Experience

Tentarix Biotherapeutics

• United States
• Biotechnology
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Research Scientist

  • Sep 2021 - Present



Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Research Associate

  • Jul 2017 - Sep 2021

  Determining critical structural details involved in the quorums sensing pathway for Rgg2/3 transcription factors in Streptococcus. Data from these results included the first structure of an Rgg2/3 bound to their promoter DNA as well as the first structure of an Rgg3 bound to its signaling peptide, SHP3, and the effect of mutating the completely conserved C45 residue of streptococcus quorum sensing protein Rgg2 on its conformational state.

• Postdoctoral Associate

  • Jul 2014 - Jul 2017

  Elucidated critical structural details of a new class of potential drug candidates against the β-ketoacyl-ACP synthase II (KasA) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Data from these new structures aided in structure-based drug design of inhibitors aimed to work synergistically with current antituberculars. Characterization of these new compounds was determined via X-ray crystallography and Microscale thermophoresis (MST).



University of Denver

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• PHD Student

  • Sep 2010 - Jun 2014

  (Research advisor: Prof. Scott Pegan); Elucidated critical structural biological, biophysical and enzymatic information that has lead to the classification of viral ovarian tumor domain class of proteases (vOTUs) as virulence factors for nairoviruses. This achievement was performed by characterization of vOTUs from nairoviruses to include such members as the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus and Dugbe Virus. Characterization involved the use of molecular, X-ray crystallography, NMR, ITC… Show more (Research advisor: Prof. Scott Pegan); Elucidated critical structural biological, biophysical and enzymatic information that has lead to the classification of viral ovarian tumor domain class of proteases (vOTUs) as virulence factors for nairoviruses. This achievement was performed by characterization of vOTUs from nairoviruses to include such members as the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus and Dugbe Virus. Characterization involved the use of molecular, X-ray crystallography, NMR, ITC, static light scattering, and assay development techniques to evaluate these proteases with and without their human substrate of ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins. These human substrates along with their polychain forms are highly involved in cellular pathway regulation. Also, employed enzymological techniques to determine substrate preference of vOTUs for particularly polyubiquitin substrates. Other projects included high-throughput screening and structure-based drug design of inhibitors against class IIa fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other bacterial class II FBAs. Show less (Research advisor: Prof. Scott Pegan); Elucidated critical structural biological, biophysical and enzymatic information that has lead to the classification of viral ovarian tumor domain class of proteases (vOTUs) as virulence factors for nairoviruses. This achievement was performed by characterization of vOTUs from nairoviruses to include such members as the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus and Dugbe Virus. Characterization involved the use of molecular, X-ray crystallography, NMR, ITC… Show more (Research advisor: Prof. Scott Pegan); Elucidated critical structural biological, biophysical and enzymatic information that has lead to the classification of viral ovarian tumor domain class of proteases (vOTUs) as virulence factors for nairoviruses. This achievement was performed by characterization of vOTUs from nairoviruses to include such members as the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus and Dugbe Virus. Characterization involved the use of molecular, X-ray crystallography, NMR, ITC, static light scattering, and assay development techniques to evaluate these proteases with and without their human substrate of ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins. These human substrates along with their polychain forms are highly involved in cellular pathway regulation. Also, employed enzymological techniques to determine substrate preference of vOTUs for particularly polyubiquitin substrates. Other projects included high-throughput screening and structure-based drug design of inhibitors against class IIa fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other bacterial class II FBAs. Show less



Universal Oil Products

• Technician

  • Jun 2008 - Jul 2009

  Analysis of various chemical and physical properties of crude oil products through calculation total ash content and loss on ignition of catalysts, as well as use of instrumentation for determining density and boiling points. Analysis of various chemical and physical properties of crude oil products through calculation total ash content and loss on ignition of catalysts, as well as use of instrumentation for determining density and boiling points.



University of Illinois System

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Technician

  • Jan 2005 - Aug 2008

  Assistant leader and subsequent leader of High-throughput Screening efforts for enzymatic inhibitors of Bacillus Anthracis and other bacteria using small molecule libraries. Also, aided in the investigation of post-translational modification of human Nrf2 and Keap1 proteins through natural products. Assistant leader and subsequent leader of High-throughput Screening efforts for enzymatic inhibitors of Bacillus Anthracis and other bacteria using small molecule libraries. Also, aided in the investigation of post-translational modification of human Nrf2 and Keap1 proteins through natural products.