During my time as a Laboratory Specialist, I have been able to bring our surprising SIRT6 project from initial discovery into an interesting story by proposing SIRT6 as the first human enzyme to mono-ADP-Ribosylate histidine residues.Accomplishments:· Brought SIRT6 project to fruition culminating in first authorship draft for journal submission· Developed cellular experiment to observe ADP-Ribosylation on protein of interest during DNA stress· Managing collaboration to test hypothesized PARP1 inhibitors in biochemical and cellular models

Member of the Diehl Lab within the Department of Medicinal Chemistry. We use chemical tools to answer biological questions related to the histone code: specifically post translational modifications (PTMs) and the proteins responsible for installing, removing, and or responding to them. My project has followed this side reaction that we noticed with SIRT6 - a human deacylase and ADP-Ribosyltransferase. What once seemed to be an artifact of our biochemical reactions, has played out into an interesting and novel story with relevance to human biology. I performed numerous biochemical and cellular assays to get to where we are today. Through the use of in vitro ribosylation assays using recombinant proteins, peptide modifications assays, cellular IPs and gel shift assays, many setbacks and obstacles, a story has emerged. I have discovered a SIRT6 target recognition motif and used this to reveal new SIRT6 targets, as well as a mode of SIRT6 activation with increased turnover. This has all been under the excellent mentorship of Kathrine Diehl, PhD. Accomplishments: · Elucidated novel SIRT6 enzymology by discovering target residue motif and binding requirement· Designed and optimized experiments used for biochemical and cellular SIRT6 characterization· Managed high school scholars by overseeing experiments culminating in successful summer programs· Purified 80+ proteins using E. coli/Insect cell expression and many chromatography techniques· Conducted cell-based assays using numerous cells lines, CRISPR knockouts, transfections and IPs· Created and optimized SOPs by investigating primary literature and gaining insight from colleagues

Principal Investigator: Jeanine Amacher, PhD -Investigate peptide-binding domains using the PDZ domain as a model-Determined key non-motif modulating residues for PDZ domain binding selectivity-Trained new lab members

Principal Investigator: Jarod Rollins, PhD -Overarching goal of improving human health through aging research, using c.elegans as a model -Determined the peak timepoint for a stress dependent protein phosphorylation event in c.elegans- Generated double kinase knockout c.elegans that suggested phosphorylation tied to only two kinases

Principal Investigator: Martin Lawrence, PhD -Interested in the biochemistry and structural biology of archaeal viruses-Characterized viral protein B129 and demonstrated DNA binding