Assistant Dean of Faculty Affairs;
Professor of Biomedical Sciences

Education

Medical University of South Carolina
Postdoctoral Fellow
2002-2006
Field of Study: genetics, cancer

University of South Carolina
Postdoctoral Fellow
1999-2001
Field of Study: genetics, metabolism

Technical University of Budapest
PhD
1992-1995
Field of Study: immunogenetics

Technical University of Budapest
MS
1990-1992
Field of Study: biological engineering

Technical University of Budapest
BS
1987-1990
Field of Study: chemical engineering

Research Interests

• Effect of Lymphatic Pump Techniques (LPTs) on the pathogenesis of skin inflammation. In our research we have used the mouse model of psoriasis in connection with LTPs. The preliminary data shows increased angiogenesis and we are in the process to uncover the molecular basis of this phenomenon.
• Hallmark of breast cancer cells that metastasize to the brain. We have developed a breast cancer derived cell line that metastasizes to the brain in a mouse model. The preliminary data shows that epigenetic modification is a key process.

Professional Accomplishments & Memberships

Professional Accomplishments

2015: Habilitation in veterinary science, St. Steven University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hungary

2006-2015: Total Research Funding $ 3 161 678, sources: NSF, NIH and intramural sources

2011-2018: Grant review panel member for US, Austrian and Georgian National Science Foundations

2006: US patent entitled “Topoisomerase linker-mediated amplification methods”, number: 7078501

2001: Invention commercialized by Invitrogen Corp., marketed as “TOPO Walker Kit”

Memberships

International Behavioral and Neural Genetics Society (2008-2010)

International Society of Animal Genetics (1990-1995)

General Assembly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (1996-present)

Hungarian Chemist Society (1996-present)

Selected Publications

1. Szántó-Egész, R.; Jánosi, A.; Mohr, A.; Szalai, G.; Szabó, E. Koppányné; Micsinai, A.; Sipos, R.; Rátky, J.; Anton, I.; Zsolnai, A.: Breed-Specific Detection of Mangalica Meat in Food Products. Food Analytical Methods 9(4): 889–894, 2016
2. Wiedmeyer CE, Crossland JP,Veres M, Dewey MJ, Felder MR, Barlow SC, Vrana PB, Szalai G: Comparative Hematological and Serum Biochemical Values among Peromyscus Species and Their Hybrids. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci, 53(4):336-43, 2014.
3. Crossland JP, Dewey MJ, Barlow SC, Vrana PB, Felder MR and Szalai G: Caring for Peromyscus spp. in research environments. Lab Animal 43(5): 162-166, 2014.
4. Kenney-Hunt J, Lewandowski A, Glenn TC, Glenn JL, Tsyusko OV, O’Neill RJ, Brown J, Ramsdell CM, Nguyen Q, Phan T, Shorter KR, Dewey MJ, Szalai G, Vrana PB, Felder MR.: A genetic map of Peromyscus with chromosomal assignment of linkage groups (a Peromyscus genetic map). Mamm Genome 25(3-4):160-79, 2014.
5. Vrana PB, Shorter KR, Szalai G, Felder MR, Crossland JP, Veres M, Allen JE, Wiley CD, Duselis AR, Dewey MJ, Dawson WD.: Peromyscus (deer mice) as developmental models. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Dev Biol. 3(3):211-30, 2014.
6. Tucsek Z, Toth P, Sosnowska D, Gautam T, Mitschelen M, Koller A, Szalai G, Sonntag WE, Ungvari Z, and Csiszar A.:Obesity in Aging Exacerbates Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption, Neuroinflammation, and Oxidative Stress in the Mouse Hippocampus: Effects on Expression of Genes Involved in Beta-Amyloid Generation and Alzheimer’s Disease. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 69(10):1212-26, 2014.
7. Szalai G, Payne S, Veres M, Fernandes P and Crossland JP: Equipment to induce audiogenic seizures in deer mice. Lab Animal 42(5):165-169, 2013.
8. Jašarević E, Bailey DH, Crossland JP, Dawson WD, Szalai G, Ellersieck MR, Rosenfeld CS and Geary DC: Evolution of Monogamy, Paternal Investment, and Female Life History in Peromyscus. J Comp Psychol. . 127(1):91-102, 2013.
9. Shorter K, Crossland J, Webb D, Szalai G, Felder MR and Vrana PB: Peromyscus as a Mammalian Epigenetic Model. Genetics Research International 2012: Article ID 179159, 2012.
10. Veres M, Duselis AR, Graft A, Pryor W, Crossland J, Vrana PB and Szalai G.:The biology and methodology of assisted reproduction in deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). Theriogenology 77: 311-319, 2012.
11. Findlay VJ, Turner DP, Yordy JS, McCarragher B, Shriver MR, Szalai G, Watson PM, Larue AC, Moussa O, Watson DK: Prostate-Derived ETS Factor Regulates Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition through Both SLUG-Dependent and Independent Mechanisms. Genes & Cancer 2(2):120-9, 2011.
12. Yang G, Veres M, Szalai G, Zhang A, Xu LX and He X.: Biotransport Phenomena in Freezing Mammalian Oocytes. Annals of Biomedical Engineering 39(1):580-91, 2011.
13. Asano Y, Stawski L, Hant F, Highland K, Silver R, Szalai G, Watson DK, Trojanowska M.: Endothelial Fli1 deficiency impairs vascular homeostasis: a role in scleroderma vasculopathy. American Journal of Pathology. 176(4):1983-98, 2010.
14. Ryan, K and Szalai G: A Model for Understanding Epilepsy in Peromyscus. Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Sciences. 8(1):14-20, 2010
15. Csiszar A, Labinskyy N, Mukhopadhyay P, Toth J, Szalai G, Veres M, Pacher P, Podlutsky A, Austad S, Ungvari Z: Longevity is associated with increased vascular resistance to high glucose-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory gene expression in P. leucopus. American Journal of Physiology Heart and Circulation Physiology,296(4):H946-5, 2009.
16. Asano Y, Markiewicz M, Kubo M, Szalai G, Watson DK, Trojanowska M.: Transcription factor Fli1 regulates collagen fibrillogenesis in mouse skin. Molecular Cell Biology. 29: 425-34, 2009.
17. Szalai, G., Veres, M., Duester, G., Lawther, R., Lockhart, M., and Felder, M. R. Tissue expression pattern of class 2 and class 5 genes found in the Adh1-complex on mouse chromosome 3. Biochemical Genetics, 46(11-12):685-95, 2008.
18. Szalai, G., LaRue, AC. and Watson, DK: Molecular mechanisms of megakaryopoiesis. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 63: 2460-72, 2006.
19. Pang, L., Xue, H-H., Szalai, G., Wang, X., Wang, Y., Watson, DK., Leonard, WJ., Blobel, GA., Poncz, M.: Maturation stage-specific regulation of megakaryopoiesis by pointed-domain Ets proteins. Blood, 108, 2198-2206, 2006.
20. Jackers P, Szalai G, Moussa O, Watson DK: Ets-dependent regulation of target gene expression during megakaryopoiesis. Journal of Biological Chemisry, 279: 52183 52190, 2004.

Complete List of Published Work in MyBibliography: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/gabor.szalai.1/bibliography/47385145/public/?sort=date&direction=ascending