Melissa Mobley Email and Phone Number

Developing a Preclinical in vivo Platform to support scientific advancements at this exciting, young mRNA-LNP company focused on delivering therapeutics to underserved communities.

As a Scientist in the Investigative Pathology Department, assists the team as it seeks to understand mechanisms underlying RNAi tissue distribution, subcellular trafficking, molecular interactions, and off-target effects. Develops novel models, interrogates targets for therapeutic intervention of diseases, and designs experiments and generates data to advance discovery efforts.

Studied the independent effects of pathogens and pesticides on the health of the ecologically-important native bumblebee, Bombus impatiens, in an effort to learn more about population declines. Primary Research:• Developed hypotheses based on literature• Designed novel behavioral, immunological, and toxicological experiments• Treated live animals through injection, individual oral dosing, and group or colony dosing• Measured cognitive flexibility through novel voluntary task switching paradigm assay • Confirmed immune activation through hemocyte counts and bacterial killing assays• Completed first B. impatiens antimicrobial peptide qPCR• Exposed significant lethal effect of chronic consumption common pesticide• Performed first B. impatiens RNAseq drug transcriptome analysis• Collaborated with bioinformaticians• Won multiple contests for public speaking and strong communication skills• Authored funded NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant award • Published 1 first-author paper in Scientific Reports, second in preparationNew lab set-up:• Developed protocols and standardized lab maintenance • Managed undergraduate and high schooler projects• Ordered supplies, tracked funding, arranged schedulingOutreach / Teaching:• Participated in committees and strategic planning groups for University• Employed as Teaching Assistant (TA) in Biology & Biotechnology Department for 4 years• Appointed to train new TAs• Designed, delivered, and assessed WPI Undergraduate course as Instructor• Invited to deliver guest lectures at two universities, involved in multiple outreach, citizen scientist, and professional science dissemination events, as well as underrepresented STEM recruitment events

• President Leshin's Strategic Pillar Planning Committee, Graduate Student Representative (2014-2016)• WPI Faculty Governance Committee on Graduate Students and Research (CGSR), Graduate Student Representative (2014-2015)• Graduate Student Government (GSG), Department Student Representative (2012-2015)• Department Biology & Biotechnology (BBT), Student Representative (2012-2013)

Teaching: • Appointed as Teaching Assistant (TA) in Biology & Biotechnology Department for 4 years. Helped teach multiple lecture and laboratory courses for WPI undergraduate body:• BB1002 (Environmental Biology), BB1025 (Human Biology), BB1035 (Biotechnology), BB2901 (Molecular Biology, Microbiology, and Genetics), BB2902 (Enzymes, Proteins, and Purification), BB2903 (Anatomy and Physiology), BB2904 (Ecology, Environment, and Animal Behavior), BB3102 (Human Anatomy and Physiology: Transport and Maintenance)Mentoring: • Elected by Associate Department Head into training role for newly hired colleague teaching assistant for last 2 years of assignment. Course Development: • Chosen by Department Head and Chair of Undergraduate Studies to be part of 2-person team charged with redesign, organization, and delivery of ‘Ecology, Environment, and Animal Behavior’ undergraduate course. Planned both lectures and laboratory experiments, as well as assessment techniques.• Worked with Mentor Faculty Member to develop, deliver, and assess 5-uint curricula for grade 9-12 summer program aimed at stimulating interest and increasing enrollment in STEM disciplines. Used thesis expertise of pollinators to guide student hypothesis, experimental design and execution, statistical analysis, bioinformatics collaboration, modeling, and results interpretation discussion.• Hired as instructor for fourteen K-12 WPI summer programs including MassBioEd, Women in Science, Camp Launch, Frontiers, and Horizons. Personally designed and executed curricula delivery within thesis research scope as well as other areas of STEM education. Training: • Voluntarily participated in year-long, monthly Teaching Journal Club with Faculty members. Discussed pedagogical value, techniques, and methods of implementation in order to improve teaching and communication skills.

Directed, taught, and mentored a volunteer group of teens in musical service for local church.

Assisted studies for Dr. James G Fox, Division investigators, external collaborators, and postdoctoral students while exploring pathways that mediate dynamics of in vivo host-pathogen interactionsResearch Areas:• Helicobacter-induced disease • E. coli virulence• Intestinal helminths• Diabetes/spontaneous obesity• Gallbladder disease• Adoptive splenocyte transfer• Microbiome researchExperimentation:• Planned schedules, breeding, supplies, time points, and samples• Supplied animals, treated, monitored health and behavior• Trained in germ-free and specific-pathogen-free techniques• Harvested and processed samples (pH, blood sugar, CBC, DNA & RNA extraction, PCR, RT, qPCR, and culture) • Co-authored nine publications IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee): • Maintained humane animal care, prepared addenda, submitted protocols for new animal practices, and pressed less invasive alternatives to retro-orbital bleeds (undertook training)Colony Management:• Managed up to 15 active mouse colonies at a time• Attended Jackson Laboratory Couse on Colony Management Practices & Principles• Bred mice for use in studies, kept maintenance lines, genotyped strains, and submitted cryopreservation Organization and Leadership:• Proactively created and implemented new organization system for consistent labeling and storage all frozen samples to save room, increase efficiency, and improve tracking records • Trained summer fellowship students, postdoctoral students, and outside collaborators• Developed technique training mini-courses and created several binders worth of laboratory Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in order to standardize methods practiced• Undertook upgrade of new colony management system (sourced, priced, demoed, compared, and installed new software to improve records and save time)• Implemented and taught new system to caregivers for easy transition• Acted as an Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Laboratory Representative

Volunteered to gain experience in clinic setting, promoted to veterinary technician assistant at small animal hospital• Handled and treated mostly cats and dogs, along with some rodents• Safely restrained animals• Processed blood, fecal, and urine samples for analysis, scanned for parasites• Prepared and administered shots, administered IV fluids, filled prescriptions• Neutered males• Prepared and sterilized surgical packs• Prepared and assisted in surgery• Took and developed X-rays• Kept patient charts• Monitored anesthesia recovery• Weighed animals, clipped nails, fed routinely, walked animals, etc