West Point, Pennsylvania, United States
Publications: Five patents, 34 research papers, 65 abstracts/posters. Goal is to make a positive impact in people's lives. Specialties: molecular biology, cell culture, assay development, flow cytometry. . Expertise in molecular biology includes RT/PCR, primer design, real time PCR, oligo hybridization, DNA sequencing, DNA/RNA isolation, mutagenesis and plasmid constructs, RNAi knockdown, restriction mapping, transformation, protein expression. Cell culture expertise includes transfection, co-transfection, stable cell line development, clonal isolation, maintence and propagation. Assay development expertise includes phenotyping assays utilizing flourescent and luminescent reporters, nucleic acid detection, absorbance based assays, protein staining and western blotting, allele specific PCR based assays. Flow cytometry experience includes detection of antibody stained surface proteins via Guava FC and BD LSRII flow cytometer, internal protein staining through Ab staining via fix/perm, multiple stain analysis, EVOS fluorescent microscopy.
Positions have included: Biologist, Staff Biologist, Research Biologist, Research Associate, Senior Scientist. During the course of my career at Merck, I have worked on research teams which discovered the FDA approved antiviral compounds efavirenz, indinavir, and boceprevir. I have also worked on research programs now in late stage clinical development; antivirals vaniprevir (now approved in Japan, VANIHEP), MK-5172(grazoprevir), and MK-8742(elbasvir). Grazoprevir and elbasvir have been co-formulated, and now licensed as Zepatier-approved in the US and Canada. Additionally, I have helped to support post clinical studies for varicella vaccine, and boceprevir. I have been fortunate to work on research teams with many talented individuals, and realize that great teams lead to great products-I am a team player. Besides my skill sets listed below, I have experience in working in a BL-2+ laboratory, with infectious viruses HCV, and HIV.