettsioses and understanding how tick saliva affects the transmission of these bacteria. The initial project demonstrated that in the presence of tick saliva, DC failed to activate when exposed to Rickettsia conorii. During the current (2nd) year I was given the opportunity to begin intravenous inoculation model development for scrub typhus. This model development provides the foundation of the current application.

 

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