Antibody Discovery & Engineering

Designed and executed high throughput experiments involving the expression, purification, and assaying of enzyme variants whose mutations were guided by machine learning models.

Working on my master's thesis, I adapted and executed protocols to introduce a vector into a novel bacterial host, Cellulophaga lytica. This role required critical thinking and constant problem solving at each step of my experiments to make informed decisions and continue making significant progress on my project. Molecular biology techniques were routinely performed including PCR, gel electrophoresis, DNA extraction, plasmid preparation, oligonucleotide primer design, restriction enzyme digestion, and bacterial transformation (heat shock, conjugation, and electroporation). The ultimate goal of my research was to develop a method to control the bacteria’s gliding motility and iridescence for a wide range of biosensor applications.

Through the U.S. Air Force Research Lab Summer Faculty Fellowship Program (AFRL SFFP) I was appointed as a graduate student fellow to conduct research with Dr. Milana Vasudev under the Materials and Manufacturing branch of the AFRL that focuses on Biomimetics: Bionanotechnology, Biosensors and Biomaterials. In this role I designed and performed experiments to characterize bacterial cultures under different growth conditions and investigated bacterial patterning techniques, such as 3D bioprinting and dip coating, to become one step closer to developing a microbial-based biosensor/biomaterial using iridescent bacteria.

Team Lead for a bioengineering senior design project investigating the development of bioinspired photonic materials based on iridescent C. lytica bacteria. Working with two other bioengineering students, I scheduled research meetings, planned and performed our lab experiments, and composed several written technical reports and oral presentations. Extensive bacterial cell culture was performed to characterize and document the effects of various culture conditions on the bacteria's growth and iridescent properties.

During my 5+ years at Target, I worked in various positions including Hardlines, Electronics, Grocery, Backroom, Cashier, and Presentation. I functioned efficiently within a team-oriented environment to accomplish goals and meet deadlines. Additionally, I was frequently responsible for opening/closing tasks in my section and decision making when my supervisor was not present. I actively managed inventory on the sales floor and in the backroom to ensure product availability and trained over a dozen new employees in a variety of positions. I was also recognized for providing outstanding customer service and awarded Employee of the Month in August 2018. In this position, I learned a range of transferable soft skills including time management, teamwork, conflict resolution, leadership, and communication.

Through NOAA’s Hollings Scholar Program, I interned with the Northwest division of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). I conducted research on copepod population genetics using bioinformatic techniques in the Marine Fisheries Genomics Lab at the Hatfield Marine Science Center research station in Newport, OR. The project goal was to investigate the spatial and temporal changes in gene expression of the copepod samples. I established an RNA-Seq workflow utilizing de novo assembly to generate differential gene expression data for analysis. Using NCBI's GenBank database and published research, I determined the potential gene functions of the 36 differentially expressed genes to interpret their biological relevance. I presented my research in the form of a poster at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in San Diego, CA in February 2020.

Through a MASGC NASA Space grant, I conducted research over two semesters optimizing a protocol to develop a sensitive and reusable molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based biosensor for dopamine detection. Chemical vapor deposition, spin coating, scanning electron microscopy, and cyclic voltammetry were used extensively throughout this project. This research was used as my honors thesis and presented at the UMass Dartmouth Sigma Xi Research Symposium in April 2019 and at the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) annual meeting in Philadelphia, PA in October 2019.