Eric Weening Email & Phone Number

Cdc Atlanta

Scientist and project manager at the CDC (NCEZID/DPEI/LPRB) as a contractor for TanaqIn my current role, I oversee the day to day operations and lead a team of microbiologist for a federal bio threat detection program. Responsible for developing and overseeing projects, manage timelines and completion of multiple complex projects. These projects involve assay development of bio-threat assays, data analysis, quality control, SOP development, and safety risk assessments. Responsible for training people in protocols, and train for working in a high containment laboratory. Assist local and state laboratories who are part of a Federal National bio threat detection program in answering questions, provide guidance and report their daily findings to federal stakeholders

Cdc Atlanta

Scientist and project manager at the CDC (NCEZID/DPEI/LPRB) as a contractor for WDS.In my current role, I oversee the day to day operations and lead a team of microbiologist for a federal biothreat detection program. Responsible for developing and overseeing projects, manage timelines and completion of multiple complex projects. These projects involve assay development of biothreat assays, data analysis, quality control, SOP development, and safety risk assessments. Responsible for training people in protocols, and train for working in a high containment laboratory. Assist local and state laboratories who are part of a Federal National biothreat detection program in answering questions, provide guidance and report their daily findings to federal stakeholders

Cdc Atlanta

Scientist and project manager at the CDC (NCEZID/DPEI/LPRB) as a contractor for IHRC.In my current role, I oversee the day to day operations and lead a team of microbiologist for federal biothreat detection program. Responsible for developing and overseeing projects and manage timelines and completion of these projects. These projects involve assay development of biothreat assays, data analysis, quality assessment SOP development, and safety risk assessments. Responsible for training people in protocols, and train for working in a high containment laboratory. Assist local and state laboratories who are part of a National biothreat detection program in answering questions, provide guidance and report their daily findings to federal stakeholders

Chapel Hill

As a research associate, I developed my own research, develop and optimize new assays and analyzed and published their finding in peer-reviewed journals. Responsible for training undergraduate, graduate students, and lab technician, and assisting them with developing assays and their data analysis.- Investigated the regulation and roles of specific Yersinia Pestis virulence factors and putative vaccine targets, during Bubonic and Pneumonic plague, and their effects and interactions with the host immune system.- Developed fluorescent and luminescent reporter constructs and assays to measure gene regulation of Yersinia pestis and Yersinia enterocolitica virulence factors. Determined bacterial transcription and protein levels using GFP reporter assays, Western blotting etc.- Host response measurements using RNA-seq, Cytokine analysis, ELISA, Flow cytometry and Immuno Histochemistry- Determined the effects of host-specific factors on the disease outcome, by using different mouse strains, genetically modified mouse strains and Collaborative Cross mice.

Chapel Hill

- Manage and oversee day to day operations of Tier 1 BSL3 select agent facility containing several biothreat agents including Yersinia pestis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.- Performed overall biosafety supervision of the laboratory and documentation related to FSAP (Federal Select Agent program), NIH recombinant DNA guidelines, and University of North Carolina Environmental Health and Safety regulations and guidelines.- Daily facility operations management, and arranging and overseeing annual maintenance of the facility. - Oversaw 4 successful Tier 1 select agent FSAP inspections.- Training and management of ~ 20 people working in the BSL3 Tier 1 select agent facility.- Organized and oversaw the move to a new Tier 1 select agent facility, including the redesign of the new facility and arranging for select agent transfer.- Organized the move of a new group research group into the facility. This involved new select agents, and incorporation of the new group and agent into safety procedures, and protocols.- Experience in Federal select agent regulations (ie CFR 42 part 73, CFR 9 part 121, etc.).

Chapel Hill, Nc

Discovered how specific Yersinia pestis virulence factors are impacted by host genetic diversity. This work demonstrated that the degree of requirement for specific Yersinia pestis virulence factors on the outcome of disease, was heavily influenced by the genetic murine background. This work emphasized the need for testing in a diverse genetic background of these prime vaccine targets.- Experience in Murine models of both bubonic and pneumonic plague, and murine models of Yersinia enterocolitica and pseudotuberculosis.- Determined host response against Y.pestis during infection using RNA-seq, ELISA, Cytokine analysis, Flow cytometry and Immuno Histo chemistry- Developed fluorescent and luminescent Yersinia pestis strains, allowing for the tracking of this organism during infection using IVIS and fluorescent microscopy.- Protein expression and purification for analysis, and antibody production.- Western blot analysis of bacterial proteins, to determine protein expression and stability- Tissue culture of cell lines and primary cells, for analysis of interaction with different Yersinia species

Developed luminescent Borrelia burgdorferi strains and development of IVIS tracking of these strains during infection in the murine mouse model. The development of these strains and techniques allowed for easy tracking of infection over time, without having to sacrifice animals. This led to a great reduction in cost and labor, and allowed for a more precise analysis of wild type and mutant Borrelial infection in mice.- Constructed and generated Borrelial mutant strains- Generated genetically altered mouse strains containing a conditional (Cre/flox) deletion.- Determined the effects of mutations and deletions in Borrelia of putative vaccine targets on its ability to cause infection and the host response against these mutant and wild type strains. - Determined tissue cytokine profiles of mice, against different Borrelial mutant strains, using ELISA.

College Station, Tx

Determined the role Extra cellular Matrix binding proteins of Borrelia during mouse infection. These ECM binding proteins are great putative vaccine targets, therefore a greater understanding of the roles these proteins play during infection will determine if they can be potentially utilized as vaccine candidates. - Determined the roles of Borrelial Decorin, Fibronectin and a Collagen binding proteins during infection, using an intra dermal mouse model.- Determined the binding of several Borrelial lipoproteins to Decorin, Fibronectin, Fibrinogen and Collagen using ELISA and Microscopy- Evaluated the innate and adaptive host response against Borrelial Wildtype and lipoprotein deletion strains during Murine mouse infection, using ELISA, Flow cytometry and Immuno Histo Chemistry.

Bryan/College Station, Texas Area

PI moved to UC-DavisAnalysis of the roles of putative vaccine targets and virulence factors of Salmonella typhimurium during murine and porcine infections.- Developed Salmonella deletion strains, and tested these in the different murine models, piglets and adult pigs.- Developed an magnetic bead antibody assay, to determine surface expression of fimbriae of Salmonella- Performed transposon mutagenesis, to determine the regulators of expression of specific fimbriae of Salmonella.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Medical Sciences

Determined that Borellia burgdorferi requires its Decorin binding proteins for successful mammalian infection. - experience in murine.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Medical Sciences (Microbiology)

Advisor moved to UC-Davis in 2005 determined that Salmonella typhimurium requires specific fimbrial structures for colonization of mice.

Bachelor'S Degree, Zoology/Animal Biology