Douglas W. Cromey - Biographical sketch

Assistant Scientific Investigator, Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy

• Manager, Cellular Imaging Shared Service, Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center
• Manager, Confocal Microscope Facility (AHSC Imaging facility), Arizona Research Labs - Division of Biotechnology
• Supervisor, Histology Service Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy

B.A. (1980), M.S. (1982), Trinity University, San Antonio, TX
Hunterdon Central Regional High School, Flemington, NJ (1976)

Office: AHSC 4212-A (map)
Phone: 626-2824
Email: Cromey@Arizona.edu

Professional Interests

As the manager of the Cellular Imaging Shared Service, I provide microscopy and imaging expertise to the members of the SWEHSC, their staff and students. This includes drawing on my long experience in electron microscopy, x-ray microanalysis and morphometry, as well as my more recent experience with confocal microscopy and paraffin histology. I am particularly interested in the ethics of working with scientific digital images, since there seems to be a profound lack of understanding of how to appropriately work with digital image data.

As the manager of the Cellular Imaging Shared Service, one of my goals is to educate students and staff from the SWEHSC about imaging and microscopy. I've developed an extensive suite of WWW pages that I've entitled Microscopy and Imaging Resources on the WWW that cover a broad range of topics related to microscopy and imaging (e.g., Histology, Confocal Microscopy, Electron Microscopy, Digital Imaging). The web site was begun in 1996 and in 2006 had over 180,000 page requests with visitors from over 120 different countries. Recognition for the web site has included being featured in Science Magazine's NetWatch column in July 2001 (see the awards page for additional kudos). I've written a number of tutorials, information sheets and instruction sheets for specific instruments/software, many of these handouts are available on the web in PDF format.

I've also collaborated with the Community Outreach & Education Core of the SWEHSC on a teaching web site that introduces high school students to lung toxicology, morphology and morphometry. The site draws on the research (the effects of cigarette smoke on fetal lung development) of Dr. Clark Lantz (my supervisor) and Dr. Mark Witten. The result of this collaboration can be found at the Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Lung Development Activity of the University of Arizona's Biology Project (an online interactive resource for learning biology). This activity was developed as part of a Chemicals and Human Health tutorial written by Dr. Joanna Norman (previous outreach director) of the SWEHSC. More recently I was a consultant/collaborator involved in developing the Online Learning Tool for Research Integrity and Image Processing, a web and video based learning tool. This digital imaging and ethics website (scheduled to be completed in 2008) was funded by a grant from the Office of Research Intergrity (US Dept of Health & Human Services) to the Center for Ethics and Values in the Sciences (University of Alabama at Birmingham).

As is typical of long-time University employees, I wear several "hats". The majority of my effort is with the SWEHSC. In the fall of 2007 I took on the role of managing the Arizona Research Labs Confocal Microscope facility. As manager of the confocal facility I train all new users, provide on-going technical support to existing users and work with the vendor's service people to ensure the instrument is working correctly. The smallest role I currently have is as the supervisor of the Cell Biology & Anatomy Histology Service Laboratory.

I am a past-president of the Arizona Imaging & Microanalysis Society. I was involved in planning and putting on the AIMS 1997 annual spring meeting, which was devoted almost exclusively to digital imaging. Check out the society's WWW page periodically to see what AIMS is doing and to find out how to join the society.

Professional Experience

Research Assistant I
Neuropathology Laboratory, Dept. of Pathology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. 1982-1984

Medical Technologist
Diagnostic Electron Microscopy Section, Dept. of Clinical Pathology, University Medical Center, Tucson, Arizona. 1984-1987

Senior Medical Technologist
Diagnostic Electron Microscopy Section, Dept. of Clinical Pathology, University Medical Center, Tucson, Arizona. 1987-1994

Research Specialist - Senior
Manager of the Cellular Imaging Core (formerly the Experimental Pathology Core) for the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (an NIEHS center) and Supervisor of the Histology Service Laboratory, Dept. of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. 1994-1998.

Research Specialist - Principal
Manager of the Cellular Imaging Core for the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (an NIEHS center) and Supervisor of the Histology Service Laboratory, Dept. of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. 1998-2005.

Assistant Scientific Investigator
Manager of the Cellular Imaging Shared Service for the Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center (an NIEHS center) and Supervisor of the Histology Service Laboratory, Dept. of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. 2005-present.

Certifications

Electron Microscopy Technologist in Biological Sciences - certificate #0694, awarded Sept. 1985, renewed Sept. 1993, 2001, 2006, expires Dec. 2011. Certified by the Microscopy Society of America.

Training (selected)

Transmission Electron Microscopy, JEOL Training Center, Peabody, MA (1986)

ULTRAPATH IV, Society for Ultrastructural Pathology, JAckson, NH (1992)

Special Topics in Biological Imaging (CBA #575), University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (1995)

Optical Microscopy & Imaging in the Biomedical Sciences, Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA (October 1999)

Quantitative Image Analysis, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (May 2001)

Live Cell Imaging Workshop, Microscopy Society of America, San Antonio, TX (2003)

Fundamentals of Light Microscopy (CBA # 565) University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (2006)

Advanced Techniques in Live Cell Microscopy, Center for Cell Analysis and Modeling, National Resource for Cell Analysis and Modeling, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT (2006)

3D Live Cell Microscopy course, Prof. James Pawley, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada (2008)

Professional Affiliations

Microscopy Society of America

Arizona Imaging and Microanalysis Society (President 1996-1997)

Publications

Eblin, K.E., Bowen, M.E., Cromey, D.W., Bredfeldt, T.G., Mash, E.A., Lau, S.S. and Gandolfi, A.J. (2006) Arsenite and monomethylarsonous acid generate oxidative stress response in human bladder cell culture. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 217(1): 7-14

Peraza, M.A, Cromey, D.W., Carolus, B., Carter, D.E. and Gandolfi, A.J. (2006) Morphological and functional alterations in human proximal tubular cell line induced by low level inorganic arsenic: evidence for targeting of mitochondria and initiated apoptosis. J. Appl. Tox. 26 (4): 356-367

Unnithan G.C., Sutherland T.D.,Cromey D.W. and Feyereisen R. (1997) A factor causing stable stimulation of juvenile hormone synthesis by Diploptera punctata corpora allata in vitro. J. Insect Physiol. 44:1027–1037.

Payne CM, Glasser L, Tischler ME, Wyckoff D, Cromey D, Fiederlein R and Bohnert O, (1994) Programmed cell death of the normal human neutrophil: An in vitro model of senescence. Microscopy Research and Technique 28:327-344.

Payne CM, Grogan TM, Spier CM, Bjore CG Jr, Richter LC, Cromey DW, Rangel CS (1992) A multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis of cutaneous T-cell Lymphomas. Ultrastructural Pathol. 16:99-125.

Payne CM, Cromey DW (1992) An image analysis workstation designed for multiple users: application of quantitative digital imaging techniques to electron microscopy. Ultrastructural Pathol. 16:147-154.

Payne CM and Cromey DW, (1991) Ultrastructural analysis of apoptotic and normal cells using digital imaging techniques. J Computer Assisted Microscopy 3:33-50.

Payne CM and Cromey DW, (1990) Limitations of ZAF correction factors in the determination of Calcium/Phosphorus ratios: Important Forensic Science considerations relevant to the analysis of bone fragments using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy-Dispersive X-ray microanalysis. J Forensic Sci 35(3):560-568.

Payne CM, Graham AR, Bjore CG Jr, Cromey DW, Rybski JA, Palmer T, Weber JE (1989) Ultrastructural morphometric analysis of papillary neoplasms: Biologic and diagnostic relevance. Hum Pathol 20(9):864-870.

Payne CM, Bjore CG Jr, Cromey DW, Roland F (1989) A comparative mathematical evaluation of contour irregularity using form factor and PERBAS, a new analytical shape factor. Analyt Quant Cytol Histol 11(5):341-352.

Payne CM, Spier CM, Grogan TM, Richter CM, Bjore CG Jr, Cromey DW, Rangel CS (1988) Nuclear contour irregularity correlates with Leu-9(-), Leu-8(-) cells in benign lymphoid infiltrates of the skin: An ultrastructural morphometric and immunophenotypic analysis suggesting the normal T-cell counterpart to the mycosis fungoides/Sezary cell. Amer J Dermatopathol 10:377-389.

Payne CM, Grogan TM, Cromey DW, Bjore CG Jr, Kerrigan DP (1987) An ultrastructural morphometric and immunophenotypic evaluation of Burkitt's and Burkitt's-like lymphomas. Lab Invest 57:200-218.

Payne CM, Greenberg B, Cromey DW, Woo L (1987) Morphological evidence of an altered bone marrow microenvironment in patients with acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia and myelodysplastic disorders. Exp Hematol 15:143-153.

Payne CM, Cromey DW (1987) Ultrastructural similarities between Chlorohydra viridissima and human neurosecretory granules: A cytochemical study using the uranaffin reaction. Cytobios 50:191-203.

Grogan TM, Payne CM, Payne TB, Spier C, Cromey DW, Rangel C, Richter L (1987) Cutaneous Myaisis. Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural morphometric features of a human botfly lesion. Amer J Dermatopath 9:232-239.

Johnson PC, Doll SC ,Cromey DW (1986) Pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy. Annals of Neurology 19:450-457.