Professional Research Assistant
Department of Medicine: Division of Cardiology• Worked both independently and collaboratively with principal investigators to coordinate qualitative research in fast-paced laboratory environment.• Learned new laboratory techniques and applied expertise in carrying out enhanced experiments under supervision of principal investigator and senior lab members.• Cell culture: Planned, optimized and executed research protocols and procedures for isolation of rat and mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes; treatment and harvest of protein, myofibrils, DNA and RNA.• IonOptix: Precision life science instrumentation optimized for studying isolated cardiomyocytes, muscle tissue, blood vessels and tissue culture. Live cell imaging and data acquisition including contractility and calcium dynamics.• Data Analysis: Recorded experimental findings from all laboratory benchwork in traditional and electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) to analyze and interpret experimental findings.• Gathered, arranged and corrected research data to create representative graphs and charts highlighting results for presentations and research conferences.• Animal Work: Colony maintenance (mice and rats); weaning, tissue collection, animal genotyping, IP injections, animal handling, pump implantation surgeries, termination and tissue harvest.Contributed PresentationsPoster: Christopher Hoffer, Cortney Wilson, Kristopher Fritz, Timothy McKinsey, Kathleen Woulfe. 2022 Myofilament Meeting. Madison, WI, May 21-24, 2022. Histone Deacetylase 8 Regulates Myofibril Relaxation.