• Development and validation of analytical methods for the quantitation of harmful and potentially harmful constituents of tobacco and tobacco smoke in existing and emerging tobacco and nicotine-containing products.• Management of client-initiated method development projects.• Operation of GC-FID, GC-NCD, GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, and IC instrumentation.

• Development and validation of analytical methods for the quantitation of tobacco and tobacco smoke constituents on the FDA’s harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHC) of tobacco list.• Study Director for a GLP moist tobacco stability study, responsible for scheduling sample analyses, coordinating reporting, and communicating with the client. • Operation of GC-FID, GC-NCD, GC-MS, and LC-MS/MS instrumentation.

• Provided editing, writing, and reviewing services for research articles and reviews, and grant and patent applications.

• Antiviral drug discovery for influenza, dengue fever and other tropical viral diseases.• Data/SAR analysis for lead identification and optimization, including high-throughput viral assays (>20,000 compounds tested).• Design and execution of synthetic pathways for iterative optimization of lead compounds.• Assisted with the preparation of proposals for Phase I and II NIH SBIR grant applications.

• Key participant in the design of all Cui group projects toward the development of soft nanotechnology solutions to biomedical challenges, including drug delivery, imaging, and synthetic cellular scaffold mimics.• Assisted P.I. in the preparation of proposals for NIH, NSF, private foundations, and charitable trust awards (four successfully funded to date).• Responsible for the setup of the Cui Chemistry Lab, fully equipped for peptide synthesis and purification, and coordinated its later relocation to updated laboratory facilities.• Project leader for the creation and study of self-assembling anticancer drug–peptide conjugates (drug amphiphiles), generating 13 research articles and one patent to date.• Discovered a new motif that enables the formation of mono-layered peptide–drug nanotubes that can encapsulate and enhance the activity of a second drug (see NIH Project No. 5R21CA191740-02).• Developed a new 5-fluorouracil prodrug for bioconjugation, which when combined with camptothecin into a drug amphiphile can exert a synergistic anticancer effect.• Devised a method for targeting drugs toward mitochondrial angiotensin II type 2 receptors (mAT2R) in collaboration with researchers at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (1 patent, 1 publication).

• Management of the technical and business functions of the Peptide Synthesis Core. • Oversaw the successful transition from a grant-funded to fee-for-service facility, gaining recognition as a Northwestern University Core Facility.• Provided custom peptide synthesis services to Northwestern, other local academic and industry customers• Modified synthesis protocols to reduce turnaround time and increase facility capacity.• Established a fast turnaround high-resolution LCMS characterization service.• Strategic planning for the facility’s growth and development.• Developed a marketing strategy to advertise facility services and attract new customers, increasing the user base by 45% in the first year as a fee-for-service facility.• Prepared annual reports and carried out cost and budget analyses.• Provided technical consultation and training for department faculty and facility users.• Supervision of a laboratory technologist.

• Synthesis of peptide-based materials that alter their structure upon application of an external stimulus (heat, light).• Oversight of the SQI Peptide Synthesis Core operations.• Hiring, training, and supervision of a laboratory technologist.