Assisted in the development of an analytical platform supporting one of the world's leading RNA production efforts. Actively participated in an interdisciplinary environment, developing new assays to study the secondary structure and purity of novel RNA/DNA molecules. Regularly compiled and presented ongoing research to broader audiences. Served as an ad hoc manager for small groups of fellow research associates to accomplish projects in a timely and efficient manner. Developed, optimized, and characterized purpose-built HPLC methods (SEC, RPIP, IEX), enzymatic reactions, and dye based assays.

Partnered with several close colleagues to run this boutique, invitation-only, summits firm. While a departure from science and research roles, performed successfully in this fast-paced business environment. Focused on bringing together institutional investors and fund managers eager to collaborate on alternative investments. Thoroughly conducted sector-specific research. Developed, tracked and implemented progress metrics and calendars for events and managed multiple overlapping timelines to ensure impeccable timing of each milestone. Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic, played a key role in a pivot from in-person to fully virtual events.

I was invited to join the Martin Lab to serve as a lead developer to define and implement an in vivo proximity labeling system with the purpose of tracking protein-protein interactions. In addition to this, I collaborated with others to produce difficult-to-express proteins in plants, geared toward commercialization for pharmaceutical and agricultural applications. Here, I gained experience engineering, expressing, isolating, and imaging proteins, and became proficient with techniques such as SDS-PAGE, ELISA, CoIP, size exclusion, HPLC, assay development, and use of radio/fluorescent tags.

I initially engaged with this lab as a High School Senior, and was asked to return in subsequent years. Here, I performed wet and dry lab work including bacterial and fungi culture, DNA and RNA sequence design and analysis, PCR/qPCR/rtPCR, molecular cloning (Gateway, Golden Gate, Gibson), mutagenesis, dTALE synthesis, CRISPR-Cas9, fluorescence microscopy, genotype screening, experiment tracking, and lab scale fermentation. Scrupulous attention was given to maintaining all details of research in clear, understandable and reproducible language for this BSL-2+ laboratory.In addition to this, I performed basic laboratory support tasks, including equipment maintenance, reagent prep, and care of plants in both green houses and growth chambers. When called on, I also trained new lab members, interns, undergrads, and other shorter-term participants.

Selected as a High School Senior by the Global Youth Institute of the World Food Prize to complete a three-month internship. Completed multiple yield trials to measure crop viability for large scale production. Responding to inhospitable weather that prevented the successful completion of the trials, independently designed and ran successful sprouting trials for the same crop. Measured physical and chemical characteristics to determine nutritional attributes and taste. Presented findings both in Taiwan as well as at the World Food Prize in Iowa.