Michael Cummings

Director of CBCB, Professor
3240 Iribe Center
(301) 405-9903
Education: 
Ph.D., Harvard University
Biography: 

Michael Cummings is the director of the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (CBCB) and a professor in the Department of Biology. He also holds an appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies.

His was the first faculty member hired into CBCB, where he leads the Laboratory of Molecular Evolution. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University, and did postdoctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley as an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in Molecular Studies of Evolution, and at the University of California, Riverside. He was a scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory and has held a guest professorship at the University of Konstanz.

He has published extensively in molecular evolution, phylogenetics, computational biology and bioinformatics (including genotype-phenotype relationships using machine learning), computer science (particularly in the area of grid computing), and bioinformatics education. He has lectured extensively throughout the USA and internationally, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Germany, Korea, México, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Wales. Because of his varied expertise he has served the scientific community through participation in numerous national and international committees, panels, symposia, workshops, and advisory boards.

From 2000 through 2011 he directed or co-directed the Workshop on Molecular Evolution, held in Atlanta (at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), Fort Collins, Washington (at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution), and Woods Hole in the USA, and Český Krumlov in the Czech Republic. From 2009 through 2011 he has co-directed the Workshop on Comparative Genomics held in Fort Collins and Washington (at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution) in the USA, and Český Krumlov in the Czech Republic. These advanced workshops have trained more than 1200 faculty/principal investigators, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students from more than 70 countries.

Publications

2015


Regier JC, Mitter C, KRISTENSEN NIELSP, Davis DR, VAN NIEUKERKEN ERIKJ, ROTA JADRANKA, Simonsen TJ, Mitter KT, Kawahara AY, Yen S-H et al..  2015.  A molecular phylogeny for the oldest (nonditrysian) lineages of extant Lepidoptera, with implications for classification, comparative morphology and life-history evolution. Systematic Entomology.
:n/a-n/a.

Takala-Harrison S., Jacob C.G, Arze C., Cummings MP, Silva J.C, Dondorp A.M, Fukuda M.M, Hien T.T, Mayxay M., Noedl H. et al..  2015.  Independent Emergence of Artemisinin Resistance Mutations Among Plasmodium falciparum in Southeast Asia. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 211:670-679.

Brown TS, Jacob CG, Silva JC, Takala-Harrison S, Djimdé A, Dondorp AM, Fukuda M, Noedl H, Nyunt MMyaing, Kyaw MPhone et al..  2015.  Plasmodium falciparum field isolates from areas of repeated emergence of drug resistant malaria show no evidence of hypermutator phenotype. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 30:318-322.

2014

2013


Regier JC, Mitter C, Zwick A, Bazinet AL, Cummings MP, Kawahara AY, Sohn J-C, Zwickl DJ, Cho S, Davis DR et al..  2013.  A large-scale, higher-level, molecular phylogenetic study of the insect order Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies). PLoS OnePLoS One. 8

Takala-Harrison S, Clark TG, Jacob CG, Cummings MP, Miotto O, Dondorp AM, Fukuda MM, Nosten F, Noedl H, Imwong M et al..  2013.  Genetic loci associated with delayed clearance of Plasmodium falciparum following artemisinin treatment in Southeast Asia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of AmericaProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 110

2012


Ayres DL, Darling A, Zwickl DJ, Beerli P, Holder MT, Lewis PO, Huelsenbeck JP, Ronquist F, Swofford DL, Cummings MP et al..  2012.  BEAGLE: An Application Programming Interface and High-Performance Computing Library for Statistical Phylogenetics. Systematic BiologySyst BiolSystematic BiologySyst Biol. 61

Regier JC, Mitter C, M. SOLIS ALMA, HAYDEN JAMESE, LANDRY BERNARD, NUSS MATTHIAS, Simonsen TJ, Yen S-H, Zwick A, Cummings MP.  2012.  A molecular phylogeny for the pyraloid moths (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea) and its implications for higher-level classification. Systematic Entomology. 37(4):635-656.

2011


Cho S, Zwick A, Regier JC, Mitter C, Cummings MP, Yao J, Du Z, Zhao H, Kawahara AY, Weller S et al..  2011.  Can Deliberately Incomplete Gene Sample Augmentation Improve a Phylogeny Estimate for the Advanced Moths and Butterflies (Hexapoda: Lepidoptera)? Systematic BiologySyst BiolSystematic BiologySyst Biol. 60

Bazinet AL, Cummings MP.  2011.  Computing the Tree of Life: Leveraging the Power of Desktop and Service Grids. Parallel and Distributed Processing Workshops and Phd Forum (IPDPSW), 2011 IEEE International Symposium on.

Kawahara A.Y, Ohshima I., Kawakita A., Regier J.C, Mitter C., Cummings MP, Davis D.R, Wagner D.L, De Prinis J., Lopez-Vaamonde C..  2011.  Increased gene sampling provides stronger support for higher-level groups within gracillariid leaf mining moths and relatives (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae). BMC Evol BiolBMC Evol Biol. 11:182

2010


Roe A., Weller S., Baixeras J., Brown J.W, Cummings MP, Davis D.R, Horak M., Kawahara A.Y, Mitter C., Parr C.S et al..  2010.  Evolutionary framework for Lepidoptera model systems. Genetics and Molecular Biology of LepidopteraGenetics and Molecular Biology of Lepidoptera.

2009


Takala S.L, Coulibaly D., Thera M.A, Batchelor A.H, Cummings MP, Escalante A.A, Ouattara A., Traoré K., Niangaly A., Djimdé A.A et al..  2009.  Extreme polymorphism in a vaccine antigen and risk of clinical malaria: implications for vaccine development. Sci Transl MedSci Transl Med. 1

Regier J.C, Zwick A., Cummings MP, Kawahara A.Y, Cho S., Weller S., Roe A., Baixeras J., Brown J.W, Parr C. et al..  2009.  Toward reconstructing the evolution of advanced moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera: Ditrysia): an initial molecular study. BMC Evol BiolBMC Evol Biol. 9

2008


Bazinet AL, Cummings MP.  2008.  The Lattice Project: a Grid research and production environment combining multiple Grid computing models. Distributed & Grid Computing — Science Made Transparent for Everyone. Principles, Applications and Supporting CommunitiesDistributed & Grid Computing — Science Made Transparent for Everyone. Principles, Applications and Supporting Communities.

Myers D.S, Bazinet AL, Cummings MP.  2008.  Expanding the reach of Grid computing: combining Globus- and BOINC-based systems. Grids for Bioinformatics and Computational BiologyGrids for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology.

Kohlsdorf T., Cummings MP, Lynch V.J, Stopper G.F, Takahashi K., Wagner G.P.  2008.  A molecular footprint of limb loss: sequence variation of the autopodial identity gene Hoxa-13. J Mol EvolJ Mol Evol. 67

Regier J.C, Shultz J.W, Ganley A.RD, Hussey A., Shi D., Ball B., Zwick A., Stajich J.E, Cummings MP, Martin J.W et al..  2008.  Resolving arthropod phylogeny: exploring phylogenetic signal within 41 kb of protein-coding nuclear gene sequence. Syst BiolSyst Biol. 57

2007


Lee S., Wang T.D, Hashmi N., Cummings MP.  2007.  Bio-STEER: A Semantic Web workflow tool for Grid computing in the life sciences. Future Generation Comp SystFuture Generation Comp Syst. 23

Grand J, Cummings MP, Rebelo TG, Ricketts TH, Neel MC.  2007.  Biased data reduce efficiency and effectiveness of conservation reserve networks. Ecology LettersEcology Letters. 10

2005


Parr CS, Cummings MP.  2005.  Data sharing in ecology and evolution. Trends in Ecology & EvolutionTrends in Ecology & Evolution. 20

Cummings MP, Huskamp J.C.  2005.  Grid computing. EDUCAUSE ReviewEDUCAUSE Review. 40

2004


Cummings MP.  2004.  BAMBE, DnaSP, ENCprime/SeqCount, LAMARC, MacClade, MEGA, Modeltest, MrBayes, PAML, PAUP*, PHYLIP, r8s, readseq, Seq-Gen, Sites, TreeView. Dictionary of Bioinformatics.
:39-40,123-124,146,288-289,305,318,337,352,388,392,398-399,455,457,502,522,568.

Welch DBMark, Cummings MP, Hillis DM, Meselson M.  2004.  Divergent Gene Copies in the Asexual Class Bdelloidea (Rotifera) Separated Before the Bdelloid Radiation or Within Bdelloid Families. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of AmericaPNASProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of AmericaPNAS. 101

2003


Cummings MP, Handley S.A, Myers D.S, Reed D.L, Rokas A., Winka K..  2003.  Comparing bootstrap and posterior probability values in the four-taxon case. Syst BiolSyst Biol. 52

2002


García-Varela M., Cummings MP, G. de León P-P, Gardner S.L, Laclette J.P.  2002.  Phylogenetic analysis based on 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequences supports the existence of class Polyacanthocephala (Acanthocephala). Mol Phylogenet EvolMol Phylogenet Evol. 23

2001

2000


Pollock DD, Eisen JA, Doggett NA, Cummings MP.  2000.  A Case for Evolutionary Genomics and the Comprehensive Examination of Sequence Biodiversity. Molecular Biology and EvolutionMol Biol EvolMolecular Biology and EvolutionMol Biol Evol. 17

García-Varela M., G. de León P-P, de la Torre P., Cummings MP, Sarma S.S, Laclette J.P.  2000.  Phylogenetic relationships of Acanthocephala based on analysis of 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequences. J Mol EvolJ Mol Evol. 50

1999


Cummings MP, Otto S.P, Wakeley J..  1999.  Genes and other samples of DNA sequence data for phylogenetic inference. The Biological BulletinThe Biological Bulletin. 196

1998


Tilghman S., Astin H.S, Brinkley W., Chilton M.D, Cummings MP, Ehrenberg R.G, Fox M.F, Glenn K., Green P.J, Hans S. et al..  1998.  Trends in the early careers of life scientists - Preface and executive summary. Mol Biol CellMol Biol Cell. 9

Campos A., Cummings MP, Reyes J.L, Laclette J.P.  1998.  Phylogenetic relationships of platyhelminthes based on 18S ribosomal gene sequences. Mol Phylogenet EvolMol Phylogenet Evol. 10

Cummings MP, Welschmeyer N.A.  1998.  Pigment composition of putatively achlorophyllous angiosperms. Plant Syst EvolPlant Syst Evol. 210

1997


Clegg M.T, Cummings MP, Durbin M.L.  1997.  The evolution of plant nuclear genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USAProc Natl Acad Sci USA. 94

1996


Blair D., Campos A., Cummings MP, Laclette J.P.  1996.  Evolutionary biology of parasitic platyhelminths: The role of molecular phylogenetics. Parasitol TodayParasitol Today. 12

Otto S.P, Cummings MP, Wakeley J..  1996.  Inferring phylogenies from DNA sequence data: The effects of sampling. New Uses for New PhylogeniesNew Uses for New Phylogenies.

1995

1994

1992


Voytas D.F, Cummings MP, Koniczny A., Ausubel F.M, Rodermel S.R.  1992.  copia-like retrotransposons are ubiquitous among plants. Proc Natl Acad Sci USAProc Natl Acad Sci USA. 89

Cummings MP.  1992.  Copia-like retrotransposons in plants: a brief introduction. The Plant Genetics NewsletterThe Plant Genetics Newsletter. 8

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