Developed and established cell line engineering SOPs in AAV production.● Designed whole genome gRNA screening methods and optimized vectors with promotor/enhancer screening forenhanced AAV production yields and gene therapy deliveries.● Contributed to target identification for gene therapy● Collaborated interdepartmentally on tech transfer and product development documentation in accordance to GXPguidelines to external CRO companies.● Recognized for consistently taking initiative and completing deliverables before deadlines.

● Established genetic engineering lab to bring CRISPR-mediated gene editing capabilities in-house.● Created modified cancer cell lines to create leukemia-significant mutations and support assay development.● Screened and identified effective clonal population of the significant.● Assisted in establishing drug screening and pharmacokinetics studies for new Invivoscribe Therapeutics division.

Project title: “Cell engineering of iPSCs to develop and study human retina.” Progress in the retinal stem cell field is hampered by a lack of cell based reporter tools to monitor development. Towards this goal I am developing gene-editing tools to tag fluorescent reporters to genes that are expressed in the retinas at the different stages. Such tools will allow us to monitor the presence / absence of photoreceptor and ganglion cells which will in turn facilitate studies of eye development and disease.Project title: “Disease modeling using CRISPR-Cas9 edited iPSCs.” I study pluripotent stem cells to advance our knowledge of human retinal development and retinal disease. Using this state-of-the-art gene editing method such as CRISPR-Cas9, I modify human iPSC and ESC cells as the starting point for investigating the basic biology of retinal photoreceptors as well as the pathogenesis that occurs during retinal dystrophy. My goal also will be to characterize 3D mini-retinas in a dish using live cell imaging of fluorescent reporter cells and screen for compounds that modulate pathways relevant to retinal development.Project Title: “Functional analysis of iPSC derived retinas fused to brain organoids” This is a collaborative project, an interdisciplinary approach to building a retina-brain circuit. I am using strengths of stem cell biology and genetic engineering and neuroscience to achieve bridging the often separate worlds of retina and brain research. It is also the first attempt that we are aware to functionally integrate these two systems. The data from this new platform is expected to open up new funding opportunities from the NIH for studies of more specific disease models, such as for AMD, glaucoma or childhood onset Lebers congenital amaurosis (LCA).

Project title: “Mice infection and pathogenesis of LC1 double homologous knock-in viable mutants of Trypanosoma brucei.”I have applied molecular cloning, live video microscopy and a mice infection model to determine the cellular and molecular role of cilium/flagellar function and pathogenesis in the eukaryotic pathogen, Trypanosoma brucei. In my project, I was successfully able to develop stable endogenous homologous knock-in mutants in Trypanosomes, and showed that these mutants demonstrated a severe motility defect in blood as well as severe virulence defect, contrary to the earlier studies published using RNAi model. Along with actively doing research, my responsibilities also included general lab maintenance. I have also mentored 1 graduate student, 2 undergraduates and 1 high school student.

Project Title: “Biochemical investigation into initiation of fatty acid synthesis in the African Trypanosomes.” My work included understanding the regulation of fatty acid synthesis in Trypanosomes. Trypanosoma brucei readily acquires fatty acids from its hosts. When host supply is limited, T.brucei synthesizes its own fatty acids. Environmental regulation of FAS would allow preferential use of host fatty acids, and turn on FAS only when host supply is insufficient. My dissertation work established important background on the regulation of T. brucei FA synthesis. I determined the key enzyme for fatty acid synthesis is modified at translational level and post-translational modification.

Project title: “siRNA approach to prevent fungal pathogenesis and expression analysis using micro array.”Facilitated studies on the genetic manipulation of tomato plants, and the genetic and biochemical characterization of the engineered plant lines.

“Strain improvement of yeast for alcohol production.”My work included maintenance of cell culture and biochemical analysis of lab-scale, large-scale and industry-scale reactants and products.