I was part of a team researching treatments for eye diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other eye related diseases. As a member of the Ocuscreen division I was responsible for helping to develop and validate a high throughput compound screen. The Ocuscreen method was able to detect compounds that were either protective or toxic to the retina. It involved the use of primary cells derived from bovine. My primary role was in the screening and analysis of the compound libraries… Show more I was part of a team researching treatments for eye diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other eye related diseases. As a member of the Ocuscreen division I was responsible for helping to develop and validate a high throughput compound screen. The Ocuscreen method was able to detect compounds that were either protective or toxic to the retina. It involved the use of primary cells derived from bovine. My primary role was in the screening and analysis of the compound libraries for "hits." The main assay involved the use of bovine cultures exposed to various relevant stresses such as exposing primary cell cultures to high intensity blue light or oxidative type stress. Once the hits were discovered they were confirmed with a microscope using ICC Antibody staining. Another proprietary model involved the use of cell line exposed to a dual stress of a lipofuscion like compound called A2E aggravated with Blue Light. Protection was determined quickly using a fluorescent intercalating dye then confirmed with fluorescent antibody stains of ZO1 proteins. Compounds with similar molecular structures were purchased and tested head-to-head to compare activity. As a result Acucela was awarded two government grants for the Ocuscreen program. One grant from the EPA to develop the toxicity screen and another was awarded by National Institutes of Health as a screen for retinal protective compounds. Furthermore, I participated in Acucela's Visual Cycle Modulation program. In this case I cloned a cell-line enhancing them with the genes RPE65 and LRAT. These are key proteins that are critically involved in the visual light cycle. I performed the entire procedure from using PCR to copy the genes, analyzing their sequences for errors, ligating the genes into the vectors, producing copies by transforming competent e.coli cells, isolating and purifying the DNA, and finally transfecting the cell line with the genes of interest. Show less

I participated in the development of a Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR) assay to identify e.coli serotype O157:H7 in food samples. O157:H7 is a common pathogenic strain of e.coli that is responsible for causing "hemorrhagic colitis" in humans. Regulators at the FDA are developing a rugged field assay that can be easily used to identify this food-borne pathogen. The assay uses RT-PCR to identify the presence of three gene targets that are unique to serotype O157:H7.

I balanced inventory levels and placed purchase orders with external suppliers based on manufacturing demand. I was part of a procurement team that saved the Boeing Company millions of dollars by cutting inventory while also reducing parts shortages on the factory floor. I took full responsibility for the complete administration of the parts contract with the outside supplier. This required me to build an extensive professional relationship with the outside vendor, so that issues were… Show more I balanced inventory levels and placed purchase orders with external suppliers based on manufacturing demand. I was part of a procurement team that saved the Boeing Company millions of dollars by cutting inventory while also reducing parts shortages on the factory floor. I took full responsibility for the complete administration of the parts contract with the outside supplier. This required me to build an extensive professional relationship with the outside vendor, so that issues were resolved quickly and to both parties satisfaction. The extensive technical skills demanded by this job included auditing parts inventories on a complex computer network, figuring parts demand based on a dynamic manufacturing environment, and investigating engineering blueprints for specifics. Interpersonal and teamwork skills were needed to resolve many other issues, such as rejected parts, pricing disputes, and engineering changes to the configuration of a part that affects its fit and function. The job demanded that I have customer service skills, because I was responsible for tracking and expediting shipments of parts to various customers. Some of the high profile customers that I expedited orders for included . airplane service companies, as well as national airlines with "Airplane On the Ground" (or AOG) urgency. Show less