Office: Weyandt 316
E-mail: TSimmons@iup.edu
Telephone: 724-357-4898
Office Hours
Visit Dr. Simmons’ homepage.
Education
B.A. Zoology – State University of New York at Oswego
B.A. Biology – State University of New York at Oneonta
Ph.D. Biology – St. John’s University, New York
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Toxicology – University of Rochester School of Medicine
Field
Medical Entomology and Zoonoses, Environmental Toxicology, Water Pollution Biology
Interests
My laboratory is beginning studies on the ecology of mosquitoes and ticks that vector human pathogens (e.g., agents of West Nile virus, Lyme disease, babesiosis and anaplasmosis). Specifically, we are investigating parasitic relationships between water mites and mosquitoes, health risks posed by mosquitoes breeding in illegal dumps, and the phenology and distribution of black-legged ticks, as well as the infection prevalence of disease agents in these ticks and their hosts.
My laboratory is completing studies on the environmental significance of nitrate as a contaminant and pollutant. Specifically, we investigated the health risks posed by nitrate contamination of drinking water in an agrarian Amish community, the effects of nitrite on hemoglobin/methemoglobin dynamics in aquatic chironomid-midge larvae, and the effects of nitrite on early zebrafish development.
In the past, my laboratory studied the pollution biology of acid mine drainage. Specifically, we investigated the toxicity of acid mine drainage components to chironomids and water mites, and water mite parasitism of stoneflies in the headwaters of an acid mine a drainage-impacted watershed.
Publications
Kirkhoff, C., Simmons, T.W., Hutchinson, M. (2013). Adult mosquitoes parasitized by larval water mites in Pennsylvania, USA. Journal of Parasitology 99: 31 - 39.
Simmons, A.E., Karimi, I, Talwar, M., Simmons, T.W. (2012). Effects of nitrite on development of embryos and early larval stages of the zebrafish (Danio rerio). Zebrafish 9: 200 - 206.
Yasick, A.L., Simmons, T.W., Earle, J.I. (2003). Parasitic water mite larvae (Acari: Stygothrombidiidae) associated with stonefly adults (Insecta: Plecoptera) from an Allegheny mountain stream. Pages 323-330. In, Smith, I.M. (Editor)An acarological tribute to David R. Cook: From Yankee Springs to Wheeny Creek. Indira Publishing House, West Bloomfield, MI. 331 pp.
Adams, W., Davis, T., Rossignol, A., Silverman, G., Simmons, T., Smith, G., Stern, B. (2001). Undergraduate environmental health education: Preparing for the future. Journal of Environmental Health, 63(7):27-31.
Rousch, J.M., Simmons, T.W., Kerans, B.L., Smith, B.P. (1997). Relative acute effects of low pH and high iron on the hatching and survival of the water mite, Arrenurus manubriator and aquatic insect, Chironomus riparius. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 16:2144-2150.
Ballatori, N., Simmons, T.W., Boyer, J.L. (1994). A volume-activated taurine channel in skate hepatocytes: Membrane polarity and role of intracellular ATP. American Journal of Physiology, 267:G285-G291.
Simmons, T.W., Anders, M.W., Ballatori, N. (1992). Transport of cysteine and S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine in rat liver canalicular membrane vesicles: Potential reabsorption mechanisms for biliary metabolites of glutathione and its S-conjugates. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 262:1182-1188.
Simmons, T.W., Hinchman, C.A., Ballatori, N. (1991). Polarity of hepatic glutathione and glutathione S-conjugate efflux, and intraorgan mercapturic acid formation in the skate. Biochemical Pharmacology, 42:2221-2228
Hinchman, C.A., Matsumoto, H., Simmons, T.W., Ballatori, N. (1991). Intrahepatic conversion of a glutathione conjugate to its mercapturic acid: metabolism of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene in isolated perfused rat and guinea pig livers. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 266:22179-22185
Simmons, T.W., Moseley, R.H., Boyer, J.L., Ballatori, N. (1990). Modulation of Na+-alanine cotransport in liver sinusoidal membrane vesicles by internal divalent cations. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1023: 462-468
Simmons, T.W., Jamall, I.S., Lockshin, R.A. (1989). Selenium modulates peroxidation in the absence of glutathione peroxidase in the housefly, Musca domestica. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 165: 158-159
Simmons, T.W., Jamall, I.S., Lockshin, R.A. (1989). Selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase activity associated with glutathione S-transferase from the housefly, Musca domestica. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 94B: 323-327.
Simmons, T.W., Jamall, I.S. (1989) Relative importance of glutathione peroxidase and catalase in vivo for prevention of peroxidation to the heart. Cardiovascular Research, 23: 774-779.
Simmons, T.W., Jamall, I.S., Lockshin, R.A. (1988). Accumulation, distribution and toxicity of selenium in the adult housefly, Musca domestica. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 91C: 559-563
Simmons, T.W., Jamall, I.S. (1988). Significance of alterations in hepatic antioxidant enzymes: Primacy of glutathione peroxidase. Biochemical Journal, 251: 913-917.
Simmons, T.W., Jamall, I.S., Lockshin, R.A. (1987). The effect of selenium deficiency on peroxidative injury in the housefly, Musca domestica: A role for glutathione peroxidase. FEBS Letters, 218: 251-254.
Simmons, T.W. (1987). Description of adults of the water mite Tiphys lamina n. sp. (Prostigmata: Tiphysinae) from the Long Island pine barrens, NY, USA. International Journal of Toxicology, 13: 131-133.
Simmons, T.W. (1985). New water mite (Prostigmata: Parasitengona) - chironomid (Diptera) associations from Otsego Lake, New York. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 93: 1275-1276.
Simmons, T.W., Smith, I.M. (1984). Morphology of larvae, deutonymphs, and adults of the water mite Najadicola ingens (Prostigmata: Parasitengona: Hygrobatoidea) with remarks on phylogenetic relationships and revision of taxonomic placement of Najadicolinae. Canadian Entomologist., 116: 691-701.
