About

Michael Ellis is an Associate Department Head of Curriculum and an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech. His research interests include applications of fuel cell systems for building cogeneration, solid sorption heat pump modeling, modeling and analysis of building energy consumption, analysis of energy uses in industrial processes, and fuel cell performance modeling. He has been a faculty member at Virginia Tech since 2004, serving as an Assistant Professor, then Associate Professor, and holding the title of John R. Jones Faculty Fellow from 2007 to 2012. Ellis has received several awards and honors, including the Excellence in Architecture Award from the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects in 2006, the X-Caliber Award in 2003, and the College of Engineering Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2003. His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech, earned in 1996, a Master’s degree from Georgia Tech in 1993, and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee in 1985. His professional history reflects a focus on energy systems, modeling, and sustainable engineering, contributing to the advancement of clean energy and energy systems research.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Biology
• Internal medicine
• Genetics
• Physiology
• Ecology
• Immunology
• Bioinformatics
• Environmental health
• Surgery
• Pathology

Selected publications

• Immune response profiles from humans experimentally exposed to Phlebotomus duboscqi bites

  Frontiers in Immunology · 2024-04-03 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  Introduction Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a neglected vector-borne parasitic disease prevalent in 92 countries with approximately one million new infections annually. Interactions between vector saliva and the human host alter the response to infection and outcome of disease. Methods To characterize the human immunological responses developed against saliva of Phlebotomus duboscqi , a Leishmania major (L. major) vector, we repeatedly exposed the arms of 14 healthy U.S volunteers to uninfected P. duboscqi bites. Blood was collected a week after each exposure and used to assess total IgG antibodies against the proteins of P. duboscqi salivary gland homogenate (SGH) and the levels of IFN-gamma and IL-10 from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated with SGH or recombinant sand fly proteins. We analyzed skin punch biopsies of the human volunteer arms from the insect bite site and control skin site after multiple P. duboscqi exposures (four volunteers) using immunohistochemical staining. Results A variety of immediate insect bite skin reactions were observed. Late skin reactions to insect bites were characterized by macular hyperpigmentation and/or erythematous papules. Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed moderate mononuclear skin infiltrate with eosinophils in those challenged recently (within 2 months), eosinophils were not seen in biopsies with recall challenge (6 month post bites). An increase in plasma antigen-specific IgG responses to SGH was observed over time. Western Blot results showed strong plasma reactivity to five P. duboscqi salivary proteins. Importantly, volunteers developed a cellular immunity characterized by the secretion of IFN-gamma upon PBMC stimulation with P. duboscqi SGH and recombinant antigens. Discussion Our results demonstrate that humans mounted a local and systemic immune response against P. duboscqi salivary proteins. Specifically, PduM02/SP15-like and PduM73/adenosine deaminase recombinant salivary proteins triggered a Th1 type immune response that might be considered in future development of a potential Leishmania vaccine.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Cervical Tuberculous Lymphadenitis Associated With New-Onset Acanthosis Nigricans Following Antitubercular Therapy: A Case Report

  Cureus · 2024-07-20 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis (CTL), also known as scrofula, is an extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis, a disease that is endemic to many developing countries, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, but may also be found worldwide in developed countries like the United States. CTL can be difficult to detect and may mimic other similar-appearing conditions, so a high index of suspicion is required to accurately diagnose the condition when a patient presents with one or more neck masses. Incision and drainage and excisional surgery are aggressive options available to treat CTL but are not preferred due to a high risk of serious adverse events like fistulization and hematological dissemination. Clinicians typically opt for traditional tubercular RIPE (rifampin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol) therapy for its high efficacy in treating extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Despite this preference, RIPE therapy has been known to elicit a myriad of side effects that demand close monitoring by clinicians. One side effect of the RIPE regimen that has yet to be reported is acanthosis nigricans (AN), a dermatological sign that presents as thickening and darkening of the skin, often in intertriginous areas. AN frequently occurs in conjunction with insulin resistance, and interestingly, the RIPE drug isoniazid has been implicated in insulin derangements in patients, most notably diabetics. However, the incidence of AN secondary to isoniazid use has not been explicitly recorded in the literature to date. Herein we present a novel case of a young man from Nepal with CTL treated via RIPE therapy who developed AN likely secondary to isoniazid use.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Dynamics of the Oral Microbiome During Initial Military Training at Fort Benning, Georgia

  Military Medicine · 2024-01-02 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  INTRODUCTION: Military trainees are at increased risk for infectious disease outbreaks because of the unique circumstances of the training environment (e.g., close proximity areas and physiologic/psychologic stress). Standard medical countermeasures in military training settings include routine immunization (e.g., influenza and adenovirus) as well as chemoprophylaxis [e.g., benzathine penicillin G (Bicillin) for the prevention of group A streptococcal disease] for pathogens associated with outbreaks in these settings. In a population of U.S. Army Infantry trainees, we evaluated changes in the oral microbiome during a 14-week military training cycle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Trainees were enrolled in an observational cohort study in 2015-2016. In 2015, Bicillin was administered to trainees to ameliorate the risk of group A Streptococcus outbreaks, whereas in 2016, trainees did not receive a Bicillin inoculation. Oropharyngeal swabs were collected from participants at days 0, 7, 14, 28, 56, and 90 of training. Swabs were collected, flash frozen, and stored. DNA was extracted from swabs, and amplicon sequencing of the 16s rRNA gene was performed. Microbiome dynamics were evaluated using the QIIME 2 workflow along with DADA2, SINA with SILVA, and an additional processing in R. RESULTS: We observed that microbiome samples from the baseline (day 0) visit were distinct from one another, whereas samples collected on day 14 exhibited significant microbiome convergence. Day 14 convergence was coincident with an increase in DNA sequences associated with Streptococcus, though there was not a significant difference between Streptococcus abundance over time between 2015 and 2016 (P = .07), suggesting that Bicillin prophylaxis did not significantly impact overall Streptococcus abundance. CONCLUSIONS: The temporary convergence of microbiomes is coincident with a rise in communicable infections in this population. The dynamic response of microbiomes during initial military training supports similar observations in the literature of transient convergence of the human microbiome under cohabitation in the time frame including in this experiment. This population and the associated longitudinal studies allow for controlled studies of human microbiome under diverse conditions.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Profiling of serum factors associated with Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infections as a foundation for biomarker identification

  Frontiers in Immunology · 2023-11-20

  articleOpen access

  Background: (MRSA). The serum immune factors associated with the onset of SSTI are not well understood. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study of SSTIs, enrolling US Army trainees before starting military training and following up for 14 weeks. Samples were collected on Day 0, 56, and 90. Serum chemokines and cytokines among 16 SSTI cases and 51 healthy controls were evaluated using an electro-chemiluminescence based multiplex assay platform. Results: Of 54 tested cytokines, 12 were significantly higher among SSTI cases as compared to controls. Among the cases, there were correlations between factors associated with vascular injury (i.e., VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and Flt1), the angiogenetic factor VEGF, and IL-10. Unsupervised machine learning (Principal Component Analysis) revealed that IL10, IL17A, C-reactive protein, ICAM1, VCAM1, SAA, Flt1, and VGEF were indicative of SSTI. Conclusion: The study demonstrates the power of immunoprofiling for identifying factors predictive of pre-illness state of SSTI thereby identifying early stages of an infection and individuals susceptible to SSTI.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Persistent Skin Eruption in a Renal Transplant Patient

  Translation The University of Toledo Journal of Medical Sciences · 2023-12-15

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Translation: The University of Toledo Journal of Medical Sciences is the online journal launched by the University of Toledo. Manuscripts will be considered on the understanding that they report original work and are not under consideration for publication by any other journal. The journal publishes original articles reporting experimental results of basic or clinical research, case reports, and reviews. The journal uses a single blind peer review system and each manuscript, based on the results presented in its original submission, will be evaluated by two student reviewers and one faculty reviewer. This process will provide an opportunity for medical students, graduate students, residents, fellows and faculty to publish research observation in a timely manner.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Nasal microbiota evolution within the congregate setting imposed by military training

  Scientific Reports · 2022 · 11 citations

  • Biology
  • Medicine
  • Physiology

  The human microbiome is comprised of a complex and diverse community of organisms that is subject to dynamic changes over time. As such, cross-sectional studies of the microbiome provide a multitude of information for a specific body site at a particular time, but they fail to account for temporal changes in microbial constituents resulting from various factors. To address this shortcoming, longitudinal research studies of the human microbiome investigate the influence of various factors on the microbiome of individuals within a group or community setting. These studies are vital to address the effects of host and/or environmental factors on microbiome composition as well as the potential contribution of microbiome members during the course of an infection. The relationship between microbial constituents and disease development has been previously explored for skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) within congregate military trainees. Accordingly, approximately 25% of the population carries Staphylococcus aureus within their nasal cavity, and these colonized individuals are known to be at increased risk for SSTIs. To examine the evolution of the nasal microbiota of U.S. Army Infantry trainees, individuals were sampled longitudinally from their arrival at Fort Benning, Georgia, until completion of their training 90 days later. These samples were then processed to determine S. aureus colonization status and to profile the nasal microbiota using 16S rRNA gene-based methods. Microbiota stability differed dramatically among the individual trainees; some subjects exhibited great stability, some subjects showed gradual temporal changes and some subjects displayed a dramatic shift in nasal microbiota composition. Further analysis utilizing the available trainee metadata suggests that the major drivers of nasal microbiota stability may be S. aureus colonization status and geographic origin of the trainees. Nasal microbiota evolution within the congregate setting imposed by military training is a complex process that appears to be affected by numerous factors. This finding may indicate that future campaigns to prevent S. aureus colonization and future SSTIs among high-risk military trainees may require a 'personalized' approach.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of NDV-3A against Staphylococcus aureus colonization: A phase 2 vaccine trial among US Army Infantry trainees

  Vaccine · 2021 · 17 citations

  • Medicine
  • Immunology
  • Internal medicine
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Corrigendum: Conjugative Transfer of a Novel Staphylococcal Plasmid Encoding the Biocide Resistance Gene, qacA

  Frontiers in Microbiology · 2020-05-14

  erratumOpen access

  [This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02664.].

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Chronic <i>Corynebacterium striatum</i> Septic Arthritis in a Patient Referred for Total Knee Arthroplasty

  Case Reports in Orthopedics · 2020 · 7 citations

  • Medicine
  • Surgery
  • Internal medicine

  BACKGROUND: . The infection was successfully treated with open irrigation and debridement, complete synovectomy, and six weeks of intravenous daptomycin. CONCLUSION: . The infection was successfully treated with open irrigation and debridement, complete synovectomy, and six weeks of intravenous daptomycin.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Disassembly Automation for Recycling End-of-Life Lithium-Ion Pouch Cells

  JOM · 2019-09-13 · 77 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Eugene V. Millar

  Henry M. Jackson Foundation

  40 shared

• Carey D. Schlett

  Henry M. Jackson Foundation

  32 shared

• Natasha N. Law

  28 shared

• Duane R. Hospenthal

  The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

  26 shared

• David R. Tribble

  Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

  25 shared

• Jason W. Bennett

  La Jolla Institute for Immunology

  25 shared

• Clinton K. Murray

  Joint Base San Antonio

  24 shared

• Jeffrey B. Lanier

  United States Army Institute of Surgical Research

  17 shared

Awards & honors

• Excellence in Architecture Award, Virginia Society of the Am…
• X-Caliber Award, Virginia Tech (2003)
• College of Engineering Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teachi…
• Engineering Dean’s List for Teaching Effectiveness, Virginia…
• Woodruff Teaching Fellowship, Georgia Tech (1995)