Nikhil Kumar Email & Phone Number

Washington Dc-Baltimore Area

• Performing microbiological review of tobacco product submissions through Substantial Equivalence (SE) and Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) pathways, including review of cigars, e-liquids, and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)• Developing microbiology research projects to fill knowledge gaps in support of ENDS regulatory decisions• Participating in industry meetings to provide guidance to ENDS manufacturers prior to PMTA submissions• Serving as subject matter… Show more • Performing microbiological review of tobacco product submissions through Substantial Equivalence (SE) and Premarket Tobacco Product Application (PMTA) pathways, including review of cigars, e-liquids, and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)• Developing microbiology research projects to fill knowledge gaps in support of ENDS regulatory decisions• Participating in industry meetings to provide guidance to ENDS manufacturers prior to PMTA submissions• Serving as subject matter expert (SME) on FDA's Cannabis Information Sharing Group Show less

Las Vegas, Nevada

• Managed a team of 4 microbiologists• Developed methods for microbial testing of cannabis, in a state-of-the-art analytical laboratory• Improved Cannabis Testing Laboratory Management System, ensuring industry-leading SOPs & processes• Partnered with molecular diagnostics companies to develop new qPCR-based kits for rapid detection of Aspergillus (niger, terreus, flavus, and fumigatus)• Authored method validations for detection of Aspergillus/Salmonella/pathogenic E. coli, as… Show more • Managed a team of 4 microbiologists• Developed methods for microbial testing of cannabis, in a state-of-the-art analytical laboratory• Improved Cannabis Testing Laboratory Management System, ensuring industry-leading SOPs & processes• Partnered with molecular diagnostics companies to develop new qPCR-based kits for rapid detection of Aspergillus (niger, terreus, flavus, and fumigatus)• Authored method validations for detection of Aspergillus/Salmonella/pathogenic E. coli, as well as enumeration of Total Coliforms, Bile-Tolerant Gram Negative Bacteria, Yeast & Mold, and Total Aerobic Bacteria in a variety of cannabis matrices• Helped obtain ISO 17025:2017 accreditation• Performed Environmental Monitoring of client cultivation and production facilities• Performed investigations on behalf of State of Nevada Marijuana Enforcement Division• Appointed to Nevada's Medical Marijuana Independent Laboratory Advisory Committee (ILAC)• Appointed to Emerald Conference Scientific Committee (Analytical Testing Session)• Joined AOAC Cannabis Analytical Science Program (Microbial Contaminants Working Group)• Appointed to AOAC Microbial Contaminants in Cannabis Expert Review Panel• Advised Canalysis Laboratories on microbial method development for cannabis & hemp products Show less

Henderson, Nv

• Analyzed the correlation between Tau aggregate formation in retinas and neurodegenerative disease across multiple species• Developed a bacteriophage isolation protocol for Francisella tularensis• Developed monoclonal antibody reagents for the ferret influenza model• Performed environmental sampling throughout Las Vegas Valley

Baltimore, Md

• Developed a method to reverse-engineer inter-domain lateral gene transfer (LGT) in cancer cells, in an effort to assess the oncogenic effects of bacterial DNA integration into the human genome • Developed, analyzed, and optimized a novel fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method to detect bacterial genes in the genome of Drosophila ananassae• Optimized commercial kits to enhance sample enrichment of intracellular transcriptomes, enabling cost-effective RNA-Seq of obligate… Show more • Developed a method to reverse-engineer inter-domain lateral gene transfer (LGT) in cancer cells, in an effort to assess the oncogenic effects of bacterial DNA integration into the human genome • Developed, analyzed, and optimized a novel fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method to detect bacterial genes in the genome of Drosophila ananassae• Optimized commercial kits to enhance sample enrichment of intracellular transcriptomes, enabling cost-effective RNA-Seq of obligate endosymbionts• Managed laboratory operations for two Institute for Genome Sciences faculty members, accelerating innovative research and providing project management for key investigative studies averaging over $2 million in annual funding Show less

Baltimore, Md

• Developed mRNA enrichment methods in complex bacteria-animal interactions, refining studies of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and its diverse hosts• Designed and managed experiments to validate lateral gene transfer between Wolbachia and Drosophila ananassae, mastering techniques in animal husbandry and rearing, embryo collection, microdissection, FISH, sequencing, bioinformatics, qPCR, and qRT-PCR• Performed innovative LGT transcriptomics experiments on Brugia malayi and stink… Show more • Developed mRNA enrichment methods in complex bacteria-animal interactions, refining studies of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and its diverse hosts• Designed and managed experiments to validate lateral gene transfer between Wolbachia and Drosophila ananassae, mastering techniques in animal husbandry and rearing, embryo collection, microdissection, FISH, sequencing, bioinformatics, qPCR, and qRT-PCR• Performed innovative LGT transcriptomics experiments on Brugia malayi and stink bug• Administered maintenance and repair of essential laboratory equipment, including ABI 7900HT, Axon GenePix Scanner, Aushon 2470 Arrayer, and Nikon TE2000 Fluorescence Microscope• Instructed and trained PhD students and technicians on mastery of molecular biology techniques and analyses using ABI 7900HT, Nikon TE2000, and Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer Show less

Baltimore, Md

• Performed computational and experimental studies of host-microbe interactions amongst Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, D. ananassae, Wolbachia, and human• Used microarray technology to reveal transcriptional changes during Streptococcus pneumoniae biofilm formation and adhesion to human epithelia• Launched the Institute for Genome Science's genomics and microarray laboratory at the University of Maryland, Baltimore

Rockville, Md

• Collaborated in efforts to elucidate mechanisms of pathogen virulence through functional genomic comparisons among multiple Streptococcus species• Utilized comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) microarray technology to analyze BSL-2 pathogens • Mastered laboratory techniques such as CGH, qRT-PCR, DNA & RNA extraction, plant propagation, and PCR• Designed and validated inferred gene models in the Arabidopsis genome based on sequence similarity to Brassica oleracea, in a… Show more • Collaborated in efforts to elucidate mechanisms of pathogen virulence through functional genomic comparisons among multiple Streptococcus species• Utilized comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) microarray technology to analyze BSL-2 pathogens • Mastered laboratory techniques such as CGH, qRT-PCR, DNA & RNA extraction, plant propagation, and PCR• Designed and validated inferred gene models in the Arabidopsis genome based on sequence similarity to Brassica oleracea, in a pioneering gene discovery study• Published sequences for Arabidopsis genes, through gene modeling and annotation, RNA extraction, expression testing, cloning, and sequencing• Propagated numerous species of agriculturally- and medicinally-important plants, in vivo and in vitro• Validated computer-algorithm-predicted “hypothetical” Arabidopsis gene models through RACE Show less

Rockville, Md

• Designed and implemented a PCR-based human gene expression profile study

Master Of Science (Ms), Biotechnology

Bachelor Of Science (Bs), Biology