Ken Field

Educational Background

• B.S., University of Vermont
• Ph.D., Cornell University
• Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of California, San Francisco

Teaching Interests

• Immunology
• Biology for non-science majors
• Cell Biology
• Cancer Biology

Research Interests

• Immune responses in bats 
       -- North American bats affected by white-nose syndrome
       -- Hibernation and immune responses
       -- Zoonotic diseases in bats

• Farnesyltransferase inhibitor effects on immune function in mice.

Lab website

Recent Activities

INVITED PRESENTATIONS (PAST 5 YEARS)

• "The immunological response to the fungal pathogen (Pseudogymnoascus destructans) that causes the deadly white-nose syndrome in bats," Infectious Diseases of Bats Symposium. Colorado State University, 2014.
• "Quantitative PCR to measure immune responses in bats affected by white-nose syndrome," Research Coordination Network in EcoimmunologyMarine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole,Massachusetts, 2014.
• "Anti-fungal immune responses to Pseudogymnoasces destructans in bats affected by white-nose syndrome," Immunology 2014, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2014.
• "Immune responses against Geomyces destructans vary between species," Plenary Speaker, 6th Annual White-Nose Syndrome Workshop, Boise, Idaho, 2013.
• "Immune responses in hibernating bats," Invited speaker, 16th International Bat Research Conference/43rd North American Symposium on Bat Research, San Jose, Costa Rica, 2013.
• "The effect of temperature and infectious dose on white-nose syndrome in captive Myotis lucifugus," Northeast Regional White-Nose Syndrome Meeting/Webinar, Webinar Presentation, Hadley, Massachusetts, 2013.
• "Species-specific differences in immune responses to Gd and the possible role of oxidative stress in the development of WNS," Northeast Regional White-Nose Syndrome Meeting/Webinar, Webinar Presentation, Hadley, Massachusetts, 2013.
• "Academic teaching careers," Panelist, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 2013.
• "Cytokine release syndrome causes expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in mice," Oral Presentation, Regulatory Myeloid Cells: An International Immunopharmacology Conference, Washington, DC, 2010.
• "Farnesyltransferase inhibitors can alter T cell polarization during an alloreactive immune response in mice," Oral Presentation, European Congress of Immunology, Berlin, Germany, 2009. 
• "Immunomodulation by farnesyltransferase inhibitors," Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Gosselies, Belgium, 2009.

POSTER PRESENTATIONS (PAST 5 YEARS)

• K. Field, S. Reeder^*✝, E. Rogers^*✝, J. McMichael^✝, L. Sigler^*, M. Vodzak^*, M. Moore, J. Johnson, D. Reeder, "Anti-fungal Immune Responses to Pseudogymnoasces destructans in bats affected by white-nose syndrome," American Association of Immunologists Annual Meeting, 2014.
• M. Hayes^*✝, J. McMichael^✝, C. Dieck^*, A. Gaylo^*, E. Batzel^*, K. Melgar^*, and K. Field, "Do farnesyltransferase inhibitors modulate immune responses by blocking cytokine secretion from alloreactive T cells?"American Association of Immunologists Annual Meeting, 2014.
• J. Johnson, K. Field, J. McMichael, M. Meierhofer^*, D. Stern^*, D. Reeder, "The effect of temperature and infectious dose on white-nose syndrome in captive Myotis lucifugus," 6th Annual White-nose Syndrome Workshop, 2013. 
• D. Reeder, M. Vodzak^*, K. Field, "Ecoimmunology in flight: preliminary studies of biodiversity, disease ecology and immunity in Old World Fruit Bats," Joint meeting of the Research Coordination Network in Ecoimmunology and the DFG Priority Program (Germany) in Host-Parasite Coevolution, 2013.
• J. Johnson, K. Field, J. McMichael, M. Meierhofer^*, D. Stern^*, D. Reeder, "The effect of temperature and infectious dose on white-nose syndrome in captive Myotis lucifugus," 16th International Bat Research Conference/43rd North American Symposium on Bat Research, 2013.

• M. Moore, K. Field, M. Behr, G. Turner, M. Furze^*, D. Stern^*, P. Allegra^*, W. Frick, J. Foster, M. Kilpatrick, S. Brownlee^*, C. Musante^*, M. Vodzak^*,  M. Biron^*, M. Meierhofer^*, J. Johnson, D. Reeder, "Immune responses to Geomyces destructans vary between species exhibiting differential white-nose syndrome population declines," 93rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists, 2013. 
• K. Field, J. McMichael^*, C. Dieck^*, M. Hayes^*, A. Gaylo^*, E. Batzel^*, K. Melgar^* "Differential effects of farnesyltransferase inhibitors on cytokine secretion from CD4+ T cell subsets in mice," American Association of Immunologists Annual Meeting, 2013.
• D. M. Reeder, M. E. Vodzak^*, and K. A. Field, "Seasonal, social, and species-specific differences in immune competence in fruit bats: Field and captive observations," 3rd Berlin Bat Meeting: Bats in the Anthropocene, 2013. 
• D. M. Reeder, M. S. Moore, J. A. Johnson, S. A. Brownlee-Bouboulis^*, L. A. Grieneisen^*, C. D. Musante^*, M. B. Meierhofer^*, and K. A. Field, "Using our knowledge of how Geomyces destrucatans kills bats to understand species differences in the susceptibility to White-nose Syndrome," 3rd Berlin Bat Meeting: Bats in the Anthropocene, 2013.
• J. McMichael^*✝ and K. A. Field, "Cytokine gene expression and lymphocyte expansion during graft rejection in mice," Society for Integrative Biology, 2013.
• D. M. Reeder, M. S. Moore, G. G. Turner, M. Furze^*, P. Allegra^*, S. A. Brownlee^*, C. D. Musante^*, M. E. Vodzak^*, M. Biron^*, M. B. Meierhofer^* and K. A. Field, "Is Eptesicus fuscus the Super Bat? Understanding species differences in the response to white-nose syndrome," North American Symposium on Bat Research, 2012. 
• M. E. Vodzak^*✝, D. M. Reeder, and K. A. Field, "Ecoimmunology in bats: Lessons from the field and laboratory," North American Society for Bat Research, 2012. Received the 'Basically Bats, Wildlife Conservation Society Award' for excellent student poster presentation. 
• D. M. Reeder and K. A. Field, "Understanding WNS Survivors: Exploring Resilience and Resistance to Variable Levels of Geomyces destructans Exposure in the Context of Mitigation and Conservation," White-nose Syndrome Symposium, 2012.
• K. A. Field, M. Moore, M. Furze^*, P. Allegra^*, C. Musante^*, M. Vodzak^*, D. Heitzman, and D. Reeder, "Methods to measure immunological responses in bats," Research Coordination Network in Ecoimmunology, 2012.
• D. M. Reeder, M. E. Vodzak^*, M. S. Moore, L. E. Grieneisen^*, S. A. Brownlee^*, and K. A. Field, "Ecoimmunology and Disease Ecology in Bats – Fledgling Studies in the Field and Laboratory", Research Coordination Network in Ecoimmunology, 2012. 
• M. S. Moore, D. Heitzman, M. Furze^*, P. Allegra^*, S. A. Brownlee^*, C. D. Musante^*, M. E. Vodzak^*, P. M. Mancuso, M. B. Meierhofer^*, M. E. Biron^*, K. A. Field, G. G. Turner, C. K. R. Willis, and D. M. Reeder, "Immunological responses to Geomyces destructans in experimentally infected little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown bats (Eptesicusfuscus)", Research Coordination Network in Ecoimmunology, 2012.
• M. S. Moore, E. L. Buckles, K. A. Field, J. Reichard, D. M. Reeder, T. H. Kunz, "Synthesis of WNS immune function studies: 2008 to the present and beyond," North American Symposium on Bat Research, 2011.
• C. D. Musante^*, M. S. Moore, A. Menzies^*, K. A. Field, C. K. R. Willis, D. M. Reeder, "Variability and inter-relatedness of survival traits among captive Eptesicus fuscus," North American Symposium on Bat Research, 2011. Received the 'Avinet Award' for excellent poster presentation.
• K. A. Field, E. J. Crosby^*, A. E. Gaylo^*, and D. A. Heitzman, "Effects of farnesyltransferase inhibitors on T cell cytokine secretion and polarization," FASEB Summer Research Conference on Protein Lipidation, Signaling and Membrane Domains, 2011. 
• N. Van Rompaey, L.-M. Charbonnier, C. Kubjak, P. Lemaitre, B. Vokaer, V. De Wilde, O. Leo, A. Le Moine, and K. A. Field, "Cytokine Release Syndrome Causes Expansion of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Mice," Regulatory Myeloid Cells Meeting, 2010.
• E. J. Batzel^*, A. Gaylo^*, and K. A. Field, "Farnesyltransferase inhibitors can alter T cell polarization during an alloreactive immune response in mice," Oral Presentation, European Congress of Immunology, Berlin, Germany, 2009.

Selected Publications

^*Denotes Bucknell Student Author

C. Sadis, S. Detienne, B. Vokaer, L.-M. Charbonnier, P. Lemaître, C. Spilleboudt, S. Delbauve, C. Kubjak, V.Flamand, K. A. Field, F. S. Benghiat, A. Le Moine "The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway prevents TLR-induced skin allograft rejection in mice,"PLoS ONE 8:11, e79984, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079984 (2013)

P. H. Lemaître, B. Vokaer, L.-M. Charbonnier, Y. Iwakura, K. A. Field, M. Estenne, M. Goldman, O. Leo, M. Remmelink, A. Le Moine, "Cyclosporine A drives a Th17- and Th2-mediated post-transplantobliterative airway disease," American J. of Transplantation 13:3, 611–620, DOI: 10.1111/ajt.12067 (2013)

L.-M. Charbonnier, B. Vokaer, P. H. Lemaître, K. A. Field, O. Leo, A. LeMoine, "CTLA4-Ig Restores Rejection of MHC Class-II Mismatched Allografts by Disabling IL-2-Expanded Regulatory T Cells," American J. of Transplantation 12:9, 2313–21 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2012.04184.x (2012)

B. Vokaer, N. Van Rompaey, P. H. Lemaître, F. Lhommé, C. Kubjak, F. S. Benghiat, Y. Iwakura, M. Petein, K. A. Field, M. Goldman, A. Le Moine, and L. M.Charbonnier, "Critical Role of Regulatory T Cells in Th17-Mediated Minor Antigen-Disparate Rejection," J. of Immunology 185: 3417-3425 DOI:10.4049/jimmunol.0903961 (2010).

A. E. Gaylo^*, K. S. Laux^*, E. J.Batzel^*, M. E. Berg^*, and K. A. Field, "Delayed rejection of MHC class II-disparate skin allografts in mice treated with farnesyltransferase inhibitors," Transplant Immunology 20:3 163-170 DOI:10.1016/j.trim.2008.09.011 (2009).

Y. Refaeli, R. M. Young, B. C. Turner, J. Duda, K. A. Field, and J. M. Bishop, "The B-cell antigen receptor and overexpression of MYC can cooperate in the genesis of B-cell lymphomas," PLoS Biology 6:6 e152 doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060152 (2008).

K. A. Field, S. Charoenthongtrakul^*, J. M. Bishop, and Y. Refaeli, "Farnesyl transferase inhibitors induce extended remissions in transgenic mice with mature B cell lymphomas," Molecular Cancer 7:39 (2008).

Y. Refaeli, K. A. Field, B. C. Turner, A.Trumpp, and J. M. Bishop, "The proto-oncogene MYC can break B cell tolerance," Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 102, 4097-4102 (2005).

See a full list of publications

MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION

^*Denotes Bucknell Student Author

J. S. Johnson, D.M. Reeder, J. W. McMichael, M. B.Meierhofer^*, D. W. F. Stern^*, S. S. Lumadue*, L. E. Sigler^*, H. D. Winters^*, M. E. Vodzak^*, A.Kurta, J. A. Kath, and K. A. Field, "Host, pathogen, and environmental characteristics predict white-nose syndrome mortality in captive little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus)," in review at PLoS ONE.

M. S. Moore, K. A. Field, M. J. Behr, G. G. Turner, M. E. Furze^*, D. W. F. Stern*, P. R. Allegra^*, S. A. Brownlee^*, C. D.Musante^*, M. E. Vodzak^*, M. E.Biron^*, M. B. Meierhofer^*, J. S. Johnson, W. F. Frick, A. M. Kilpatrick, J. T. Foster, and D. M. Reeder, "Physiological responses to the white-nose syndrome fungal pathogen differ between bat species exhibiting variable population declines," in preparation to be submitted to Proc. Royal Society B.

J. S. Johnson, D.M. Reeder, T. Lilley, G.Á. Czirják, C. Voight, J.W. McMichael III, M.B.Meierhofer^*, S.S. Lumadue^*, A.J.Altmann^*, M.A. Toro^*, and K.A. Field, "Antibodies to Pseudogymnoascus destructans are not sufficient for protection against white-nose syndrome," in preparation to be submitted to Ecology Letters.

Grants and Awards

• US Fish and Wildlife Service Grant, "Physiological changes in remnant bat populations in WNS-affected areas," $349,000, Co-PI with Dr. DeeAnn Reeder (Bucknell University), 2014-2016.
• Dean's Fellow, Bucknell University, $18,000, 2014-2017.
• US Fish and Wildlife Service Grant, "Understanding WNS Survivors: Exploring Resilience and Resistance to Variable Levels of Geomyces destructans Exposure in the Context of Mitigation and Conservation," $290,000, Co-PI with PI Dr. DeeAnn Reeder (Bucknell University), 2012-2014.
• NIH R15 Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) Grant, "Farnesyl-transferase Inhibitors: Cancer and Immunity," $220,000, 2009-2013.

Pending Grant Applications

• National Science Foundation, Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI), "Immunity in Bats Exposed to Pseudogymnoascus destructans," PI with Co-PI Dr. DeeAnn Reeder (Bucknell University).
• National Institutes of Health, Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Award (R21), "Transcriptomics of immunity and disease in African fruit bats- important zoonotic reservoirs,"Co-PI with Dr. DeeAnn Reeder (Bucknell University).