Work:
University of Maryland 2010 to 2000
Post-doctoral Fellow
University of Missouri Pathobiology Area Program - Columbia, MO 2006 to 2010
Ph.D. Candidate
Disease Control and Prevention and Missouri Department of Health Jun 2009 to Jun 2009
Field Assistant
University of Missouri 2006 to 2009
Research Mentor
University of Missouri 2008 to 2008
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Veterinary Parasitology
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri - Columbia, MO 2005 to 2006
Senior Research Laboratory Technician
AnSci - Columbia, MO 2004 to 2004
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Monogastric Nutrition
University of Missouri - Columbia, MO 2003 to 2004
Lab Assistant/Graduate Student
Tyson Foods, Inc - Sedalia, MO 2003 to 2003
Intern, summer
Education:
University of Missouri-Columbia - Columbia, MO 2010
Ph.D.
University of Missouri-Columbia - Columbia, MO 2003
B.S. in Animal Sciences
Skills:
Molecular & Microbiology biology: Protein, RNA and DNA isolation, PCR (conventional, reverse transcriptase, and real time), electrophoresis, generation of RNA probes, IFA, Protein expression in E. coli, Western Blotting, Transfection of cells, cell chemotaxis assays, and BCA protein assay. Cell culture: Isolation, culture and growth of Ehrlichia canis, E. chaffeensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum from blood and tissue without antibiotics, isolation, and culture of cells from tissue and blood, expansion and maintenance of various mammalian and arthropod cell lines, and virus titer plaque assays. Growth and maintenance of cells and bacteria in a BSL-3 environment. Handling and care of experimental animals: Cattle, horses, dogs, mice, rabbits, and chickens. Dissection and collection of adult and fetal mouse tissues. Handled animals in a BSL2 facility. Parasitology: Collection and rearing of ixodid ticks and identification of parasites in host feces and blood samples Light and fluorescence microscopy: Tissue fixation for histology, thin blood smears, staining, and scanning Immunology: RNA protection assays for cytokine mRNA detection, cell surface staining, flow cytometry, and isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells Nutrition: Monogastric nutrient analysis, sample preparation, and bomb calorimetry General laboratory: Organization, maintenance protocol development, undergraduate and graduate student training, and teaching Veterinary Parasitology wet lab. Familiar with BSL-3 procedures. Presentation of material in the form of teaching laboratories, seminars, abstracts, oral and poster presentations at scientific meetings and journal articles