Jeffrey Cirillo, PhD

Regents' Professor, Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology

Interim Department Head, Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology

Director of the Center for Airborne Pathogen Research and Imaging (CAPRI)

Contact

Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology
8447 John Sharp Parkway
Medical Research & Education Building II (MREB II), Room 3350
Bryan, TX 77807-3260
jdcirillo@tamu.edu
Phone: 979.436.0343
Fax: 979.436.9038
Center for Airborne Pathogen Research and Tuberculosis Imaging (CAPRI)
Cirillo Research Lab

Biography

Research Interests :

Respiratory infectious diseases from host and pathogen perspective.
Translational research developing interventions through therapeutics, vaccines and diagnostic technologies.
Bacterial pathogenesis, host-pathogen interactions at the molecular and cellular level
Imaging technologies at the whole animal to ultrastructural level.
Genomics, proteomics, epigenetics, cellular models, animal models, immunology.
Our laboratory is interested in the pathogenesis of lung infections particularly tuberculosis, Legionnaires' disease, COVID-19 and ESCAPE pathogens (highly drug resistant pathogens) that include Pseudomonas, Klebsiella and Staphylococcus.
We are examining virulence mechanisms using cellular, molecular and genetic techniques. Our primary research goal is to obtain a better understanding of the roles of the pathogen and host in disease. These studies should contribute to our understanding of host-pathogen interactions at the molecular and cellular level that can be used for development of novel technologies for prevention, treatment and diagnosis.
We hope that through a better understanding of the mechanisms by which these organisms cause disease we can prevent some, if not all, of these infections in the future.

Education and Training

Pitzer College, BA, 1986
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, MS, 1989
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, PhD, 1992
Stanford University School of Medicine, Postdoctoral, 1992-1995

Awards, Recognition and Service

Outstanding Service Online Mentor in the ASM Minority Program conferred by American Society for Microbiology - (Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States)
Excellence in Innovation Award conferred by Texas A&M University System - (College Station, Texas, United States)
Technology Innovation Award conferred by Qatar Science and Technology Park - (Doha, Qatar)
Dinsdale Family Faculty Award for Excellence in Research conferred by University of Nebraska–Lincoln - (Lincoln, United States)
Junior Faculty Recognition for Excellence in Research conferred by University of Nebraska–Lincoln - (Lincoln, United States)

Representative Publications

A.R. DiNardo, T. Nishiguchi, S.L. Grimm, L.S. Schlesinger, E.A. Graviss, J.D. Cirillo, C. Coarfa, A.M. Mandalakas, J. Heyckendorf, S.H.E. Kaufmann, C. Lange, M.G. Netea, R. van Crevel (2021). Tuberculosis endotypes to guide stratified therapy. Med 2:1-16.
N. Rajil, A. Sokolov, Z. Yi, G. Adams, G. Agarwal, V. Belousov, R. Brick, K. Chapin, J.D. Cirillo, V. Deckert, S. Delfan, S. Esmaeili, A. Fernández-González, E. Fry, Z. Han, P. Hemmer, G. Kattawar, M. Kim, M. Lee, C. Lu, J. Mogford, B. Neuman, J. Pan, T. Peng, V. Poor, S. Scully, Y. Shih, S. Suckewer, A. Svidzinsky, A Verhoef, D. Wang, K. Wang, L. Yang, A. Zheltikov, S. Zhu, S. Zubairy, M. Scully (2021). A fiber optic-nanophotonic approach to the detection of antibodies and virus particles of COVID-19. Nanophotonics. 10:235-246.
T. Peng, X. Liu, L.G. Adams, G.S. Agarwal, B.L. Akey, J.D. Cirillo, V. Deckert, S. Delfan, E.S. Fry, Z. Han, P. Hemmer, G.W. Kattawar, M. Kim, M.-C. Lee, C.-Y. Lu, J. Mogford, R. Nessler, B. Neuman, X. Nie, J.-W. Pan, J. Pryor, N. Rajil, Y. Shih, A. Sokolov, A. Svidzinsky, D. Wang, Z. Yi, A. Zheltikov, M.O. Scully (2020). Enhancing sensitivity of lateral flow assay with application to SARS-CoV-2. Appl. Phys. Lett. 117:120601.
G. Kassab, V. Cheburkanov, J. Willis, M.G. Moule, C. Kurachi, V. Yakovlev, J.D. Cirillo, V.S. Bagnato (2020). Safety and delivery efficiency of a photodynamic treatment of the lungs using indocyanine green and extracorporeal near infra-red illumination. J. Biophotonics. Jul 15:e202000176.
C. Coarfa, K. Rajapakshe, T. Gandhi, S.L. Grimm, J. Heyckendorf, C. Lange, R. van Crevel, M. Netea, J.D. Cirillo, S.H.E. Kaufmann, A. M. Mandalakas, A.D. DiNardo (2020). Data driven identification of divergent host immune subgroups in tuberculosis. J. Immunol. 204 (1 Supp): 82.28-82.28.
L.M. Bogomolnaya, R. Tilvawala, J.R. Elfenbein, J.D. Cirillo, H.L. Andrews-Polymenis (2020). Linearized siderophore products secreted via MacAB efflux pump protect Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium from oxidative stress. mBio 11:e00528-20.
R.S. Gunasekera, T. Galbadage, C. Ayala-Orozco, D. Liu, V. García-López, B. Troutman, J.J. Tour, R. Pal, S. Krishnan, J.D. Cirillo, J.M. Tour (2020). Molecular nanomachines can destroy tissue or kill multicellular eukaryotes. ACS Appl. Mater. Inter. 12:13657-13670.
M.G. Moule, J.D. Cirillo (2020). Mycobacterium tuberculosis dissemination plays a critical role in pathogenesis. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. 10:65.
A.R. DiNardo, K. Rajapakshe, T. Nishiguchi, S.L. Grimm, G. Mtetwa, Q. Dlamini, J. Kahari, S. Mahapatra, A. Kay, G. Maphalala, E. Mace, , G. Makedonas, J.D. Cirillo, M.G. Netea, R. van Crevel, C. Coarfa, A.M. Mandalakas (2020). DNA hyper-methylation during tuberculosis dampens host immune responsiveness. J. Clin. Inv. 130:3113-3123.
R. Bartzatt, P. Sule, T. Galbadage, J.D. Cirillo (2019). Aromatic hydrazide compounds that inhibit the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J. Adv. Med. Pharm. Sci. 21:1-11.
T. Galbadage, D. Liu, R. Pal, J.M. Tour, R.S. Gunasekera, J.D. Cirillo (2019). Molecular nanomachines disrupt bacterial cell wall increasing sensitivity of extensively drug resistant Klebsiella pneumonia to meropenem. ACS Nano. 13:14377-14387. PMC6933815.
M.S. Durkee, J.D. Cirillo, K.C. Maitland (2019). Fluorescent modeling of in vivo optical detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Biomed. Opt. Express 10:5445-5460.
P. Sule, Y. Cheng, R. Tilvawala, H. Xie, T. Mustapha, H. Hassounah, A. Noormohamed, S. Kundu, E.A. Graviss, J. Rao, G.K. Walkup, Y. Kong, J.D. Cirillo (2019). Rapid tuberculosis diagnosis using reporter enzyme fluorescence (REF). J. Clin. Microbiol. 57:e01462-19.
J.D. Cirillo and Y. Kong (2019). Tuberculosis host-pathogen interactions. Springer, Switzerland. pp. 255.
L.M. Christensen, P. Sule, S.L.G. Cirillo, M. Strain, Q. Plumlee, L.G. Adams, J.D. Cirillo (2019). Legionnaires’ disease mortality in guinea pigs involves the p45 mobile genomic element. J. Infect. Dis. 220:1700-1710. PMC6782102
X.Z. Fan, J. Xu, M. Files, J.D. Cirillo, J.J. Endsley, J. Zhou, M.A. Endsley (2019). Dual activity of niclosamide to suppress replication of integrated HIV-1 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Beijing). Tuberculosis. S1472-9792(19)30147-7.
Y. Kong, J.D. Cirillo (2018). Fluorescence imaging of mycobacterial infection in live mice using fluorescent protein-expressing strains. Methods Mol. Biol. 1790:75-85.
N.C. Worstell, A. Singla, P. Saenkham, T. Galbadage, P. Sule, J.D. Cirillo, H.J. Wu (2018). Hetero-multivalency of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lectin LecA binding to model membranes. Sci. Rep. 8:8419.
A.I Bordin, L.T. Gressler, E.R. Alexander, P. Sule, J.D. Cirillo, D.N. McMurray, J.F. Edwards, N.D. Cohen (2018). Guinea pig infection with the intracellular pathogen Rhodococcus equi. Vet. Microbiol. 215:18-22.
R.J. Smith, M.G. Moule, P. Sule, T. Smith, J.D. Cirillo, J.C. Grunlan (2017). Polyelectrolyte multilayer nanocoating dramatically reduces bacterial adhesion to polyester fabric. ACS Biom. Sci. Eng. 3:1845-1852. PMCID: PMC5926799
F. Leonard, N.P. Ha, P. Sule, J.F. Alexander, D.E. Volk, G.L.R. Lokesh, X. Liu, J.D. Cirillo, D.G. Gorenstein, J. Yuan, S. Chatterjee, E.A. Graviss, B. Godin (2017). Thioaptamer targeted discoidal microparticles increase self immunity and reduce Mycobacterium tuberculosis burden in mice. J. Control. Release. 266:238-247.
A. Khan, L. Mann, R. Papanna, C. Singh, S. Olson, N.T. Eissa, J.D. Cirillo, G. Das, R. Hunter, C. Jagannath (2017). Mesenchymal stem cells internalize Mycobacterium tuberculosis through scavenger receptor restricting pathogen through autophagy. Sci. Rep. 7:15010.
H.J. Yang, Y. Kong, Y. Cheng, H. Janagama, H. Hassounah, H. Xie, J. Rao, J.D. Cirillo (2017). Real-time imaging of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using a novel near-infrared fluorescent substrate. J. Infect. Dis. 215:405-414. PMCID: PMC6061879.
F. Nooshabadi, H.J. Yang, Y. Cheng, H. Xie, J. Rao, J.D. Cirillo, K.C. Maitland (2016). Whole-animal imaging of bacterial infection using endoscopic excitation of b-lactamase (BlaC)-specific fluorogenic probe. Proc. SPIE 9715:97150H
Y. Kong, D. Yang, S.L.G. Cirillo, A. Akin, K. Francis, T. Maloney, J.D. Cirillo (2016). Application of fluorescent protein expressing strains to evaluation of anti-tuberculosis therapeutic efficacy in vitro and in vivo. PLoS One. 11:e0149972.
F. Nooshabadi, H.J. Yang, J.N. Bixler, Y. Kong, J.D. Cirillo, K.C. Maitland (2016). Intravital fluorescence excitation in whole-animal optical imaging. PLoS One. 11:e0149932.
R.J. Nusbaum, V.E. Calderon, M.B. Huante, P. Sutjita, K.L. Lancaster, S. Vijayakumar, R.L. Hunter, J.K. Actor, J.D. Cirillo, J. Aronson, G. Valbuena, J.J.Endsley, B. Geman, J. Lisinicchia (2016). Pulmonary tuberculosis in humanized mice infected with HIV-1. Sci. Rep. 6:21522.
T. Galbadage, T.F. Shepherd, S.L.G. Cirillo, T.L. Gumienny, J.D. Cirillo (2016). Caenorhabditis elegans p38 MAPK plays a key role in protection from mycobacteria. MicrobiologyOpen. mbo3.341.
R. Bartzatt, P. Sule, W. Kim, J.D. Cirillo (2016). Four compounds suppressing growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J. Adv. Med. Pharm. Sci. 6:1-10.
S. Kim, Y. Zhou, J.D. Cirillo, A.A. Polycarpou, H. Liang (2015). Bacteria repelling on highly-ordered alumina-nanopore structures. J. Applied Phys. 117:155302. PMCID: PMC4401798.
M.H. Chang, K.P. Anttonen, S.L.G. Cirillo, K.P. Francis, J.D. Cirillo (2014). Real-time bioluminescence imaging of mixed mycobacterial infections. PLoS One. 9:e108341. PMCID: PMC4180448.
A. Khan, C.R. Singh, E. Soudani, P. Bakhru, S. Saikolappan, J.D. Cirillo, N.T. Eissa, S. Dhandayuthapani, C. Jagannath (2014). Autophagy enhances the efficacy of BCG vaccine in Autophagy, Infection and Immune Response. W.T. Jackson and M. Swanson ed. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ.
Y. Cheng, H. Xie, P. Sule, H. Hassounah, E.A. Graviss, Y. Kong, J.D. Cirillo, J. Rao (2014). Fluorogenic probes with substitutions at both the 2 and 7 positions of cephalosporin are highly BlaC-specific for rapid Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection. Angew. Chem. 53:9360-9364.
R. Bartzatt, P. Sule, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo (2014). Tuberculostatic agents suitable for treatment of tuberculosis infections of the central nervous system. Br. J. Pharm. Res. 4:1535-1551.
S. Vijayakumar, S. Finney, R. Nusbaum, J.D. Cirillo, O. Olaleye, J. Endsley (2013). In vitro model of mycobacteria and HIV co-infection for drug discovery. Tuberculosis. 93:S66-70.
H.K. Janagama, T. Sambou, J.D. Cirillo (2013). Molecular analysis of lux-like operon of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis. 93:S83-87. PMID:24388655, PMCID: PMC Journal - In process.
R. Bartzatt, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo (2013). Antibacterial agents inhibiting growth of ampicillin resistant Escherichia coli. Curr. Trend. Med. Chem. 7:27-34.
J.N. Bixler, Y. Kong, J.D. Cirillo, K.C. Maitland (2013). Multi-scale fluorescence imaging of bacterial infections in animal models. Proc. SPIE 8565:856537.
K.P. Anttonen, J.D. Cirillo (2013). Amoebae interactions with mycobacteria in Free-Living Amoebae: An Evolutionary Crib for Emerging Pathogens. G. Greub ed. Wiley-Blackwell Press, UK.
Y. Zheng, T. Sambou, J.D. Cirillo, M. McClelland, H. Andrews-Polymenis (2013). EAL-domain containing protein STM2215 (rtn) is a cyclic di-GMP phosphodiesterase that is needed during Salmonella infection. Mol. Microbiol. 89:403-419. PMID:23734719.
H.K. Janagama, J.D. Cirillo (2013). Hsp90 plays a role in host-bacterial interactions: Insight gained from Acanthamoeba castellanii in Moonlighting Cell Stress Proteins in Microbial Infections. B. Henderson ed. Springer, The Netherlands. Pg. 237-248.
R. Bartzatt, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo (2013). Antibacterial derivatives of ciprofloxacin to inhibit growth of necrotizing fasciitis associated penicillin resistant Escherichia coli. J. Pharmaceutics. 2013:517638.
Y. Zhou, A. Torres, Y. Kong, J.D. Cirillo, H. Liang (2012). Fluid-shear method to evaluate bacterial adhesion to glass surfaces. J. Applied Phys. 112:014703.
Y. Zheng, T. Sambou, J.D. Cirillo, M. McClelland, H. Andrews-Polymenis (2013). EAL-domain containing protein STM2215 (rtn) is a cyclic di-GMP phosphodiesterase that is needed during Salmonella infection. Mol. Microbiol. In press.
V.E. Calderon, G.A. Valbuena, Y. Goez-Rivillas, B.M. Judy, M.B. Huante, P. Sutjita, R.K. Johnston, D.M. Estes, R.L. Hunter, J. Actor, J.D. Cirillo, J.J. Endsley (2013). A humanized mouse model of tuberculosis. PLoS One. 8:e63331. PMCID: PMC3656943.
H. Xie, J. Mire, Y. Kong, M.H. Chang, H.A. Hassounah, C.N. Thornton, J.C. Sacchettini, J.D. Cirillo, J. Rao (2012). Designing BlaC-specific probes for rapid fluorescence detection of tuberculosis. Nature Chem. 4:802-809. PMID:23000993.
H.K. Janagama, H. Hassounah, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo (2011). Random inducible controlled expression (RICE) for identification of mycobacterial virulence genes. Tuberculosis. 91:S66-S68. PMCID: PMC3248965.
J.A. Hyde, E.H. Weening, M. Chang, J.P. Trzeciakowski, M. Hššk, J.D. Cirillo, J.T. Skare (2011). Bioluminescent imaging of Borrelia burgdorferi in vivo demonstrates fibronectin binding protein BBK32 is required for optimal colonization and dissemination in the host. Mol. Microbiol. 82:99-113. PMID: 21854463
L. Alibaud, Y. Rombouts, X. Trivelli, A. Burguiere, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo, J.-F. Dubremetz, Y. Guerardel, G. Lutfalla, L. Kremer (2011). A Mycobacterium marinum mutant defective for major cell wall associated lipids is highly attenuated in Dictyostelium discoideum and zebrafish embryos. Mol. Microbiol. 80:919-934. PMID:21375593
R. Kapoor, P.R. Eimerman, J.W. Hardy, J.D. Cirillo, C.H. Contag, A.E. Barron (2011). Efficacy of antimicrobial peptoids against Mycobacterium. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 55:3058-3062. PMCID: PMC3101442
Y. Kong, H. Yao, H. Ren, S. Subbian, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.C. Sacchettini, J. Rao, J.D. Cirillo (2010). Imaging tuberculosis with endogenous ?-lactamase reporter enzyme fluorescence. PNAS 107:12239-12244. PMCID: PMC2901431.
M. Khounlotham, S. Subbian, R. Smith III, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo (2009). Mycobacterium tuberculosis modulates the host response to infection through the murine EphA2 receptor. J. Infect. Dis. 199:1797-1806. PMID: 19426113
S.L.G. Cirillo, S. Subbian, B. Chen, T.R. Weisbrod, W.R. Jacobs, Jr., J.D. Cirillo (2009). Protection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from reactive oxygen species conferred by the mel2 locus impacts persistence and dissemination. Infect. Immun. 77:2557-2567. PMCID:ÊPMC2687327.
J. Lee, C. Attila, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo, T.K. Wood (2009). Indole and 7-hydroxyindole diminish Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence. Microbial Biotechnol. 2:75-90.
S. Tachado, M.M. Samrakandi, J.D. Cirillo (2008). Non-opsonic phagocytosis of Legionella pneumophila by macrophages is mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. PLoS One. 3:e3324. PMCID: PMC2553182
B. Park, S. Subbian, S.H. El-Etr, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo (2008). Use of gene dosage effects for a whole-genome screen to identify Mycobacterium marinum macrophage infection loci. Infect. Immun. 76:3100-3115.
C. Attila, A. Ueda, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo, W. Chen and T.K. Wood (2008). Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01 virulence factors and poplar tree response in the rhizosphere. Microb. Biotech. 1:17-29.
R. Bartzatt, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo (2008) Determination of the molecular properties effectuating the growth inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by various small molecule hydrazides. Lett. Drug Des. Disc. 5:162-168.
L. Danelishvili, M. Wu, B. Stang, M. Harriff, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo, R. Bildfell, B. Arbogast, L.E. Bermudez (2007). Identification of Mycobacterium avium pathogenicity island important for macrophage and amoeba infection. PNAS 104:11038-11043.
S. Subbian, P.K. Mehta, S.L.G. Cirillo and J.D. Cirillo (2007). The Mycobacterium marinum mel2 locus displays similarity to bacterial bioluminescence systems and plays a role in defense against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. BMC Microbiol. 7:4.
S. Subbian, P.K. Mehta, L.E. Bermudez, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo (2007). A Mycobacterium marinum mel2 mutant is defective for growth in macrophages producing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Infect. Immun. 75:127-134.
R. Bartzatt, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo (2007). Antibacterial Activity of Dipeptide Constructs of Acetylsalicylic Acid and Nicotinic Acid. Drug Del. 14:105-109.
P.K. Mehta, A.K. Pandey, S. Subbian, S.H. El-Etr, S.L.G. Cirillo, M.M. Samrakandi, J.D. Cirillo (2006). Identification of Mycobacterium marinum Macrophage Infection Mutants. Microb. Pathogen. 40:139-151. PMID: 16451826
E. Miltner, K. Daroogheh, P.K. Mehta, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo, L.E. Bermudez (2005). Identification of Mycobacterium avium Genes That Affect Invasion of the Intestinal Epithelium. Infect. Immun. 73:4214-4221.
S.H. El-Etr, S. Subbian, S.L.G. Cirillo, J.D. Cirillo (2004). Identification of Two Mycobacterium marinum Loci That Affect Interactions With Macrophages. Infect. Immun. 72:6902-6913.
M.M. Samrakandi, C. Zhang, M. Zhang, J. Nietfeldt, G. Duhamel, M.E. Olsen, P. Iwen, S. Hinrichs, P. Fey, J.D. Cirillo, A.K. Benson (2004). Genome Reduction During Divergence of Francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis and Francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 237:9-17.
L. Yan, R. Cerny and J.D. Cirillo (2004). Evidence that hsp90 Is Involved in the Altered Interactions of Acanthamoeba castellanii Variants with Bacteria. Eukaryot. Cell. 3:567-578.
L. Yan and J.D. Cirillo (2004). Infection of Murine Macrophage Cell Lines by Legionella pneumophila. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 230:147-152.
D.A. Ridenour, S.L.G. Cirillo, F. Sheng, M.M. Samrakandi, J.D. Cirillo (2003). Identification of a Gene That Affects the Efficiency of Host Cell Infection by Legionella pneumophila in a Temperature-Dependent Fashion. Infect. Immun. 71:6256-6263.
S.L.G. Cirillo, L. Yan, M. Littman, M.M. Samrakandi, J.D. Cirillo (2002). Role of the Legionella pneumophila rtxA Gene in Amoebae. Microbiol. 148:1667-1677.
N.B. Harris, D.K. Zinniel, M.K. Hseih, J.D. Cirillo, R.G. Barletta (2002). Cell Sorting of Formalin-Treated Pathogenic Mycobacterium paratuberculosis Expressing GFP. Biotechniques 32:522-527.
M.M. Samrakandi, S.L.G. Cirillo, D.A. Ridenour, L.E. Bermudez, J.D. Cirillo (2002). Genetic and Phenotypic Differences Between Legionella pneumophila Strains. J. Clin. Microbiol. 40:1352-1362.
S.L.G. Cirillo, L.E. Bermudez, S.H. El-Etr, G.E. Duhamel and J.D. Cirillo (2001). The Legionella pneumophila Entry Gene rtxA is Involved in Virulence. Infect. Immun. 69:508-517.