Experience

University of Alaska Anchorage

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Adjunct Faculty Instructor

  • Jan 2016 - Present

  BIOL A252 Principles of Genetics

• Academic Advisor for Math & Science

  • Jul 2013 - Present



University of Idaho

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Fortunato Lab

  • Sep 2011 - Dec 2012

  · Identification of the Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) protein responsible for 1q42 chromosomal breakage. · Development of an in vitro DNA cleavage assay to define the minimal 1q42 breaksite sequence. · Quantification of HCMV-induced chromosomal break frequency and stability in cells of neural origin and cultured fibroblasts · Identification of the Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) protein responsible for 1q42 chromosomal breakage. · Development of an in vitro DNA cleavage assay to define the minimal 1q42 breaksite sequence. · Quantification of HCMV-induced chromosomal break frequency and stability in cells of neural origin and cultured fibroblasts



Washington State University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Graduate Student Research Assistant, Varnum & Brown Labs

  • Sep 2007 - May 2011

  · Delineation of the relationship between distinct types of human cone photoreceptor CNG channel gene mutations & specific cell death mechanisms. · Elucidation of the roles of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), ER-associated degradation (ERAD), & the unfolded protein response (UPR) in the degradation of cone photoreceptor CNG channels. · Investigation of assembly, trafficking, & degradation mechanisms of CNG channels in photoreceptor-derived 661W cells utilizing molecular biology, biochemistry, & confocal microscopy. · Analysis of RNA & protein markers of ER stress, delineation of UPR profile, & investigation of chaperone rescue mechanisms in 661W cells expressing human cone CNG channels bearing cytotoxic disease-associated mutations. · Investigation of the relationship between CNG channel vs. NCKX2 relative activity & viability of 661W cells. · Isolation of a zebrafish cone-specific promoter, construction of an EGFP-CNGA3 cone-specific expression plasmid.

• Research Associate, Dept of Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, Call Lab

  • Oct 2004 - Jul 2007

  · Development of a multiplex bead suspension array to identify the molecular subtypes of Listeriamonocytogenes strains based on single nucleotide polymorphisms in critical genomic regions.· Development of MLST (multi-locus sequence typing) and VNTR (variable nucleotide repeat) analysesto identify the molecular subtypes of Listeria monocytogenes strains.· Sequence assembly of a 1.8 Mb plasmid with multiple resistance genes, transposons, and invertedrepeats.

• Research Associate, Dept of Veterinary & Comparative Anatomy, Pharmacology & Physiology; Krueger Lab

  • Jun 2002 - Oct 2004

  · Analysis of gene expression in brain tissue to elucidate homeostatic controls and neural plasticityassociated with sleep deprivation.· Investigation of spontaneous neural network formation in dispersed neuronal cell culture.· Analysis of the expression pattern of genes regulating circadian rhythm in a suprachiasmatic nucleus-derived cell line.



Huntsman Cancer Institute

• United States
• Research Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Research Specialist, Department of Oncology; Ullman Lab

  • Apr 1999 - May 2002

  · Xenopus laevis oocyte nucleus microinjection studies to determine the role of Nucleoporin 153 and the influence of RNA cargo type in nucleocytoplasmic transport, and to delineate functional contributions of discrete domains within Nup153. · Development of domain-specific IgGs and Fabs; elucidation of Nup153 specificity in nucleocytoplasmic transport regulation. · Development of transport-substrate protein library by sequential addition of subunits; illustration of steric vs. specific effects of Nup153-mediated transport. · Analysis of recombinant protein fragments of Nup153 to reveal dominant-negative phenotypes in transport regulation. · Design and production of a panel of RNAs for delineation of multiple routes of nucleocytoplasmic transport. · Elucidation of mPER1 nuclear translocation in Xenopus laevis oocytes.



Novartis Pharmaceuticals

• Wellness and Fitness Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Scientist II, Dept of Molecular & Cellular Biology; Bowen Lab

  • Jul 1995 - Mar 1999

  · Positional cloning of CHD1 gene (ZNF202), in collaboration with Myriad Genetics. · Construction of human genomic DNA libraries; isolation of sequence tag sites. · Candidate gene expression studies & mutation analysis in mammalian tissue culture. · Creation of a stable transgenic mammalian cell line to study gene expression. · Isolation of a human obesity gene promoter region & analysis of expression patterns; yeast 1-hybrid assay to isolate & identify associated transcription factors. · Construction of murine cDNA libraries; cloning of voltage-gated ion channel homologs. · Construction of a murine knock-out gene construct for a renal protein. · Participation & presentation in corporate symposia and signal transduction journal club.



Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals

• United States
• Hospitals and Health Care
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Research Associate, Department of Cardiac Research; Kawamoto Lab

  • Mar 1994 - May 1995

  · Cardiac sarcolemma isolation and protein purification from Canis familiaris organs. · Analysis of novel compounds designed to bind cardiac ion channels, including activity & binding assays to determine kinetics and membrane voltage change effects. · Investigation of enzyme binding site structure & conformational changes induced by novel compounds; analysis of biochemical structure/activity relationships in novel compounds. · Screening of conditioned media from mammalian tissue culture to identify secreted growth factors in specific conditions.



Salk Institute for Biological Studies

• United States
• Research Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Research Assistant I, Department of Molecular Biology & Virology; Karpen Lab

  • Aug 1991 - Dec 1993

  · Mutagenesis (Cobalt-60 irradiation) of Drosophila melanogaster to map heterochromatin & elucidate centromere structure of minichromosome Dp(1;f)1187. · Construction of a YAC library to clone the Dp(1;f)1187 centromere. · Analysis of mutations, including genetic linkage, molecular analysis, and fine mapping. · Construction of a Dp(1;f)1187 lambda library. · Participation and presentation in UCSD/Salk Institute Drosophila Journal Club. · Mutagenesis (Cobalt-60 irradiation) of Drosophila melanogaster to map heterochromatin & elucidate centromere structure of minichromosome Dp(1;f)1187. · Construction of a YAC library to clone the Dp(1;f)1187 centromere. · Analysis of mutations, including genetic linkage, molecular analysis, and fine mapping. · Construction of a Dp(1;f)1187 lambda library. · Participation and presentation in UCSD/Salk Institute Drosophila Journal Club.



Amgen

• United States
• Biotechnology Research
• 700 & Above Employee

• Amgen Scholar (Internship), Department of Developmental Biology; mentor Michael J. Briskin

  • Jun 1990 - Sep 1990

  · Construction & screening of a Gallus gallus domesticus genomic DNA cosmid library. · Isolation of a gene involved in development as implicated by insertional mutagenesis. · Construction & screening of a Gallus gallus domesticus genomic DNA cosmid library. · Isolation of a gene involved in development as implicated by insertional mutagenesis.