Michael A. Gilbert, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
	ADDRESS: Block Hall 319 Department of Environmental Sciences   The University of Montana - Western   710 South Atlantic Dillon, Montana 59725 (406) 683-7042 Fax: (406)-683-7493 Email m_gilbert@umwestern.edu

Education:
1996 --B.S., California State University, Chico Biological Sciences with a minor in Chemistry
2002 -- Ph.D., The University of Montana, Missoula Biochemistry/Microbiology

Research, Scholarly, and/or Creative Interests:

My overall interests in biology are actually quite broad, which is why I chose to specialize in the field of parasitology/vector biology. For me, much of the appeal of parasitology stems from the complex life cycles of many of these unusual organisms. In order to understand interactions between a particular parasite and its hosts it is often necessary to utilize concepts and techniques from a variety of disciplines (e.g. molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, ecology and immunology to name but a few). Thus, the quest to understand host-parasite relationships often reveals a great deal of information about biology in general. From an evolutionary perspective, parasitism is the most common way of making a living on the planet, as every species making an "honest living" is host to at least one or more parasites. As an undergraduate, I conducted research on parasitic helminthes and the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. My dissertation research and one year of my postdoctoral experience focused on Myxobolus cerebralis, the myxozoan parasite responsible for whirling disease in salmonid fish. I went on to study Giardia lamblia, a human intestinal parasite, where I was involved in the functional annotation of the Giardia genome project and an active participant in the G. lamblia transcriptome project using serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE).

Current projects:

My current research is focused on Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Humans are only inadvertently infected, yet Lyme disease remains the most common arthropod-borne disease in the United States and Europe. Although, Borrelia burgdorferi is not a eukaryotic parasite, which is the main focus of traditional parasitology, it quickly captured my interest as it is an obligate parasite, it has a two-host life cycle alternating between Ixodes ticks and mammals, and it contains a unique, highly-segmented genome (consisting of a linear chromosome and up to 21 linear and circular plasmids). I recently developed the first inducible promoter system available to artificially regulate gene expression in this pathogenic spirochete and I am currently working to optimize this system to artificially regulate B. burgdorferi genes in vivo, in an experimental tick-mouse infectious cycle.

Undergraduate Research:

I have helped undergraduate students design and conduct research projects that have culminated publications as well as poster presentations at both national and international research conferences. (see below). Overall, my current research is fairly sophisticated and some aspects may require expertise and equipment that may not be available at UM Western; however, there are numerous other aspects of this project that vary in complexity, and can therefore be tailored to meet the educational background of undergraduate students. The more technologically demanding aspects of this research will be accomplished via collaborations with researchers at larger institutions. For example, I have already had preliminary discussions about these collaborations with Dr. Scott Samuels at the University of Montana, Missoula. He has indicated that he is more than willing to establish a cooperative relationship that would allow this research to proceed and provide the students at UM Western the opportunity to participate in state of the art research on a pathogen that is both medically important and biologically unique.


Publications and/or Presentations:

Gilbert, M. A. and W. O. Granath Jr. Susceptibility of Tubifex tubifex (Annelida: Oligochaeta: Tubificidae) from the Rock Creek Drainage of West Central Montana, U.S.A., to Myxobolus cerebralis (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Myxobolidae), the Causative Agent of Salmonid Whirling Disease. In Press. Comparative Parasitology.

Caimano, M. J., R. Iyer, C. H. Eggers, C. Gonzalez, E. A. Morton*, M. A. Gilbert, I. Schwartz and J. D. Radolf, 2007. Analysis of the RpoS regulon in Borrelia burgdorferi in response to mammalian host signals provides insight into RpoS function during the enzootic cycle. Molecular Microbiology. 65(5): 1193-1217.

Gilbert, M. A., S. F. Bundle and D. Scott Samuels, 2007. Artificial Regulation of ospC Expression in Borrelia burgdorferi. Molecular Microbiology. 63(4): 1259-1273

Granath, W. O., M. A. Gilbert, E. J. Wyatt-Pescador* and E. Richard Vincent, 2007. Epizootiology of Myxobolus cerebralis, the Causative Agent of Salmonid Whirling Disease, in the Rock Creek Drainage of West-Central Montana. Journal of Parasitology. 93(1): 104-119

Gilbert, M. A. and W. O. Granath, Jr. 2003. Salmonid Whirling Disease: Life Cyle, Biology and Disease. Journal of Parasitology. 89(4): 658-667

Granath, W. O. and M. A. Gilbert, 2002. The Role of Tubifex tubifex (Annelida: Oligochaeta: Tubificidae) in the Transmission of Myxobolus cerebralis (Myxozoa: Myxosporea: Myxobolidae). In J.L. Bartholomew and J.C. Wilson (eds.), Whirling Disease: Reviews and Current Topics. American Fisheries Society Symposium 29, Bethesda, Maryland, p. 79-86.

Gilbert, M. A. and W.O. Granath, Jr. 2001. Persistent Infection of Myxobolus cerebralis, the Causative Agent of Salmonid Whirling Disease in Tubifex tubifex. Journal of Parasitology. 87(1): 101-107.

Gilbert, M.A., S. F. Bundle, E. A. Morton*, M. G. Mazzotta, Amanda C. Ng*, M. C. Lybecker and D. Scott Samuels. 2006. An Inducible Promoter System for use in Borrelia burgdorferi. Gordon Research Conference on the Biology of Spirochetes, Ciocco II, Barga, Italy. April 23- April 28

Davids, B., Gilbert, M. A., Lee, C., Reiner, D., Birkeland, S., Pacocha, S., Cipriano, M., Gillin, F., McArthur, A. 2004. Mining the Giardia lamblia transcriptome for new encystation genes: Identification of a novel subtilisin-like proteinase. Molecular Parasitology Meetings, Woods Hole, MA. Sept. 19 °© Sept. 23

McArthur, A., Pacocha, S., Davids, B., Reiner, D., Palm, D., Elmendorf, H., Svard, S., Gilbert, M.A., Gillin, F. 2003. Gene Discovery in Giardia - Examination of Global Gene Transcription During Encystation. Molecular Parasitology Meetings, Woods Hole, MA. Sept. 14 °© Sept. 19

Reiner, D., Davids, B., Leete, T., Gilbert, M.A., Pacocha, S., McArthur, A., Morrison, H., Sogin, M., Gillin, F. 2003. An Enigmatic Tetrapeak DHHC-CRD Protein Family Conserved from Giardia to Man. Molecular Parasitology Meetings, Woods Hole, MA. Sept. 14°©Sept. 19

Gilbert, M.A. and W.O. Granath, Jr. 2002. Whirling Disease and the Rock Creek Drainage: Are Stream Flows Important? University of Montana Presidents Advisory Council Meeting. Yellow Bay Biological Field Station, Flathead Lake, MT.

Gilbert, M.A. and W.O. Granath, Jr. 2002. Comparison of the Distribution and Abundance of Myxobolus cerebralis Infected Tubifex tubifex to the Severity of Whirling Disease in Rainbow Trout in the Rock Creek Drainage of Western Montana, USA. 10th International Congress of Parasitology. Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Aug. 4 °© Aug. 10.

E.J. Wyatt*, Gilbert, M.A. and W.O. Granath, Jr. 2002. Genetic Comparison and Susceptibility to Myxobolus cerebralis Infection of Tubifex tubifex from Enzootic and Non-enzootic tributaries of the Rock Creek Drainage of Western Montana, USA. 10th International Congress of Parasitology. Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Aug. 4 °© Aug. 10.

Gilbert, M.A. and W.O. Granath, Jr. 2001. Epidemiology of Whirling Disease in a Western Montana River Drainage II: Comparison of the Distribution and Abundance of Myxobolus cerebralis Infected Tubifex tubifex to the Severity of Whirling Disease in Rainbow Trout. Proceedings of the 76th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Parasitologists. Albuquerque, NM. June 29 - July 3.

Granath, W.O. and M.A. Gilbert, 2001. Epidemiology of Whirling Disease in a Western Montana River Drainage I: Study Site and Biology of Myxobolus cerebralis. Proceedings of the 76th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Parasitologists. Albuquerque, NM. June 29 - July 3.

Gilbert, M.A. and W.O. Granath, Jr. 2001. A Comparison of the Distribution and Abundance of Myxobolus cerebralis Infected Tubifex tubifex to the Severity of Whirling Disease in Rainbow Trout. Proceedings of the Whirling Disease Symposium: Salt Lake City, UT. February 8-9.

Granath, W.O. and M.A. Gilbert, 2001. The Role of Tubifex tubifex in the Transmission of Myxobolus cerebralis. Proceedings of the Whirling Disease Symposium: Salt Lake City, UT. February 8-9.

Wyatt, E.J.*, M.A. Gilbert, W.O. Granath, Jr., C. Rasmussen, A.E.L. Colwell and J.R. Winton, 2001. Genetic Comparison of Tubifex tubifex from Myxobolus cerebralis enzootic and Non-enzootic Tributaries of Rock Creek, MT. Proceedings of the Whirling Disease Symposium: Salt Lake City, UT. February 8-9.

Rasmussen, C., M.A. Gilbert, et al., 2000. Epidemiology and Molecular Ecology of Whirling Disease in Rock Creek (Montana, USA). VIII International Symposium on Aquatic Oligochaeta. University of the Basque Country, Spain. July 18-22.

Gilbert, M.A. and W.O. Granath, Jr. 2000. Persistent Infection of Myxobolus cerebralis in Tubifex tubifex. Proceedings of the Whirling Disease Symposium: Coeur d' Alene, ID. February 3-5.

Wyatt, E.J.*, M.A. Gilbert, R.D. Kathman and W.O. Granath, Jr. 2000. A Survey of Rattlesnake Creek, a Spawning Tributary of the Clark Fork River (MT), for Tubifex tubifex. Proceedings of the Whirling Disease Symposium: Coeur d' Alene, ID. February 3-5.

Gilbert, M.A. and W.O. Granath, Jr. 1999. Persistent Infection of Myxobolus cerebralis in Tubifex tubifex. Proceedings of the 74th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Parasitologists. Monterey, CA. July 7-11.

Gilbert, M.A., E. Turner*, E. MacConnell, W.O. Granath, Jr. 1999. Effect of Temperature on the Disinfection of Spores of Myxobolus cerebralis. Proceedings of the 74th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Parasitologists. Monterey, CA. July 7-11.

Rasmussen, C., M.A. Gilbert, et al., 1999. Population Genetics of Tubifex tubifex from Rivers Where Whirling Disease is Endemic. Proceedings of the Whirling Disease Symposium. Missoula, MT. February 19-21.

Rasmussen, C., M.A. Gilbert, et al., 1999. Population Genetics of Tubifex tubifex from Rivers Where Whirling Disease is Endemic. USGS Policy Council Meeting, Menlo Park, CA.

Gilbert, M. A. and W.O. Granath, Jr. 1998. Effect of Temperature on the Ingestion of Myxospores and Production of Triactinomyxons of Myxobolus cerebralis by Tubifex tubifex. Proceedings of the 73rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Parasitologists, Kona, HI. August 16-20.

Gilbert, M. A. and W.O. Granath, Jr. 1998. Effect of Temperature on the Ingestion of Myxospores and Production of Triactinomyxons of Myxobolus cerebralis by Tubifex tubifex. Proceedings of the Whirling Disease Symposium, Fort Collins, CO. February 19-21.