Department of Biochemistry
College of Medicine
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
417 Medical Sciences Building, MC-714
506 S. Mathews
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

Office phone: +1 217-265-4036
Lab phone: +1 217-265-5424
Fax: +1 217-265-5290

EDUCATION:

• High school diploma, Western High School, Anaheim, California (1971)
• B.S., Biology, cum laude, University of California, Irvine (1975)
• B.A., Chemistry, cum laude, University of California, Irvine (1975)
• M.S., Developmental Biology, University of California, Irvine (1975)
• Ph.D., Biology, University of California, San Diego (1980)

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE/POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING:

• 1973-1975, Combined B.S.-M.S. Program, Development Biology Department, University of California, Irvine; Irvine, CA (advisor: Gerald Greenhouse, Ph.D.)
• 1975-1976, Graduate Student, Biology Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Cambridge, MA (advisor: Howard Green, M.D.)
• 1977-1980, Graduate Student, Biology Department, University of California, San Diego; La Jolla, CA (advisor: William Loomis, Ph.D.)
• 1980-1981, Postdoctoral Fellow, Biology Department, University of California, San Diego; La Jolla, CA (advisor: William Loomis, Ph.D.)
• 1982-1983, Postdoctoral Fellow, Biochemistry Department, University of Oxford; Oxford, UK (advisor: Peter Newell, D.Phil.)
• 1983-1984, Senior Postdoctoral Fellow, Immunology Department, The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA (advisor: Thomas Edgington, M.D.)

FACULTY POSITIONS:

• 1984-1989, Assistant Member, Immunology Department, The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA
• 1989-1995, Associate Member, Cardiovascular Biology Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF); Oklahoma City, OK
• 1991-1997, OMRF Associate Professor of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC); Oklahoma City, OK
• 1995-2000, Member, Cardiovascular Biology Research Program, OMRF; Oklahoma City, OK
• 1997-2000, OMRF Professor of Pathology, OUHSC; Oklahoma City, OK
• 2000-present, Professor of Biochemistry, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign, IL

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

The research in my laboratory is focused on understanding how cells initiate and regulate the blood clotting cascade. The primary event regulating the initiation of clotting in both normal hemostasis and many thrombotic diseases is the exposure of the integral membrane protein, tissue factor (TF), to plasma. This results in the assembly of a two-subunit, membrane-bound enzyme complex consisting of TF (the regulatory subunit) and factor VIIa (a plasma serine protease). The TF:VIIa complex initiates the blood clotting cascade by activating factors IX and X via limited proteolysis. Pathologic TF expression is responsible for the life-threatening coagulopathies associated with sepsis and for the thrombogenicity of atherosclerotic plaques. Thus, the triggering event for myocardial infarction is the rupture or fissure of atheromas, exposing TF directly to the flowing blood and thereby initiating the formation of a thrombus.

Current research projects in the laboratory include analyses of the structure/function relationship of several blood clotting proteases and their protein cofactors, including TF, factor VII and factor X; biophysical studies of the assembly of the TF:VIIa complex on the membrane surface and the role of the membrane in catalysis. As a spinoff from this basic research, we are also working to develop improved diagnostic tests for identifying persons at risk of thrombotic disease, and Improved hemostatic agents to treat bleeding. We have also recently discovered that inorganic polyphosphate, which is secreted by activated platelets, is a potent modulator of blood clotting and fibrinolysis. We are currently investigating the mechanisms by which polyphosphate functions in the blood clotting cascade.

GRANTS:

• “Mechanisms of Clotting Factor Assembly,” (NHLBI) NIH grant R01 HL47014. Dates: 1-19-07 to 12-31-10, J.H. Morrissey, Principal Investigator.
• “Cellular and Molecular Biology Training Grant” (NIGMS) NIH grant T32 GM007283-33 7-1-07 to 6-30-12, J.H. Morrissey, Director.

HONORS, FELLOWSHIPS, AWARDS & NAMED LECTURES:

• 1981, Young Investigator Award, Society for Developmental Biology
• 1982-1983, Research Grant, Burroughs-Wellcome Fund (USA)
• 1982-1983, EMBO Long Term Fellowship
• 1983, Postdoctoral Fellowship, E.P. Abraham Research Fund
• 1982-1983, Junior Research Fellowship (nonstipendiary), Wolfson College, Oxford
• 1988-1993, Established Investigatorship, American Heart Association
• 1991, The Owren Lecture, University of Oslo, Norway
• 1992-2000, Fred Jones Distinguished Research Scientist, OMRF
• 1994, Thelma and Edward L. Gaylord Award for Scientific Excellence, OMRF
• 2006,Theodore Spaet Memorial Lecture, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• 2007, Alumni Discretionary Award, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, UIUC

TEACHING AWARDS & RECOGNITION

• 2007, Listed in “Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students,” by the UIUC Center for Teaching Excellence, for my teaching in Medical Biochemistry (BMS602/613)
• 2008, Listed in “Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students” for my teaching in Medical Biochemistry (BMS602/613) and in Current Topics in Biochemistry (BIOC 445)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

• 1987-present, Member, International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ISTH)
• 1989-present, Member, American Heart Association (AHA)
• 1993-present, Member, American Society of Hematology (ASH)
• 1998-present Member, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)

ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND OTHER SERVICE (Regional, National & International):

• 1993-1996, Member, Program Committee, AHA Council on Thrombosis
• 1994-1996, Member, Nominating Committee, AHA Council on Thrombosis
• 1995-1996, Leader, Tissue Factor Working Group, 6th International Workshop & Conference on Human Leukocyte Differentiation Antigens
• 1994-1998, Member, Board of Directors, AHA Oklahoma Affiliate
• 1994-1995, Vice President for Research, AHA Oklahoma Affiliate
• 1996-1997, President, AHA Oklahoma Affiliate
• 1997-1998, Vice President of Public Affairs, AHA Oklahoma Affiliate
• 1998, Member, Board of Directors, AHA Heartland Affiliate
• 1997-2000, Chair, Endothelial Section, 7th International Workshop & Conference on Human Leucocyte Differentiation Antigens (HLDA7)
• 2001-2004, Chair, Endothelial Section, 8th International Workshop & Conference on Human Leucocyte Differentiation Antigens (HLDA8)
• 2000-2003 Member, Executive Committee, AHA Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology
• 2001, Invited participant, CNS Thrombosis and Hemorrhage Section of the Stroke Progress Review Group for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
• 2001-2002 Senior Vice Chair, Program Committee, AHA Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology
• 2004-pres. Member, External Advisory Board, NIH COBRE grant at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
• 2004-pres., Director, Cell & Molecular Biology Training Grant at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagin (funded by NIH)
• 2005, Invited participant, NIH (NINDS/CSN/NHLBI) Workshop on Immunomodulation Strategies for Preventing Vascular Disease of the Brain and Heart
• 2006, Invited participant, Hemostasis/Endothelium Section of the Stroke Progress Review Group for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
• 2007-2008 Co-organizer (with Nigel Mackman), 4th Symposium on Hemostasis with Special Focus on Factor VIIa and Tissue Factor, Chapel Hill, NC, April 3-5, 2008
• 2008-2010, ASH Scientific Committee on Hemostasis (Vice-Chair 2008-2009; Chair 2009-2010)

GRANT REVIEW :

• NIH Study Sections (ad hoc):
  • Hematology-1 (1993, 1994, 2000)
  • Hemostasis & Thrombosis (2004, 2009)
  • NIH Program Project Grant Review (many years; most recently, 2006)
  • NIH Special Emphasis Panels (1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005).
• National Science Foundation (ad hoc 2004)
• Medical Research Council, UK (ad hoc 1993)
• VA Medical Research Service (ad hoc, several years; most recently, 2002)
• AHA (National) Thrombosis Study Group (member, 1996-99 & 2002; chair, 2003-04)
• Fondazione Telethon, Italy (ad hoc 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006)
• Canadian Blood Services Intramural Grants Competition (ad hoc 2002, 2003, 2005)
• Clive & Vera Ramaciotti Foundation, Australia (ad hoc 2002)
• Wellcome Trust, UK (ad hoc 2008)
• Diabetes UK (ad hoc 2009).

EDITORIAL BOARDS:

• Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis & Vascular Biology (Editorial Board, 2007-pres.)
• Blood (Editorial Board, 1996-2000)
• Endothelium (Editorial Board, 1999-pres.)
• Journal of Biological Chemistry (Editorial Board, 1997-2002 & 2003-2008)
• Journal of Thrombosis & Haemostasis (Editorial Advisory Board, 2005-pres.)
• Thrombosis & Haemostasis (Section Editor, 2008-pres.)
• TRIGGER (Founder & Editor, electronic newsletter on Tissue Factor, Factor VII & TFPI, 1995-pres.)