Experience

Andrews Cooper

• United States
• Engineering Services
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Senior Test Engineer

  • Jun 2018 - Present

  - Senior Engineer for Andrews-Cooper (A-C), a wonderful engineering firm based here in the beautiful PNW - very fortunate to be included within an organization comprised of individuals who across all areas of the company are highly-professional, talented and down-to-Earth - part of diverse A-C team currently based in Facebook's ultra-secret R&D division (Facebook Reality Labs, FRL, formerly known as Oculus Research) - primary duties - conduct multitude of basic and advanced… Show more - Senior Engineer for Andrews-Cooper (A-C), a wonderful engineering firm based here in the beautiful PNW - very fortunate to be included within an organization comprised of individuals who across all areas of the company are highly-professional, talented and down-to-Earth - part of diverse A-C team currently based in Facebook's ultra-secret R&D division (Facebook Reality Labs, FRL, formerly known as Oculus Research) - primary duties - conduct multitude of basic and advanced engineering tests/characterizations - oversee hands-on, benchtop scientific and engineering experiments for several important projects supporting scientific group's main research aims - design, setup and conduct fluidic, optical and electrical instrumentation experiments - grew substantially in position due to technical abilities, teamwork/leadership and social skills - within 6 MO, was given additional responsibility/independence for the current and future development of a laboratory in an advanced research group at FRL - role has steadily expanded (see below) Show less - Senior Engineer for Andrews-Cooper (A-C), a wonderful engineering firm based here in the beautiful PNW - very fortunate to be included within an organization comprised of individuals who across all areas of the company are highly-professional, talented and down-to-Earth - part of diverse A-C team currently based in Facebook's ultra-secret R&D division (Facebook Reality Labs, FRL, formerly known as Oculus Research) - primary duties - conduct multitude of basic and advanced… Show more - Senior Engineer for Andrews-Cooper (A-C), a wonderful engineering firm based here in the beautiful PNW - very fortunate to be included within an organization comprised of individuals who across all areas of the company are highly-professional, talented and down-to-Earth - part of diverse A-C team currently based in Facebook's ultra-secret R&D division (Facebook Reality Labs, FRL, formerly known as Oculus Research) - primary duties - conduct multitude of basic and advanced engineering tests/characterizations - oversee hands-on, benchtop scientific and engineering experiments for several important projects supporting scientific group's main research aims - design, setup and conduct fluidic, optical and electrical instrumentation experiments - grew substantially in position due to technical abilities, teamwork/leadership and social skills - within 6 MO, was given additional responsibility/independence for the current and future development of a laboratory in an advanced research group at FRL - role has steadily expanded (see below) Show less



Facebook

• Software Development
• 700 & Above Employee

• Test Engineer

  • Jun 2018 - Present

  (1a) within a small team, am the lead in setting-up a fluidic, optical and electrical instrumentation laboratory (1b) run day-to-day scientific/engineering operations of said instrumentation/metrology laboratory (1c) assist in purchasing key, capital equipment for (i) laboratory research, (ii) test engineering purposes both in support of current/future research aims (1d) involved with laboratory infrastructure development, forecasting future scientific/engineering needs and the needs… Show more (1a) within a small team, am the lead in setting-up a fluidic, optical and electrical instrumentation laboratory (1b) run day-to-day scientific/engineering operations of said instrumentation/metrology laboratory (1c) assist in purchasing key, capital equipment for (i) laboratory research, (ii) test engineering purposes both in support of current/future research aims (1d) involved with laboratory infrastructure development, forecasting future scientific/engineering needs and the needs of personnel (scientists, postdocs, engineers, PhD interns) wrt research aims/related experiments (1e) support FRL scientists/postdocs/recent PhD grads in multiple capacities across research areas (2a) setup and determine logistics of fluidic, optical and electrical instrumentation benches for diverse scientific projects (2b) advanced instrument control/DAQ (NI LabVIEW/FPGA, Python/Keysight, C++) (2c) optical/fluidic/electrical sensor characterization, testing and gage R&R (2d) initial proof-of-concept reports, engineering documentation, scientific SOP development, patent contribution, PhD intern training (3a) development of optomechanical/optoelectrical setups/fixtures for machine vision-related experiments (3b) brightfield, darkfield, telecentric illumination/imaging (3c) signal/image processing, data analysis, algorithm development (C/MATLAB, IJM, Python/C++) (3d) low (30 fps), high (5,000 fps), ultra-high speed (>150,000 fps) optical imaging, experimentation, analyses (3e) high voltage optomechanical experiments Show less (1a) within a small team, am the lead in setting-up a fluidic, optical and electrical instrumentation laboratory (1b) run day-to-day scientific/engineering operations of said instrumentation/metrology laboratory (1c) assist in purchasing key, capital equipment for (i) laboratory research, (ii) test engineering purposes both in support of current/future research aims (1d) involved with laboratory infrastructure development, forecasting future scientific/engineering needs and the needs… Show more (1a) within a small team, am the lead in setting-up a fluidic, optical and electrical instrumentation laboratory (1b) run day-to-day scientific/engineering operations of said instrumentation/metrology laboratory (1c) assist in purchasing key, capital equipment for (i) laboratory research, (ii) test engineering purposes both in support of current/future research aims (1d) involved with laboratory infrastructure development, forecasting future scientific/engineering needs and the needs of personnel (scientists, postdocs, engineers, PhD interns) wrt research aims/related experiments (1e) support FRL scientists/postdocs/recent PhD grads in multiple capacities across research areas (2a) setup and determine logistics of fluidic, optical and electrical instrumentation benches for diverse scientific projects (2b) advanced instrument control/DAQ (NI LabVIEW/FPGA, Python/Keysight, C++) (2c) optical/fluidic/electrical sensor characterization, testing and gage R&R (2d) initial proof-of-concept reports, engineering documentation, scientific SOP development, patent contribution, PhD intern training (3a) development of optomechanical/optoelectrical setups/fixtures for machine vision-related experiments (3b) brightfield, darkfield, telecentric illumination/imaging (3c) signal/image processing, data analysis, algorithm development (C/MATLAB, IJM, Python/C++) (3d) low (30 fps), high (5,000 fps), ultra-high speed (>150,000 fps) optical imaging, experimentation, analyses (3e) high voltage optomechanical experiments Show less



University of Washington Bioengineering

• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Invited Professor

  • Jul 2020 - Present



Human Photonics Laboratory

• Seattle, WA

• Volunteer

  • Apr 2018 - Present

  - concluding various projects, work, publications concerning previous scientific research in 3D pathology, pancreatic cancer detection/diagnosis with HPL - concluding various projects, work, publications concerning previous scientific research in 3D pathology, pancreatic cancer detection/diagnosis with HPL



University of Washington

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Research Scientist and Engineer, Lead and Co-Investigator

  • Nov 2015 - Mar 2018

  - since 2014, dedicated all efforts from ground-up in development of wide-arching research program to aid pathologists, enhance pancreatic cancer detection/diagnosis through 3D imaging (see earlier research positions, aims, achievements) - to best of our knowledge, our small team was first in the world to devise, push forth several new ideas/technologies about millifluidics/3D microscopy (i.e., 3D pathology) to aid/enhance traditional pathology - from paper to practice… Show more - since 2014, dedicated all efforts from ground-up in development of wide-arching research program to aid pathologists, enhance pancreatic cancer detection/diagnosis through 3D imaging (see earlier research positions, aims, achievements) - to best of our knowledge, our small team was first in the world to devise, push forth several new ideas/technologies about millifluidics/3D microscopy (i.e., 3D pathology) to aid/enhance traditional pathology - from paper to practice, demonstrated several important scientific/engineering proofs-of-concept, gained subsequent academic/government support (NIH grant), media attention on project (see postdoc/professional experience after 2012) - supported by 3-YR NIH National Cancer Institute R21 Exploratory Grant which I co-authored with Human Photonics Laboratory director (research investigations began as a bridge from a previous NSF-EAGER project) Project consisted of 5 primary research areas: IMAGING - 3D microscopy, analog/digital imaging - signal/image processing, 3D reconstruction - supercomputing INSTRUMENTATION - electrical instrumentation, advanced control/DAQ - precise motion control, micromanipulation FLUIDICS - microfluidic, "millifluidic" channels - curved, circular cross section fluidic channels - simple PDMS-based devices TISSUE PROCESSING - biopsy procurement, microsurgery, manipulation - traditional/whole (unsectioned) processing - optical clearing PATHOLOGY - normal/cancer cells, clusters, tissue fragments/tissue - patient-procured specimens - workflow integration - clinician/pathology lab personnel partnerships - maintained research position in parallel with two additional roles (see below) Show less - since 2014, dedicated all efforts from ground-up in development of wide-arching research program to aid pathologists, enhance pancreatic cancer detection/diagnosis through 3D imaging (see earlier research positions, aims, achievements) - to best of our knowledge, our small team was first in the world to devise, push forth several new ideas/technologies about millifluidics/3D microscopy (i.e., 3D pathology) to aid/enhance traditional pathology - from paper to practice… Show more - since 2014, dedicated all efforts from ground-up in development of wide-arching research program to aid pathologists, enhance pancreatic cancer detection/diagnosis through 3D imaging (see earlier research positions, aims, achievements) - to best of our knowledge, our small team was first in the world to devise, push forth several new ideas/technologies about millifluidics/3D microscopy (i.e., 3D pathology) to aid/enhance traditional pathology - from paper to practice, demonstrated several important scientific/engineering proofs-of-concept, gained subsequent academic/government support (NIH grant), media attention on project (see postdoc/professional experience after 2012) - supported by 3-YR NIH National Cancer Institute R21 Exploratory Grant which I co-authored with Human Photonics Laboratory director (research investigations began as a bridge from a previous NSF-EAGER project) Project consisted of 5 primary research areas: IMAGING - 3D microscopy, analog/digital imaging - signal/image processing, 3D reconstruction - supercomputing INSTRUMENTATION - electrical instrumentation, advanced control/DAQ - precise motion control, micromanipulation FLUIDICS - microfluidic, "millifluidic" channels - curved, circular cross section fluidic channels - simple PDMS-based devices TISSUE PROCESSING - biopsy procurement, microsurgery, manipulation - traditional/whole (unsectioned) processing - optical clearing PATHOLOGY - normal/cancer cells, clusters, tissue fragments/tissue - patient-procured specimens - workflow integration - clinician/pathology lab personnel partnerships - maintained research position in parallel with two additional roles (see below) Show less



University of Washington, University of Illinois, UC San Diego

• Teaching and Research Advising / Mentoring

  • Aug 2004 - Sep 2017

  If flexible scheduling permits, try to maintain an active teaching role in parallel with research position: - (not included in LinkedIn profile) have held at least 8 teaching positions focused on hands-on, technical engineering courses - for representative example, see recent position for UW Bioengineering Department Maintain active advising/mentoring role under a variety of academic programs: ***University of Washington*** - HPL apprenticeship (Human Photonics… Show more If flexible scheduling permits, try to maintain an active teaching role in parallel with research position: - (not included in LinkedIn profile) have held at least 8 teaching positions focused on hands-on, technical engineering courses - for representative example, see recent position for UW Bioengineering Department Maintain active advising/mentoring role under a variety of academic programs: ***University of Washington*** - HPL apprenticeship (Human Photonics Laboratory) - BioE/MechE Capstone (Engineering Senior Design Project) - BioE/MechE EIM (Engineering in Medicine) - GenOM ALVA (Genomics Outreach for Minorities, Alliances for Learning and Vision for Underrepresented Americans) - Indian Institute of Technology/UW VISIT/VISER (Visiting International Student Internship & Training/Engaged in Research) ***University of Illinois at Chicago*** - BioE Chicago Outreach - NSF REU (National Science Foundation, Research Experience for Undergraduates) - NSF RET (National Science Foundation, Research Experience for high school Teachers) ***University of California, San Diego*** - Triton College Ambassador - Score! Educational Centers Show less If flexible scheduling permits, try to maintain an active teaching role in parallel with research position: - (not included in LinkedIn profile) have held at least 8 teaching positions focused on hands-on, technical engineering courses - for representative example, see recent position for UW Bioengineering Department Maintain active advising/mentoring role under a variety of academic programs: ***University of Washington*** - HPL apprenticeship (Human Photonics… Show more If flexible scheduling permits, try to maintain an active teaching role in parallel with research position: - (not included in LinkedIn profile) have held at least 8 teaching positions focused on hands-on, technical engineering courses - for representative example, see recent position for UW Bioengineering Department Maintain active advising/mentoring role under a variety of academic programs: ***University of Washington*** - HPL apprenticeship (Human Photonics Laboratory) - BioE/MechE Capstone (Engineering Senior Design Project) - BioE/MechE EIM (Engineering in Medicine) - GenOM ALVA (Genomics Outreach for Minorities, Alliances for Learning and Vision for Underrepresented Americans) - Indian Institute of Technology/UW VISIT/VISER (Visiting International Student Internship & Training/Engaged in Research) ***University of Illinois at Chicago*** - BioE Chicago Outreach - NSF REU (National Science Foundation, Research Experience for Undergraduates) - NSF RET (National Science Foundation, Research Experience for high school Teachers) ***University of California, San Diego*** - Triton College Ambassador - Score! Educational Centers Show less



RPath Devices

• Medical Equipment Manufacturing

• Co-Founder & Chief Scientist

  • Jan 2016 - Jul 2017



University of Washington Bioengineering

• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Invited Instructor / Lecturer: Bioinstrumentation & Signals Laboratory

  • Feb 2014 - Jul 2017

  - invited by former department to instruct core instrumentation course (1 of 3 required labs) based on research experience, teaching reputation - instrumentation arguably most challenging engineering class to teach - curriculum committee permitted me to design/develop course from scratch - directly trained bioengineering students in hands-on fashion, equipped them with cutting-edge skill sets COURSE Ten new labs were created, designed to be highly-engaging, dynamic, 100%… Show more - invited by former department to instruct core instrumentation course (1 of 3 required labs) based on research experience, teaching reputation - instrumentation arguably most challenging engineering class to teach - curriculum committee permitted me to design/develop course from scratch - directly trained bioengineering students in hands-on fashion, equipped them with cutting-edge skill sets COURSE Ten new labs were created, designed to be highly-engaging, dynamic, 100% hands-on. With enthusiasm, pushed students to build with their hands, design/troubleshoot under deadlines, comprehend distinct problem space bioengineering instrumentation occupies. TEACHING Integrated distinct components to enhance student interactions/teamwork in approach colleagues praised as "unconventional, highly-creative teaching". Course material was based on - real-world experiences - challenging team-required projects - industry engineering - theoretical v. real-world design - adapted methods from other BioE programs KEY PROJECTS - application/analysis of electronic/optical filters - signal/image processing - amplifier design/transistor applications - smartphones/audio filters - FFT/frequency domain manipulation - noise reduction/SNR enhancement - design/prototype portable pulse oximeter/photoplethysmographer (advanced term project) FINAL WEEKS - comprised of rotating segments altered each year - state-of-the-art bioinstrumentation adapted from cancer research (microscopy/optics, 3D imaging/reconstruction, custom electronics, supercomputing) - interactive workshop (basic telegraphy/radio, reverse engineering, sonar/ultrasound) CHALLENGES/ACCOLADES: - 2014-2017, increase in enrollment (+25%) and sections (4 to 5x/wk) - support staff/department financial support increased +65% - one of the best instrumentation courses in COE - consistently rated one of the highest BioE core courses (2017: 4.86/5.00 v. average 3.60) Show less - invited by former department to instruct core instrumentation course (1 of 3 required labs) based on research experience, teaching reputation - instrumentation arguably most challenging engineering class to teach - curriculum committee permitted me to design/develop course from scratch - directly trained bioengineering students in hands-on fashion, equipped them with cutting-edge skill sets COURSE Ten new labs were created, designed to be highly-engaging, dynamic, 100%… Show more - invited by former department to instruct core instrumentation course (1 of 3 required labs) based on research experience, teaching reputation - instrumentation arguably most challenging engineering class to teach - curriculum committee permitted me to design/develop course from scratch - directly trained bioengineering students in hands-on fashion, equipped them with cutting-edge skill sets COURSE Ten new labs were created, designed to be highly-engaging, dynamic, 100% hands-on. With enthusiasm, pushed students to build with their hands, design/troubleshoot under deadlines, comprehend distinct problem space bioengineering instrumentation occupies. TEACHING Integrated distinct components to enhance student interactions/teamwork in approach colleagues praised as "unconventional, highly-creative teaching". Course material was based on - real-world experiences - challenging team-required projects - industry engineering - theoretical v. real-world design - adapted methods from other BioE programs KEY PROJECTS - application/analysis of electronic/optical filters - signal/image processing - amplifier design/transistor applications - smartphones/audio filters - FFT/frequency domain manipulation - noise reduction/SNR enhancement - design/prototype portable pulse oximeter/photoplethysmographer (advanced term project) FINAL WEEKS - comprised of rotating segments altered each year - state-of-the-art bioinstrumentation adapted from cancer research (microscopy/optics, 3D imaging/reconstruction, custom electronics, supercomputing) - interactive workshop (basic telegraphy/radio, reverse engineering, sonar/ultrasound) CHALLENGES/ACCOLADES: - 2014-2017, increase in enrollment (+25%) and sections (4 to 5x/wk) - support staff/department financial support increased +65% - one of the best instrumentation courses in COE - consistently rated one of the highest BioE core courses (2017: 4.86/5.00 v. average 3.60) Show less



Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar

• India
• Higher Education
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Internship Advisor / Mentor, University of Washington & Indian Institute of Technology

  • Jan 2013 - Jan 2017

  - invited by UW Mechanical Engineering (MechE) Professor Vipin Kumar based on previous teaching/mentoring engagements with department and research record - research advisor for VISIT/VISER program (Visiting International Student Internship & Training/Engaged in Research) - fostering partnerships towards broad research exposure, MOU between UW & Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). ADVISING One-on-one advising/mentoring of talented students selected by UW MechE, College of… Show more - invited by UW Mechanical Engineering (MechE) Professor Vipin Kumar based on previous teaching/mentoring engagements with department and research record - research advisor for VISIT/VISER program (Visiting International Student Internship & Training/Engaged in Research) - fostering partnerships towards broad research exposure, MOU between UW & Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). ADVISING One-on-one advising/mentoring of talented students selected by UW MechE, College of Engineering. Designed subsequent projects/training positions in research lab based on - program aims - student's goals - overall needs of cancer project - personal advising techniques - IIT's training methods/approaches FEATURES Projects focused on challenging research aspects; internship consisted of shadowing, hands-on work, one-on-one training in - hands-on/benchtop experimentation - microscopy/optical imaging - data/image processing - research laboratory life PROJECTS - 3D imaging of pancreatic biopsies - parallel & supercomputing - fluidic device development & rapid fabrication RESULTS - after first year success, continued apprenticeship for next 4-YR - experiences contributed to students' entrances into respective MS/PhD programs - students' work ethic, combined teamwork led to successfully published projects (below) PUBLICATION (1) 2018 - Das, Burfeind, Lim, *PATLE, et al. Pathology-in-a-tube: Step 2. Simple, rapid fabrication of curved, circular cross section millifluidic channels... Published in Microfluidics, BioMEMS... Proc SPIE. (2) 2015, 2016, 2018 - Das, *ANCHAN, et al. The need for speed: using an academic supercomputer for rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) of cancer... Presented at NIH 2015/2016 (Washington, DC); to be submitted to Arch Pathol Lab Med. (3) 2014 - Das, *AGRAWAL, et al. Optically clearing tissue as an initial step for 3D imaging of core biopsies to diagnose pancreatic cancer. Published in Optical Interactions with Tissue... Proc SPIE. Show less - invited by UW Mechanical Engineering (MechE) Professor Vipin Kumar based on previous teaching/mentoring engagements with department and research record - research advisor for VISIT/VISER program (Visiting International Student Internship & Training/Engaged in Research) - fostering partnerships towards broad research exposure, MOU between UW & Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). ADVISING One-on-one advising/mentoring of talented students selected by UW MechE, College of… Show more - invited by UW Mechanical Engineering (MechE) Professor Vipin Kumar based on previous teaching/mentoring engagements with department and research record - research advisor for VISIT/VISER program (Visiting International Student Internship & Training/Engaged in Research) - fostering partnerships towards broad research exposure, MOU between UW & Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). ADVISING One-on-one advising/mentoring of talented students selected by UW MechE, College of Engineering. Designed subsequent projects/training positions in research lab based on - program aims - student's goals - overall needs of cancer project - personal advising techniques - IIT's training methods/approaches FEATURES Projects focused on challenging research aspects; internship consisted of shadowing, hands-on work, one-on-one training in - hands-on/benchtop experimentation - microscopy/optical imaging - data/image processing - research laboratory life PROJECTS - 3D imaging of pancreatic biopsies - parallel & supercomputing - fluidic device development & rapid fabrication RESULTS - after first year success, continued apprenticeship for next 4-YR - experiences contributed to students' entrances into respective MS/PhD programs - students' work ethic, combined teamwork led to successfully published projects (below) PUBLICATION (1) 2018 - Das, Burfeind, Lim, *PATLE, et al. Pathology-in-a-tube: Step 2. Simple, rapid fabrication of curved, circular cross section millifluidic channels... Published in Microfluidics, BioMEMS... Proc SPIE. (2) 2015, 2016, 2018 - Das, *ANCHAN, et al. The need for speed: using an academic supercomputer for rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) of cancer... Presented at NIH 2015/2016 (Washington, DC); to be submitted to Arch Pathol Lab Med. (3) 2014 - Das, *AGRAWAL, et al. Optically clearing tissue as an initial step for 3D imaging of core biopsies to diagnose pancreatic cancer. Published in Optical Interactions with Tissue... Proc SPIE. Show less



University of Washington College of Engineering

• United States
• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Research Scientist IV, Lead, Co-Investigator

  • Aug 2014 - Nov 2015

  After proof-of-concept scientific/engineering successes during postdoc, transitioned to pure technical staff after being awarded an NIH grant which I co-authored with the HPL director. Pursued research full-time as the lead of a multidisciplinary R&D team. RESEARCH AIMS #1 - Aid pathologists in pancreatic cancer assessment by enhancing early detection/diagnosis through 3D imaging. #2 - Develop new "millifluidic" device from ground-up to process biopsies for cancer pathology (see… Show more After proof-of-concept scientific/engineering successes during postdoc, transitioned to pure technical staff after being awarded an NIH grant which I co-authored with the HPL director. Pursued research full-time as the lead of a multidisciplinary R&D team. RESEARCH AIMS #1 - Aid pathologists in pancreatic cancer assessment by enhancing early detection/diagnosis through 3D imaging. #2 - Develop new "millifluidic" device from ground-up to process biopsies for cancer pathology (see Patents). #3 - Scale-up existing 3D microscope to image whole, intact tissue core biopsies. #4 - Combine OPTM/related techniques with prototype millifluidic device. With HPL director, engineer Chris Burfeind, journalist Michelle Ma, project gained momentum, received significant academic/media support (2014-2015) due to implications/potential advances for 3D pathology/pancreatic cancer detection. ACADEMIC - 3-YR NIH Exploratory Grant (see Awards) - NSF Science Now, Episode 23, "Cancer Detection Technology" - SPIE Photonics West Conference (see Awards) - IEEE-EMBS Health Care Innovations Point-of-Care Conference (see Awards) - The Analytical Scientist, "Macrofluidics meets pathology", featured alongside article by George Whitesides (father of microfluidics) - The Pathologist, "Pathology-in-a-tube" - UW Today, "Credit card-sized device could analyze biopsy, help diagnose pancreatic cancer in minutes" - NWBioTrust/NWBioSpecimen (depts.washington.edu/nwbios/news/) - ThermoFisher Scientific Customer Spotlight (www.fei.com/software/The-University-of-Washington-uses-Amira) LOCAL - NBC, NWCN, King5 News - UW Bioengineering News - UW Mechanical Engineering MEssenger - UW Facebook - UW Undergraduate Research Symposium (featured in opening speech by UW President Michael K. Young) NATIONAL - Al Jazeera America (10 min prime time TV feature) INTERNATIONAL - Mumbai Mirror, Science Section, front page feature - 30+ online periodicals (search "ronnie das, pancreatic cancer") Show less After proof-of-concept scientific/engineering successes during postdoc, transitioned to pure technical staff after being awarded an NIH grant which I co-authored with the HPL director. Pursued research full-time as the lead of a multidisciplinary R&D team. RESEARCH AIMS #1 - Aid pathologists in pancreatic cancer assessment by enhancing early detection/diagnosis through 3D imaging. #2 - Develop new "millifluidic" device from ground-up to process biopsies for cancer pathology (see… Show more After proof-of-concept scientific/engineering successes during postdoc, transitioned to pure technical staff after being awarded an NIH grant which I co-authored with the HPL director. Pursued research full-time as the lead of a multidisciplinary R&D team. RESEARCH AIMS #1 - Aid pathologists in pancreatic cancer assessment by enhancing early detection/diagnosis through 3D imaging. #2 - Develop new "millifluidic" device from ground-up to process biopsies for cancer pathology (see Patents). #3 - Scale-up existing 3D microscope to image whole, intact tissue core biopsies. #4 - Combine OPTM/related techniques with prototype millifluidic device. With HPL director, engineer Chris Burfeind, journalist Michelle Ma, project gained momentum, received significant academic/media support (2014-2015) due to implications/potential advances for 3D pathology/pancreatic cancer detection. ACADEMIC - 3-YR NIH Exploratory Grant (see Awards) - NSF Science Now, Episode 23, "Cancer Detection Technology" - SPIE Photonics West Conference (see Awards) - IEEE-EMBS Health Care Innovations Point-of-Care Conference (see Awards) - The Analytical Scientist, "Macrofluidics meets pathology", featured alongside article by George Whitesides (father of microfluidics) - The Pathologist, "Pathology-in-a-tube" - UW Today, "Credit card-sized device could analyze biopsy, help diagnose pancreatic cancer in minutes" - NWBioTrust/NWBioSpecimen (depts.washington.edu/nwbios/news/) - ThermoFisher Scientific Customer Spotlight (www.fei.com/software/The-University-of-Washington-uses-Amira) LOCAL - NBC, NWCN, King5 News - UW Bioengineering News - UW Mechanical Engineering MEssenger - UW Facebook - UW Undergraduate Research Symposium (featured in opening speech by UW President Michael K. Young) NATIONAL - Al Jazeera America (10 min prime time TV feature) INTERNATIONAL - Mumbai Mirror, Science Section, front page feature - 30+ online periodicals (search "ronnie das, pancreatic cancer") Show less



University of Washington

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Postdoctorate Researcher, Human Photonics Laboratory (HPL)

  • Aug 2012 - Aug 2014

  Following controversial PhD, shifted gears back to physiological-/biomedical-based research. After learning about an NSF exploratory project to image tissue for pancreatic cancer diagnosis, joined HPL (formerly Human Interface Technology Laboratory, HIT) led by Eric Seibel, PhD. Role was part academic/part industrial, ideal science/engineering balance. Main objective was a fairly difficult, out-of-the-box research project. Applied many facets of previous research activities and unique… Show more Following controversial PhD, shifted gears back to physiological-/biomedical-based research. After learning about an NSF exploratory project to image tissue for pancreatic cancer diagnosis, joined HPL (formerly Human Interface Technology Laboratory, HIT) led by Eric Seibel, PhD. Role was part academic/part industrial, ideal science/engineering balance. Main objective was a fairly difficult, out-of-the-box research project. Applied many facets of previous research activities and unique expertise/unorthodox perspectives to postdoc position. Crucial/refreshing/exciting project component: millimeter-scale specimens/engineering/research as majority (90%) of past research experience/insight was based on electrical/mechanical/physiological phenomena on micrometer length scales. Millimeter-scale tissue imaging based on 3D microscope (OPTM). Developed by UW spin-out VisionGate, OPTM was a joint academic-industrial project to aid cancer diagnosis by imaging single cells in 3D. VG's technical staff/expertise were jointly attached to HPL. For 2-YR, acquired knowledge/experience by shadowing team, pathologists associated with project. Learned from/shadowed related startup Nortis (organ-on-a-chip/microfluidics) since technical staff overlapped with HPL/VG research spaces. RESEARCH - 3D imaging/image processing - optical clearing - pathology workflow/tissue processing - biopsy procurement/handling - microfluidics Small team made significant scientific/engineering breakthroughs. Permitted us to continue exciting work towards potential clinical applications; received subsequent NIH funding, significant academic/media recognition (2014-2015). PUBLICATION - www.bmes.org/previousannualmeetings (2013, p. 171/175) - www.washington.edu/news/2014/02/06/credit-card-sized-device-could-analyze-biopsy-help-diagnose-pancreatic-cancer-in-minutes - doi.org/10.1117/12.2041106 - ... /12.2041114 - thepathologist.com/inside-the-lab/pathology-in-a-tube Show less Following controversial PhD, shifted gears back to physiological-/biomedical-based research. After learning about an NSF exploratory project to image tissue for pancreatic cancer diagnosis, joined HPL (formerly Human Interface Technology Laboratory, HIT) led by Eric Seibel, PhD. Role was part academic/part industrial, ideal science/engineering balance. Main objective was a fairly difficult, out-of-the-box research project. Applied many facets of previous research activities and unique… Show more Following controversial PhD, shifted gears back to physiological-/biomedical-based research. After learning about an NSF exploratory project to image tissue for pancreatic cancer diagnosis, joined HPL (formerly Human Interface Technology Laboratory, HIT) led by Eric Seibel, PhD. Role was part academic/part industrial, ideal science/engineering balance. Main objective was a fairly difficult, out-of-the-box research project. Applied many facets of previous research activities and unique expertise/unorthodox perspectives to postdoc position. Crucial/refreshing/exciting project component: millimeter-scale specimens/engineering/research as majority (90%) of past research experience/insight was based on electrical/mechanical/physiological phenomena on micrometer length scales. Millimeter-scale tissue imaging based on 3D microscope (OPTM). Developed by UW spin-out VisionGate, OPTM was a joint academic-industrial project to aid cancer diagnosis by imaging single cells in 3D. VG's technical staff/expertise were jointly attached to HPL. For 2-YR, acquired knowledge/experience by shadowing team, pathologists associated with project. Learned from/shadowed related startup Nortis (organ-on-a-chip/microfluidics) since technical staff overlapped with HPL/VG research spaces. RESEARCH - 3D imaging/image processing - optical clearing - pathology workflow/tissue processing - biopsy procurement/handling - microfluidics Small team made significant scientific/engineering breakthroughs. Permitted us to continue exciting work towards potential clinical applications; received subsequent NIH funding, significant academic/media recognition (2014-2015). PUBLICATION - www.bmes.org/previousannualmeetings (2013, p. 171/175) - www.washington.edu/news/2014/02/06/credit-card-sized-device-could-analyze-biopsy-help-diagnose-pancreatic-cancer-in-minutes - doi.org/10.1117/12.2041106 - ... /12.2041114 - thepathologist.com/inside-the-lab/pathology-in-a-tube Show less



University of Washington, Mechanical Engineering Department

• Seattle, Washington, United States

• Invited Instructor / Lecturer: Engineering Senior (Capstone) Design

  • Mar 2014 - Jun 2014

  - invited by UW Mechanical Engineering Professor Vipin Kumar to instruct annual engineering design class for mechanical engineers (final senior level course) - first position as full-time instructor while concurrently pursued postdoctorate research COURSE - instructed undergraduates in applying engineering skills, research abilities, creative thinking into concerted team effort - teams provided design solutions to engineering problems proposed by sponsors - setup, liaised… Show more - invited by UW Mechanical Engineering Professor Vipin Kumar to instruct annual engineering design class for mechanical engineers (final senior level course) - first position as full-time instructor while concurrently pursued postdoctorate research COURSE - instructed undergraduates in applying engineering skills, research abilities, creative thinking into concerted team effort - teams provided design solutions to engineering problems proposed by sponsors - setup, liaised directly with sponsors (faculty, scientists, engineers, researchers) from academia/industry - determined if sponsor design problem was appropriate wrt class constraints, engineering challenge TEACHING - provided, promoted open-atmosphere, high-energy, positive-thinking - encouraged students to be highly independent (setup individual schedules, progress, workflow) - established basic/dynamic deadlines, interacted with teams on personal level to maintain momentum - ensured no team fell behind, helped each group maximize engineering potential FEATURES - lectured on design with respect to engineering, science, research, industry - setup informal Q&A session on engineering in private sector - invited visitors from industry, session focused on expectations in today's competitive workforce - visitors from all levels of mechanical engineering with varying years of experience (engineering sales/marketing, entry-level technicians, seasoned engineers, product development teams, CEO) DELIVERABLES - encouraged/pushed 7 design teams (30 students) to fabricate/prototype final product in 1 QTR instead of theoretical paper-based design - prior to graduation, arranged semi-professional senior design conference, teams showcased products, answered questions from scientific/non-scientific crowds Show less - invited by UW Mechanical Engineering Professor Vipin Kumar to instruct annual engineering design class for mechanical engineers (final senior level course) - first position as full-time instructor while concurrently pursued postdoctorate research COURSE - instructed undergraduates in applying engineering skills, research abilities, creative thinking into concerted team effort - teams provided design solutions to engineering problems proposed by sponsors - setup, liaised… Show more - invited by UW Mechanical Engineering Professor Vipin Kumar to instruct annual engineering design class for mechanical engineers (final senior level course) - first position as full-time instructor while concurrently pursued postdoctorate research COURSE - instructed undergraduates in applying engineering skills, research abilities, creative thinking into concerted team effort - teams provided design solutions to engineering problems proposed by sponsors - setup, liaised directly with sponsors (faculty, scientists, engineers, researchers) from academia/industry - determined if sponsor design problem was appropriate wrt class constraints, engineering challenge TEACHING - provided, promoted open-atmosphere, high-energy, positive-thinking - encouraged students to be highly independent (setup individual schedules, progress, workflow) - established basic/dynamic deadlines, interacted with teams on personal level to maintain momentum - ensured no team fell behind, helped each group maximize engineering potential FEATURES - lectured on design with respect to engineering, science, research, industry - setup informal Q&A session on engineering in private sector - invited visitors from industry, session focused on expectations in today's competitive workforce - visitors from all levels of mechanical engineering with varying years of experience (engineering sales/marketing, entry-level technicians, seasoned engineers, product development teams, CEO) DELIVERABLES - encouraged/pushed 7 design teams (30 students) to fabricate/prototype final product in 1 QTR instead of theoretical paper-based design - prior to graduation, arranged semi-professional senior design conference, teams showcased products, answered questions from scientific/non-scientific crowds Show less



University of Washington Bioengineering

• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Donald D. & Joan P. Baker Fellow, PhD Student / Research Associate

  • Aug 2006 - Dec 2012

  Moved to the beautiful Pacific Northwest, joined famous Pollack lab at UW. Goal: study muscle contraction, develop hybrid neuromuscular PhD project. Ambitiously pursued exciting, cutting-edge research area: phototherapy. Objective: measure myofibril mechanical activity with EM radiation exposure. For several years, dedicated all efforts to modifying, redesigning world-famous, state-of-the-art force measurement apparatus... at a crucial juncture however (long, long story), research… Show more Moved to the beautiful Pacific Northwest, joined famous Pollack lab at UW. Goal: study muscle contraction, develop hybrid neuromuscular PhD project. Ambitiously pursued exciting, cutting-edge research area: phototherapy. Objective: measure myofibril mechanical activity with EM radiation exposure. For several years, dedicated all efforts to modifying, redesigning world-famous, state-of-the-art force measurement apparatus... at a crucial juncture however (long, long story), research radically changed towards investigating intracellular/interfacial H2O, H2O-based phenomena. SCIENTIFIC Conducted experiments, pursued studies in - enhanced diffusion - electrostatic/dynamic phenomena - interfacial H2O - hydration/hydrophilicity - self-assembly ENGINEERING Developed numerous instruments to support research - ultra-fast photodiode array for force measurement - signal amplifiers/preamplifiers - piezoactuator/stepper motor drivers - custom-machined glass chambers - custom microelectrodes - high-impedance electrometers - perfusion/flow cells - image capture/motor control system - image/signal processing algorithms - advanced mechanical frequency analyses DISSERTATION Developed a new, ultrasensitive sensor to measure force at the interface of a hydrophilic (H2O-loving) surface. Hydrophilic surfaces are ubiquitous in nature (biomolecules, proteins, cells). Investigation thus tested the hypothesis that interfacial H2O is distinct from bulk H2O; that it adopts a molecular structure which separates electrical charge and this charge separation results in a development of electrostatic force. Directly measured these forces with the system I designed. hdl.handle.net/1773/22651 PUBLICATION - bioe.uw.edu/faculty-staff/bioe-awards/ (see Awards) - engage.washington.edu/site/PageNavigator/Bioengineering/AlumSpring2012/ Spring2012_newsbriefs.html (see Awards) - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3883427 - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Ling#cite_note-29 Show less Moved to the beautiful Pacific Northwest, joined famous Pollack lab at UW. Goal: study muscle contraction, develop hybrid neuromuscular PhD project. Ambitiously pursued exciting, cutting-edge research area: phototherapy. Objective: measure myofibril mechanical activity with EM radiation exposure. For several years, dedicated all efforts to modifying, redesigning world-famous, state-of-the-art force measurement apparatus... at a crucial juncture however (long, long story), research… Show more Moved to the beautiful Pacific Northwest, joined famous Pollack lab at UW. Goal: study muscle contraction, develop hybrid neuromuscular PhD project. Ambitiously pursued exciting, cutting-edge research area: phototherapy. Objective: measure myofibril mechanical activity with EM radiation exposure. For several years, dedicated all efforts to modifying, redesigning world-famous, state-of-the-art force measurement apparatus... at a crucial juncture however (long, long story), research radically changed towards investigating intracellular/interfacial H2O, H2O-based phenomena. SCIENTIFIC Conducted experiments, pursued studies in - enhanced diffusion - electrostatic/dynamic phenomena - interfacial H2O - hydration/hydrophilicity - self-assembly ENGINEERING Developed numerous instruments to support research - ultra-fast photodiode array for force measurement - signal amplifiers/preamplifiers - piezoactuator/stepper motor drivers - custom-machined glass chambers - custom microelectrodes - high-impedance electrometers - perfusion/flow cells - image capture/motor control system - image/signal processing algorithms - advanced mechanical frequency analyses DISSERTATION Developed a new, ultrasensitive sensor to measure force at the interface of a hydrophilic (H2O-loving) surface. Hydrophilic surfaces are ubiquitous in nature (biomolecules, proteins, cells). Investigation thus tested the hypothesis that interfacial H2O is distinct from bulk H2O; that it adopts a molecular structure which separates electrical charge and this charge separation results in a development of electrostatic force. Directly measured these forces with the system I designed. hdl.handle.net/1773/22651 PUBLICATION - bioe.uw.edu/faculty-staff/bioe-awards/ (see Awards) - engage.washington.edu/site/PageNavigator/Bioengineering/AlumSpring2012/ Spring2012_newsbriefs.html (see Awards) - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3883427 - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Ling#cite_note-29 Show less



University of Illinois Chicago

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• MS Student / Research Associate

  • Aug 2004 - Sep 2006

  After neuroscience/muscle laboratory experiences and UCSD bioengineering, moved to Chicago to formally pursue neural research in the Neural Engineering Device Development Laboratory led by Patrick Rousche, PhD. Graduate research was one part of a larger NIH-funded project involving cortical prostheses for the auditory system. In cases where cochlear implants are not viable to restore hearing, approach was to implant specially-designed, advanced microelectrodes directly into the brain's… Show more After neuroscience/muscle laboratory experiences and UCSD bioengineering, moved to Chicago to formally pursue neural research in the Neural Engineering Device Development Laboratory led by Patrick Rousche, PhD. Graduate research was one part of a larger NIH-funded project involving cortical prostheses for the auditory system. In cases where cochlear implants are not viable to restore hearing, approach was to implant specially-designed, advanced microelectrodes directly into the brain's auditory cortex (Heschl's gyrus). RESEARCH Master's work covered a wide spectrum in cortical implant research - electrochemistry of microelectrode metals - neural growth factor diffusion - electrical bioinstrumentation - in vivo animal work - neural activity modeling/simulation - microelectrode fabrication/microfabrication - finite element analysis THESIS Ultimately, my thesis focused on human brain oscillations. When stiff, metal microelectrodes are inserted into neural tissue, they encounter an environment that is mechanically soft, relatively isothermic, in constant motion and is hypersensitive to trauma. I therefore developed an electromechanical apparatus which inserted microelectrodes directly into the auditory cortex of human brain tissue and measured the forces that are associated with microelectrode insertion and the daily oscillations of the brain/head (i.e., pulsatile blood flow, breathing, walking, etc.). vufind.carli.illinois.edu/vf-uic/Record/uic_1971968 PUBLICATION www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17554827 Show less After neuroscience/muscle laboratory experiences and UCSD bioengineering, moved to Chicago to formally pursue neural research in the Neural Engineering Device Development Laboratory led by Patrick Rousche, PhD. Graduate research was one part of a larger NIH-funded project involving cortical prostheses for the auditory system. In cases where cochlear implants are not viable to restore hearing, approach was to implant specially-designed, advanced microelectrodes directly into the brain's… Show more After neuroscience/muscle laboratory experiences and UCSD bioengineering, moved to Chicago to formally pursue neural research in the Neural Engineering Device Development Laboratory led by Patrick Rousche, PhD. Graduate research was one part of a larger NIH-funded project involving cortical prostheses for the auditory system. In cases where cochlear implants are not viable to restore hearing, approach was to implant specially-designed, advanced microelectrodes directly into the brain's auditory cortex (Heschl's gyrus). RESEARCH Master's work covered a wide spectrum in cortical implant research - electrochemistry of microelectrode metals - neural growth factor diffusion - electrical bioinstrumentation - in vivo animal work - neural activity modeling/simulation - microelectrode fabrication/microfabrication - finite element analysis THESIS Ultimately, my thesis focused on human brain oscillations. When stiff, metal microelectrodes are inserted into neural tissue, they encounter an environment that is mechanically soft, relatively isothermic, in constant motion and is hypersensitive to trauma. I therefore developed an electromechanical apparatus which inserted microelectrodes directly into the auditory cortex of human brain tissue and measured the forces that are associated with microelectrode insertion and the daily oscillations of the brain/head (i.e., pulsatile blood flow, breathing, walking, etc.). vufind.carli.illinois.edu/vf-uic/Record/uic_1971968 PUBLICATION www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17554827 Show less



U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

• United States
• Government Administration
• 700 & Above Employee

• Research Bioengineer I, Muscle Physiology Laboratory

  • Jul 2003 - Aug 2004

  Research group led by Rick Lieber, PhD. Another most rewarding experience prior to graduate school. Lab operated under VA's academic/industrial research division. Served as technician/staff engineer within a wonderful team; supported graduate students, clinicians, postdocs, lab/VA projects. PRIMARY - significant work with advanced DAQ systems (hardware/software) - muscle bundle/muscle fiber manipulation (i.e., tissue harvesting, fluorescent-labeling, transfection) - breeding… Show more Research group led by Rick Lieber, PhD. Another most rewarding experience prior to graduate school. Lab operated under VA's academic/industrial research division. Served as technician/staff engineer within a wonderful team; supported graduate students, clinicians, postdocs, lab/VA projects. PRIMARY - significant work with advanced DAQ systems (hardware/software) - muscle bundle/muscle fiber manipulation (i.e., tissue harvesting, fluorescent-labeling, transfection) - breeding colonies Pursued independent projects with great degree of autonomy due to a combination of previous experiences with Neurocrine, my team's undergraduate Senior Design project at UCSD, bioengineering training in biomechanics/instrumentation (MATLAB/LabVIEW). PROJECTS P1a: Characterized mechanical properties of diseased/artificially-diseased muscle tissue through custom-designed apparatus which measured muscle fiber tension using an ultrasensitive force sensor while specimens were simultaneously imaged by a laser confocal microscope. P1b: Developed novel image/signal processing algorithms to analyze movies of static/passively-stretched muscle fibers tagged with multiple fluorescent labels. P2: Devised novel, advanced signal processing methods for laser diffraction optical data measured from actively contracting muscle fibers. P3: Conducted experiments on spastic human muscle biopsies to investigate active mechanical properties, developed closed-loop algorithms with micromotor system to correlate strain energy with muscle disease. PUBLICATION www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15208284 Show less Research group led by Rick Lieber, PhD. Another most rewarding experience prior to graduate school. Lab operated under VA's academic/industrial research division. Served as technician/staff engineer within a wonderful team; supported graduate students, clinicians, postdocs, lab/VA projects. PRIMARY - significant work with advanced DAQ systems (hardware/software) - muscle bundle/muscle fiber manipulation (i.e., tissue harvesting, fluorescent-labeling, transfection) - breeding… Show more Research group led by Rick Lieber, PhD. Another most rewarding experience prior to graduate school. Lab operated under VA's academic/industrial research division. Served as technician/staff engineer within a wonderful team; supported graduate students, clinicians, postdocs, lab/VA projects. PRIMARY - significant work with advanced DAQ systems (hardware/software) - muscle bundle/muscle fiber manipulation (i.e., tissue harvesting, fluorescent-labeling, transfection) - breeding colonies Pursued independent projects with great degree of autonomy due to a combination of previous experiences with Neurocrine, my team's undergraduate Senior Design project at UCSD, bioengineering training in biomechanics/instrumentation (MATLAB/LabVIEW). PROJECTS P1a: Characterized mechanical properties of diseased/artificially-diseased muscle tissue through custom-designed apparatus which measured muscle fiber tension using an ultrasensitive force sensor while specimens were simultaneously imaged by a laser confocal microscope. P1b: Developed novel image/signal processing algorithms to analyze movies of static/passively-stretched muscle fibers tagged with multiple fluorescent labels. P2: Devised novel, advanced signal processing methods for laser diffraction optical data measured from actively contracting muscle fibers. P3: Conducted experiments on spastic human muscle biopsies to investigate active mechanical properties, developed closed-loop algorithms with micromotor system to correlate strain energy with muscle disease. PUBLICATION www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15208284 Show less



Neurocrine Biosciences

• United States
• Biotechnology Research
• 700 & Above Employee

• Technician / Research Associate I, Neuroscience & Electrophysiology Division

  • Mar 2002 - Sep 2003

  Formally/intensively trained in patch clamping, whole-cell electrical recordings by master electrophysiologist Bob Petroski, PhD. Mentor introduced advanced benchtop techniques, centered research activities on highly-interdisciplinary, ground-up experimental approaches. PRIMARY - primary assay: electrophysiological recordings of patched biospecimens in fluidic baths concentrated with drugs on company's pipeline - synthesized various physiological solutions for sensitive in… Show more Formally/intensively trained in patch clamping, whole-cell electrical recordings by master electrophysiologist Bob Petroski, PhD. Mentor introduced advanced benchtop techniques, centered research activities on highly-interdisciplinary, ground-up experimental approaches. PRIMARY - primary assay: electrophysiological recordings of patched biospecimens in fluidic baths concentrated with drugs on company's pipeline - synthesized various physiological solutions for sensitive in vitro/vivo experiments - fabricated highly-specialized glass microelectrodes - instructed in advanced control, amplification, filtering hardware/software to record ultra-small electrical signals from single-/multi-patched cells - patched cells using BF/fluorescence microscopy, high-precision micromanipulators SECONDARY - harvested mouse/rat cortical neurons for drug response studies - maintained transfected cell lines for related investigations/experiments conducted by electrophysiologists within small research team Apprenticeship transitioned into full-time position, pursued independent research projects P1: EAAT3 ion channel characterization using HERG transfected HEK cell lines for insomnia-targeting drug P2: Development of autaptic cell cultures for electrophysiological investigations PUBLICATION www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16399882 Show less Formally/intensively trained in patch clamping, whole-cell electrical recordings by master electrophysiologist Bob Petroski, PhD. Mentor introduced advanced benchtop techniques, centered research activities on highly-interdisciplinary, ground-up experimental approaches. PRIMARY - primary assay: electrophysiological recordings of patched biospecimens in fluidic baths concentrated with drugs on company's pipeline - synthesized various physiological solutions for sensitive in… Show more Formally/intensively trained in patch clamping, whole-cell electrical recordings by master electrophysiologist Bob Petroski, PhD. Mentor introduced advanced benchtop techniques, centered research activities on highly-interdisciplinary, ground-up experimental approaches. PRIMARY - primary assay: electrophysiological recordings of patched biospecimens in fluidic baths concentrated with drugs on company's pipeline - synthesized various physiological solutions for sensitive in vitro/vivo experiments - fabricated highly-specialized glass microelectrodes - instructed in advanced control, amplification, filtering hardware/software to record ultra-small electrical signals from single-/multi-patched cells - patched cells using BF/fluorescence microscopy, high-precision micromanipulators SECONDARY - harvested mouse/rat cortical neurons for drug response studies - maintained transfected cell lines for related investigations/experiments conducted by electrophysiologists within small research team Apprenticeship transitioned into full-time position, pursued independent research projects P1: EAAT3 ion channel characterization using HERG transfected HEK cell lines for insomnia-targeting drug P2: Development of autaptic cell cultures for electrophysiological investigations PUBLICATION www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16399882 Show less



The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology

• Biotechnology Research
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Laboratory Assistant, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology

  • Mar 2001 - Sep 2001

  Undergraduate research assistant, first research position in experimental biology (Sutcliffe Molecular Neurobiology group). Learned about basic research, experiment protocols; participated in a mini molecular biology project. Supervised by support staff, assisted lab operations through making-up/autoclaving stock solutions, running electrophoresis gels as requested by lab personnel. Undergraduate research assistant, first research position in experimental biology (Sutcliffe Molecular Neurobiology group). Learned about basic research, experiment protocols; participated in a mini molecular biology project. Supervised by support staff, assisted lab operations through making-up/autoclaving stock solutions, running electrophoresis gels as requested by lab personnel.