Molecular Medicine

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* (Molecular Medicine Faculty Profile)

Susan Pross

Susan Pross, Ph.D.

Contact Info

Education

  • PHD, Biology, University of Pennsylvania, 1975
  • B.S., Biology/Education, Cornell University, 1970

Academic Philosophy

"I believe in creating a comfortable yet robust academic environment for students that emphasizes student centeredness, professionalism, life-long learning, active participation and use of primary sources."

Interdisciplinary and Emerging Signature Programs

  • Allergy, Immunology & Infectious Disease

Research Interests

  • In my role of Director of the Scholarly Concentrations Program I am involved in development and assessment of this elective opportunity for student scholarship and individuation.
  • I am a trained immunologist and microbiologist and did research in the field of immunology for many years. More recently, my focus has changed to education. As such I serve as a Course Director in Year 2 and Director of the Scholarly Concentrations Program (SCP). I am also involved in curriculum development and assessment. I have published and run workshops regarding educational issues and have helped mentor students on educational projects.

Awards/Honors

  • Office of Medical Education (AAMC trip - 2008)
  • Medical Education Award (COM AAMC trip - 2007)
  • Medical Education Award (Univ. of South Florida, Dept. Molecular Medicine - 2007)
  • Medical Education Award (COM AAMC trip - 2005)
  • Teaching Award (University of South Florida, College of Medicine - 2005)
  • Medical Education Award (COM AAMC trip - 2003)
  • Teaching Award (University of South Florida, College of Medicine - 1996)

Memberships

  • Member (ASM, 1987 - Present)

Recent Publications

  • Patton GW, Powell DA, Hakki A, Friedman H, Pross S. Nicotine modulation of cytokine induction by LPS-stimulated human monocytes and coronary artery endothelial cells. International immunopharmacology. 6(1) : 26-35, 2006.
  • Friedman H, Pross S, Klein TW. Addictive drugs and their relationship with infectious diseases. FEMS immunology and medical microbiology. 47(3) : 330-42, 2006.
  • Mamata Y, Hakki A, Yamamoto Y, Newton C, Klein TW, Pross S, Friedman H. Nicotine modulates cytokine production by Chlamydia pneumoniae infected human peripheral blood cells. International immunopharmacology. 5(4) : 749-56, 2005.
  • Kuhn DJ, Smith DM, Pross S, Whiteside TL, Dou QP. Overexpression of interleukin-2 receptor alpha in a human squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck cell line is associated with increased proliferation, drug resistance, and transforming ability. Journal of cellular biochemistry. 89(4) : 824-36, 2003.
  • Hakki A, Friedman H, Pross S. Nicotine modulation of apoptosis in human coronary artery endothelial cells. International immunopharmacology. 2(10) : 1403-9, 2002.
  • Hakki A, Pennypacker K, Eidizadeh S, Friedman H, Pross S. Nicotine inhibition of apoptosis in murine immune cells. Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.). 226(10) : 947-53, 2001.
  • Hallquist N, Hakki A, Wecker L, Friedman H, Pross S. Differential effects of nicotine and aging on splenocyte proliferation and the production of Th1- versus Th2-type cytokines. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.). 224(3) : 141-6, 2000.
  • Hakki A, Hallquist N, Friedman H, Pross S. Differential impact of nicotine on cellular proliferation and cytokine production by LPS-stimulated murine splenocytes. International journal of immunopharmacology. 22(6) : 403-10, 2000.
  • Ramarathinam L, Pross S, Plescia O, Newton C, Widen R, Friedman H. Differential immunologic modulatory effects of tetrahydrocannabinol as a function of age. Mechanisms of ageing and development. 96(1-3) : 117-26, 1997.
  • Coffey RG, Yamamoto Y, Snella E, Pross S. Tetrahydrocannabinol inhibition of macrophage nitric oxide production. Biochemical pharmacology. 52(5) : 743-51, 1996.
  • Crucian B, Dunne P, Friedman H, Ragsdale R, Pross S, Widen R. Detection of altered T helper 1 and T helper 2 cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with multiple sclerosis utilizing intracellular cytokine detection by flow cytometry and surface marker analysis. Clinical and diagnostic laboratory immunology. 3(4) : 411-6, 1996.
  • Coffey RG, Snella E, Johnson K, Pross S. Inhibition of macrophage nitric oxide production by tetrahydrocannabinol in vivo and in vitro. International journal of immunopharmacology. 18(12) : 749-52, 1996.
  • Crucian B, Dunne P, Friedman H, Ragsdale R, Pross S, Widen R. Alterations in peripheral blood mononuclear cell cytokine production in response to phytohemagglutinin in multiple sclerosis patients. Clinical and diagnostic laboratory immunology. 2(6) : 766-9, 1995.
  • Crucian B, Dunne P, Friedman H, Ragsdale R, Pross S, Widen R. Alterations in levels of CD28-/CD8+ suppressor cell precursor and CD45RO+/CD4+ memory T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of multiple sclerosis patients. Clinical and diagnostic laboratory immunology. 2(2) : 249-52, 1995.
  • Rast JP, Haire RN, Litman RT, Pross S, Litman GW. Identification and characterization of T-cell antigen receptor-related genes in phylogenetically diverse vertebrate species. Immunogenetics. 42(3) : 204-12, 1995.
  • Snella E, Pross S, Friedman H. Relationship of aging and cytokines to the immunomodulation by delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on murine lymphoid cells. International journal of immunopharmacology. 17(12) : 1045-54, 1995.
  • Pross S, Nakano Y, Bowen S, Widen R, Friedman H. Effects of marijuana on spleen lymphocytes from mice of different age groups. Advances in experimental medicine and biology. 335: 73-80, 1993.
  • Nakano Y, Pross S, Friedman H. Contrasting effect of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on IL-2 activity in spleen and lymph node cells of mice of different ages. Life sciences. 52(1) : 41-51, 1993.
  • Nakano Y, Pross S, Klein T, Friedman H. Increase in cytoplasmic free calcium in murine splenocytes following stimulation with anti-CD3 antibody in the presence of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. International journal of immunopharmacology. 15(3) : 423-8, 1993.
  • Pross S, Nakano Y, Widen R, McHugh S, Friedman H. Age related immunomodulation in murine splenocytes induced by delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Mechanisms of ageing and development. 68(1-3) : 11-26, 1993.
  • Pross SH, Nakano Y, McHugh S, Widen R, Klein TW, Friedman H. Contrasting effects of THC on adult murine lymph node and spleen cell populations stimulated with mitogen or anti-CD3 antibody. Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology. 14(3) : 675-87, 1992.
  • Nakano Y, Pross SH, Friedman H. Modulation of interleukin 2 activity by delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol after stimulation with concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, or anti-CD3 antibody. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.). 201(2) : 165-8, 1992.
  • Pross S, Nakano Y, Smith J, Widen R, Rodriguez A, Newton C, Friedman H. Suppressive effect of tetrahydrocannabinol on specific T cell subpopulations in the thymus. Thymus. 19(2) : 97-104, 1992.
  • Pross S, Newton C, Widen R, Klein TW, Friedman H, Spitzer JA. Splenocyte blastogenesis suppressed in rats implanted with an osmotic pump. Life sciences. 50(2) : 99-108, 1992.
  • Pross SH, Nakano Y, Widen R, McHugh S, Newton CA, Klein TW, Friedman H. Differing effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on murine spleen cell populations dependent upon stimulators. International journal of immunopharmacology. 14(6) : 1019-27, 1992.
  • Friedman H, Newton C, Pross S, Klein TW, Widen R, Vial LJ, Spitzer JA. Continuous infusion of endotoxin depresses splenic blastogenesis. Immunopharmacology and immunotoxicology. 14(3) : 689-706, 1992.
  • Pross S, Newton C, Klein T, Widen R, Smith J, Friedman H. Suppression of T lymphocyte subpopulations by THC. Advances in experimental medicine and biology. 288: 113-7, 1991.
  • Pross SH, Klein TW, Newton C, Smith J, Widen R, Friedman H. Age-related suppression of murine lymphoid cell blastogenesis by marijuana components. Developmental and comparative immunology. 14(1) : 131-7, 1990.
  • Pross SH, Klein TW, Newton CA, Smith J, Widen R, Friedman H. Differential suppression of T-cell subpopulations by thc (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). International journal of immunopharmacology. 12(5) : 539-44, 1990.
  • Friedman H, Klein T, Specter S, Pross S, Newton C, Blanchard DK, Widen R. Drugs of abuse and virus susceptibility. Advances in biochemical psychopharmacology. 44: 125-37, 1988.
  • Pross S, Klein T, Newton C, Friedman H. Differential effects of marijuana components on proliferation of spleen, lymph node and thymus cells in vitro. International journal of immunopharmacology. 9(3) : 363-70, 1987.
  • Pross S, Newton C, Klein TW, Friedman H. Age-associated differences in cannabinoid-induced suppression of murine spleen, lymph node and thymus cell blastogenic responses. Immunopharmacology. 14(3) : 159-68, 1987.
  • Spitzer JA, Friedman H, Newton C, Widen R, Pross S, Klein TW. Suppressed in vitro blastogenic responsiveness of rat spleen cells after continuous infusion of endotoxin by an implanted osmotic pump. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.). 186(1) : 21-6, 1987.
  • Pross S, Klein T, Newton C, Friedman H. Enhanced suppression of blastogenic responses by weanling mouse lymphoid cells treated with tetrahydrocannabinol in vitro. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.). 186(1) : 17-20, 1987.
  • Benjamin WR, Klein TW, Pross SH, Friedman H. Inhibition of mononuclear phagocyte elongation, migration, and cellular exudate formation following Bordetella pertussis vaccine administration. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.). 166(2) : 249-56, 1981.
  • Klein TW, Pross SH, Benjamin WR. Characterization of mouse peritoneal exudate and associated leukocyte adherence inhibitory activity after intraperitoneal injection of either Bordetella pertussis or Corynebacterium parvum vaccines. Infection and immunity. 22(3) : 778-85, 1978.
  • Pross SH, Klein TW, Fishel CW. Ribonucleoside and nucleotide components of normal human blood lymphocytes and platelets. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.). 154(4) : 508-12, 1977.
  • Pross SH, Hallock JA, Armstrong R, Fishel CW. Complement and Fc receptors on cord blood and adult neutrophils. Pediatric research. 11(2) : 135-7, 1977.
  • Fishel CW, Pross SH, Klein TW. The effect of Bordetella pertussis on rosette-forming cells present in the peritoneal fluids of mice. Journal of the Reticuloendothelial Society. 19(2) : 97-108, 1976.

Positions Held

  • Faculty Director (Scholarly Concentrations Program, University of South Florida 2006 - 2007)
  • Faculty Co-Chair (LCME Accreditation, University of South Florida 2005 - 2006)
  • Associate Professor (Dept. Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, University of South Florida 2005 - 2006)
  • Associate Professor (Dept. Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of South Florida 2001 - 2005)
  • Assistant Professor (Dept. Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of South Florida 1986 - 1990)
  • Visiting Assist. Prof. (Dept. Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of South Florida 1986 - 1990)
  • Visiting Assistant Professor (Dept. Chemistry, University of South Florida 1983 - 1983)
  • Instructor (Department of Biology, Hillsborough Community College 1975 - 1975)
  • Postdoctoral fellow (Dept. Medical Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of South Florida 1975 - 1975)
  • Graduate Student and Teaching Assist. (Biology Department, University of Pennsylvania 1970 - 1974)