Shaun Cross, PhD

Research assistant professor

Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health
University of Nebraska Medical Center
College of Public Health

Professional Summary

• 2022-present, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
• 2020-2022: Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease (CIHMID) Postdoctoral Fellow, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA

Education

• 2020, PhD Microbiology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
• 2016, BS Biology, Brigham Young University-Idaho, Rexburg, Idaho, USA

Research interests

My research uses a mixture of wet-lab and computational methods, heavily focused in genomics-based research. Next-generation sequencing technologies can detect microbial agents, both known and unknown. Deploying these technologies globally allows us to generate high-quality genomic data for pathogen surveillance in both current (e.g. SARS-CoV-2 and monkeypox virus) and future outbreaks. This provides key molecular epidemiology information improving public health practices. Other research interests include virus discovery, implementation of viruses as biocontrol agents, and transcriptomic technologies (RNAseq, single cell sequencing, and spatial transcriptomics) to elucidate host-microbe interactions.

Selected Publications

• Mantri M, Hinchman MM, McKellar DW, Wang MFZ, Cross ST, Parker JSL, De Vlaminck I. Spatiotemporal transcriptomics reveals pathogenesis of viral myocarditis. Nature Cardiovascular Research. 2022
• Guo Y, Hinchman MM, Lewandrowski M, Cross ST, Sutherland DM, Welsh OL, Dermody TS, Parker JSL. The multi-functional reovirus protein is a virulence factor that suppresses stress granule formation to allow viral replication and myocardial injury. PLoS Pathogens. 2021
• Cross ST, Brehm AL, Dunham TD, Rodgers CP, Borlee GI, Stenglein MD. Galbut virus infection minimally influences Drosophila melanogaster fitness in a strain and sex-dependent manner. bioRxiv. 2021
• Ragan IK, Hartson LM, Dutt TS, Obregon-Henao A…Cross ST, Kapuscinski ML, Cooper SK, Podell BK, Stenglein MD, Bowen RA, Henao-Tamayo M, Goorich RP. A Whole Virion Vaccine for COVID-19 Produced Via a Novel Inactivation Method and Preliminary Demonstration of Efficacy in an Animal Challenge Model. Vaccines. 2021
• Hoon-Hanks, L.L.; Stöhr, A.C.; Anderson, A.J.; Evans, D.E.; Nevarez, J.G.; Díaz, R.E.; Rodgers, C.P.; Cross, S.T.; Steiner, H.R.; Parker, R.R.; Stenglein, M.D. Serpentovirus (Nidovirus) and Orthoreovirus Coinfection in Captive Veiled Chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus) with Respiratory Disease. Viruses2020
• Cross ST, Maertens BL, Dunham TJ, Rodgers CP, Brehm AL, Miller MR, Williams AM, Foy BD, Stenglein MD. Partitiviruses infecting Drosophila melanogaster and Aedes aegypti exhibit efficient biparental vertical transmission. Journal of Virology. 2020 
• Hoon-Hanks LL, Ossiboff RJ, Bartolini P, Fogelson SB, Perry SM, Wellehan JFX, Cross ST, Dubovi EJ, Stenglein MD. Longitudinal and cross-sectional sampling of serpentovirus (nidovirus) infection in captive snakes reveals high prevalence, persistent infection, and increased mortality in pythons and divergent serpentovirus infection in boas and colubrids. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2019
• Cross ST*, Michalski D*, Miller MM*, Wilusz J. RNA Regulatory Processes in RNA Virus Biology. WIREs RNA. 2019. (* indicates equal authorship)
• Cross ST, Kapuscinski ML, Perino J, Maertens BL, Weger-Lucarelli J, Ebel GD, Stenglein MD. Co-Infection Patterns in Individual Ixodes scapularisTicks Reveal Associations between Viral, Eukaryotic and Bacterial Microorganisms. Viruses. 2018

Professional Affiliations

• American Society for Virology
• Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)