Developed high-throughput cell-free selection and screening methods. Booted up automated workflows using robotic liquid-handlers for increased throughput. Built data processing and visualization pipelines that also fed into collaborations with an internal data science and machine learning team to improve protein engineering campaigns.

Studying cell-free systems to characterize glycosyltransferases and select enzymes to produce complex natural products.

Member of GES, an entirely student-run social innovation conference gathering young changemakers from around the world; we connect delegates with experts in international development and successful entrepreneurs to develop and implement effective social ventures.Member of the External Relations committee in GES; responsibilities include reaching out to and networking with mentors for the summit, including new and past mentors, as well as faculty and alumni from Northwestern University.

Studying colloids and soft matter under Prof. Richards in the Northwestern University Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.Exploring the random sequential adsorption (RSA) of hydrophobic gold nanoparticles using charged surfactants to produce thin-films. Our goal is to better understand the electrical properties of these monolayers, paving the way for fundamental studies of conducting nanoparticle dispersions (i.e. nanofluids).

Research Project at the MPI working on improving the CETCH cycle, a synthetic pathway for carbon dioxide fixation developed by Prof. Dr. T. Erb and his group. During my internship I focused on engineering specific mutations to a Succinyl-CoA reductase enzyme (SucD), to increase specificity, i.e. reduce the side-reactivity with other CoA-esters that are present as CETCH cycle intermediates. We worked with SucD variants from both Clostridium kluyverii and Clostridium difficile, where we identified amino acid residues in and around the active site, that could be mutated to improve specificity while aiming to retain activity. The work was published in ACS Biochemistry (see publications).Skills acquired during the work:Synthesis of different CoA esters.Rational design and site directed mutagenesis by quick change PCR.His-tag purification of the mutants and the wildtypes.Simple “Kinetics“ of the mutants and the wildtypes with the purified CoA esters to determine enzyme activity.Complete kinetics and crystallization of successful, active mutants.