Taylor Piper Email & Phone Number

I graduated from the University of Michigan in 2019 with a B.S. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and a minor in Asian Languages and Cultures with a focus on Japan. As an undergraduate, I worked for four years in Dr. Lori Isom's laboratory. My project focused on evaluating differences in both cortical lamination and myelination of Nodes of Ranvier between wild-type brains and those from mouse models of a pediatric epileptic encephalopathy known as Dravet Syndrome.After graduation, I spent over three years as a laboratory technician in Dr. Adam Courtney's lab at U of M, where the research is focused on targeting T cell signaling pathways in an effort to better understand how T cells sense and respond to antigen. My work centered around manipulating T cell signaling and enhancing recognition of weak tumor antigens to increase T cell-mediated cytotoxicity.I am now located in Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Although I loved working in research, I have recently pivoted to utilizing my Japanese language minor in my work. I currently work for TRMI, Inc. (an automotive parts supplier specializing in switch-related components) as a Japanese↔English Translator/Interpreter. My primary responsibilities include oral interpretation during on-site meetings, video meetings with our partner facilities in Japan, or during tours when guests from Japan visit our site in Battle Creek, but I also translate documents and other written communications when necessary. Additionally, I act as a critical contact point for those employees who cannot speak English, assisting them with many of the steps necessary to live and work here in the U.S.