University Directory

Michael P. McCann, Ph.D.

Professor and Chair of Biology Department

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Department

Office

Science Center 228

Phone

610-660-1823
Contact
    • B.S (1987) in Biology, Saint Joseph‘s University, Philadelphia, PA.
    • Ph.D. (1993) in Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

  • Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA

    • Assistant Professor (1992 - 1999)
    • Associate Professor (1999 - 2003)
    • Professor (2003 - present) of Biology
    • Advising Coordinator and Assistant Chair (2004 - 2006) of Biology
    • Associate Dean (2005 - 2015)
    • Assistant Chair (2018 - 2020)
    • Chair of Biology (2020 - present)

  • (*denotes undergraduate students, #denotes Masters students)

    • Demis,S.R.*, Flynn,M.L.*, Jenkins,T.L.*, Nunez,L.A.*, Samony,F.C.*, Vel,I.V.*, Williams,K.C.*, Merlino,C.O.*, McCann,M.P., Lee-Soety,J.Y., Garlena,R.A., Russell,D.A., Pope,W.H., Jacobs-Sera,D. and Hatfull,G.F. 2018. Mycobacterium phage Ruby, complete genome. GenBank Accession Number MH651188
    • Butch,N.M.*, Gantz,K.M.*, Lawall,C.L.*, Nguyen,T.P.*, Will,N.J.*, Reilly,J.C.*, Williams,K.C.*, Merlino,C.O.*, McCann,M.P., Lee-Soety,J.Y., Garlena,R.A., Russell,D.A., Pope,W.H., Jacobs-Sera,D. and Hatfull,G.F. 2018. Mycobacterium phage Collard, complete genome. GenBank Accession Number MH651171
    • Burkert,N.A.*, Costello,E.*, Grana,D.J.*, Pejavara,N.C.*, Picknally,G.M.*, Christen,E.M.*, Williams,K.C.*, Merlino,C.O.*, McCann,M.P., Lee-Soety,J.Y., Washington,J.M., Garlena,R.A., Russell,D.A., Pope,W.H., Jacobs-Sera,D., Hendrix,R.W. and Hatfull,G.F. 2018. Gordonia phage NatB6, complete genome. GenBank Accession Number MH536824.
    • Snetselaar, K., and McCann. M. 2017. Ustilago maydis, the corn smut fungus, has an unusual diploid mitotic stage. Mycologia 109: 142-150. DOI: 10.1080/00275514.2016.1274597
    • McCann, M. P., and Snetselaar, K. 2008. A genome-based analysis of amino acid metabolism in the biotrophic plant pathogen Ustilago maydis. Fungal Genetics and Biol. 45(Suppl. 1): 77-87.
    • Kamper J, Kahmann R, Bolker M, Ma LJ, Brefort T, Saville BJ, Banuett F, Kronstad JW, Gold SE, Muller O, Perlin MH, Wosten HA, de Vries R, Ruiz-Herrera J, Reynaga-Pena CG, Snetselaar K, McCann, M, et al. 2006. Insights from the genome of the biotrophic fungal plant pathogen Ustilago maydis. Nature. Nov 2; 444(7115): 97-101.
    • Tudor, J. J. and McCann, M. P. 2006. "Genomic analysis and molecular biology of predatory prokaryotes.." In Predatory Prokaryotes: Biology, Ecology and Evolution, E. Jurkevitch, editor. Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany.
    • Fischer, J. A.#, M. P. McCann and K. M. Snetselaar. 2001. Methylation Is Involved in the Ustilago maydis Mating Response. Fungal Genetics and Biol. 34(1):21 - 35.
    • Fraley, C.D., J.H. Kim, M.P. McCann, and A. Matin. 1998. The Escherichia coli starvation gene cstC is involved in amino acid metabolism. J. Bacteriol. 180:4287-4290.
    • McCann, M.P., H.T. Solimeo*, F. Cusick*, B. Panunti*, and C. McCullen*. 1998. Developmentally-regulated protein synthesis during intraperiplasmic growth of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus 109J Can. J. Microbiol. 44(1):50-55.
    • Snetselaar, K.M. and M. McCann. 1997. Using microdensitometry to correlate cell morphology with the nuclear cycle in Ustilago maydis. Mycologia 89:689-697.
    • McCann, M.P., C.D. Fraley, and A. Matin. 1993. The putative sigma factor KatF is regulated post-transcriptionally during carbon starvation. J. Bacteriol 175: 2143-2149.
    • McCann, M.P., Kidwell, and A. Matin. 1992. Microbial Starvation Survival, Genetics. In Encyclopedia of Microbiology J. Lederberg (ed.). Academic Press, Inc.,Volume 3, pp. 159-170.
    • Little, C. D., C. D. Fraley, M. P. McCann, and A. Matin. 1991. Use of bacterial stress promoters to induce biodegradation under conditions of environmental stress. In On-site bioreclamation, R. E. Hinchee and R. F. Olfenbuttel (eds). Butterworth-Heinemann Publishers, pp. 493-498.
    • McCann, M. P., J. P. Kidwell, and A. Matin. 1991. The putative sigma factor KatF has a central role in development of starvation-mediated general resistance in Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 173:4188-4194.
    • Tudor, J. J., M. McCann and I. Acrich*. 1990. A new model for the penetration of prey cells by Bdellovibrios. J. Bacteriol. 172:2421-2426.
    • Blum, P. H., S. B. Jovanovich, M. P. McCann, J. E. Schultz, S. A. Lesley, and A. Matin. 1990. Cloning and in vivo and in vitro regulation of cyclic AMP-dependent carbon starvation genes from Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 172:3813-3820.
    • Selected Presentations and Published Abstracts: (* denotes undergraduate students, # denotes MS students)
    • Costello E.E.*, Burkert, N.A.*, Pejavara, N.C.*, Picknally, G.M.*, Grana, D.J.*, Nguyen, T.P.*, Samony, F.C.*, Vel, I.V.*, Butch, N.M.*, Gantz, K.M.*, Lawall, C.L.*, Will, N.J.*, Demis, S.R.*, Flynn, M.L.*, Jenkins, T.L.*, Nunez, L.A.*, Christen, E.M.*, Reilly, J.C.*, Williams, K.C.*, Merlino, C.O.*, McCann, M.P., and Lee-Soety, J.Y. Investigating bacteriophage NatB6 and others members in the CR2 cluster that infect Gordonia terrae. Poster Presentation. 9th Annual SEA-PHAGES Symposium. Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, VA. June 8-10, 2018. Poster was also presented at the 29th Annual Saint Joseph's University Sigma Xi Student Research Symposium, Philadelphia, PA, April 20, 2018. Snetselaar, K., *Vasta, L., *Jennings, J., and McCann, M. P. "Location of Ustilago maydis infection structures on maize silks." Meeting of the Mycological Society of America, Louisana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. August 5 – 9, 2007.
    • Snetselaar, K. M., #Yerrum, S., and McCann, M. P. "3-D characterization of a dimorphic fungus using conventional fluorescence microscopy." Joint Meeting of the American Phytopathological Society and the Mycological Society of America, Quebec City, QC, Canada, July 29-Aug. 2, 2006.
    • #Yerrum, S, McCann, M P, and Snetselaar, K M. "Filamentous growth and septation in Ustilago maydis." Molecular Biology of the Cell. 16 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology, San Francisco, CA, December 2005. Supplement
    • Snetselaar, K M., #Yerrum, S, and McCann, M P. "Filamentous growth and septation in Ustilago maydis." Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology, San Francisco, CA, December 2005.
    • #Yerrum, Smitha, M. McCann and K. Snetselaar. 2005. Septation in Ustilago maydis buds and filaments. Annual Mid-Atlantic States Mycology Conference, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
    • #Carre JR., C., M. McCann and K. Snetselaar. 2004. Inducing Ustilago maydis infection structures. Annual Meeting of the Mycological Society of America, University of North Carolina, Asheville, NC.
    • #Dawley, M., #M. Seminack, M. McCann, and K. Snetselaar. 2004. Characterizing a Co-enzyme A synthesis gene from Ustilago maydis. Annual Meeting of the Mycological Society of America, University of North Carolina, Asheville, NC.
    • *Marchese, R., *J. McLaughlin, *L. Voisey, *L. Gorgol, M. McCann and K. Snetselaar. 2004. Isolation of Ustilago maydis from soil. Annual Meeting of the Mycological Society of America, University of North Carolina, Asheville, NC.
    • #Mothey, D., K. Snetselaar and M. McCann. 2004. Functional complementation of an mRNA processing gene in Ustilago maydis. Annual Meeting of the Mycological Society of America, University of North Carolina, Asheville, NC.
    • *Fertala, J., and M. McCann. 2003. Cloning and characterization of the MET2 gene from Ustialgo maydis. Joint meeting of Mycological Society of America and British Mycological Society. Asilomar, CA.
    • Snetselaar, K. M., #C. Carre, Jr., and M. McCann. 2003. Nuclear condition in Ustilago filaments and teliospores. Joint meeting of Mycological Society of America and British Mycological Society. Asilomar, CA.
    • #Gopinathan, A., K. Snetselaar, and M. McCann. 2003. Ustilago maydis uac mutants elicit a host response in maize leaves. 22nd Fungal Genetics Conference, Asilomar, CA.
    • #Gopinathan, A., K. Snetselaar, and M. McCann (presented by #A. Gopinathan). 2002. Filaments formed by U. maydis cells unable to make cAMP differ morphologically from mating and infection filaments. First International Ustilago maydis meeting, Marburgh, Germany.
    • Snetselaar, K.M. and M. McCann . 2002. Filamentous growth in Ustilago maydis. First International Ustilago maydis meeting, Marburgh, Germany.
    • Snetselaar, K. M., and M. McCann. 2001. From bud to appressorium: Morphology of the Ustilago maydis transition from saprobic to parasitic growth. Inoculum 52: 60.
    • *Rucker, E., *C. Carré, *J. Dougherty III, M. McCann and K. Snetselaar. 2001. Using auxotrophs of the corn smut fungus to identify nutrients obtained from the plant by the pathogen during infection. In Proceedings National Conference on Undergraduate Research XV.
    • *Walmsley, D., M. McCann, and K. Snetselaar. 2001. Using 2-D gel electrophoresis to identify proteins synthesized during mating in Ustilago maydis. In Proceedings National Conference on Undergraduate Research XV.
    • Snetselaar, K., S. Lee, *A. Nguyen, and M. McCann. 2000. Using microdensitometry and image analysis to study nuclear cycle events in a plant pathogenic fungus. Microsc. Microanal. 6 (Suppl 2: Proceedings) pgs 686-687. Extended abstract.
    • # Fischer, J., M. McCann, and K. Snetselaar. 2000. Methylation is involved in signal transduction during mating in U. maydis. Published in Inoculum, the newsletter for the MSA.
    • *Blumber, K., and M. McCann. 1999. Isolation and characterization of temperature sensitive mutants of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus 109JS. In Proceedings of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research XIII.
    • # Fischer, J., M. McCann and K. Snetselaar. 1999. Methionine plays a role in cell-cell signaling and recognition during mating by Ustilago maydis. Presented at the 39th Annual American Society
    • #Fischer, J., *K. Dougherty, M. McCann, K. Snetselaar. 1999. The roles of specific amino acids in cell-cell signaling and recognition during mating of Ustilago maydis. Mol. Biol. Cell 10:48a.
    • *Amoroso, G., and M. McCann. 1999. Effect of phosphate starvation on protein synthesis in Caulobacter crescentus CB15. In Proceedings of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research XIII.
    • Snetselaar, K., *K. Dougherty, *J. Curry, and M. McCann. 1999. Methylation is involved in the U. maydis mating response. Presented at the 20th Fungal Genetics Conference, Asilomar, CA.
    • *Pyle, K., *D. Kusmaul, *J. Curry, *K. Dougherty M. McCann, K. Snetselaar. 1999. Characterizing auxotrophs of the corn smut fungus. In Proceedings of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research XIII.
    • *Johnson J., and *K. Cleary, K. Snetselaar, M. McCann. 1998. Characterization of Ustilago maydis mating mutants. In Proceedings of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research XII. Volume 4: 1310 – 1314.
    • Snetselaar, K., *J. Johnson, #Y. Xiong, M. McCann. 1998. Mating mutants of Ustilago maydis. Phytopathology 88: S132.
    • *Wojciechowski, D.M., *J. Renye, and M. McCann. 1998. Isolation and characterization of nonpredacious mutants of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, In Proceedings of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research XII. Volume 4: 1287 - 1290.
    • Snetselaar, K. M., and M. P. McCann. 1997. Investigating the nuclear cycle in Ustilago maydis vegetative cells and mating hyphae. #13, page 12, Abstr. 19th Fungal Gen. Conference.
    • *Gervais, J., *J. Lotkowski, K. Snetselaar, and M. McCann. 1997. Investigating temperature sensitive mutants of Ustilago maydis. In Proceedings of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research XI. Volume 4:1282-1286.
    • *Devlin, J.G., K. Snetselaar, and M. McCann. 1997. One-dimensional and two-dimensional SDS-PAGE of total protein in the fungus Ustilago maydis. In Proceedings of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research XI. Volume 4: 1459-1463.
    • *McCullen, C., and M.P. McCann. 1996. The characterization of the heat-shock response in Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus. In Proceedings of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research X. Volume 3:1559-1563.
    • *Solimeo, H.T., *F. Cusick, and M. P. McCann. 1996. Developmental regulation of protein synthesis in Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus 109JS, I-56, page 312, Abstr. 96th Annu. Meet. Am. Soc. Microbiol.
    • Snetselaar, K. M., and M. P. McCann. 1996. Using microdensitometry to investigate the nuclear cycle in Ustilago maydis. Inoculum 47:30.
    • McCann, M. P., *H. Solimeo and *B. Panunti. 1994. Developmentally regulated patterns of protein synthesis in Bdellovibrio bacteriovorous 109JS. I-27, page 258, Abstr. 94th Annu. Meet. Am. Soc. Microbiol.
    • Fraley, C, M. P. McCann, M. Keyhan, and A. Matin. 1994. σ38 and OxyR-mediated resistance in E. coli to oxidative stress. H-98, page 119, Abstr. 94th Annu. Meet. Am. Soc. Microbiol.
    • Director, Pennsylvania Department of Education Environmental Education Grant award. Installing monitoring equipment on a photovoltaic array for use in teaching at Saint Joseph's University $3000 June, 2014 - May, 2015
    • Sub-award director (the primary grant, for $278,000, is to the Lower Merion Conservancy. SJU partners with them in offering an annual workshop for the community on stormwater management practices) William Penn Foundation Supporting the stormwater management workshop at Saint Joseph's University as part of the Cobb's Creek Cluster Watershed Project $20,000 August, 2014 - June, 2016
    • Director, Department of Energy Biomass Program Institute for Environmental Stewardship-Sustainability Research and Education DE-EE0003141 $1,225,000 (includes $225,000 in University matching funds) August, 2010 - October, 2013
    • Co-Principal Investigator (with Drs. Sandra Fillebrown [PI], Karen Snetselaar, Michael Clapper and Tetyanna Berezovski) National Science Foundation – Robert Noyce Scholarship Program Enhancing the 5 Year Math and Science Education Programs at SJU DUE-0934713: Total Award: $748,182 May, 2009 - 2014
    • Contributing Faculty Member (part of a team of six faculty involved in preparation of the proposal) Howard Hughes Medical Institute - Colleges and master’s level universities Integration of Biology, Physics and Quantitative Analysis at Saint Joseph’s University $1,600,000 requested - $1,000,00 awarded May, 2008 - 2012
    • Co-Principal Investigator (with Drs. Karen Snetselaar [PI] and Scott McRobert, and Ms. Susan Galssman) National Science Foundation, Track 2: GK-12. GeoKids LINKS in Philadelphia: Continuing a University, Museum, Elementary School Collaboration in Science DGE-0440506, Total Award: $1.7 million April, 2005 – 2010.
    • Co-Principal Investigator (with Drs. Karen Snetselaar [PI] and Scott McRobert, and Susan Glassman) National Science Foundation, Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Bringing place-based learning to urban Philadelphia. DGE-0139303, $832,320 July, 2002 – August, 2005
    • Co-Principal Investigator (with Drs. Christina King Smith [PI] and Karen Snetselaar) National Science Foundation, Major Research Instrumentation Grant Acquisition of a Transmission Electron Microscope and Ultramicrotome for Research in the Natural Sciences at St. Joseph’s University DUE-0115962, $277,928 (with an additional 30% SJU match) September 25, 2001 - September 26, 2003
    • Co-Principal Investigator (with Dr. Paul Tefft) National Science Foundation, CCLI-Adaptation and Implementation Program Implementing cooperative and inquiry based learning in the Biology curriculum at St. Joseph’s University DUE-9952299, $61,302 (with an additional 50% SJU match) February 1, 2000 to January 31, 2002
    • Co-Principal Investigator (with Dr. Karen Snetselaar) National Science Foundation, Research at Undergraduate Institutions Award Isolation and characterization of mating impaired mutants of Ustilago maydis MCB-9807807; $161,250.00 September 1, 1998 to August 31, 2001
    • Co-Principal Investigator (with Drs. Snetselaar [PI], Tefft and King Smith) National Science Foundation, Major Research Instrumentation Grant Acquisition of two microscopes with image processing and analysis instrumentation for biological research at St. Joseph’s University. DBI-9724401; $99,469.00 September 15, 1997 to September 24, 1999
    • Co-Author and Project Manager (with Dr. John Tudor, PI) National Science Foundation, Academic Research Facilities Renovation and Modernization of Eight Research and Research Training Laboratories in the Biology Department at St. Joseph’s University OIA-9602778, $500,000 (with SJU match) December 15, 1996 to May 31, 1999
    • Principal Investigator National Institutes of Health, Academic Research Enhancement Award Gene Regulation in Bdellovibrios 1 R15 GM51024-01A1; $102,500 May, 1995-May 1999
    • Contributing Faculty Member Howard Hughes Medical Institute Grant – Colleges and master’s level universities Awarded to the Department of Biology $600,000 1993 - 1997