CURRICULUM VITAE
Education/Research Experience
Post-Doctoral Fellow
University of North Texas 03.2016- present
Supervised by Dr. Kent Chapman, Regents Professor, Director of the Center for Plant Lipid Research & Coordinator of the Plant Signaling Cluster
Primary Project Title – "Elucidating the Cellular Machinery for Lipid Storage in Plants."
For this project, I am advancing our understanding of how plants store oils by identifying and characterizing cellular machinery which governs this process.
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Alberta Innovates Phytola Center 05.2015-03.2016
Supervised by Dr. Randall J. Weselake, Professor and Canada Research Chair, University of Alberta
Primary Project Title - "Application of Genomics for Increasing Seed Oil Content in Soybean."
For this project, I am accelerating a soybean TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes) breeding program by employing recombinant expression technologies and high throughput screening methods to pre-emptively validate effects of target gene mutations. Candidate mutations capable of increasing targeted phenotypes were identified through statistical analysis of genetic sequences and by high-throughput activity assays of mutant libraries.
PhD in Plant Science
University of Alberta 09.2009 - 05.2015
Supervised by Dr. Randall J. Weselake, Professor and Canada Research Chair, University of Alberta
Thesis Title - "Type-1 Brassica napus Diacylglycerol Acyltransferases: Enzyme Characterization and Molecular Tools for Increasing Storage Lipid Production in Yeast."
In this project, methods of producing genetically improved varieties of canola were explored through genetic and biochemical analyses of four homologs of a gene (DGAT1) involved in oil accumulation. Methods for genetically engineering increased activity of DGAT1 were identified and exploited. These findings led to the development of a novel GC/MS based activity assay method, and yeast strains with substantially increased triacylglycerols production.
MSc in Biology
University of Lethbridge 09.2005- 04.2008
Co-Supervised by Dr. Igor Kovalchuk, Professor and Board of Governors Research Chair, University of Lethbridge & Dr. François Eudes, Cereal Biotechnologist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Thesis Title -"Effects of Ammonium Nitrate upon Direct Somatic Embryogenesis and Biolistic Transformation of Wheat."
In this project, parameters affecting biolistic transformation of wheat and triticale were optimized to improve explant regeneration and DNA integration.
Research Associate 01.2009-05.2009
Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research Centre
Supervised by Dr. Francois Eudes, Cereal Biotechnologist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Responsible for supporting wheat development team by ensuring a continuous supply of cereal plants, constructing and delivering DNA constructs into cultured plants cells, and maintaining pipeline of propagating and screening transgenic plants.
Research Assistant 04.2002-08.2002
University of Lethbridge
Supervised by Dr. Igor Kovalchuk, Professor and Board of Governors Research Chair
Carried out plant phenotyping and basic molecular biology tasks to assist research team investigating the effects of biotic and abiotic stress upon plant DNA repair machinery.
Teaching Experience
Lab Instruction
Student/Practicum Supervision
Exam Preparation
Guest Lectures
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Presentations
*presenter
Technical Reports
Grant Writing
†provided assistance through scientific critique, composition of text, and proofreading, but was not a co-author for the indicated grant application.
Awards and Scholarships
Major Awards
Additional Awards
Languages Spoken
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