Ph.D. candidate in the Scofield Lab at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Arthritis and Clinical Immunology DepartmentLed three projects related to Sjögren’s Disease (SjD) pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment:• Established the role of salivary autoantibodies as a potential diagnostic biomarker for SjD.• Investigated the role of human monoclonal antibodies in saliva secretion of SjD patients.• Synthesized and investigated the therapeutic potential of 2 drugs that would alleviate mouth dryness and minimize immune infiltration in murine models of SjD.• Initiated 3 key collaborations with established scientists and medical doctors from various institutions (UCLA, University of Florida, and OMRF) in the fields of immunology/autoimmunity and cancer biology.• Mentored 3 students and trained them in wet lab techniques, scientific writing and presentation.• Assisted in grant writing and helped secure $2.5M in grant funding. • Presented scientific data in more than 10 scientific and business conferences in national and international level.• List of publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=GMbcb10AAAAJ&hl=en

Conducted due diligence on over five biotech and medical-focused investment opportunities for Cortado Ventures. Drafted investment memos assessed key strengths and risks and provided insights that informed decision-making. Coordinated and participated in meetings with founders and CEOs, supporting portfolio companies in fundraising preparation, competitor analysis, and strategic partner research.

Project overview: My team was tasked with investigating go to market strategies for our client’s dental device entering the US market. I managed team adherence and guided the team through problem solving sessions, reviewed research materials, business and financial models, and presentations.o The team conducted market analysis and segmentation showing a potential $10B expansion in the Dental industry.o The team conducted 10+ stakeholder interviews to synthesize a competitor analysis and with a focus on market penetration strategies.

Project overview: The project focused on formulating a commercialization plan for a non-hormonal endometriosis therapy. The team had to provide a clear understanding of the market segments, relative benchmarks and competitors in the field, as well as requirements for regulatory approval and a strategic exit plan.• Utilized 10+ stakeholder interviews to formulate a competitive analysis and features that would position this therapy as market leader.• Conducted a market analysis showing a potential for this drug of reaching 5.8M patients in the US.• Evaluated exit strategies and partnerships with a focus on licensing agreements and developed a business model projecting $864M evaluation for the company after phase II clinical trials.

Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Meyer Lab at the Department of Biology, McNeese State UniversityProject overview: Zoological research on tardigrades with a focus on nomenclature and description of novel and known species. o Presented scientific data in 6 national and international conferences.o Participated in manuscript preparation that led to several published papers. o Trained incoming students on tardigrade measurements, microscopy and software handling.o Collaborated with experts in the field of Tardigrades in national and international level. o Received 1st place in Poster Contest at Louisiana Academy of Science 91st Annual Meeting.

General Chemistry II Laboratory - Laboratory Teaching assistanto Taught a class of undergraduate students through a series of experiments focusing on instructing fundamental topics on general chemistry.o Graded and reviewed scientific lab reports.

Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) at OUHSCI worked for 9-weeks in the Scofield lab at the Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology and DiabetesProjects overview:1. Ovarian antibodies among SLE women with premature menopause after cyclophosphamide.2. Ultrasoluble curcumin prolongs lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans.o Trained three students that joint the lab during the summer on wet lab techniques.o Developed a new method for transferring worms to petri plate, and trained on how to start and maintain worm cultures. o Performed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to show the effects of an immunosuppressive medication on women with SLE undergoing premature menopause.o Presented at scientific conferences and wrote a peer-reviewed first author manuscript:Tsaliki M, Koelsch KA, Chambers A, Talsania M, Scofield RH, Chakravarty EF. Ovarian antibodies among SLE women with premature menopause after cyclophosphamide. Int J Rheum Dis. 2021 Jan;24(1):120-124. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.14022. Epub 2020 Dec 10. PMID: 33300669.

Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) at OUHSCI worked for 9-weeks in the Garcia-Contreras lab at the Department of Pharmaceutical ScienceProject overview: Preparation and optimization of clofazimine nanocrystals for tuberculosis treatment.o I was trained on laser diffraction, ultrasound, and sonication techniques, as well as introduced to scanning electron microscopy.o One-third of the world’s population is infected by Microbacterium tuberculosis (MTB), and it is the first cause of death of people that are affected from HIV. MTB develops resistance to drugs after a period of treatments. o Clofazimine (CLF) is a potent drug used to treat drug susceptible and drug resistant TB, but its use is limited by its poor water solubility and low oral bioavailability. o Nanocrystals (NCs) could increase the bioavailability of the drug when delivered directly to the lungs, site of action by increasing CLF solubility as result of their large surface area available for drug dissolution.