Experience

Systems Oncology

• United States
• Biotechnology Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Vice President, Bioengineering

  • Aug 2021 - Present

  Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

• Vice President, Bioengineering

  • Jan 2021 - Aug 2021

  Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

• Director of Biological Therapeutics

  • Mar 2019 - Jan 2021

  Scottsdale, AZ



University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix

• United States
• Higher Education
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Research Associate Professor

  • Dec 2013 - Mar 2019

  Phoenix, Arizona



Phoenix Children's

• United States
• Hospitals and Health Care
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Research Scientist

  • Aug 2013 - Mar 2019

  Phoenix, Arizona The goal of the institute is to improve therapeutic options in children with various diseases by studying the patient at the genomic and cellular level. Assisted in the development of as translational research program in pediatric cancer with a focus on personalized/precision medicine for children with cancer. Research includes projects in pediatric leukemia, sarcomas and brain tumors. • Supervise a research team of scientists, technicians and students • Initiated collaborations… Show more The goal of the institute is to improve therapeutic options in children with various diseases by studying the patient at the genomic and cellular level. Assisted in the development of as translational research program in pediatric cancer with a focus on personalized/precision medicine for children with cancer. Research includes projects in pediatric leukemia, sarcomas and brain tumors. • Supervise a research team of scientists, technicians and students • Initiated collaborations with laboratory and clinical researchers • Established and managed annual laboratory budget • Prepare funding proposals for grants and contracts • Serve as graduate student mentor • Serve on institutional and national grant review committees • Member on Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s IRB committee • Established functional screening and drug sensitivity and resistance assay for potential use as a personalized medicine approach Show less



TGen - Part of City of Hope

• United States
• Biotechnology Research
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Adjunct Associate Professor

  • Jan 2012 - Mar 2019

• Senior Investigator/Associate Professor

  • Oct 2006 - Dec 2011

  Scottsdale, AZ Head of the Biological Therapeutics Laboratory. Research focused on the application of innovative technologies to improve the therapeutics and diagnostics of diseases. Applied a functional genomics RNAi screening platform to identify novel gene targets for various diseases including cancer. Initiated the development of monoclonal antibodies to receptor targets and novel prognostic markers in cancer. Investigated purification strategies and genomic analysis of cancer cell-derived… Show more Head of the Biological Therapeutics Laboratory. Research focused on the application of innovative technologies to improve the therapeutics and diagnostics of diseases. Applied a functional genomics RNAi screening platform to identify novel gene targets for various diseases including cancer. Initiated the development of monoclonal antibodies to receptor targets and novel prognostic markers in cancer. Investigated purification strategies and genomic analysis of cancer cell-derived exosomes. • Co-head of the High Content Analysis Center • Led the integration of high content analysis and label-free analysis to target discovery and validation. • Led the optimization of siRNA transfection conditions of over fifty cell lines for RNAi screening • Led the RNAi screening of various cell lines using siRNA libraries targeting kinases, apoptosis genes, and the druggable genome • Identified modulators of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells and cisplatin in ovarian cancer cells using RNAi screening • Applied siRNA screening, high content analysis and image-based analysis in the development of an assay for cholesterol accumulation in Niemann-Pick Type C cells • Integrated high content analysis and label-free impedance assays in the RNAi screening platform for optimization and validation • Applied various analysis techniques for RNAi screening data • Supervised a team of staff scientists, post-docs, technicians and students • Set and managed annual laboratory budget • Initiated grant proposals and served on institutional and national grant review committees • Served on the institutional IACUC and IBC committees • Mentored students in the Helios Summer Internship Program

• Investigator

  • Jul 2005 - Oct 2006

  Scottsdale, AZ Responsible for the implementation of high throughput RNAi assays for target identification, the identification of projects that would be facilitated by applying functional genomics and the development of novel assays amenable to RNAi screening. • Assisted to the start up of the Pharmaceutical Genomics Division at TGen • Initiated research project utilizing High Throughput RNAi screening • Initiated siRNA library screens in cancer cell lines for the identification of genes that… Show more Responsible for the implementation of high throughput RNAi assays for target identification, the identification of projects that would be facilitated by applying functional genomics and the development of novel assays amenable to RNAi screening. • Assisted to the start up of the Pharmaceutical Genomics Division at TGen • Initiated research project utilizing High Throughput RNAi screening • Initiated siRNA library screens in cancer cell lines for the identification of genes that modulate growth of cancer cells and their response to chemotherapeutic agents. • Led the development of a high content assay to identify modulators of tau phosphorylation using High Throughput RNAi screening • Trained staff in various steps of RNAi screening • Mentored students in the TGen Summer Internship Program

• Staff Scientist

  • Feb 2003 - Jul 2005

  Gaithersburg, MD Responsible for the technical development of a functional genomics platform based on high throughput RNAi. Optimized siRNA library screening conditions and assay development for dozens of cancer cell lines. • Assisted to the start up of the Cancer Drug Discovery Laboratory at TGen • Led the development of a high throughput RNAi screening platform • Assisted in the development and use of the first commercially available siRNA library for silencing of cancer associated genes •… Show more Responsible for the technical development of a functional genomics platform based on high throughput RNAi. Optimized siRNA library screening conditions and assay development for dozens of cancer cell lines. • Assisted to the start up of the Cancer Drug Discovery Laboratory at TGen • Led the development of a high throughput RNAi screening platform • Assisted in the development and use of the first commercially available siRNA library for silencing of cancer associated genes • Established siRNA transfection optimization of cell lines for siRNA library screening • Initiated assay development for image-based, high content analysis • Established a monoclonal antibody development platform • Contributed to writing and preparation of funding proposals • Trained and managed technical staff in molecular biology and cell biology techniques



National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

• United States
• Research
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Postdoctoral/Research Fellow

  • Aug 1996 - Feb 2003

  Bethesda, MD Responsible for research projects focusing on the biochemical and functional characterization of the gene products of newly identified cancer-associated genes. Used monoclonal antibody technology to develop various antibodies for 1) studies of protein function; 2) as novel diagnostic tools and; 3) as novel research tools to study in vivo models. • Developed a panel of monoclonal antibodies targeting nuclear receptor coactivators NCOA3 (AIB1/ACTR) and NCOA6 (AIB3/ASC-2) • Demonstrated… Show more Responsible for research projects focusing on the biochemical and functional characterization of the gene products of newly identified cancer-associated genes. Used monoclonal antibody technology to develop various antibodies for 1) studies of protein function; 2) as novel diagnostic tools and; 3) as novel research tools to study in vivo models. • Developed a panel of monoclonal antibodies targeting nuclear receptor coactivators NCOA3 (AIB1/ACTR) and NCOA6 (AIB3/ASC-2) • Demonstrated interaction between NCOA3 and the estrogen receptor ESR1 • Developed monoclonal antibodies specific for the PAX3-FKHR oncoprotein in rhabdomyosarcoma cells • Mentored students in the HHMI Scholar, NIH Pre-IRTA and NIH Summer Pre-IRTA programs Show less



INSERM U.311

• Postdoctoral Fellow

  • Oct 1993 - Jul 1996

  Strasbourg, France Responsible for research projects focused on characterizing the structure and function of platelet membrane glycoproteins in normal and dysfunctional platelets. Used monoclonal antibody technology to develop various antibodies for 1) studies of platelet function; 2) as novel diagnostic tools and; 3) as novel research tools including several for rodent in vivo models • Developed a panel of monoclonal antibodies targeting human and rat platelet glycoproteins including GPV (CD42d)… Show more Responsible for research projects focused on characterizing the structure and function of platelet membrane glycoproteins in normal and dysfunctional platelets. Used monoclonal antibody technology to develop various antibodies for 1) studies of platelet function; 2) as novel diagnostic tools and; 3) as novel research tools including several for rodent in vivo models • Developed a panel of monoclonal antibodies targeting human and rat platelet glycoproteins including GPV (CD42d), GPIIb-IIIa, GPIX (CD42a) • Developed a panel of monoclonal antibodies targeting tetraspanins including CD9, CD63, CD81, TSPAN7, TSPAN8 • Developed an ELISA to measure soluble platelet GPV (CD42d) in patient plasma as a diagnostic tool to identify platelet activation • Instructed technicians in monoclonal antibody development Show less