VP of Communications and Brand Management

• Jun 2023 - Present

Healthcare Consultant - PBG

• 2022 - Present

Served as a consultant for a gene-editing biotechnology company. Conducted comprehensive primary and secondary research to gain valuable insights into customer needs and analyze the competitive market landscape related to a specific asset. Efficiently organized and presented the findings from the primary and secondary research to the client, ensuring that the recommendations provided were data-driven and aligned with the research outcomes.

Fundraising Committee, Co-Chair

• Jan 2023 - Present

Efficiently strategize and consolidate financial resources to support the entirety of the Penn Postdoc Association's programming, with a primary emphasis on securing funds through semi-annual industry-focused career and science/technology fairs. Efficiently strategize and consolidate financial resources to support the entirety of the Penn Postdoc Association's programming, with a primary emphasis on securing funds through semi-annual industry-focused career and science/technology fairs.

Postdoctoral Researcher

• Jul 2019 - Present

Developing reporter-based high-throughput screenings of chemical libraries that aim to identify small molecule inhibitors of major components of cancer signaling pathways that contribute to tumor progression and metastasis. Work collaboratively in a various translational projects that involve understanding and targeting major components of the tumor microenvironment. Studying mechanisms that contribute to tumor immune surveillance dysregulation. https://thekoumenislabupenn.org

PHD Candidate

• Jun 2016 - Jul 2019

Worked on deciphering tumor adaptive mechanisms by utilizing genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9-based screens to identify new key regulatory components.

M.Sc. Student

• Jan 2014 - Feb 2016

Studied the role of retinoic acid in bladder cancer. Contributed to the identification of Retinoic X Receptors (RXR) as novel tumor suppressors in bladder cancer.

Research Assistant

• Mar 2013 - Jan 2014

Participated in deconvoluting the mechanisms involved in Neurofibromin nuclear shuttling and its interaction with the mitotic spindle assembly. Helped characterize that aberrant nuclear accumulation or depletion of Neurofibromin leads to mitotic defects in neural cells.

B.Sc. Student - Laboratory practice & Thesis

• 2008 - 2013

Worked in various labs as an undergraduate student helping graduate students and postdocs with their projects. As part of the B.Sc. thesis, I studied the interaction of HIF-1α with MAP kinases via distinct docking domains and focused on the identification of interaction sites between HIF-1α and p38. In previous labs helped postdocs with projects that involved comprehending the cytoprotective mechanism of amifostine (WR-2721), a free radical scavenger with DNA repair activities, and its… Show more Worked in various labs as an undergraduate student helping graduate students and postdocs with their projects. As part of the B.Sc. thesis, I studied the interaction of HIF-1α with MAP kinases via distinct docking domains and focused on the identification of interaction sites between HIF-1α and p38. In previous labs helped postdocs with projects that involved comprehending the cytoprotective mechanism of amifostine (WR-2721), a free radical scavenger with DNA repair activities, and its connection with intracellular hypoxia, through the activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α). Show less Worked in various labs as an undergraduate student helping graduate students and postdocs with their projects. As part of the B.Sc. thesis, I studied the interaction of HIF-1α with MAP kinases via distinct docking domains and focused on the identification of interaction sites between HIF-1α and p38. In previous labs helped postdocs with projects that involved comprehending the cytoprotective mechanism of amifostine (WR-2721), a free radical scavenger with DNA repair activities, and its… Show more Worked in various labs as an undergraduate student helping graduate students and postdocs with their projects. As part of the B.Sc. thesis, I studied the interaction of HIF-1α with MAP kinases via distinct docking domains and focused on the identification of interaction sites between HIF-1α and p38. In previous labs helped postdocs with projects that involved comprehending the cytoprotective mechanism of amifostine (WR-2721), a free radical scavenger with DNA repair activities, and its connection with intracellular hypoxia, through the activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α). Show less

Human Resources Assistant

• May 2008 - Oct 2012

Worked as a Receptionist and human resources assistant in the headquarters of PepsiCo Greece for 8 full months from 2008-2009 and seasonally ever since until 2012 Worked as a Receptionist and human resources assistant in the headquarters of PepsiCo Greece for 8 full months from 2008-2009 and seasonally ever since until 2012