Kieron Torres Email & Phone Number

Durham, North Carolina, United States

Contract research specializing in cell-based assays, including pharmacokinetic analysis and neutralizing antibody detection.Serve as Project Manager on sample analysis projects.Serve as lead scientist on sample analysis, assay development, and validation projects.Set up studies in LIMS system.Design, perform, troubleshoot, and analyze assays according to GLP guidelines.Analyze, prepare, and present data to clients.Train analysts and junior scientists.Write SOPs, plans, methods, validation reports, and sample analysis reports.Order, inventory, and prepare laboratory supplies.

Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina Area

BASF Corporation is the largest affiliate of BASF SE and the second largest producer and marketer of chemicals and related products in North America.• High-throughput and scaled up purification of microbial isolates for punitive insecticide assay testing and development.• Optimized high-throughput protein purification and DNA library transformation methods and updated laboratory protocols.• Trained team members on laboratory procedures.• Assay data management, analysis, and presentation to team leaders and internal departments.

Bethesda, Md

Research in the molecular mechanisms by which enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) cause hemorrhagic colitis and the hemolytic uremic syndrome. Also, assisting with techniques to study Bacillus cereus.• Developed an RNA extraction protocol for capsule-producing B. cereus G9241.• Bacterial protein purification, including FPLC and immunoaffinity chromatography.• Generation of and screening for genetic mutants in E. coli.• Developed an in situ immuno-PCR protocol for mouse kidney sections.• Fluorescent Immunohistochemical staining of mouse kidney sections.• Experienced with mouse procedures, including ear punches, intraperitoneal and subcutaneous injection, intranasal administration, cardiac puncture, tail vein blood collection, and oral gavage.• Molecular biology techniques, including nucleic acid extraction, PCR, cloning, bacterial cell culture, sterile culture technique, ELISA, cell line maintenance, and cytotoxicity assays.• Purchasing, organization and routine maintenance of a large laboratory.• Assisting senior scientists, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and interns with experiments.

Research in the methylation patterns of genes associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Glaucoma using human, mouse, and rat models.• Used Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) to collect retinal tissue for DNA and RNA isolation.• Expertise in the dissection of human and mouse eyes, and other mouse organs.• Familiar with creating and maintaining mouse retinal explants using cell culture, flow cytometry, and FACS techniques.• Molecular biology techniques, including PCR, qRT-PCR, DNA and RNA isolation, histological techniques, bacterial cloning for sequencing, and cell culturing.• Maintained mouse colony, including breeding, weaning, genotyping, timed pregnancies, and back-crossing.• Anesthetized and prepared rats for surgical procedures.• Maintained a cryostat and LCM for the Wilmer Microscopy and Imaging Core Facility (MICF), including the training of 50+ new users.• Maintained and organized a small laboratory, including order, writing protocols and equipment documentation, and recruiting and training interns.• Maintained and reconciled five budget accounts.

Blacksburg, Virginia

• Produced and tested DNA for potential human therapeutics.• Molecular biology techniques, including bacterial cloning, PCR, restriction digests, DNA ligation, and DNA sequencing.

Richmond, Virginia Area

A subsidiary of Phillip Morris USA formed to develop aerosolized surfactant replacement therapies, in an alliance with Discovery Labs, to treat respiratory distress in premature infants.• Micro-fabrication and quality assessment of prototype device components in a cGMP environment.

Hopewell, Virginia

DuPont Teijin Films, a 50:50 global joint venture between DuPont and Teijin, is the world’s leading differentiated producer of PET and PEN polyester films.• Tested film coating formulas.• Created film shrinkage measurement system protocol and documentation; trained new users.