Experience

Sjögren’s Foundation

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Medical and Scientific Writer

  • Jul 2023 - Present



Medical University of South Carolina

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

• Researcher

  • Dec 2020 - Present

  Research skills: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: surface plasmon resonance; HPLC purification; mass spectrometry; bacterial systems for overexpression and plasmid expression; protein purification; DNA isolation & purification; plasmid-based cloning; western blot; competitive ELISA; cyanolysis; Biotek fluorometry and spectrophotometry; RT-qPCR; PCR; genotyping; Keyence fluorescence microscopy; fluorescent and confocal microscopy (Olympus FV3000)Organic and Medicinal Chemistry: design/synthesis of compounds; ADME interpretation; 2D-QSAR; Cell Culture: immortal cell lines (HCT116, HT-29, HEK-293T, H9c2, HeLa; AC16); primary rat neonatal ventricular cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts; primary mouse adult ventricular cardiomyocytes; Langendorff heart perfusionIn vitro: cardiac hypertrophy; intracellular fluorescent sulfur metabolite probes; transfection; CCK-8 cytotoxicity/viability assay; CellROX- ROS assayPathology: immunocytochemistry: phalloidin, DAPI, WGA, FM464-FX, alpha-actinin, TUNEL/PI labelling; histochemistry: picrosirius red, WGA, TUNEL/PI labelling; animal dissection and tissue extraction; blood draw from inferior vena cavaIn vivo: experience with murine models of heart failure including transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and myocardial infarction (MI) with ischemia/reperfusion injury; conceptual and shadow training in echocardiography, hemodynamics, and electrocardiography analysis using VevoAnimal Care/Husbandry: University Laboratory Animal Resources (ULAR) trained in intraperitoneal and subcutaneous injections, murine tail vein and submandibular blood collection; Surgical aftercare; CO2 euthanization; isoflurane anesthesiaComputing/Technology: GraphPad Prism; StatPlus; SigmaPlot; MS Office; Adobe; ImageJ; BLASTFASTA; PyMol; CellProfiler Show less

• SC-SWIFT (Science Writing Initiative For Trainees) Internship

  • Jan 2023 - Jul 2023

  • Interview academic and clinical investigators on their recent publications and/or grant funding • Write about high impact research at MUSC for the lay public, including EurekAlert!, MUSC Catalyst News, SCTR Blog, etc.

• T32 Cardiovascular Postdoctoral Fellow

  • Dec 2020 - Jul 2023

  • Awarded a competitive National Institute of Health training grant submitted for a cardiovascular postdoctoral fellowship • Designs, performs, and evaluates experiments using established scientific protocols and procedures as well as designing new protocols to further advance scientific aims and projects in the lab• Experience in managing and prioritizing multiple projects, including multi-stepped and different timeline experiments including cell culture, mouse colonies, ordering lab supplies, data analysis, etc.• Participate in weekly lab and cardiovascular journal clubs to evaluate and maintain knowledge of current cardiovascular research including preclinical and clinical research as well as presenting current laboratory research• Actively participated in graduate level course on Integrated Physiology and Pharmacology of Cardiovascular Systems that was taught by cardiologists, vascular surgeons, other physicians, and cardiovascular researchers, which included presenting a cardiovascular research paper and fielding questions about the data• Experience with genotyping and PCR• Research includes using mouse heart extraction from genetic and pathological models as well as using primary and immortal cardiomyocyte lines for molecular, biochemical, and histological/cytological analysis to study mechanisms behind heart regeneration and cardiovascular disease• Advanced knowledge of regulations governing human and rodent research and the ability to protect highly sensitive and confidential information Show less



Trident Technical College

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Adjunct Instructor in Biology

  • Aug 2021 - Present

  • Create educational presentations using PowerPoint that relay information and clearly outline objectives for learning in an organized manner • Contribute to the development, planning and implementation of a high-quality curriculum including creating quizzes, review material, and exams for Biology 101 lecture and lab • Use educational technology, including multiple learning management systems like D2L Brightspace, Top Hat, and McGraw-Hill Connect, to create a multifaceted learning environment • Actively engages the College’s diverse student population by presenting material that ensures understanding is reached for all learning types Show less



College of Charleston

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Adjunct Faculty

  • Dec 2021 - May 2023

  • Create educational presentations using PowerPoint that relay information and clearly outline objectives for learning in an organized manner • Effectively teach subject-matter concepts and laboratory techniques by including real world and interdisciplinary examples to over 1000 students in my career timeline • Contribute to the development, planning and implementation of a high-quality curriculum including creating lectures, quizzes, review material, and exams for Chemistry 101 and 102 labs Show less



Drexel University College of Medicine

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• PhD Candidate

  • Aug 2014 - Dec 2020

  • One of two researchers that performed in vitro and in vivo experiments based on a novel treatment for heart failure in a pre-clinical model and data analysis that led to two patents and two first author publications in impactful peer-reviewed scientific journals • Experience presenting scientific research to KOLs for an STTR grant (academic and industry collaboration), including the CEO of industry collaborator, drug discovery consultant (co-inventor of Eliquis®/apixaban), medicinal chemists, and patent lawyers • Research project team member for a cross-functional project sponsored by a Coulter-Drexel Translational Research Partnership Program grant designed to address unmet clinical needs by funding a proof-of-concept study that resulted in a US and international patent with the idea of driving towards IND-directed studies and Phase I clinical trials • My doctorate in biochemistry allows me to understand different disease states at the genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic levels in multiple organ systems with therapeutic knowledge in cardiovascular disease, cancer/ oncology drug discovery, and HIV research as well as some educational background in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, clinical research, immunology, and epidemiology Show less



Sigma Delta Tau

• United States
• Non-profit Organization Management
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Volunteer

  • 2009 - 2015



S&P Corp USA

• Camarillo, CA

• QC/ QA Lab Technician

  • Apr 2012 - Feb 2013

  • Researched and developed methodologies based on PubMed and other literature searches for cosmetic product development, including determination of solvent system composition that led to a marketed client product • Performed product specification testing including pH, viscosity, and specific gravity and FT-IR spectroscopy to determine similarity of product and incoming raw chemical composition per FDA regulation • Supervised quality control and quality assurance (QC/QA) program in both the laboratory and warehouse, including writing company Standard Operating Procedures and following guidelines for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) • Implemented FDA rules and regulations regarding over the counter (OTC) and cosmetic products, including stability testing for OTC products and final product inspection • Ensured that clients were knowledgeable about and met regulatory and compliance standards such as the FDA labeling and product testing monographs, specifically the final monograph for sunscreen product labeling and approved labels for international sales with RockSauceTM- a topical pain relief cream designed for use with kinesiology tape • Managed all compounding, production, microbiological & analytical testing, and shipping documents for each batch order Show less



College of Charleston

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Assistant Chemistry Stockroom Manager

  • Jul 2011 - Feb 2012

  • Supports laboratory and stockroom manager in a chemistry stockroom serving all undergraduate chemistry labs. Setups up laboratory experiments for several undergraduate chemistry courses • Manages stockroom assistants. Reviews and revises standard operating procedures (SOP's) for Honors Introductory Chemistry, Introductory Chemistry for Science Majors, and Introductory Chemistry for Non-science Majors • Reorganizes lab materials, equipment, and storage of previous experiments for future efficient setup • Makes solutions and samples for chemistry lab setup • Troubleshoots experimental errors for productive and efficient laboratory experiments • Manages proper disposal and storage of aqueous, organic and solid waste • Ensures accurate inventory count and reorganization of stockroom chemicals and laboratory equipment, including the introduction of the Flinn System to organize and safely store chemicals • Manages deliveries of chemicals and laboratory equipment for the stockroom, faculty and staff Show less



College of Charleston

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Adjunct Faculty

  • Jan 2011 - May 2011

  • Create educational presentations using PowerPoint that relay information and clearly outline objectives for learning in an organized manner • Effectively teach subject-matter concepts and laboratory techniques by including real world and interdisciplinary examples to over 1000 students in my career timeline • Contribute to the development, planning and implementation of a high-quality curriculum including creating lectures, quizzes, review material, and exams for Chemistry 112 labs • Create educational presentations using PowerPoint that relay information and clearly outline objectives for learning in an organized manner • Effectively teach subject-matter concepts and laboratory techniques by including real world and interdisciplinary examples to over 1000 students in my career timeline • Contribute to the development, planning and implementation of a high-quality curriculum including creating lectures, quizzes, review material, and exams for Chemistry 112 labs



Trax International

• Engineer Technician: Data Collector

  • Jul 2010 - Oct 2010

  • Maintained an accurately detailed chronological record of all test item operations and maintenance related data to prepare standardized Test Incident Reports from obtained field data • Applied working mechanical and technical knowledge to perform all phases of technical test data observation and recording in support of engineering projects for the US Army • Became technical expert in each project by reading varied, military technical manuals and other literature provided by manufacturing and testing facilities as well as Standard Operating Procedures from Trax International and the US Army • Maintained a Secret Security Clearance Show less



Yuma Union High School District

• United States
• Primary and Secondary Education
• 400 - 500 Employee

• High School Biology Teacher

  • Jan 2009 - Aug 2010

  • Passed Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) in Secondary Education, Biology, and Chemistry • Responsible for creating a positive learning environment that allowed students to have the opportunity to grow • Implemented lesson plans that provided academic rigor where students are actively engaged in learning experiences • Modified instruction to fit the needs of students with diverse backgrounds, learning styles, and special needs • Collaborated with science colleagues to create curriculum and improve upon previous lessons • Communicated effectively, both orally and in writing, with students, parents, and other professionals on a regular basis • Applied state/national standards to curriculum in the classroom to ensure that students educational needs were met • Participated in meetings with students, parents, colleagues, and district personnel on a variety of educational issues and concerns Show less



College of Charleston

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Assistant Chemistry Stockroom Manager

  • Sep 2008 - Dec 2008

  Supported laboratory and stockroom manager in a chemistry stockroom serving all undergraduate chemistry labs.Offered employment after working 2 years in the stockroom as a laboratory teaching assistantReviewed and revised standard operating procedures (SOP's) for Honors Introductory Chemistry and Quantitative AnalysisReorganized lab materials, equipment, and storage of previous experiments for future efficient setup Made solutions and samples for chemistry lab setupOversaw safe disposal and management of aqueous, organic and solid wasteEnsured accurate inventory count and reorganization of stockroom chemicals and laboratory equipment, including introduction of the Flinn System to organize and safely store chemicals Show less

• Office Assistant

  • Jan 2007 - Dec 2008

  Supported laboratory manager in a departmental office with administrative and organizational duties.Assisted the laboratory manager in accounting for all departmental equipment over $1500Located over 200 items listed with the College's Physical Plant; 1st year all inventory was foundConstructed a document listing and relocating all inventory itemsFiled and organized Visa billsScanned and E-filed documents for more effective storage Filed and updated all student employment records Show less

• Laboratory Teaching Assistant

  • Aug 2006 - Dec 2008

  Supervised undergraduate introductory chemistry students in a laboratory setting. Assisted professor with supervision of chemistry studentsEnsure all students are taking appropriate safety measuresHelp students understand basic concepts without hindering their own learning integrityHelp students progress in their laboratory techniques

• Research Assistant

  • Aug 2006 - Dec 2008

  Implemented knowledge of laboratory and spectroscopy techniques in the methodology of chemical derivatives. Offered INBRE (IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence ) research grant for 40 hr./wk summer-long research programAssisted research professor in all discussions pertaining to research projectPerformed science literature searches for better methodologiesPerformed all experiments using organic and medicinal chemistry methodologyUsed Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Liquid Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), and other spectroscopy to characterize and identify chemical compounds Show less

• Departmental Safety Manager

  • Jan 2007 - Dec 2007

  Supervised and implemented safety precautions for all undergraduate chemistry laboratories. Verified all safety showers, eyewashes, and fume hoods for proper functionEnsured the repair of safety equipment by filing a detailed report of the improper functioning and pursuing until 100% resolved.