Kimberley Gauthier, Phd Email & Phone Number

Toronto, On, Ca

- Coordinated with stakeholders and marketing agency contractor to organize two national virtual conferences to support inclusion and visibility of Black scientists in Canada- Co-led development of the academic program of the 2022 (inaugural) and 2023 Black Excellence in STEMM national research conferences- Reviewed over 150 abstracts (combined), assigned oral and poster presentations, invited keynote speakers, prepared schedule for concurrent conference sessions- Managed communications with over 160 conference speakers to deliver instructions - Co-organized virtual career panel for students: invited 3 panelists, prepared event outline, and co-moderated discussion with 100 attendees

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

- Initiated, developed, and executed an independent research project- Initiated and managed collaborations- Mentored and managed projects for 3 research trainees- Participated in general project consulting for team- Science communication: grant writing, abstracts, poster and oral presentationsResearch summary: Whether in a healing wound or a developing embryo, epithelial tissues frequently need to fuse together. This allows for the formation of continuous tissues that envelop and protect our organs and bodies. Dysregulation of tissue fusion can lead to cleft palates, neural tube defects, and other developmental anomalies. I use fruit fly embryos to study a tissue fusion event called "dorsal closure" in which the developing epidermis reaches across the back of the embryo and seals along the dorsal midline. I am investigating the role of an enzyme called Sac1 that changes the chemical properties of fatty molecules (phospholipids) in cell membranes during tissue fusion and embryo development. The diversity of phospholipids in cells - and their ability to be converted into different subtypes by enzymes like Sac1 - allow them to play important roles in activating signaling networks, controlling trafficking routes, anchoring proteins to distinct cellular regions, and changing physical properties of membranes. My research provides the opportunity to understand how phospholipid homeostasis is regulated in a developing organism, and to probe its involvement in tissue fusion and epithelial tissue integrity.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Part-time temporary contract. Facilitated public workshops on Zoom to guide participants through communication tools they can use to productively engage people within their personal network (family, friends, colleagues...) in conversations about COVID-19 vaccines using a person-centred, compassionate approach.

Part-time volunteer role. I helped answer questions about COVID-19 vaccines for people across Canada over open-forum Zoom calls. I applied my subject matter expertise in molecular biology to explain how mRNA, viral vector, and DNA vaccines work. I translated technical details regarding the safety, effectiveness, and composition provided by Health Canada, primary literature, and public health agencies for the general public.

Montreal, Canada Area

English language editing, proofreading, and journal formatting for academic research articles in molecular and cell biology, embryology, and biomedical science academic articles for an international company. Edited over 100 biomedical research articles for adherence to style guide, English language accuracy, and compliance to journal formatting requirements. Regularly maintained an average Quality Feedback Rating from supervising staff of 3.5/4 or higher, and Outstanding or Above Average ratings from clients

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Montreal, Canada Area

- Initiated, developed, and executed independent research project- Problem solving, creative thinking- Science communication: wrote research articles, a review paper, scholarship grants, and abstracts; designed and delivered poster and oral presentations summarizing my research- Mentored and managed projects for 5 undergraduate student traineesResearch summary: Cell signalling pathways are communication networks that work like relay systems to allow cells to respond to their environment by promoting or preventing cell division, growth, migration, or death. My research looked at how signalling components get to where they need to be in a cell to either initiate or inhibit activation of signalling pathways to strictly regulate cellular responses. Specifically, I used the powerful genetic and development model organism C. elegans (a microscopic non-parasitic roundworm) to study how Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) localization is regulated in epithelial cells. Overactivation of EGFR is associated with cancer development, disease progression, metastasis, and poor prognosis for patients. Understanding the complex ways in which cells regulate when, where, and how EGFR signalling is activated will ultimately help in the design of more specific and effective treatments of EGFR-related diseases.

Montreal, Canada Area

Part-time temporary contract. ANAT541 Study of Aging (Winter 2018, Winter 2019). Prepared and presented a lecture on how to perform a literature review and write a grant proposal, and on the use of genetic model organisms in the study of aging. Prepared and graded quizzes based on review papers, and graded grant proposals written by students.

Toronto, Canada Area

Directed incoming calls, distributed mail and faxes, and set-up a training document used to train subsequent administrative assistants. Assisted the credit and collections department by making collection calls on overdue bills and requesting/responding to credit reference checks.

Toronto, Canada Area

Completed my undergraduate Honour's Thesis project in the department of Biology where I studied effect of hypoxia on chromosomal oscillations and segregation during spermatogenesis in Mesostoma ehernbergii (a non-parasitic aquatic flatworm).

Toronto, Canada Area

Maintained stocks of the non-parasitic flatworm Mesostoma ehrenbergii and assisted in study of life cycle and rearing methods, resulting in third-author publication in Cell Biology International (2013).

Toronto, Canada Area

Funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Supervised by Dr. Arthur Forer in the Department of Biology at York University.

Toronto, Canada Area

Montreal, Canada Area

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Cell/Cellular And Molecular Biology

Activities and Societies: McGill Anatomy and Cell Biology Graduate Student Society, Teaching Assistant

Bachelor Of Science (Bsc), Biology/Biological Sciences, General

Activities and Societies: BioAmbassador, Undergraduate Student Researcher Graduated First Class Standing with Distinction (Summa Cum.