Current

• Editor at Medpedia, Inc.
• Research Associate in Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology at Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center
• Founder, principle writer and editor at Highlight HEALTH

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Past

• Biomedical Informatics Research Fellow at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Education

• Texas A&M University
• Purdue University Calumet

Recommended

1 person has recommended Walter

Connections

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Industry

Research

Summary

I am interested in the causes, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of neurological disease, specifically in the area of cancer. I am currently developing data resources that allow for the use of a variety of statistical and biological analysis approaches to evaluate and interpret transcriptional data, as well as additional data related to variations in disease severity, clinical information and genetic data (SNP and CNV) being collected from human nervous system tumors and mouse animal models. Founded on the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, my focus is on the integration of genomic data to provide a broader understanding of the signals and mechanisms regulating neurological tumor development and progression.

* Background includes training in mathematical physics and statistics.

* I have extensive wet lab training and experience, and am comfortable with all aspects of lab work. I have previous experience in assay design, development and optimization.

* Effective communication skills, frequently presents biological and statistical data to scientists and physicians. I am very comfortable communicating research and technology to others, including non-scientists, and am able to translate research results into understandable language and formats.

* Experienced at working both independently and as a team player. Effective manager and leader, with previous experience training and directing research projects.

* Familiar with R, Perl, Applescript, Bash and MySQL.

* Extensive use of HTML, CSS and PHP.

* Knowledgeable about high-throughput genomic and proteomic technologies.

* Knowledgeable about Web 2.0 technology and services, including social networking and search engine optimization (SEO).

Specialties:

Experience

• Editor

  Medpedia, Inc.

  (Privately Held; Health, Wellness and Fitness industry)

  May 2009 — Present (11 months)

  The Medpedia Project is a long-term, worldwide project to evolve a new model for sharing and advancing knowledge about health, medicine and the body among medical professionals and the general public. This model is founded on providing a free online technology platform that is collaborative, interdisciplinary and transparent.

• Research Associate in Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology

  Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center

  (Non-Profit; Hospital & Health Care industry)

  January 2008 — Present (2 years 3 months)

  Responsible for developing data resources that will allow the use of a variety of statistical and biological analysis approaches to evaluate microarray data, as well as additional data related to variations in disease severity, histological patterns and proteomic data being collected from both mouse animal models of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), individual human neurofibromas and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Collaborates with other Principle Investigators of the Neurofibromatosis Microarray and Systems Biology Consortium (http://nf1.cchmc.org/) to develop bioinformatics analyses to understand the molecular mechanisms by which tumors form and progress with the ultimate goal of developing treatment strategies.

• Founder, principle writer and editor

  Highlight HEALTH

  (Privately Held; Online Media industry)

  December 2006 — Present (3 years 4 months)

  Created the online news site Highlight HEALTH to promote advances in biomedical research and encourage health literacy.

• Biomedical Informatics Research Fellow

  Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

  (Non-Profit; 10,001 or more employees; Research industry)

  September 2004 — December 2007 (3 years 4 months)

  Utilizes transcriptional regulatory and gene interaction networks, cancer biology and embryonic and postnatal development in human and mouse models to inform and characterize biological states, disease processes and developmental disorders. Performs functional and comparative genomics on microarray and proteomic data and utilizes histologic patterns and clinical information to develop a systems biology approach that can be applied to a range of genetic diseases.

  • Recipient, National Institutes of Health Pediatric Research Loan Repayment Program (2005 – 2007).

  • NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship, Institute of Molecular Pharmacology and Biophysics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (2004 – 2007).

Education

• Texas A&M University

  Ph.D. , Molecular Biology, Biochemistry , 1998 — 2004

  Developed a kinetic approach for analysis of chromatin remodeling in vivo, demonstrating that nucleosomes proximal to the transactivator binding site are remodeled earlier than those more distal. Developed an in vivo single molecule assay that identifies multiple promoter classes and supports a probabilistic model in which chromatin remodeling at PHO5 spreads from sites of transactivator binding and attenuates with distance. Bioengineered inducible DNA methyltransferase systems for the in vivo detection of chromatin structural changes, targeted methylation and factor footprints.

  • Directed research projects for several rotating graduate students and was responsible for the primary training of a number of undergraduate students (1998 – 2004).

  • Teaching Assistant, Texas A&M University, Experimental Biochemistry Lab (2003).

  • Teaching Assistant, Texas A&M University, Biochemistry Laboratory I and II (1998 – 1999).

  Activities and Societies:

  Participated in the development of NIH R01 proposal “Regulation of gene expression in chromatin”, funded in 2003 (Kladde MP, Texas A&M University), 2001.

• Purdue University Calumet

  B.S. , Physics , 1992 — 1998

  Research project involved the design, construction and use of a nitrogen laser for the study of dielectric breakdown and spark generation. Presented "Dielectric Breakdown and Spark Generation" at the Eighth Annual Argonne Undergraduate Research Symposium, Argonne National Lab (1997).

  • Teaching Assistant, Purdue University Calumet, Introductory Physics (1998).

  • Physics and Math Tutor, Purdue University Calumet (1998).

  • I was employed full-time while attending classes and maintained a GPA of 3.4 (1992-1998).

  Activities and Societies:

  Society of Physics Students (President, 1998), “Best and Brightest” award (Department of Chemistry and Physics, 1998), Nominated to Sigma Xi (1998)

Additional Information

Groups:

•    LinkedSEO
•    Lifesciences Opportunities in US
•    LinkedCincinnati
•    Biotech & Pharma Professionals Network
•    Health 2.0
•    "friendfeed" friends
•    Life Science Professionals
•    9rules
•    Biotech Marketing Group
•    Health 3.0: The Next Online Generation
•    The Biogang
•    STweM
•    FriendFeed Life Scientists
•    Oncology Pharma™
•    Medpedia
•    Personalized Cancer Medicine - Oncology Pharma™

Honors: