Eugene Burns, Ph.D.

Education

University of Tennessee
Ph.D. in Microbiology, 1995

University of Tennessee
B.A. in College Scholars Program with an emphasis in Biology, 1987

About

Dr. Burns is a professor of Biology for the Department of Natural Sciences at Shawnee State University.

Dr. Burns is a microbiologist interested primarily in host-pathogen interactions of bacteria. In addition to teaching microbiology, immunology, and related classes, Dr. Burns actively involves undergraduate students in his research. Current research projects in his lab involve studies of Streptococcus pyogenes and Bordetella bronchiseptica.

Primary courses

• BIOL3750 – Microbiology

• BIOL4760 – Diagnostic Microbiology

• BIOL4765 – Virology

• BIOL4770 – Cell Biology

• BIOL4780 – Immunology

Activities and research

Research

Dr. Burns conducts undergraduate research in the area of microbiology. Students in his lab have performed projects studying interaction of Bordetella bronchiseptica with animal cells, prevalence of Bordetella species in the wild animal population, host specificity of Bordetella bronchiseptica, matrix metalloprotease activation by Group A Streptococcus, coliforms in the Olentangy River Wetlands Research Park, and carriage of Streptococcus pyogenes among Shawnee State University students.

Undergraduate students have presented their research at the American Society for Microbiology general meeting, the Ohio Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting, the Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society District Convention, and the Celebration of Scholarship Undergraduate Conference, supported by funds from the Department of Natural Sciences, the CAS Dean’s Office, and the Board of Trustees Award.

Publications

* indicates an undergraduate student author

• Uldrich, Emily*, Richard Phipps*, Terry D. Hinds, Jr.*, and Eugene H. Burns, Jr. 2005. Selective Reduction of Coliforms in Constructed Wetlands at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park. Olentangy River Wetland Research Park Annual Report 2005.

• Hoe, Nancy P., Robin M. Ireland, Frank R. DeLeo, Brian B. Gowen, David W. Dorward, Jovanka M. Voyich, Mengyao Liu, Eugene H. Burns, Jr., Derek M. Culnan*, Anthony Bretscher, and James M. Musser. 2002. Insight into the Molecular Basis of Pathogen Abundance: Group A Streptococcus Inhibitor of Complement Inhibits Bacterial Adherence and Internalization into Human Cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99: 7646-7651.

• Hinds, Terry D., Jr.*, Rachel R. Brown*, and Eugene H. Burns, Jr. 2002. Reduction of Fecal Coliform Levels in Two Created Wetlands at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park. Olentangy River Wetland Research Park Annual Report 2001 pp. 69-72.

• Kania, Stephen A., S. Rajeev, Eugene H. Burns, Jr., Thomas F. Odom, S. Holloway, and David A. Bemis. 2000. Characterization of fimN, a New Bordetella bronchisepticaMajor Fimbrial Subunit Gene . Gene 256: 149-155.

• Keil, Daniel J., Eugene H. Burns, Jr., William R. Kisker*, David Bemis, and Brad Fenwick. 2000. Cloning and Characterization of a Truncated Bordetella bronchisepticaFilamentous Hemagglutinin Fusion Protein. Vaccine 18: 860-867.

• Christian, Matthew W.*, under the supervision of Eugene H. Burns, Jr. 1999. Isolation of the Genes Encoding the Variable Region of a Monoclonal Antibody Specific for Pasteurella haemolytica Leukotoxin. BIOS 70: 105-111.

• Stockbauer, Kathryn E., Louranne Magoun, Mengyao Liu, Eugene H. Burns, Jr., Siddeswar Gubba, Sarah Renish, Xi Pan, Sarah C. Bodary, Elizabeth Baker, Jenifer Coburn, John M. Leong, and James M. Musser. 1999. A Natural Variant of the Cysteine Protease Virulence Factor of Group A Streptococcus with an Arginine-Glycine-Aspartic Acid (RGD) Motif Preferentially Binds Human Integrins αvβ3and αIIvβ3. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 96: 242-247.

• Burns, Eugene H., Jr., Slawomir Lukomski, Jacqueline Ruringirwa, and James M. Musser. 1998. Genetic Inactivation of the Extracellular Cysteine Protease Enhances In Vitro Internalization of Group A Streptococci by Human Endothelial Cells. Microb. Pathog. 24: 333-339.

• Lukomski, Slawomir, Eugene H. Burns, Jr., Philip R. Wyde, Andreas Podbielski, Jacqueline Ruringirwa, Donna K. Moore-Poveda, and James M. Musser. 1998. Genetic Inactivation of the Extracellular Cysteine Protease (SpeB) Expressed by Streptococcus pyogenes Decreases Resistance to Phagocytosis and Dissemination to Organs. Infect. Immun. 66: 771-776.

• Burns, Eugene H., Jr., Ann Marie Marciel, and James M. Musser. 1997. Structure-Function and Pathogenesis Studies of Streptococcus pyogenes Extracellular Cysteine Protease, In T. Horaud, S. Sicard, A. Bouvet, and H. de Montclos (ed.). Streptococci and the Host. Plenum Press.; New York, NY. pp. 589-592.

• Burns, Eugene H., Jr., Ann Marie Marciel, and James M. Musser. 1996. Activation of a 66-Kilodalton Human Endothelial Cell Matrix Metalloprotease by Streptococcus pyogenes Extracellular Cysteine Protease. Infect. Immun. 64: 4744-4750.

• Bemis, David A., and Eugene H. Burns, Jr. 1993. Bordetella, In C. L. Gyles and C. O. Theon (ed.). Pathogenesis of Bacterial Infections in Animals, second edition. Iowa State University Press; Ames, Iowa. pp. 201-215.

• Burns, Eugene H., Jr., John M. Norman, Monty D. Hatcher, and David A. Bemis. 1993. Fimbriae and Determination of Host Species Specificity of Bordetella bronchiseptica. J. Clin. Microbiol. 31: 1838-1844.

Select presentations

* indicates an undergraduate student

• Holderness, Marli,* under the supervision of Eugene H. Burns, Jr. 2025. Interactions between Bordetella bronchiseptica and Pasteurella multocida in Attachment to Porcine Epithelial Cells. Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society Northeast District 4 Convention. Thomas More University, Crestview Hills, KY, April 12.
• Yarnell, Brayden,* and Tracy Lewis,* under the supervision of Eugene H. Burns, Jr. 2025. Effects of Group A Streptococcus on Normal Microbiome Species of the Oral Cavity and Throat. Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society Northeast District 4 Convention. Thomas More University, Crestview Hills, KY, April 12.
• Duckson, Kennedy,* under the supervision of Eugene H. Burns, Jr. 2024. What Are You Drinking? Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society Northeast District 4 Convention. Siena Heights University, Adiran, MI, April 20.
• Noel, Michelle,* under the supervision of Eugene H. Burns, Jr. 2024. Response of Feeder Calves to Pasteurella multocida Vaccine. Celebration of Scholarship, Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, OH, April 8-12.
• Thacker, Hannah,* Kolton Bauer,* and Laura Luthy,* under the supervision of Eugene H. Burns, Jr. 2022. Antibacterial Protein Expression in Myxococcus xanthus. Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society Northeast District 4 Convention. University of Mount Union, Alliance, OH, March 26.
• Barnhart, Allen,* under the supervision of Eugene H. Burns, Jr. 2021. Determining Bacterial Gelatinase Production by Zymography. Celebration of Scholarship, Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, OH, April 5-9.
• Randaisi, Vincent,* and Andrew Merritt,* under the supervision of Eugene H. Burns, Jr. 2021. Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Southern Ohio Ticks. Celebration of Scholarship, Shawnee State University, Portsmouth, OH, April 5-9.

Additional information

Dr. Burns was the recipient of the Shawnee State University Distinguished Teaching Award and was an Ohio Magazine Excellence in Education Honoree in 2015.