Christopher Woodard Email and Phone Number

• Automated high-throughput assays for 6 different R&D teams using HAMILTON liquid handlers to reduce in-lab scientist benchwork by at least 50% and improve sample processing and throughput by up to 80%• Developed custom automation solutions to meet assay-specific needs such as a magnet adapter to enable low-elution volumes for nucleic acid isolation or a Python algorithm to increase plating flexibility and applicability for users• Integrated HAMILTON vacuum and wash stations into existing automation workflows to improve sample yield post-filtration by 70% and enable the preparation of delicate RNA-target samples for NMR screens, assisting the discovery of new vaccine platforms

• Designed smart mechatronic system to noninvasively detect depressive states in rats using behavioral data and alert veterinary staff in real-time for intervention, ensuring Falk Center experiments adhere to ethical animal testing• Prototyped actigraphy sensor subsystem that uses optical flow and infrared to quantify and locate lateral rat motion at 20 samples per second, sending data via SPI to be used in machine learning algorithm for rat depression detection system• Researched existing form factors and model products to determine specifications and design direction for 9-month project

• Incorporated photoplethysmography analysis into smart grasper tool to collect real-time evaluations of heart rate and perfusion within 4 seconds of tool operation, enabling surgeons to understand blood flow in target tissues during surgery• Compiled and analyzed 120 spectral datasets of self-dissected ex vivo porcine tissues to further refine machine learning models utilized by Briteseed’s next-generation of smart surgical tools that differentiate tissues via hyperspectral imaging• Devised an initial design for surgical staple clip detection using Briteseed’s spectral technology to improve surgical workflows and decrease rate of tissue tearing during proctocolectomia

• Identified MetaPolyzyme treatment as optimal lysis method for lung metagenome construction, increasing bacterial DNA yield within bronchoalveolar lavage samples by 33% and enabling them for Nanopore long-read sequencing and assembly• Surveyed wastewater systems in 4 regions of the world for Helicobacter pylori using Python and Java metagenomic profiling tools such as FASTQC and MetaPhlAn3 to investigate region-specific antibiotic resistance genes• Developed 3 reusable Bash bioinformatic pipelines implemented within high performance computing clusters to streamline metagenomic analytic efforts by the Hartmann Lab

• Applied for $10,000 from the Hilden Charitable Fund to fund a comprehensive maternity wing in the Adonai Medical Centre that services 300+ young girls and mothers in Namugoga, Uganda• Learned global partnership and communication skills over 2 months to facilitate more personal collaboration with the Adonai Centre and develop community-specific solutions that account for historical and cultural differences in Uganda

• Introduced a stationary support model for patients with hemiplegia at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to lessen the burden on physical therapists and prevent the development of osteoarthritis• Constructed an exoskeleton adaptive tonebar using a $100 budget for a hand-disabled guitarist to heighten playing performance and efficiency past 2 hours• Designed an incontinence accident detector for the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to monitor the bowel movements of paralysis patients and assist nurses with overnight care

• Organized a festival consisting of a carnival staffed by 50+ different Bellaire clubs, a 20-minute long fine arts performance, and a gift distribution worth more than $800 for 38 low-income families from Texas Children’s Hospital to promote activism amongst Bellaire students and strengthen community building • Represented Bellaire High School at a district-wide conferenced attended by 25 different schools to advocate for increased school safety in the wake of a shooting at the school• Directed an 18-person team to improve organizational efficiency and increase transparency with the student body