My long-term research interests involve studying metabolic dysregulation in cancer to more fully understand mechanisms of tumorigenesis and to reveal vulnerabilities that might be leveraged for therapeutic gain. I chose to pursue a postdoctoral position studying cancer metabolism because I am extremely excited about the advances in our understanding of nutrient utilization and their seminal role in cell biology and pathogenesis. My chosen mentor (Dr. Heather Christofk) has an extensive background in studying the biological impact of altered metabolism in cancer. I learned about her work early in my graduate studies and had numerous opportunities to hear her speak, and I always found her to be engaging and rigorous in her work.Specific projects I am currently or recently worked on include the following:1. Using biochemical methods to screen genomic variants with uncertain signficance pathogenicity: FH loss is associated with HLRCC, a disease which predisposes patients to aggressive kidney cancers. For more than half of the germline FH variants currently listed in ClinVar, including the most frequently occurring, there are no or conflicting interpretations of pathogenicity, making it difficult for patients to access needed treatments. I developed a method for generating recombinant FH and measuring its metabolic activity, allowing for us to screen through and predict the pathogenicity of FH variants.2. Investigating asparagine depletion as a therapeutic option for several cancer types: The previous work of my lab found asparagine signals to growth pathway and drives cell proliferation and tumor growth. I developed a method for producing high amounts of L-asparaginase that depletes circulating asparagine in mice. We are investigating asparagine depletion in mouse models of kidney cancer and liposarcomas.

My thesis work focuses understanding mechanistic and signaling details of the MondoA/TXNIP axis. MondoA is a transcription factor which responds to high glycolytic flux by promoting expression of TXNIP, a negative regulator of glucose uptake. This checkpoint restricts cell growth and proliferation, and is deregulated in a number of cancers. I am currently investigating a connection between protein synthesis and the MondoA/TXNIP axis.Further I have participated in research relating to (1) mTOR signaling and MondoA transcriptional activity, and (2) Myc transcriptional-signature and TNXIP expression in triple negative breast cancers.Further, I am experienced in tissue culture; standard molecular techniques including western blotting, qPCR, proliferation assays, and enzymatic assays; metabolomics; metabolic flux analysis; nutrient uptake assays; fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) including gel filtration, ion exchange, hydrophobic interaction, and affinity chromatography; in vitro binding experiments with recombinant protein; circular dichroism (CD); and molecular cloning.

I worked on a collaborative project between the Eyring Laboratory and the Department of Chemical Engineering. The overarching goal of the project was to design a reactor for chemical looping combustion (CLC) of coal. CLC is an emerging process for clean coal combustion. As part of the Eyring lab, I was in charge of developing and characterizing suitable materials to act as catalysts for the reaction. After identifying potential catalysts, I carried out a kinetic studies on the materials.The most notable achievement was the development of a new technique for depositing copper on inert solids such as titania and alumina. The skills obtained include thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), kinetic analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mass spectrometry (MS), BET surface area analysis, and preparation of standard operating procedures.

Utilities Testing Laboratory is an analytical chemistry lab specializing in environmental services. I specialized in testing samples for volatile organic compounds, diesel, gasoline, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The samples primarily included contaminated soil, water, or transformer oil. I additionally was the safety officer for the lab.Skills obtained include basic laboratory techniques, mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography.