Vance McCracken, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Box 1651
Director, Biotechnology Management Professional Science Master’s Program

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Science Lab 3328
Edwardsville, IL 62026-1651
e-mail: vmccrac@siue.edu
Phone: (618) 650-5246
Fax: (618) 650-3174

RESEARCH FOCUS

My research focuses on the exciting areas of gastrointestinal microbiology and mucosal immunology, with an emphasis on the interactions between the immune system, the gastrointestinal epithelium, and the indigenous and pathogenic bacteria inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract. Current research interests include immune and epithelial responses to the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori,enterohepatic Helicobacter species, inflammatory bowel disease, and molecular approaches to microbial ecology (i.e. using cultivation-independent approaches such as denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis to evaluate mixed microbial communities), and testing novel antimicrobial compounds.

COURSE INFORMATION

BIOL 111FR-Freshman Seminar/Contermporary Biology

BIOL 250 Bacteriology

BIOL 335- Immunology

BIOL 350 Microbiology

BIOL 451/551- Microbial Pathogenesis

BIOL 452/552 Molecular Genetics

BIOL 497 Senior Assignment

BIOL 595- Topics in Cellular and Molecular Biology

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

RESEARCH AND TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 2012- present

Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 2006-2012
Research Associate, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birminhgam, 2002-2006
Postdoctorate Research Fellow, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis 2000-2002
Research Assistant, Department of Animal Sciences,University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1994-2000

Teaching Assistant, Department of Foreign Languages, University of Nevada, Reno, 1989-1991

EDUCATION
2001 Ph.D. (Animal Sciences/Immunology), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1994 B.S. (Biological Sciences), Illinois State University
1991 M.A. (Spanish Literature), University of Nevada, Reno
1989 B.A. (Spanish), University of Tennessee at Martin

PUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS

Pagliero RJ, Mercado R, McCracken V, Mazzieri MR, Nieto MJ. (2011) Rapid and facile synthesis of N-benzenesulfonyl derivatives of heterocycles and their antimicrobial properties. Lett. Drug. Des. Disc. 8:778-791

Schmitz JM, Durham CG, Schoeb TR, Soltau TD, Wolf KJ, Tanner SM, McCracken VJ, Lorenz RG. (2011) Helicobacter felis-associated gastric disease in microbiota-restricted mice., The Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry. 59:826-841.

Schmitz⁺ JM, McCracken VJ, Dimmitt RA, Lorenz RG. (2007) Expression of CXCL15 (lungkine) in murine gastrointestinal, urogenital, and endocrine organs. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 55:515-524

McCracken VJ, Martin SM, Lorenz RG (2005) The Helicobacter felis model of adoptive transfer gastritis. Immunol. Res. 343:183-194

Lorenz RG, McCracken VJ, Elson CO. (2005) Animal models of intestinal inflammation: Ineffective communication between coalition members. Springer Semin. Immun. 27:233-247

Elson CO, Cong Y, McCracken VJ, Dimmitt RA, Lorenz RG, Weaver CT (2005) Experimental models of inflammatory bowel disease reveal innate, adaptive, and regulatory mechanisms of host dialogue with the microbiota. Immunol. Rev. 206:260-276

McCracken VJ, Chun T, Baldeón ME, Ahrné S, Molin G, Mackie RI, Gaskins HR. (2002) TNF-alpha sensitizes HT-29 colonic epithelial cells to intestinal Lactobacilli. Exp. Biol. Med. 227:665-670

McCracken VJ, Simpson JM, Mackie RI, Gaskins HR (2001) Molecular ecological analysis of dietary and antibiotic-induced alterations of the mouse intestinal microbiota. J. Nutr. 131:1862-1870

McCracken VJ, Lorenz RG (2001) The gastrointestinal ecosystem: a precarious alliance among epithelium, immunity, and microbiota. Cell. Microbiol. 3:1-11

Simpson JM, McCracken VJ, Gaskins HR, Mackie RI (2000) Denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of 16S ribosomal DNA amplicons to monitor changes in fecal bacterial populations of weaning pigs after introduction of Lactobacillus reuteri strain MM53. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66:4705-4711

Deplancke BR, Hristova KR, Oakley HA, McCracken VJ, Aminov R, Mackie RI, Gaskins HR (2000) Molecular ecological analysis the succession and diversity of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the mouse gastrointestinal tract. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66:2166-2174

Anderson DB, McCracken VJ, Aminov RI, Simpson JM, Mackie RI, Verstegen MWA, Gaskins HR (1999) Gut microbiology and growth-promoting antibiotics in swine. Pig News and Information 115N-112N

Simpson JM, McCracken VJ, White BA, Gaskins HR, Mackie RI (1999) Optimization of denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis for the analysis of the porcine gastrointestinal microbiota. J. Microbiological Methods 36:167-179

BOOK CHAPTERS

McCracken VJ, Gaskins HR (1999) Probiotics and the immune system. In: Probiotics: A Critical Review. (Ed. Tannock, G.W.) Horizon Scientific Press, Norfolk, England. pp. 85-111

OTHER STUFF

Department of Biological Sciences Home Page

SIUE home page

National Professional Science Master’s Home Page

American Society for Microbiology (external link)

The American Association of Immunologists (external link)

Society for Mucosal Immunology (link)

Microbe zoo (external link)

Microbe World (external link)

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by SIUE.