Education and Research Experience:

1981 - 1985        B.A., Biology
                          Dowling College, Oakdale, NY

1985 - 1987        Medical Technician, Diagnostics Division
                          Neural Tube Defect Laboratories, Inc., Carle Place, NY

1987 - 1988        Research Technician, Gynecological Oncology
                          State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY

1988 - 1990        Research Technician, X-Ray Crystallography
                          Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY

1990 - 1991        Research Technologist II, Molecular Genetics
                          North Shore University Hospital/Cornell Medical College, Manhasset, NY

1991 - 1996        Ph.D., Cellular and Developmental Biology
                          State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY

1996 - 1999        Postdoctoral Fellow, Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases
                          The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

1999 - present    Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Microbial Pathogenesis
                          The University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT
 

Teaching Experience:

State University of New York at Stony Brook:
    Laboratory instructor for Undergraduate Embryology (2 semesters) and Chordate Zoology.
    Recitation instructor for Undergraduate Cellular Biology.

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School:
    Medical Microbiology conference leader for Immunology and Bacterial Pathogenesis.
 

Awards:

Sigma Xi Graduate Travel Award, 1995.
Sigma Xi Excellence in Research Award, 1995.
Society for Leukocyte Biology Student Travel Grant, 1995.
 

Professional Organizations:

American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1991 - present.
American Society for Microbiology, 1995 - present.
Society for Leukocyte Biology, 1995 - present.
 

Funding:

National Institutes of Health, National Research Service Award, 1998.
American Arthritis Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, 1998.
 

Publication Record:

 1.  Coleman, J. L., T. J. Sellati, J. E. Testa, R. R. Kew, M. B. Furie, and J. L. Benach.  Borrelia burgdorferi binds plasminogen resulting in enhanced penetration of endothelial monolayers. (Infect. Immun. 63:2478-2484, 1995).

 2.  Sellati, T. J., M. J. Burns, M. A. Ficazzola, and M. B. Furie.  Borrelia burgdorferi upregulates expression of adhesion molecules on endothelial cells and promotes transendothelial migration of neutrophils in vitro. (Infect. Immun. 63:4439-4447, 1995).

 3.  Sellati, T. J., L. D. Abrescia, J. D. Radolf, and M. B. Furie.  Outer surface lipoproteins of Borrelia burgdorferi activate vascular endothelium in vitro. (Infect. Immun. 64:3480-3487, 1996).

 4.  M. J. Burns., T. J. Sellati, E. I. Teng, and M. B. Furie.  Production of interleukin-8 (IL-8) by cultured endothelial cells in response to Borrelia burgdorferi occurs independently of secreted IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha and is required for subsequent transendothelial migration of neutrophils. (Infect. Immun. 65:1217-1222, 1997).

 6.  Sellati, T. J., D. A. Bouis, R. L. Kitchens, R. P. Darveau, J. Pugin, R. J. Ulevitch, S. C. Gangloff, S. M. Goyert, M. V. Norgard, and J. D. Radolf.  Treponema pallidum and Borrelia burgdorferi lipoproteins and synthetic lipopeptides activate monocytic cells via a CD14- dependent pathway distinct from that utilized by lipopolysaccharide. (J. Immunol. 160:5455-5464, 1998).

 7.  Vincent, M. S., K. Roessner, T. J. Sellati, L. H. Sigal, J. Tschopp, S. M. Behar, J. D. Radolf, and R. C. Budd.  Lyme arthritis synovial  gd  T cell proliferative response to Borrelia burgdorferi lipoproteins and synthetic lipopeptides. (J. Immunol. In Press).

Current Address:

The University of Connecticut Health Center
Center for Microbial Pathogenesis
263 Farmington Ave.
Farmington, CT 06030-3710

Tel: (860) 679-8390
FAX: (860) 679-8130
E-mail: [email protected]

For information about our laboratory be sure to visit the
Center for Microbial Pathogenesis HomePage