About
My journey in early-stage drug discovery and technology development has been driven by a passion to merge cutting-edge scientific research with practical therapeutic applications. At the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), my postbaccalaureate training involved working alongside leading translational scientists. I honed skills in developing diverse assays, both cell-based, biochemical, and biophysical, to explore therapeutic targets for rare diseases and significant public health issues. This role was a balancing act between pioneering novel therapeutic avenues and mastering complex methodologies. I became proficient in quantitative high-throughput screening, target engagement assays, and proteomic analysis. A testament to this was my co-first author publication in Science Translational Medicine, where we shed light on activation peptides in tumor-associated macrophages - a significant step in understanding cancer progression.
My journey continued as an IRTA Predoctoral GPP Fellow, bridging the University of Maryland and NCATS. Here, I expanded my interdisciplinary expertise, delving into protein-small molecule interactions within the Lyme disease microbe and uncovering new therapeutic targets through phenotypic screening. Under the guidance of Dr. Bolormaa Baljinnyam and Dr. Anton Simeonov, I gained invaluable insights into the entire early-stage drug discovery pipeline. A career highlight has been developing a novel cellular thermal shift assay. This assay uniquely incorporates a thermally-stable luciferase for a luminescent readout, showcasing innovation in methodology. Further honing my leadership skills, I participated in the NIH-AIM I-CORPS Program, focusing on customer discovery skills vital for technology development. This experience has been pivotal in preparing me to lead and collaborate on complex interdisciplinary projects.
Now, as a postdoctoral fellow under Dr. Mark Henderson, I'm continuning my training My motivation in this field stems from a deep-seated desire to address unmet medical needs through scientific innovation. I am confident that this training opportunity will significantly enrich my scientific repertoire and enable me to achieve my long-term goal: developing lead molecules to combat diseases that profoundly impact human health.
