Meet with food industry entrepreneurs to identify client needs and communicate available services, execute client service contracts, and suggest research strategies to address product development needs. Project manager for Product Development team: responsible for all project scheduling, budgeting, reporting, supply procurement, and resource management. Contribute to creative development of innovative consumer packaged goods: conduct product ideation sessions with clients, review and share relevant market research, audit retail outlets, and evaluate sample prototypes. Coordinate oral and written presentations of research findings including final formulation, processing flowchart, nutrition information, ingredient sourcing specifications, and consumer data. Work cross-functionally with diverse stakeholders – entrepreneurs, established companies, food scientists, consumer sensory scientists, branding and marketing agencies, regulatory authorities, and retail buyers – to serve as a champion for clients.

Design, execute, and analyze sensory and analytical experiments. Conduct laboratory experiments to develop future product formulations and set specifications. Collaborate with engineering, quality, and business operations teams to assess and troubleshoot product quality through scale-up and optimization. Adapt to quickly-changing goals and meet tight deadlines.

Optimize commercial protein isolation processes from new production sources at lab-scale. Inform and facilitate technology transfer to pilot-scale. Perform protein characterization assays including absorbance-based concentration readings, Bradford assays, moisture content analysis, and SDS-PAGE.

Prepared next generation sequencing libraries in the Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine. Extracted RNA for transcriptome sequencing in SPHERE (the Stanford Precision Health for Ethnic and Racial Equity Center), one of the first national centers focused on using precision-medicine tools to improve the health of underserved ethnic and racial groups.

Performed molecular biology and tissue culture experiments in the lab of Otto Yang, M.D. to study the cellular immune response to HIV-1 infection. Executed antibody staining, flow cytometry, and ELISA and ELISpot assays. Established and maintained primary and immortalized cell culture. Performed PCR and cloning in bacterial culture. Organized extensive peptide stocks, viral stocks, and primary patient samples.

Developed and taught math and science curriculum to high school students. Helped high school students prepare internship applications and gain interview skills.

Interned on research project elucidating links between media exposure, behavior, and brain development. Conducted behavioral tests in mice and analyzed data in video, image, and spreadsheet formats. Participated in lab meetings and discussions of primary literature.