Department of Biological Sciences, Lehigh University

Ribosomal Protein Research

The molecular machine, the ribosome, consists of both RNA and protein components. The Ware lab studies this machine and in particular the ribosomal protein (Rp) family, eRpL22. The Drosophila melanogaster eRpL22 family of Rps contains two structurally diverse paralogues; eRpL22 and eRpL22-like. Whether or not these Rp paralogues are functionally equivalent or specify novel cellular roles remains to be determined. eRpL22 is expressed ubiquitously (Shigenobu et al., 2006a,b; Kai et al., 2005, Chintapalli et al., 2007) while eRpL22-like has tissue-specific expression within the testis and in the eye (Kearse et al. 2011). My PhD research focuses the functional diversification and redundancy between Rp paralogues specifically in the developing D. melanogaster eye.

The myriad of developmental events that take place through the history of a cell lineage dictates how a mature adult structure forms. eRpL22-like is detectable in different cell lineages between key developmental stages (larva, pupal, adult) and may indicate a varying role(s). My research asks questions regarding the potential role(s) of tissue specific eRpL22-like in contrast to the ubiquitous eRpL22 through the developmental landscape of eye development.

I will use biochemical and genetic techniques to manipulate the balance between eRpL22 family paralogues at different time points through eye development to elucidate relative divergence versus redundancy between eRpL22 paralogues. I will strive to gain insight into the significance of eRpL22-like enrichment in varying cells of the developing fly eye.

Eye Tissue Development

Education

Lehigh University Department of Biological Sciences Doctoral program in Molecular Biology	Bethlehem, PA August 2012 - Present
New York University Graduate School of Arts and Science Masters of Science in Biological Sciences	New York, New York September 2007 - May 2009
University of Maryland Baltimore County Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences	Baltimore, Maryland September 2002 - May 2007

Professional Experience

Graduate Student, Lehigh University Dissection of the role of eRpL22-like Co-immunoprecipitation of eRpL22-like protein directly against L22-like and SUMO In vivo RNAi knock down of eRpL22-like expression Immunohistochemistry of eRpL22 and eRpL22-like in adult, midpupal and larval D. melanogaster eye tissue	Bethlehem, PA August 2012-Present
Research Technician, Detect Bioscience Tuberculosis immunoassay development TB assay development with TB peptides as a capture agent ELISA and lateral flow used as detection method	Bethlehem, PA November 2011 - August 2012
Research Scientist, Bristol-Myer Squibb Analytical work for protein products Size Exclusion chromatography SDS-Page, Host Cell Protein ELISA, endotoxin content analysis, HPLC analysis	Hopewell, NJ March 2011 - September 2011
Research Associate, NYU College of Dentistry Tuberculosis immunoassay development and optimization Recombinant protein production - E. coli HIS-tagged protein purification with metal affinity matrix Protein characterizaqtion TB ELISA development Novel saliva collector development HIV RNA Extraction / RT-PCR Detection of HIV nucleic acid/antibodies with up-converting phosphor particles	New York, NY July 2009 - January 2011
Graduate Research Associate, NYU Graduate School Map transgenic fly lines for use with Cre-lox transgenic technology Genomic DNA Isolation, restriction enzyme digestion, ligation, Inverse PCR and PCR Purification of PCR amplicons In situ Hybridization with alkaline phosphatase staining FISH: Double fluorescent probe for krupple and eve stripe 2 nuclear localized mCherry	January 2008 - July 2009
Undergraduate Research Assoc., Univ. of Maryland Develop an innovative method to detect air pollution through protein biomarkers Two dimensional SDS-PAGE analysis TCA protein precipitation	January 2005 - May 2007

Teaching Experience

Teaching Assistant for:

Bios 377 - Biochemistry Laboratory
Fall 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Bios 42 - Core I lab: Cell & Moleular Biology
Spring 2013, 2016

Bios 346 - Molecular Genetics Laboratory
Spring 2014, 2015

Fellowships, Grants and Awards

2014 College of Arts and Science / Biological Sciences Travel Award, Lehigh University –
Awarded $500

2014 Graduate Student Senate Travel Award, Lehigh University – Awarded $150

2015 College of Arts and Science / Biological Sciences Travel Award, Lehigh University –
Awarded $500

2016 College of Arts and Science / Biological Sciences Travel Award, Lehigh University –
Awarded $500

2016 Graduate Student Senate Travel Award, Lehigh University – Awarded $150

Presentations

Poster Presentation- 55th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, “Expression of the RpL22e family: Evidence for tissue-specific post-translational modification of RpL22e-like in the fly eye”

Poster Presentation- 56th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, “Dynamic protein modification: Variable tissue-specific modification and localization of eRpL22-like during fly eye development.”

Poster Presentation- March 2015 Mid-Atlantic Society for Developmental Biology Meeting, “Dynamic protein modification: Variable tissue-specific modification and localization of eRpL22-like during fly eye development.”

Graduate Student Seminar 04/08/14- “Expression of the RpL22e family: Evidence for tissue-specific post-translational modification of RpL22e-like in the fly eye”

Graduate Student Seminar 09/22/15- “Investigating Developmental Roles of Ribosomal Protein Paralogue Modification”

Lehigh Valley Ecology and Evolution Symposium 04/16/16- “Variable Effects of eRpL22 Family Paralogue Depletion on Eye Development in Drosophila melanogaster”

Community Outreach

First annual Lehigh University Bio Fair- “Ribosomes: The Protein Factory”, April 2014

First Annual Family Science Night at Louis E. Dieruff High School, March 2016

PA DNA Day 2016 Volunteer, Liberty High School- “Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine”, April 2016

Brett Gershman, Lehigh University

Images

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