- Led a team with 2-3 research associates (recent graduates) to achieve milestones within established timelines.- Led and completed projects in developing and optimizing high throughput assays for hit-to-lead identification of engineered immune cells.- Identified and validated leads for future pre-clinical assays. - Identified and validated new hits in high throughput proliferation-based assays. - Updated, revised and optimized pre-established SOPs. - Co-led the Safety and Best Practices Committee: responsible for revising EHS guidelines, establishing and frequently revising SOPs, identifying and immediately addressing safety concerns

- Lead 3 Projects listed below: 1) Genetically Engineering gamma delta T cells as an immunotherapy to treat AML pediatric patients: Characterized the cytokine release, differentiation, activation and exhaustion status of engineered gd Tcells using multicolor flow cytometry; Designed, executed and established a cytotoxic assay to analyze the killing capacity of engineered gd T cells against AML cell line and patient blasts.2) Investigating the mechanisms of innate and adaptive immune tolerance after αβhaploidentical-hematopoietic stem cell transplant as a treatment for rare diseases Identified and established a SOP to generate regulatory gamma delta T cells (gdTreg) Characterized gdTreg function in inhibiting effector cell killing capacity Tested multicolor flow cytometry panels to further characterize gdTreg cells 3)Development of iPSC-derived thymic epithelial progenitor cells (iTEPCs) to promote T cell reconstitution in athymic mouse models Optimized the differentiation protocol of iTEPCs by mimicking human thymus embryonic development; Identified markers of iTEPC in vitro and in vivo via Flow Cytometry and confocal microscopy; Addressed in vivo functionality of iTEPCs by monitoring T cell reconstitution in athymic mice.• Co-mentored and trained an undergraduate student in a project modulating the gene expression of iPSCs using a CRISPR system.• Co-mentored and trained 6 junior scientists; participated in recruiting new lab members.• Raised US$565,000 from multiple agencies and foundations to fund projects of the lab.

• Identified new targets for preventing mammary tumorigenesis using genomic and epigenomic approaches• Analyzed genomic and epigenomic data (RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq) of mammary epithelial cell lineages from normal mammary glands and breast tumors.• Largely contributed to coworkers´ projects and in high impact peer-reviewed publications.• Mentored junior scientists to achieve project goals and improve their soft and technical skillset.

• Designed, planned and implemented assays to identify NEK10 and NEK5 function in DNA damage repair and mitochondria-related processes in response to chemotherapy drugs• Worked effectively and collaboratively to address protocol troubleshooting, data analysis.• Contributed as a co-author in peer-reviewed publications of the lab.• Through Research Abroad Fellowships, established and secured 2 collaboration bridges with national and international investigators and institutions.

• Developed functional assays and microscopy analysis to investigate NEK10 role in DNA damage response and repair.• Analyzed and communicated data to a vibrant community of scientists in weekly meetings.• Data obtained in this collaboration were published in a peer-reviewed journal.

• Constructed clones of NEKs kinase domains and applied SGC well-established high-throughput protocols (96-well plates) to perform protein expression of NEK constructions in Baculovirus system.• Optimized protein expression and purification conditions for NEK9 truncated construction and executed compound screening assay to obtain protein crystals.• Proofread and published the structure of Nek1 kinase domain and Nek1 functional assays in a peer-reviewed journal.• Worked effectively and collaboratively in a fast-paced research environment.

• Optimized a new protocol for protein expression and purification of RACK1 using ÄKTA.• Identified RACK1 as a monomer in spectroscopic assays (Circular Dichroism and Dynamic Light Scattering).• Proofread and published the data in a scientific peer reviewed publication.

• Maintained breast cancer and ovarian cancer cell lines• Attended Lab meetings and meetings with collaborators• Analyzed cancer history in patient’s families