Experience

Genemarkers

• United States
• Biotechnology Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Laboratory Manager

  • Feb 2023 - Present

  We are a contract research organization focused on aiding companies with genomic analysis and biological testing applications. I am the manager of a CLIA/CAP certified laboratory that strives to provide useful and accurate data for sponsor initiated projects. We frequently perform gene expression profiling (qPCR and NGS), cytotoxicity and viability assays, ELISA and other protein expression analysis, and other biological assays to push our client's projects to the next stage in product development. I manage a team of 9 scientists with a broad range of expertise and experience. I also am involved in working with our clients to make sure that the design of the project meets their exact needs. I'm also involved in manuscript and white paper writing, report generation, regulatory compliance, and anything else that we need for us to move in a positive direction. I find importance in winning as a team. Together, we are more successful than the individual and I try to lead by example. It takes us all for that to happen. Show less



Beckman Coulter Life Sciences

• United States
• Biotechnology Research
• 700 & Above Employee

• Sr. Staff Research Scientist

  • Jul 2021 - Mar 2022

  Led efforts to identify new products for portfolio expansion in core and adjacent market spaces. Mentored less experienced colleagues to aide in testing new product ideations. Led scientific evaluations of outside products and companies for OEM products and/or company acquisition.

• Staff Research Scientist

  • Nov 2020 - Jul 2021

  The global research organization is a cross functional team of biologists, chemists and engineers that work together to advance technologies and applying them to innovate new products for the future. I manage and lead projects that are focused on new genomics and cell biology tool research and development.

• Manager, Staff Scientist

  • Feb 2020 - Nov 2020

  I manage a team of 8 scientists and engineers to develop new tools and devices used to improve the throughput and accuracy of molecular biology assays like next generation sequencing and molecular cloning.I am responsible for taking novel ideas and technologies and developing them into revenue generating products. To do this, we work in cross functional teams that use product development processes to manage projects and launch new products. I enjoy and thrive at leading a team of research associates, along with more experienced scientists and engineers, to push project growth and development of products. Show less

• Staff Genomics Scientist

  • Sep 2018 - Feb 2020

  I am the lead technical scientist for new product development. I am responsible for experimental design and troubleshooting, along with aiding in the conceptualization and commercialization of new R and D genomics reagents. I also coordinate weekly meetings where laboratory staff share the status of ongoing projects.



NemaMetrix, Inc.

• United States
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Research And Development Scientist

  • Nov 2017 - Jan 2018

  My role is to design and develop tools needed to produce high quality transgenic animals for research purposes. I am responsible for designing, manufacturing, and validating fluorescence based tools to aide in high-throughput screening tools. I am also responsible for taking client based information to develop plasmids and other genetic tools to manipulate model organisms/systems (C. elegans, zebrafish, mammalian cell lines, ect.). I also guide, instruct, and supervise staff that help in the process. Show less



AxumBio, LLC.

• Senior Scientist/ VP of Molecular and Cellular Biology

  • Jun 2014 - Nov 2017

  We develop drug screening platforms to identify new therapeutics needed to combat drug resistance and toxicity. I develop tools and assays used to make platforms to test new compounds. Using a combination of fluorescent reporters with in vivo and ex vivo assays, we can produce high-throughput assays for novel drug discovery. We are currently outsourcing our platforms to leaders in the pharmaceutical industry to aide in the speed and delivery of new drugs to needed markets. We develop drug screening platforms to identify new therapeutics needed to combat drug resistance and toxicity. I develop tools and assays used to make platforms to test new compounds. Using a combination of fluorescent reporters with in vivo and ex vivo assays, we can produce high-throughput assays for novel drug discovery. We are currently outsourcing our platforms to leaders in the pharmaceutical industry to aide in the speed and delivery of new drugs to needed markets.



Knudra Transgenics

• Senior Research Scientist, Board of Directors

  • Jun 2014 - Nov 2017

  My role is to design and develop tools needed to produce high quality transgenic animals for research purposes. I am responsible for taking client based information to develop plasmids and other genetic tools to manipulate model organisms/systems (C. elegans, zebrafish, mammalian cell lines, ect.). I also guide and supervise staff for the production of all these genetic tools. My role is to design and develop tools needed to produce high quality transgenic animals for research purposes. I am responsible for taking client based information to develop plasmids and other genetic tools to manipulate model organisms/systems (C. elegans, zebrafish, mammalian cell lines, ect.). I also guide and supervise staff for the production of all these genetic tools.



University of Utah

• 1 - 100 Employee

• Postdoctoral Fellow

  • Jul 2009 - Nov 2013

  I worked on how epithelial cell extrusion, a mechanism used to remove apoptotic cells from epithelial tissues, is exploited by cancer cells to escape primary tumors, initiating cancer cell invasion. I commonly used tissue culture cells and primary cells from mouse models to study this process by live-cell confocal imaging and immunofluorescence. In most instances, these cells were either genetically modified using lentivirus that expressed either cDNAs and/or shRNAs of interest. Small compound screens were also performed to inhibit specific signaling pathways to determine relevant cascades involved in cancer cell invasion. I wrote and was awarded postdoctoral fellowships from multiple sources and wrote a first author publication that received paper of the year honors in the journal Molecular Biology of the Cell. These accolades also gave me the opportunity to orally present my work at the annual American Society for Cell Biology meeting and to lay audiences. I also supervised the activities of various staff and student members of the laboratory with instrumentation, how to perform assays, and how to understand the experiments and projects they were performing. Show less



University of North Carolina

• Biotechnology Research

• Graduate Student

  • Aug 2003 - Jul 2009

  I characterized how Coronin 2A, an F-actin binding protein, regulates focal adhesion turnover in breast cancer cells. I showed that this protein is important for regulating Cofilin, an F-actin disassembling protein, at focal adhesions and how this is important for cell migration. During this time, I acquired and advanced my cell and molecular biology skill set to include tissue culture, lentivirus production and transduction of cells, molecular cloning, PCR, RT-PCR, qRT-PCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, co-immunoprecipitation, ACEA, plate reader assays, antibody antigen design, antibody production and purification, and ELISAs. I also trained incoming members of the laboratory on techniques and equipment. These works lead to 2 first author publications in the Journal of Cell Science and Nature Chemical Biology and a co-author publication in Cell. Show less



University of Cincinnati

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Technician

  • Jan 2002 - Aug 2003

  Studied how the chromatin remodeling proteins, Brg-1 and Brm, affect androgen receptor transcriptional activity in prostate cancer cells. I learned and commonly performed tissue culture, molecular cloning, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, co-immunoprecipitation, and luciferase reporter assays. This lead to a first author publication in the journal of biological chemistry and two other co-author publications. Studied how the chromatin remodeling proteins, Brg-1 and Brm, affect androgen receptor transcriptional activity in prostate cancer cells. I learned and commonly performed tissue culture, molecular cloning, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, co-immunoprecipitation, and luciferase reporter assays. This lead to a first author publication in the journal of biological chemistry and two other co-author publications.