Contract research for an R&D firm in medical devices.

My project was to study the role of collagen type XI alpha 1 (COL11A1) in ovarian cancer recurrence and chemoresistance. The goal of my research was to determine the molecular mechanisms by which ovarian cancer cells interact with their microenvironment to acquire a metastatic phenotype and chemoresistance. I was focused on qualifying the role of COL11A1 in ovarian cancer progression and chemoresistance and identification of pharmaceutical inhibitors that blocks the action of COL11A1 in cancer cells. I was also interested in the long term in immunotherapeutics.

I taught both lecture and lab sections of senior-level elective Human Physiological Systems.I presented and designed lectures, designed exams and laboratory exercises in silico, graded coursework, and held weekly office hours.

I was a full - time graduate student in the Biochemistry and Biophysics department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. My research focus was calcium regulation of muscle contraction, with special interest in troponin C function and mutations in TnC that lead to human cardiomyopathies.

I applied for and was awarded two years of funding from an NIH Biotechnology Training Program grant(NIH5T32GM067545-07). Selection was based on academic record, standardized test scores, a series of essays on future trends in biotechnology as they apply to the academic, industrial, and government viewpoints, as well as letters of recommendation from participating faculty. Participation in the program provided funding for tuition, stipend, and payment for training-related travel and some research materials. Responsibilities of the trainees included mandatory cross-disciplinary coursework including research ethics and the organization of an annual Networking conference with the goal of drawing together professionals and students from industry, academia, and government health research on topics of collective interest. Completion of the program includes a required industrial internship.

Was elected president of this student organization at my school. Over 250 members in the organization. Had administrative access to significant funding for the organization of academic, social, and networking functions that would enhance the educational experience of students at the CBIS, or Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Was instrumental in establishing a monthly lecture series called "Science & Sandwiches". Other functions performed during this time frame by other members of the council included a graduate student career/job fair in conjunction with the undergraduate job fair, as well as a series of outreach activities/lab days for local high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Was nominated to represent the interests of my graduate program in the planning of activities and the drafting of student policy statements to be presented in front of higher level school administrative boards. Instrumental in the organization of student poster sessions and holiday mixers due to my extensive prior experience both in organizing conferences and banquets.

I assisted the lecturing professor in the presentation of lecture materials, also graded quizzes, laboratory assignments, and exams, as well as held weekly office hours for the assistance of undergraduate students in the completion of homework assignments and for extra help when clarification was needed for class materials. Also, during the summer of 2010, I assisted the Professor with redesign of laboratory curriculum to incorporate newer electronic physiologic simulations and ensure that the assignments were meaningful to the achievement of course objectives.

I assisted the lecturing professor in the presentation of lecture materials, also graded quizzes and exams, as well as held weekly office hours for the assistance of undergraduate students in the completion of homework assignments and for extra help when clarification was needed for class materials.

I was a part - time graduate student in the Biochemistry and Biophysics department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. My research focus was on calcium regulation of muscle contraction, with special interest in troponin C function and mutations in TnC that lead to human cardiomyopathies.

I was the startup technician for a new assistant professor in the Biology Department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Administrative responsibilities included maintenance of laboratory financial paperwork, evaluation of performance of equipment as demonstrated by technical salespersons, solicitation of competitive bids from distributors, and monthly submission of statement to finance department. Technical responsibilities included bringing equipment and protocols online and training students and newly hired technicians on the proper use of equipment for performance of research. Drafted SOPs for the repeatable performance of said research based on previously published protocols from the literature and notebooks. Kept equipment in working order and maintained lab supplies and stock solutions to be used for research of lab members. Learned basic electronics engineering to build highly sensitive amplifiers for a customized muscle mechanics rig that is not available commercially.

I taught Biochemistry and Cell Biology Lab one evening a week. In previous semesters, I taught either Statistical Methods or Clinical Chemistry Lab, both of which were previously not taught at the college prior to my assignment to them. I was responsible for developing the curriculum from scratch with only a provided list of topics to be covered. It was a challenging and very rewarding experience!

Worked in the Separations Chemistry Group developing analytical and preparative chromatographic methods to be used on newly synthesized pharmaceutical compounds. Also took on some of the overflow QC testing when the department workload required more manpower.

Ran routine in-process QC testing. Drafted SOPs for the QC portion of newly developed manufacturing processes. Validation of new equipment. Training of new employees in cGMP methods. Development of customer-specified ELISA assays for the analysis of manufactured products. Affinity chromatography purification of monoclonal antibody from biological sources.

Daily care of mouse colony of approximately 2500 animals. Phenotypic and genotypic selection of breeding pairs. Muscle and neurophysical sections and immuno-labeled microscopy.

BSL3 techniques with Mtb and Ypseudtb before 9/11 made such research frightening. Interesting tissue culture infection assays done with knock-out constructs to determine genes relevant to the pathogenesis process. End goal: to identify possible targets for new antibiotic agents for these infectious diseases of re-emerging importance.