EDUCATION

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering – Expected graduation – Winter 2010. University of California – Irvine, CA
M.S. in Chemical Engineering – Spring 2007. 
University of California – Irvine, CA
B.S. in Chemical Engineering, concentration in Materials Science – May 2004. Columbia University – New York, NY

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Current Position September 2006 – Present Madou BioMEMS Lab, UCI Irvine, CA
Graduate Student Researcher
• CD Microfluidic Diagnostic Devices. Development of rapid anthrax detection system using CD microfluidics. Sample preparation steps (Large volume Plasma Separation, Cell Lysis, Clarification) integrated with real-time PCR.
• Real-time PCR Detection Platform: Incorporation of industrial servo motor, Peltier thermoelectrics (for PCR heat cycling) and Optical detection components (LED, photomultiplier tubes, filters, etc) for fluorescence detection.

June 2004 – September 2006 ImClone Systems Incorporated New York, NY
Research Associate
• Conducted cell-based assays testing binding and blocking properties of FGF ligand and FGFR1 antibodies. Completed Glutathione S-transferase (GST) purifications for Protein Science groups in addition to affinity chromatography, size exclusion chromatography, ion exchange purifications.
• Conducted various protein characterization techniques including SDS-Page, SEC-MALS, capillary IEF. Performed tasks such as Western blots, Immunoprecipitations, FACS studies on receptor expression in various cancer cell lines.
• Carrying out vector engineering to clone recombinant plasmid DNA for eventual expression in a mammalian system using PCR amplification, ligation, and sequencing techniques.

2002 – 2004 Columbia University Biomedical Engineering Cardiac Lab New York, NY
Lab Technician and Analyst
• Performed lab maintenance duties of preparing media, serums, and other sterile solutions along with performing rat cardiac cell isolations.
• Prepared and analyzed histology results from research projects.

June - August 2003 University of Naples, Federico II Naples, Italy
Summer Research Scientist
• Researched the effect of growth factors and hyaluronic acid on the angiogenesis of endothelial cells under supervision of Dr.Netti, director of the Department of Materials and Production Engineering
• Conducted experiments utilizing alginate beads of localized growth factors (interlucinas-6, basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor) within collagen/hyaluronic acid based matrices
• Authored and presented findings in a culminating summer thesis

1999 – 2003 Enviro-Chem Laboratories, Inc. Hunt Valley, MD
Lab Technician and Analyst
• Regularly performed tests on wastewater and drinking water to detect trace metals, sulfates, chloride, fecal coliform, and other environmentally significant pollutants.
• Conducted numerous tests with skilled use of Ion Chromatography, Spectrophotometry, Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption, Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy, and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy.

PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS

• “Microfluidic CD-based systems for rapid anthrax detection in whole blood using real-time PCR” DARPA MF3 MEMS / NEMS S&T Fundamentals All Center Review Meeting, January 4, 2008. Poster.

• “Modeling and Fabrication of a Real-time PCR CD platform for Anthrax Detection” DARPA MF3 MEMS / NEMS S&T Fundamentals All Center Review Meeting, August 6, 2008. Presentation.

• “Large volume Plasma separation CD towards Automated Anthrax detection in whole blood” DARPA MF3 MEMS / NEMS S&T Fundamentals All Center Review Meeting, January 13, 2009. Poster.

• “Microfluidic CD-based systems for rapid anthrax detection in whole blood” Jonathan Siegrist, Mary Amasia, Horacio Kido, Jim Zoval, and Marc Madou. Proceedings of Biomedical Devices, 2008.

MICROFABRICATION SKILLS

Design Software: AutoCad, Solidworks, L-edit, SignGo
Plastics Fabrication: CNC milling, Thin Film Cutter Plotter, Oxygen Plasma Treatment.