Olivia Shade

NIAID F32 Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University

San Francisco Bay Area

About

Chemical biologist with 8+ years of experience at the interface of chemistry and biology, currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in Laura Dassama's lab at Stanford University. I study the role of lipids in the syphilis pathogen Treponema pallidum, using molecular biology, mass spectrometry, and protein biochemistry techniques. In my graduate work in Alex Deiters' lab at the University of Pittsburgh, I synthesized and applied bioorthogonal molecules for targeted protein degradation and photoswitchable amino acids for the optical control of protein function.

Experience

  • Postdoctoral Scholar in Chemistry at Stanford University
    Feb 2025 - Present · 1 yr 5 mos

  • University of Pittsburgh (5 yrs 6 mos)
    • Graduate Student Research Assistant
      Jul 2019 - Dec 2024 · 5 yrs 6 mos

    • Teaching Assistant, Organic Chemistry
      Aug 2019 - Dec 2019 · 5 mos

      Engaged 25 students during weekly lab exercises to achieve a comprehensive understanding of complex topics. Guided and advised student researchers in the interpretation of complex spectral information; maintained flexible office hours for additional support, writing advice, and experimental preparation.

    • Organic Chemistry Tutor
      Aug 2019 - Dec 2019 · 5 mos

      Supplemented lecture notes with detailed explanations of new concepts and provided feedback on assignments to students during weekly walk-in tutoring hours.

  • Seton Hill University (Greensburg, Pennsylvania, United States)
    • Undergraduate Research Assistant
      Jun 2017 - May 2019 · 2 yrs

      Undergraduate researcher in Ashley Bartelson's Lab at Seton Hill. Worked toward the preparation of large batches of oxoammonium salt derivatives for green alternatives to harsh oxidizers and investigated the oxidative reactivity of novel oxoammonium salts with alpha-amino acids.

    • Tutor
      Jan 2017 - May 2019 · 2 yrs 5 mos

      Maintained weekly office hours for peer tutoring in Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Analytical Chemistry, General & Advanced Physics I and the associated laboratory sections.

  • Undergraduate Researcher at Texas A&M University
    May 2018 - Aug 2018 · 4 mos

    REU student in Wenshe Liu's lab, working toward the synthesis of a histone lysine demethylase activity based probe.

  • Head Lifeguard at Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company
    Jun 2016 - Dec 2016 · 7 mos