Alex Chao Email & Phone Number

San Diego, Ca, Us

• Adapted and consolidated protocols from journal articles for protein purification, activity assays, and crystallization and carried out these protocols in the laboratory • Purified various proteins (kinases, polymerases, nuclear receptors, etc) to high purity (verified with SDS-PAGE) for projects/clients using AKTA FPLC system • Designed novel protein constructs for protein purification and crystallography projects • Utilized Expi293 cells for transient expression of proteins of interest• Crystalized and determined crystal structures of various proteins including the structures of a novel CRISPR protein in complex with RNA and DNA and a of novel metabolic protein• Authored reports and presentations documenting work/progress to clients

Irvine, Ca, Us

Advisor: Prof. Celia W. Goulding• Characterized unusual Mycobacterium Tuberculosis heme degrading enzyme MhuD and 4 mutants using various different biochemical, biophysical, and structural methods such as X-ray crystallography, reaction assays• Determined the 5 co-crystal structures heme degrading enzymes with various ligands including heme and heme analogs and solved the structure of a novel iron uptake protein• Mentored 4 graduate students and 3 undergraduate students as lab lead for various projects investigating Mycobacterium Tuberculosis iron and heme uptake pathways • Ensured 100% compliance resulting in 0 mishaps over 5 years and performed routine maintenance for optimal performance of key lab instruments • Lectured classes with 300+ students in biochemistry and molecular biologySKILLS• Technical: X-ray Crystallography, Recombinant Protein Expression and Purification (Ni2+ and GST affinity, size exclusion, ion exchange, ammonium sulfate precipitation; AKTA and Biologic FPLC systems), High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (Malvern), Anaerobic Techniques, Biochemical Reaction Assay Development, Cloning, Metalloprotein Biochemistry, Product PurificationComputer: Windows, Linux-based OS, Microsoft Office, PyMOL, Coot, Mosflm, PHENIX,

Phoenix, Az, Us

Advisor: Prof. Konstantinos Petritis• Developed novel phosphopeptide enrichment protocol for mass spectrometry-based proteomics for use in biomedical research • Validated the effectiveness of an 3rd party instrument at tissue preservation for post-translational modification studiesSKILLS: HPLC-MS/MS, Mass spectrometry-based proteomics, TiO2 phosphopeptide enrichment

Tempe, Az, Us

Advisor: Prof. Xu Wang• Identified binding sites of glycosaminoglycan chondroitin-4-sulfate on novel cell surface adhesion protein from Borrelia burgdorferi using NMR techniquesSKILLS: Recombinant Protein Expression and Purification (using AKTA system), NMR

Tempe, Az, Us

Advisor: Prof. Zhengping Yi• Maintained L6 myotubes, HEK 293, and modified CHO mammalian cells for experiments • Collected, organized, and maintained sensitive and confidential volunteer data for clinical studies• Performed highly sensitive mass spectrometry-based proteomics experiments under the direction of PI and overseeing postdoctoral scholar• Performed preliminary studies to validate the effect of insulin-stimulation on site specific protein phosphorylation SKILLS: • Technical: Mass spectrometry-based proteomics (HPLC-MS/MS), Mammalian Cell Culture, TiO2 phosphopeptide enrichment, SDS-PAGE, Western Blotting• Computer: Mascot, Scaffold, Xcalibur

Detroit, Mi, Us

Advisor: Prof. Zhengping Yi• Constructed viral vector for transfection into mammalian cells for experiments • Identified insulin stimulated or suppressed phosphorylation sites via HPLC-MS/MS

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Biochemistry

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Chemistry