Shaun Cross, PhD
Assistant Professor, UNMC Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health
Shaun Cross, PhD, joined UNMC in 2022 and is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health of the College of Public Health.
Dr. Cross previously was a postdoctoral fellow at the Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
- 2020, PhD Microbiology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
- 2016, BS Biology, Brigham Young University-Idaho, Rexburg, Idaho, USA
Dr. Cross’ research uses a mixture of wet-lab and computational methods, heavily focused in genomics-based research. By developing novel sequencing approaches and applications of these technologies, we can better detect and understand microbial agents, both known and unknown. Dr. Cross’ research endeavors currently encompass three major areas: 1) Pathogen surveillance, 2) One Health (interconnection between people, animals, and environment), and 3) Vector-borne diseases (those transmitted by arthropods like ticks and mosquitoes).
- Cross ST, Brehm AL, Dunham TD, Rodgers CP, Keene, AH, Borlee GI, Stenglein MD. Galbut virus Infection Minimally Influences Drosophila melanogaster Fitness Traits in a Strain and Sex-dependent Manner. Viruses. 2023
- 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
- 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
Active Learning: I am a strong proponent of active learning techniques in my classrooms because students who engage in active learning reinforce the key topics learned in a lecture so that they do not just learn it but truly understand it.
Individual Contributions and Learning Styles: Every individual has something to offer for the growth and learning of a classroom because each individual comes from a different background, culture, and perspective that can augment the learning environment and shape how we view the world around us. Similarly, because each individual is different, I believe there is not one “catch all” teaching method and I do my best to utilize as many teaching methods as possible.
Continual Development of Teaching Practices: I believe there is an essential need to spend time mastering the concepts of my teaching and I actively seek methods to increase my teaching skill set, such as seeking active feedback and attending workshops focused on the current best practices in teaching.
- American Society for Virology
- Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)