Ithaca, New York, United States
With 9 years of experience in R&D project management, seed production for vegetable crops, and plant tissue culture, I’ve developed a strong passion for plant biotechnology, physiology, and controlled environment agriculture. I’m especially interested in how emerging technologies, such as advanced data analytics and gene editing can shape the future of agriculture.
Assisted the global Plant Physiology team at Driscoll’s in establishing, collecting data, and monitoring research trials in test plots and on-farm settings for all 4 Driscoll's berries Collected, cleaned, and summarized data from various trials to create high-quality research reports and recommendations for partners in breeding, nursery, and field operations. Supported chill requirement trials for 24 selections of raspberries and blackberries to develop genotype-specific cold storage recommendations, reducing costs and increasing yields. Evaluated trials related to pot size, cane density, cropping systems, and the use of plant growth regulators to assess their impact on plant performance, operational processes, and cost alignment with the company’s goals. Assisted with the indoor farming initiative by monitoring NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) systems used for nursery production of strawberry daughter plants. Collaborated in constructing growth chambers for running experiments on stolon growth, daughter plant development, and fruit quality for 20 strawberry selections. Conducted meristem flower mapping to determine the phenological stages of raspberry and blackberry buds.
Managed high-throughput tissue culture projects to produce quality vegetable clones and double haploids for internal breeding programs, focusing on Melon, Watermelon, Onion, Pepper, and Tomato varieties. Consistently achieved a 95-100% success rate in fulfilling requests, including providing 550 double haploid melon seeds for 20-35 selected lines and 200 pure tetraploid watermelon plantlets for 22 genotypes. Helped with recruitment , training, and supervision of a team of 4-8 technicians. Collaborated closely with the Cell Biology R&D group to implement new techniques and technologies within the Cell Biology Services group. Managed the maintenance of up to 1,000 plants in both in-vitro and greenhouse environments. Contributed to the update of SOPs and protocols. Enhanced workplace efficiency by 33% through re-organization techniques like Kanban and 5s.
Plant Cell Biology Managed production-level cell biology protocols to deliver high-quality plant material to breeders. Executed tissue culture techniques, including micropropagation, tetraploidization, chromosome doubling, embryo rescue, androgenesis, and gynogenesis across crops such as Melon, Watermelon, Onion, Pepper, and Tomato. Utilized LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) for data collection and analysis. Contributed to the maintenance and monitoring of plants in both in-vitro and greenhouse environments. Ensured plant material met phytosanitary requirements, aligning with national and international regulations. Assisted in recruiting and developing contract workers. Food Sensory Quality Analysis Conducted colorimetric assays to determine onion pungency by measuring pyruvate concentration using DNPH. Conducted extraction and spectrophotometric analysis of total anthocyanin and carotene from fresh carrot roots. Performed sugar content (Brix) and dry matter testing on various vegetables.
Became proficient with various aseptic plant tissue culture techniques. Utilized flow cytometry to determine chromosome ploidy in over 1,200 plant tissue samples. Managed the care and maintenance of up to 800 plants in both in-vitro and greenhouse environments. Executed laboratory tasks, including media preparation, stock solution creation, equipment calibration, inventory management, and sterilization. Maintained precise data entry and recordkeeping using Excel.
Conducted greenhouse and field operations, including fruit collection, pollination, transplanting, and overall plant care to expand germplasm resources of mutant and wild Tomato species. Prepared research-oriented seed samples for distribution to research and breeding institutes worldwide. Processed, weighed, and organized over 200 seeds for long-term storage. Conducted germination efficiency testing on seed stocks. Regularly attended and actively participated in weekly research presentations and lab meetings led by the staff.
Collaborated with a Post-Doctoral researcher to investigate two pollen self-incompatibility factors contributing to reproductive barriers in wild Solanum species and cultivated tomatoes. Conducted various laboratory experiments and tasks, including PCRs, DNA extractions, cloning, pollen tube staining, preparation of microscope slides, and phenotype scoring. Managed greenhouse responsibilities, which included flower pollination for crosses, flower collection, and meticulous record-keeping.