Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Feb. 2022 - June 2023 • Investigating the role of Beclin1 in protein trafficking, autophagy, and Cre toxicity in cardiac homeostasis utilizing cell-based assays and in vivo mouse work.• Working on a novel mitochondrial drug treatment and exercise study for mitochondrial myopathies utilizing an aged mouse model.Moores Cancer Center June 2018 - Feb. 2022 • Supported the Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) design for the degradation of target proteins. • Conducted a systematic examination of therapeutic targets for SOX2-driven lung cancer by integrating CRISPR/Cas9 editing and BioID profiling of Sox2 interactome.• Analyzed the effects of AMPK activation with anti-gout agents with patient’s PBMC and in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophage.Division of Nephrology-Hypertension June 2007 - Oct. 2017• Led research teams and managed multi-in vivo and in vitro research projects and developed mouse models for type 1 and type 2 diabetic kidney disease models for target validation and biomarker discovery.• Investigated the role of NOX4 in diabetic kidney disease and revealed a link between mitochondrial metabolic pathways and oxidative stress in DKD. • Demonstrated that stimulating superoxide production through AMPK activation using AICAR provides protection against DKD by upregulating mitochondrial function using inhibitor intervention, metabolomic analysis, renal tissue analysis, and in vitro assay, Mitochondrial Physiology/Metabolism/Bioenergetics, in vivo animal study.

• Studied identification of novel biomarkers, metabolites of chronic kidney disease and diabetic complications with a specific focus on urine and blood-based biomarkers.• Analyzed the effects of AMPK activation with anti-gout agents with patient’s PBMC and in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophage.

Provided the first in vivo evidence of a pro-oncogenic role for SnoN in mammary gland tumorigenesis using SnoN transgenic mice. Supervised research assistants, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

Conducted research on the role of SnoN in mammary development and its involvement in breast cancer using SnoN transgenic mice.

Investigated the mechanisms of cellular senescence and their relationship to the development of breast cancer by using TIN2 transgenic mice.