Manu M. Sebastian, DVM, PhD
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, Division of VP, Research
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, Division of Basic Science Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX
Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, Division of Basic Science Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
Research in our laboratory is primarily focused on translational pathology with multiple areas of interest which include molecular pathology, digital pathology, comparative pathology, biomarker development, drug discovery and development, drug safety, and genetically engineered mouse development. Our primary focus is to provide mechanistic insight into the tissue level interpretation of human diseases by comparing similar changes in appropriate models of diseases.
The laboratory provides digital image analysis of tissue sections for oncology research, especially immuno-oncology and validation of animal models of human diseases. We also develop and validate tissue biomarker assays for multiple tumor types, especially mouse tumor tissue immunophenotyping. Our collaborative research initiative has been instrumental in clinically translatable research programs on immuno-oncology and is also a driving force for the advancement of digital image analysis in this field.
Our laboratory is also interested in personalized medicine and immune-oncology. Related to these areas, our laboratory asks questions about the tissue/stroma distribution pattern and percentage of different immune cells types and their relevance to immune response against tumor tissue. Some of these questions are: 1) Is there a difference in drug response to difference in pattern of immune cell type distribution, stroma versus tumor infiltrating immune cells, and 2) What is the value of immunophenotyping of tumor and stroma infiltrating immune cells, and how do they differ in drug response to different therapeutic candidates? These questions will assist in accelerating personalized medicine.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2004 | University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA, PHD, Veterinary Pathology |
| 1993 | College of Veterinary Science, Kerala, IND, MS, Veterinary Pathology |
| 1990 | College of Veterinary Science, Kerala, IND, DVM, Veterinary Medicine |
Postgraduate Training
| 1999-2002 | Residency in Veterinary Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 2019 - Present
Faculty Member, Department of Livestrong Cancer Institute, Division of Dell Medical School, UT Austin, Austin, TX, 2019 - Present
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Division of College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 2008 - 2016
Assistant Professor of Clinical Pathology, Department of Dept of Pathology, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, 2007 - 2010
Assistant Professor of Pathology, Chief of University Toxicology Testing, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 2004 - 2007
Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Science Trichur, Kerala, 1994 - 1999
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Member, MDACC Faculty Senate, Houston, TX, 2017 - Present
Associate Director, Non Clinical Development, Soligenix, Princeton, NJ, 2015 - 2016
Pathology Section Supervisor, Experimur, Chicago, IL, 2011 - 2014
Member, Institutional Health & Safety Council, Columbia University, New York, NY, 2008 - 2009
Member, Control Substance Working Group, Columbia University, New York, NY, 2008 - 2010
Member, Stem Cell Consortium, Columbia University, New York, NY, 2008 - 2010
Chief of Comparative Pathology, Columbia University, New York, NY, 2007 - 2010
Diagnostic Pathologist, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 2002 - 2004
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, MDACC Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee, 2019 - 2021
Consultantships
Member, Advisory Board, AuraVax, Houston, Texas, 2021 - Present
Member, Advisory Board, PathPresenter, NY, 2020 - Present
Member, Medical Advisory Board, Optrascan, California, 2019 - 2021
Advisor, UT Austin, Texas Health Catalyst, Austin, 2019 - Present
Ad Hoc Member/Site Visitor, AAALAC International, Frederick, MD, 2012 - 2018
Member, Medical Advisory Board, Women at Risk (Non-Profit organization for breast cancer research and prevention), New York, NY, 2009 - 2010
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Pantanowitz L, Bui MM, Chauhan C, ElGabry E, Hassell L, Li Z, Parwani AV, Salama ME, Sebastian MMb, Tulman D, Vepa S, Becich MJ. Rules of engagement: Promoting academic-industry partnership in the era of digital pathology and artificial intelligence. Acad Pathol 9(1):100026, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35669406.
- Zhao S, Goewey Ruiz JA, Sebastian M, Kidane D. Defective DNA polymerase beta invoke a cytosolic DNA mediated inflammatory response. Front Immunol 13:1039009, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36624848.
- Shah VV, Duncan AD, Jiang S, Stratton SA, Allton KL, Yam C, Jain A, Krause PM, Lu Y, Cai S, Tu Y, Zhou X, Zhang X, Jiang Y, Carroll CL, Kang Z, Liu B, Shen J, Gagea M, Manu SM, Huo L, Gilcrease M, Powell RT, Guo L, Stephan C, Davies PJ, Parker-Thornburg J, Lozano G, Behringer RR, Piwnica-Worms H, Chang JT, Moulder SL, Barton MC. Mammary-specific expression of Trim24 establishes a mouse model of human metaplastic breast cancer. Nat Commun 12(1):5389, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34508101.
- Davis JS, Kanikarla-Marie P, Gagea M, Yu PL, Fang D, Sebastian M, Yang P, Hawk E, Dashwood R, Lichtenberger LM, Menter D, Kopetz S. Sulindac plus a phospholipid is effective for polyp reduction and safer than sulindac alone in a mouse model of colorectal cancer development. BMC Cancer 20(1):871, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32912193.
- Turner OC, Aeffner F, Bangari DS, High W, Knight B, Forest T, Cossic B, Himmel LE, Rudmann DG, Bawa B, Muthuswamy A, Aina OH, Edmondson EF, Saravanan C, Brown DL, Sing T, Sebastian MM. Society of Toxicologic Pathology Digital Pathology and Image Analysis Special Interest Group Article*: Opinion on the Application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to Digital Toxicologic Pathology. Toxicol Pathol 48(2):192623319881401, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31645203.
- Amgad M, Stovgaard ES, Balslev E, Thagaard J, Chen W, Dudgeon S, Sharma A, Kerner JK, Denkert C, Yuan Y, AbdulJabbar K, Wienert S, Savas P, Voorwerk L, Beck AH, Madabhushi A, Hartman J, Sebastian MM, Horlings HM, Hudecek J, Ciompi F, Moore DA, Singh R, Roblin E, Balancin ML, Mathieu MC, Lennerz JK, Kirtani P, Chen IC, Braybrooke JP, Pruneri G, Demaria S, Adams S, Schnitt SJ, Lakhani SR, Rojo F, Comerma L, Badve SS, Khojasteh M, Symmans WF, Sotiriou C, Gonzalez-Ericsson P, Pogue-Geile KL, Kim RS, Rimm DL, Viale G, Hewitt SM, Bartlett JMS, Penault-Llorca F, Goel S, Lien HC, Loibl S, Kos Z, Loi S, Hanna MG, Michiels S, Kok M, Nielsen TO, Lazar AJ, Bago-Horvath Z, Kooreman LFS, van der Laak JAWM, Saltz J, Gallas BD, Kurkure U, Barnes M, Salgado R, Cooper LAD, International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group. Report on computational assessment of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes from the International Immuno-Oncology Biomarker Working Group. NPJ Breast Cancer 6:16, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32411818.
- Zhao S, Klattenhoff AW, Thakur M, Sebastian M, Kidane D. Mutation in DNA Polymerase Beta Causes Spontaneous Chromosomal Instability and Inflammation-Associated Carcinogenesis in Mice. Cancers (Basel) 11(8), 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31412651.
- Zuo X, Deguchi Y, Xu W, Liu Y, Li HS, Wei D, Tian R, Chen W, Xu M, Yang Y, Gao S, Jaoude JC, Liu F, Chrieki SP, Moussalli MJ, Gagea M, Sebastian MM, Zheng X, Tan D, Broaddus R, Wang J, Ajami NJ, Swennes AG, Watowich SS, Shureiqi I. PPARD and Interferon Gamma Promote Transformation of Gastric Progenitor Cells and Tumorigenesis in Mice. Gastroenterology 157(1):163-178, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30885780.
- McBride KM, Kil H, Mu Y, Plummer JB, Lee J, Zelazowski MJ, Sebastian M, Abba MC, Aldaz CM. Wwox Deletion in Mouse B Cells Leads to Genomic Instability, Neoplastic Transformation, and Monoclonal Gammopathies. Front Oncol 9:517, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31275852.
- Bao J, Di Lorenzo A, Lin K, Lu Y, Zhong Y, Sebastian MM, Muller WJ, Yang Y, Bedford MT. Mouse models of overexpression reveal distinct oncogenic roles for different type I protein arginine methyltransferases. Cancer Res 79(1):21-32, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30352814.
- Bartkowiak T, Jaiswal AR, Ager CR, Chin R, Chen CH, Budhani P, Ai M, Reilley MJ, Sebastian MM, Hong DS, Curran MA. Activation of 4-1BB on Liver Myeloid Cells Triggers Hepatitis via an Interleukin-27-Dependent Pathway. Clin Cancer Res 24(5):1138-1151, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29301830.
- Bujold K, Hauer-Jensen M, Donini O, Rumage A, Hartman D, Hendrickson HP, Stamatopoulos J, Naraghi H, Pouliot M, Ascah A, Sebastian M, Pugsley MK, Wong K, Authier S. Citrulline as a biomarker for gastrointestinal-acute radiation syndrome: Species differences and experimental condition effects. Radiat Res 186(1):71-8, 2016.
- Lifante JC, Milone L, Korner J, Kopsombut G, Sebastian M, Inabnet WB. Sleeve gastrectomy improves glucose homeostasis in Zucker diabetic fatty rats. Obes Surg 22(7):1110-6, 2012. PMID: 22555866.
- Kopsombut G, Shoulson R, Milone L, Korner J, Lifante JC, Sebastian M, Inabnet WB. Partial small bowel resection with sleeve gastrectomy increases adiponectin levels and improves glucose homeostasis in obese rodents with type 2 diabetes. World J Surg 36(6):1432-8, 2012. PMID: 22362044.
- Sonabend AM, Stuart RM, Yun J, Yanagihara T, Mohajed H, Dashnaw S, Bruce SS, Brown T, Romanov A, Sebastian M, Arias-Mendoza F, Bagiella E, Canoll P, Bruce JN. Prolonged intracerebral convection-enhanced delivery of topotecan with a subcutaneously implantable infusion pump. Neuro Oncol 13(8):886-93, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21750007.
- Bernard WV, Sebastian M, Hemming B. Salmonella Antimicrobial Activity of Selected Strains of Enterolactobacillus Species Isolated from the Gastrointestinal Tract of the Horse. J Equine Vet Sci 31(7):396-9, 2011.
- Tan JY, Valberg SJ, Sebastian MM, Davis GD, Kelly JR, Goehring LS, Harland MM, Kuebelbeck KL, Waldridge BM, Newton JC, Reimer JM. Suspected systemic calcinosis and calciphylaxis in 5 horses. Can Vet J 51(9):993-9, 2010. PMID: 21119866.
- Inabnet WB, Milone L, Harris P, Durak E, Freeby MJ, Ahmed L, Sebastian M, Lifante JC, Bessler M, Komer J. The utility of [11C] dihydrotetrabenazine positron emission tomography scanning in assessing β-cell performance after sleeve gastrectomy and duodenal-jejunal bypass. Surgery 147(2):303-9, 2010.
- Scherzer J, Sebastian M, Davis C, Ensley D, Hurley D. Clinical observation on differential effects of the trace elements selenium and copper during bovine embryo transfer. Bovine Practioner 43(2):160-7, 2009.
- Bendon RW, Brendon RW, Sebastian MM. Stillborn infant with calcified chorionic epithelium, corneal scarring, and pericarditis. Fetal Pediatr Pathol 28(6):274-8, 2009. PMID: 19842882.
- Sebastian MM, Stewart I, Williams NM, Poonacha KB, Sells S, Vickers ML, Harrison LR. Pathological, entomological, avian and meteorological investigation of a West Nile virus epidemic in a horse farm. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 55:134-9, 2008.
- Sebastian MM, Giles RC, Donahue JM, Sells SF, Fallon L, Vickers ML. Dermatophilus congolensis-associated placentitis, funisitis and abortion in a horse. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 55:183-5, 2008.
- Sebastian MM, Bernard W, Riddle T, Latimer C, Fitzgerald TD, Harrison LR. Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome-A Review (Cover Page Review). Veterinary Pathology 45:710-22, 2008.
- Sebastian MM, Giles RC, Roberts JF, Poonacha KB, Donahue JM, Harrison LR, Benirschke K. Funisitis associated with leptospiral abortion in an equine placenta. Veterinary Pathology 42:659-62, 2005.
- Flaminio JBF, Nydam DV, Sebastian M, Bernard WV, Tobin T, Hillegas JM, Matychak MB. The Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MRLS) and the Eastern Tent Caterpillar: Immunological Testing of Aborting Mares. International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine 3:207-16, 2005.
- Bolin DC, Donahue JM, Vickers ML, Harrison L, Sells S, Giles RC, Hong CB, Poonacha KB, Roberts J, Sebastian MM, Swerczek TW, Tramontin R, Williams NM. Microbiologic and pathologic findings in an epidemic of equine pericarditis. J Vet Diagn Invest 17(1):38-44, 2005. PMID: 15690949.
- Bolin DC, Donahue JM, Vickers ML, Giles RC, Harrison L, Jackson C, Poonacha KB, Roberts JE, Sebastian MM, Sells SE, Tramontin R, Williams NM. Equine abortion and premature birth associated with Cellulosimicrobium cellulans infection. J Vet Diagn Invest 16(4):333-6, 2004. PMID: 15305747.
- Sebastian MM, Giles RC. Myelopathy associated with fibrocartilagenous emboli in a horse. Journal of Veterinary Medicine, Series 1 51:1-3, 2004.
- Sebastian M, Gantz M, Tobin T, Harkins JD, Boskin J, Hughes C, Harrison L, Bernard B, Richter D, Fitzgerald TD. The Mare reproductive loss syndrome and the eastern tent caterpillar: a toxicokinetic/statistical analysis with clinical, epidemiological and mechanistic implications. Veterinary Therapeutics 4:324-39, 2003.
- Hughes C, Lehner F, Dirikolu L, Tobin T, Crutchfield J, Sebastian M, Harrison L, Baskin S. A simple and highly sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of cyanide in equine blood. Toxicological Mechanisms and Methods 13:129-38, 2003.
- Roberts JF, Vickers ML, Sells SF, Watson DL, Billings SK, Jackson CB, Palmer-Ball BL, Harrison LR, Bolin DC, Giles RC, Sebastian MM. Passive surveillance of West Nile virus from wild birds of Kentucky. The Kentucky Warbler 79(2):53-9, 2003.
- Dirikolu L, Hughes C, Harkins D, Boyles J, Bosken J, Lehner F, Troppmann A, McDowell K, Tobin T, Sebastian MM, Harrison L, Crutchfield J, Baskin SI, Fitzgerald TD. The toxicokinetics of cyanide and mandelonitrile in the horse and their relevance to the mare reproductive loss syndrome. Toxicol Mech Methods 13(3):199-211, 2003. PMID: 20021160.
- Sebastian MM, Anilkumar R, Mini M, Ismail PK, Rajan A. Reversal of aflatoxin induced liver damage by turmeric, curcumin and chitosan. International Journal of Animal Sciences 16:155-7, 2001.
- Sebastian MM, Sreekumaran T, Madhusoodanan Pillai R, Ramachandran KM, Rajan A. Evaluation of antibodies as a diagnostic marker in ethmoid carcinoma. Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences 29:76-7, 1998.
- Sebastian MM, Shanwaz KR, Eliyas A, Rajan A, Vasudevan DM. Demonstration of tumor associated antigen in ethmoid carcinoma. International Journal of Animal Sciences 13:117-20, 1998.
- Sebastian MM, Remani P, Rajan A. Jackfruit lectin as a histochemical marker for ethmoid carcinoma in bovines. International Journal of Animal Sciences 13:165-8, 1998.
- Sebastian MM, Mini M, Rajan A. Circulating immune complexes as a tumor marker in carcinoma of the ethmoid mucosa in cattle. Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences 26:37-9, 1995.
- Valsala KV, Sebastian MM, Rajan A. Granulosa cell tumor in a civet cat (Viverricula indica). Indian Journal of Veterinary Pathology 19:51-2, 1995.
Other Articles
- Sebastian MM, Bernard W, Fitzgerald T Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (Review Article). Compendium on Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian, 2006.
Book Chapters
- Laflamme MA, Sebastian MM, Beutow BS. Chapter 10, Cardiovascular System. In: Comparative Anatomy & Histology: A Mouse and Human Atlas. Elsevier, 135-153, 2012.
- Sebastian M. Chapter 38, Renal Toxicity. In: Handbook of Toxicology of Chemical Warfare Agents. Academic Press: San Diego, CA, 561-574, 2009.
- Perkins NR, Sebastian MM, Todhunter KH, Wylie RM, Begg AP, Gilkerson JR, Racklyeft DJ, Chicken C, Wilson MC, Cawdell-Smith AJ, Bryden WL. Chapter 26: Pregnancy loss in mares associated with exposure to caterpillars in Kentucky and Australia. In: Poisonous Plants: Global Research and Solutions. CABI Publishing: Wallingford, Oxford, UK, 165-169, 2007.
- Sebastian M. Chapter 91: Role of Pathology in Diagnosis. In: Veterinary Toxicology: Basic & Clinical Principles. Academic Press: San Diego, CA, 1100-1138, 2007.
- Sebastian M, Bernard W. Chapter 63: Caterpillars and mare reproductive loss syndrome. In: Veterinary Toxicology: Basic & Clinical Principles. Academic Press: San Diego, CA, 777-784, 2007.
- Baskin SI, Czerwinski SE, Anderson JB, Sebastian M. Chapter 16: Cardiovascular Toxicity. In: Veterinary Toxicology: Basic & Clinical Principles. Academic Press: San Diego, CA, 193-205, 2007.
- Sebastian M, Czerwinski SE, Baskin SI. Chapter 13: Renal Toxicity. In: Veterinary Toxicology: Basic & Clinical Principles. Academic Press: San Diego, CA, 161-176, 2007.