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Jason C . Bartz, PhD

Associate Dean, Academic and Faculty Affairs

Professor

Jason Bartz

Contact

jbartz@creighton.edu
School of Medicine
Med Microbiology & Immunology
Medical Microbiology and Immunology (Doctorate)
Medical Microbiology and Immunology (Master of Science)
Neuroscience (Master of Science)
Graduate School
SOM Leadership
SOM Academic Faculty Affairs
CRISS II - Criss 2

Jason C . Bartz, PhD

Associate Dean, Academic and Faculty Affairs

Professor

Examples of the most recent publications can be obtained from this PubMed link
 

Teaching Interests

  • Prion disease

Research Focus

Prion diseases are a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases that affect humans (e.g. Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease) and animals (e.g. chronic wasting disease). Prion diseases have long subclinical incubation periods of months to decades with a short clinical phase that is characterized by the onset of behavioral, cognitive or motor deficits. Deposition of the abnormal isoform of the prion protein, PrPSc is pathognomonic for prion diseases and its deposition in the central nervous system (CNS) results in neuronal loss and onset of clinical symptoms. PrPSc is an amyloid protein that is resistant to proteolytic degradation and is postranslationally derived from the protease sensitive non-amyloid host encoded prion protein, PrPC. Outside of the CNS, PrPSc deposition occurs in the peripheral nervous system and secondary lymphoreticular system (LRS) tissues such as spleen and lymph nodes. All prion diseases of animals and a majority of prion diseases in humans are due to prion exposure by a peripheral route (e.g. ingestion). Details of the mechanism(s) of prion transport to the CNS are poorly understood. To better define prion transport to the CNS my lab is investigating three areas of prion pathogenesis. First, we are exploring alternative routes of prion entry into the host in an attempt to better define the possible routes that prions can gain access to the CNS. Second, we are investigating the role of the innate immune system in processing and transport of prions to secondary LRS tissues. Finally, we are interested in factors that influence susceptibility of neurons to prion infection and/or replication. The understanding of routes and mechanisms of prion transport will enhance the future development of therapeutic interventions to prevent prion spread to the CNS.

Department

Med. Microbiology & Immunology

Position

Professor

Articles

  • PLoS Pathogens
    Block, A.J., Shikiya, R.A., Eckland, T.E., Kincaid, A.E., Walters, R.W., Ma, J. and Bartz, J.C. , Efficient interspecies transmission of synthetic prions. 2021
  • Acta Neuropathologica
    Bartz, J.C. , Bartz, J.C. Environmental and host factors that contribute to prion strain evolution. 2021
  • mSphere
    Shikiya, R.A., Kincaid, A.E., Bartz, J.C.* and Bourret, T.J. , Shikiya, R.A., Kincaid, A.E., Bartz, J.C.* and Bourret, T.J. Failure to detect prion infectivity in ticks following prion-infected blood meal. *co-corresponding author
    5(5) 2020
  • Journal of Biomolecular Structure & Dynamics
    Soto, P., Claflin, I.A., Bursott, A.L., Schwab-McCoy, A.D. and Bartz, J.C. , 5. Soto, P., Claflin, I.A., Bursott, A.L., Schwab-McCoy, A.D. and Bartz, J.C. Cellular prion protein gene polymorphisms linked to differential scrapie susceptibility correlate with distinct residue connectivity between secondary structure elements. , p. 1-11 2020
  • Journal of Biological Chemistry
    Kanga, H-E., Biana, J., Kanea, S.J., Kima, S., Selwyna, V., Crowella, J., Bartz, J.C. and Glenn C. Telling. , Kanga, H-E., Biana, J., Kanea, S.J., Kima, S., Selwyna, V., Crowella, J., Bartz, J.C. and Glenn C. Telling. Incomplete glycosylation during prion infection unmasks a prion protein epitope that facilitates prion detection and strain discrimination
    295(30), p. 1042010433 2020
  • Journal of Clinical Investigation
    Bartz, J.C. , Bartz, J.C. Underglycosylated Prion protein modulates plaque formation in the brain 2020
  • mSphere
    Holec, S.A.M., Yuan, Q. and Bartz, J.C. (2019). Alteration of prion strain emergence by non-host factors. 
    Oct 9;4(5), p. e00630-19 2019
  • Journal of Biological Chemistry
    Matthew E.C. Bourkas1,2, Hamza Arshad1,2, Zaid A.M. Al-Azzawi1,2, Ondrej Halgas2, Ronald A. Shikiya4, Mohadeseh Mehrabian1,3, Gerold Schmitt-Ulms1,3, Jason C. Bartz4, and Joel C. Watts1,2,* Engineering a murine cell line for the stable propagation of hamster prions.
    Mar 29;294(13), p. 4911-4923 2019
  • Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease
    Sigurdson, C.J., Bartz, J.C. and Glatzel, M. (2019). Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Prion Disease. Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease. 
    Jan 24;14, p. 497-516 2019
  • PLoS Pathogens
    Eckland, T.E., Shikiya, R.A. and Bartz, J.C.Independent amplification of co-infected long incubation period low conversion efficiency prion strains. PLoS Pathogens, In Press.
    Oct 18;14(10), p. e1007323 2018
  • Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces
    Phan, H.T.M., Bartz, J.C.,Ayers, J.A., Giasson, B.I., Schubert, M., Rodenhausen, K.B., Kananizadeh, N., Li, Y. and Bartelt-Hunt, S. (2018). Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. Jun 1;166:98-107
    Jun 1;166, p. 98-107 2018
  • Journal of Virology
    Yuan, Q., Telling, G., Bartelt-Hunt, S.L.and Bartz, J.C.(2018). Dehydration of prions on environmentally relevant surfaces protects them from inactivation by freezing and thawing.J Virol. Mar 28;92(8). pii: e02191-17. PMID: 29386284
    Mar 28;92(8), p. pii: e02191-17 2018
  • Prion
    Haley, N.J., Richt, J.A., Davenport, K.A., Henderson, D.M., Hoover, E.A., Manca, M., Caughey, B., Marthaler, D., Bartz, J.C.and Gilch, S. (2018). Design, implementation, and interpretation of amplification studies for prion detection. Prion. Mar 4;12(2):73-82. 
    Mar 4;12(2), p. 73-82 2018
  • Elsevier
    Diack, A.B. and Bartz, J.C.(2018). Experimental models of human prion disease and prion strains.  In Handbook of Clinical Neurology”. Ed. Pocchiari, M. and Manson, J. Elsevier, Oxford UK, pp. 69-84., p. pp. 69-84 2018
  • Journal of Immunology
    Kane, S.J., Farley, T.K., Gordon, E.O., Estep, J., Bender, H.R., Moreno, J.A., Bartz, J.C.,Telling, G.C., Pickering, M.C. and Zabel, M.D. (2017). Complement regulatory protein factor H is a soluble prion receptor that potentiates peripheral prion pathogenesis. J Immunol. Dec 1;199(11):3821-3827. PMID: 29070671. 
    Dec 1;199(11):, p. 3821-3827 2017
  • Cold Spring Harbor Press
    Prion Strain Diversity. Jason C. Bartz In "Prion Diseases" Ed. Stanly B. Prusiner, p. pp. 31-44 2017
  • PLoS Pathogens
    PrPSc formation and clearance as determinants of prion tropism. Ronald A. Shikiya1, Katie A. Langenfeld1, Thomas Eckland1, Jonathan Trinh1, Alan M. Elder2, Candace K. Mathiason2, Anthony E. Kincaid1,3 and Jason C. Bartz1*
    Mar 29;13(3):, p. e1006298 2016
  • Journal of Virology
    Specificity, Size, and Frequency of Spaces That Characterize the Mechanism of Bulk Transepithelial Transport of Prions in the Nasal Cavities of Hamsters and Mice. Kincaid, AE, Ayers, JI and Jason C. Bartz
    90 (18), p. 8293-8301 2016
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
    Prion replication without host adaptation during interspecies transmissions. Jifeng Bian1, Vadim Khaychuk1†, Kristi Bowling2, ‡, Rachel Angers2, Natalia Fernández-Borges3, Enric Vidal4, Crystal Reid Myerett1, Sehun Kim1, Carla Calvi1, Jason Bartz5, Ed Hoover1, Umberto Agrimi6, Jürgen A. Richt7¶, Joaquín Castilla3,8, and Glenn Telling1,*
    Jan 31;114(5, p. 1141-1146 2016
  • PLoS Pathogens
    From slow viruses to Prions. Jason C. Bartz
    12 (7), p. e1005543 2016
  • Journal of Virology
    Incongruity between Prion Conversion and Incubation Period following Confection. Langenfeld KA, Shikiya RA, Kincaid AE and Jason C. Bartz
    90 (12), p. 5715-5723 2016
  • PLoS One
    Investigation of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) Attachment onto Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs) Using Combinatorial Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D) and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE), Hanh T. M. Phan, Shannon Bartelt-Hunt , Keith B. Rodenhausen, Mathias Schubert and Jason C. Bartz
    10.1371, p. 0141282 2015
  • PLoS One
    Investigation of Bovine Serum Albumin Attachment Onto Self-Assembled Monolayers Using Combinatorial Quartz Crystal Microbalance With Dissipation and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry. Hanh T.M. Phan, Shannon Bartelt-Hunt, Keith B. Rodenhausen, Mathias Schubert and Jason C. Bartz.
    10 (10), p. e0117935 2015
  • Journal of Virology
    Immediate and Ongoing Detection of Prions in the Blood of Hamsters and Deer following Oral, Nasal, or Blood Inoculations. Elder AM, Henderson DM, Nalls AV, Hoover EA, Kincaid AE, Bartz, JC and Candace K. Mathiason
    89 (14), p. 7421-7424 2015
  • Journal of Virology
    Immediate and ongoing detection of prions in the blood of hamsters and deer following oral, nasal, or blood inoculations. Elder AM, Henderson DM, Nalls AV, Hoover EA, Kincaid AE, Bartz JC, Mathiason CK.
    Jul;89(14), p. 7421-4 2015
  • Springer Publishing
    Prion Diseases. E. Belay and J. Bartz, In ”Viral Infections of Humans” Eds, R. Kaslow, L. Stanberry and J. LeDuc.
    5th Edition, p. 1165-1186 2015
  • PLoS One
    Nasal associated lymphoid tissue of the Syrian golden hamster expresses high levels of PrPC. Clouse MD, Shikiya RA, Bartz JC, Kincaid AE.
    10(2) 2015
  • PLoS Pathogens
    Mitigation of prion infectivity and conversion capacity by a simulated natural process--repeated cycles of drying and wetting. Yuan Q, Eckland T, Telling G, Bartz J, Bartelt-Hunt S.
    11(2) 2015
  • Prion
    Prion formation, but not clearance, is supported by protein misfolding cyclic amplification. Shikiya RA, Eckland TE, Young AJ, Bartz JC.
    8(6), p. 415-420 2014
  • PLoS One
    In vitro detection of prionemia in TSE-infected cervids and hamsters. Elder AM1, Henderson DM, Nalls AV, Wilham JM, Caughey BW, Hoover EA, Kincaid AE, Bartz JC, Mathiason CK.
    Nov 1;8(11):e80203. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080203 2013
  • Springer Publishing
    Prion strain interference. Schutt, C.R., Shikiya, R.A., and Bartz, J.C. 2013
  • Not Applicable
    The influence of soil attachment on the biologic properties of the prion protein. S.L. Bartelt-Hunt, Sauders, S.E. and Bartz, J.C. 2013
  • Not Applicable
    Prions in the Environment. Bartelt-Hunt, S.L., and Bartz, J.C. and Saunders, S.E. 2013
  • Journal of Virology
    Interspecies transmission of chronic wasting disease prions to squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus). Marsh, R.F., Kincaid, A.E., Bessen, R.A. and Bartz, J.C.
    79, p. 13794-13796 2005
  • Journal of inorganic biochemistry
    Safety and Toxicological Evaluation of a Novel Niacin-Bound Chromium (III) Complex. Shara, M., Yasmin, T., Kincaid, A.E., Limpach, A.L., Bartz, J.C., Brenneman, K.A., Chatterjee, A., Bagchi, M., Stohs, S.J. and Bagchi, D.
    99 (11), p. 2161-2183 2005
  • Journal of Virology
    Extraneural prion neuroinvasion without lymphoreticular system infection. Bartz, J.C., , Crista DeJoia, C., Tucker, T., Kincaid, A.E., and Bessen,, R.A.
    79, p. 11858-11863 2005
  • Journal of Virology
    Detection of PrPSc in skeletal muscle and papillae of the tongue.
    78, p. 6792-6798 2005
  • Journal of General Virology
    Delay in onset of prion disease for the HY strain of transmissible mink encephalopathy by prior peripheral inoculation with the replication deficient DY strain. Bartz, J.C., Aiken, J.M. and Bessen, R.A.
    85, p. 265-273 2004
  • Journal of Virology
    Rapid prion neuroinvasion following tongue infection
    77, p. 583-591 2004
  • Acta Neuropathologica
    Bartz, J.C., Environmental and host factors that contribute to prion strain evolution -0001

Publications

  • Prion
    Restricted propagation of sheep scrapie in hamsters. Shikiya RA, Soto PA, Young, A and Jason C. Bartz 2016
  • Prion
    Prion strain interference is a common property of prions. Katie Langenfeld and Jason Bartz 2015
  • Prion
    Conformational dynamics of the cellular prion protein. Patricia Soto1, Natalie Bui2, Margaret Carter3, Roger Gonzales3, William Graft4, Angela Lax3, Chad Nieri3, Bo Zhao1, and Jason Bartz5 2015
  • Prion
    The prion protein in chemosensitive cells of the carotid body in uninfected and infected hamsters Anthony Kincaid, Melissa Clouse, Albert Lorenzo, and Jason Bartz 2015
  • Prion
    Non-adaptive prion amplification (NAPA): Interspecies prion propagation liberated from the constraints of species- specific PrP primary structure Jifeng Bian1, Vadim Khaychuk1, Jason Bartz2, Joaquin Castila3, Sehun Kim1, and Glenn Telling1 2015
  • Prion
    Prion soil binding may explain efficient horizontal CWD transmission Nathaniel Denkers1, Davin Henderson1, Shannon Bartelt-Hunt2, Jason Bartz3, and Edward Hoover1 2015
  • Not Applicable
    Detecting the temporal status of prionemia in transmissible spongiform encephalopathy-infected hosts Alan Elder1, Davin Henderson1, Amy Nalls1, Kristen Davenport1, Anthony Kincaid2, Edward Hoover1, Jason Bartz2, and Candace Mathiason1 2015
  • Prion
    Mitigation of prion infectivity and conversion capacity by a simulated natural process—repeated cycles of drying and wetting Qi Yuan2,*, Thomas Eckland2, Glenn Telling3, Jason Bartz2, and Shannon Bartelt-Hunt1 2015

Presentations

  • "The environmental fate of prions" Rocky Mountain Virology Meeting, Ft. Collins Colorado 2015
  • Prion strain tropism - NeuroPrion 2015 2015
  • University of Nebraska Medical Center - Prion disease lecture for Pharmacology 930 2015
  • University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Prion disease lecture for Viral Pathogenesis graduate student class 2014
  • University of Nebraska: The biology of prion diseases 2014
  • Iowa State University: Prion strain interference 2014
  • University of Nebraska: Prion strain interference 2014
  • Prion strain selection in the central nervous system University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. 2005
  • Prion strain selection United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Research Service. Ames, IA. 2005
  • Prion strain selection and targeting in the central nervous system Nebraska center for virology external advisory meeting. Lincoln, NE. 2005
  • Prion diseases of humans and animals Nebraska Infection Control Network 25th anniversary educational conference. Omaha NE. August 11-12, 2005. 2005
  • Sigurdson, C., Aguzzi, A., Hoover, E., MAthiason, C., Perrott, M., Glatzel, M., Bartz, J.C., Manco, G., Sprker, T. and Miller, M. (2005). Chronic wasting disease: across the species barrier. The Second International Chronic Wasting Disease Symposium. Madison WI. July 12-14, 2005. 2005
  • Ayers, J.A., Kincaid, A.E. and Bartz, J.C. (2005). Prion strain targeting. The Second International Chronic Wasting Disease Symposium. Madison WI. July 12-14, 2005. 2005
  • Prion strain selection in the central nervous system The Second International Chronic Wasting Disease Symposium. Madison WI. July 12-14, 2005. 2005
  • Prion pathogenesis AOAC International meeting and exposition. Kansas City, Missouri. 2005
  • Prion diseases of humans and animals Nebraska and Iowa Clinical Science Laboratory Meeting. Mid-America Center, Council Bluffs, IA. 2005
  • Prion strain targeting and competition in the central nervous system Department of Veterinary Science, South Dakota State University, Brookings SD. 2005
  • Interspecies transmission of prion diseases Creighton University Medicine 2005
  • “Interspecies transmission of prion diseases” Oklahoma State University, Stillwater OK. 2005
  • Interspecies transmission of prion diseases University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy Seminar Series, Omaha, NE. 2005
  • Prion diseases of humans and animals University of Nebraska Medical Center Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory Group, Omaha, NE. 2005
  • Kincaid, A.E, Kramer, M. and Bartz, J.C. (2005). Prion strain competition in the central nervous system. Keystone Symposia Molecular Mechanisms of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (Prion Diseases). Snowbird, UT. 2005
  • Interspecies transmission of prions Nebraska Infectious Disease Seminar. 2004
  • Prion competition in the central nervous system Animal prion diseases and the Americas, Ames IA. 2004
  • Prion strain targeting and competition Fourth annual Nebraska Center for Virology Symposium in Virology. University of Nebraska Lincoln. 2004
  • Interspecies transmission of prion diseases Chronic wasting disease / transmissible spongiform encephalopathy symposium, North Dakota Department of Agriculture, Bismarck, ND. 2004
  • "The Design of a Single Round Infectivity Assay for Mason-Pfizer Monkey Virus Using Green Fluorscing Protein" BRIN Student Jessica Hutter-Doane College 2004
  • "Interspecies Transmission of Prion Diseases" 2004
  • Interspecies transmission of prion diseases Creighton University Medical Center, Osteoporosis research center seminar. Omaha NE. 2004

Awards

  • University Research Award
    Creighton University
  • Young Investigator Award
    Creighton University
  • Richard F. Marsh Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Research
    University of Wisconsin