Greater Seattle Area
Research technician with 5+ years of experience in autoimmune disease biology, specializing in innate immunity, retrotransposon biology, and T cell immunology. Demonstrated ability to lead independent projects from assay development through data interpretation, with contributions to 4 peer-reviewed publications. Skilled in multi-color flow cytometry, protein biochemistry, and primary cell-based assays using patient-derived samples from RA and SLE cohorts.
Under the guidance of Dr. Tomas Mustelin at the University of Washington Division of Rheumatology, I led independent research projects investigating the role of LINE-1 and HERV retrotransposons in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, contributing to 4 peer-reviewed publications. I developed and optimized a broad range of immunological assays — including multi-color flow cytometry, ELISpot, surface plasmon resonance, and co-immunoprecipitation — to characterize T cell responses, neutrophil and monocyte biology, and PAD4–Myosin-9 protein interactions in both cell lines and patient-derived primary samples. I also supported the day-to-day operations of the lab, including PBMC and PMN isolation from whole blood, cell line maintenance, and mentorship of rotating students and postdoctoral fellows.