I lead two R&D teams at Huue. The analytical chemistry team develops, validates, and transfers methods critical to the core technology. The strain engineering team designs, builds, and screens new strains for the production of pigments in fermentation. These teams are integral to our R&D pipeline, and we work closely with sister R&D teams to ensure progress towards mission-critical goals. Additionally, I work with executives and board members to assist in strategic direction, and I established a light-touch project management system for Huue.

Capabilities include HPLC and spectroscopy, with low-cost high throughput sample handling.

I lead and manage the Bioanalytical Chemistry Department at Perfect Day. Our department develops robust analytical pipelines to quantify/characterize dairy proteins and other biomolecules to support R&D and manufacturing teams to make data-driven decisions. Our capabilities include HPLC (DAD, RID), GC-FID, GC-MS, PAGE (SDS, native, IEF, 2D), enzymology, and protein characterization techniques (capillary DSC, plate reader, CD, proteomics, etc). We develop, optimize, validate, and run routine analyses necessary to support company goals and KPIs.

Engineered tolerance to and increased titer of the biofuel target molecule, isopentenol, in E. coli. For more details on this work, see http://mbio.asm.org/content/5/6/e01932-14. Identified gene disruptions that increased membrane protein expression by isolating high membrane protein expressing strains (FACS) and identifying bar-coded variants with next generation sequencing (BarSeq). For more details on this work, see https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-12901-7.Additional projects, skills, and affiliations: • Used CRISPR to optimize genome editing protocol in E. coli on a team with a postdoc and a masters student. • Maintained and trained users on BD FACS Aria II. • Maintained and trained users on epi fluorescence microscope. • Trained and mentored 3 undergraduate students, a masters student, and a research assistant. • Led the JBEI Coding Study Group, a group of scientists and software engineers exchanging knowledge in both biology and coding.

Engineered extracellular electron transfer: • Optimized heterologous expression of cymA-mtrCAB from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 in E. coli, the first time three multiheme cytochromes c were simultaneously functionally expressed. • Designed high-throughput qualitative and quantitative methods to spectroscopically determine the concentration of cytochrome c per cell. • Demonstrated metabolic electron transport across the double membrane of E. coli for the first time. • Designed and built electrochemical system to evaluate extracellular electron transfer from engineered "e- coli". • Was Dr. Caroline Ajo-Franklin's first graduate student, helping her build the foundation for one of her lab's milestone projects. Additional skills and affiliations: • Awarded two cover images for work on extracellular electron conduits. • Managed and mentored 4 undergraduate students and 1 graduate student. • Was selected to present at SB5.0, one of only 15 presenters chosen from 150 submitted abstracts. • Maintained and trained users on an anaerobic Coy chamber.

Constructed multilayer nanoparticle-embedded polyelectrolyte films for testing chemical warfare agent degradation.

Construction and testing of solar dye-sensitized Graetzel cells with the ZnO nanowires stained with purified organic dyes from raspberries.