With 15 years of experience in biomedical research, and scientific discoveries that have led to novel treatment strategies, I realize that my true passion is sharing the knowledge I’ve gained. I have a demonstrated ability to simplify and communicate scientific findings to both technical and non-technical audiences. My goal is to promote scientific understanding in communications by combining critical scientific thinking with a creative mindset.  

Qualifications    

  • Nine years of experience directing a biomedical research lab at a top-ten ranked public research university.

  • Strong publication record with an impact factor (h-index) ranking 3rd of 128 faculty at her rank in her Department.

  • Journal experience as an Advisory Editor for Arthritis & Rheumatology and peer-reviewer for 12 journals. 

Highlights

  • Communication – Distilled complex scientific concepts and delivered them to both scientific audiences and the general public through invited speaking and writing activities. Engaged and mentored learners at all levels, from high school students through faculty.

  • Leadership – Led a diverse team in executing 14 research studies from local, regional, and national funding agencies. Founded and directed the Human Immune Biomarkers Core to promote translational studies of autoimmune disease.

  • Innovation – Deciphered patterns from complex datasets to identify clinically useful biomarkers. Developed new ways of tracking immune activation in patients.

  • Impact – Partnered with a clinical diagnostics company to develop a test that will be the first to monitor and predict the risk of relapse in lupus patients. Authored 41 journal articles that have collectively been cited >4900 times by other published works.

Experience

DIRECTOR, HUMAN IMMUNE BIOMARKERS CORE, 2010 – PRESENT

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, MINNEAPOLIS, MN

  • Identified critical gaps in clinical study infrastructure within the Division of Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases. Created a core facility to provide key resources including study design, regulatory guidance, patient recruitment, sample collection and processing, specimen storage and tracking, database creation and management, and biomarker data generation. 
  • Advanced human immunology research at the University by enabling investigators without prior experience to initiate human studies in pursuit of their scientific goals.  The resulting studies have generated presentations at national and international conferences, publications, and new grant proposals.  
  • Managed all aspects of the Autoimmune Arthritis Center Biorepository, which houses >65,000 biospecimens collected from >5000 participants enrolled into 26 autoimmunity-related studies. 
  • Conveyed complex findings of research studies to lay audiences at educational and fundraising-events for the Center for Autoimmune Diseases Research (CADRe).
     

Assistant Professor, 2006 – Present

University of Minnesota Department of Medicine, Minneapolis, MN

  • Directed a research lab in the Division of Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases focused on discovery of novel biomarkers for human autoimmunity.
  • Applied cutting-edge research technologies and analytical methods to advance translational research in autoimmune disease. Conducted innovative work leading to co-inventorship on an awarded patent and an additional patent application.
  • Successfully competed for and executed $3.2 million in research grants.  Managed and executed all aspects of grant proposal development, including conceptualization of ideas and study design, writing proposal narratives, creating and monitoring study budgets, managing relationships with collaborating institutions, adhering to regulatory requirements, and fulfilling post-award obligations.
  • Disseminated research findings through publications in scientific journals and invited talks at local, national, and international conferences.  
  • Engaged in service to the field by serving as a peer reviewer for 12 scientific journals and an Advisory Editor for specialty journal Arthritis & Rheumatology, participating on review panels and committees for national funding agencies and foundations, and contributing to community outreach activities.
  • Mentored undergraduates, doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers, medical residents, fellows, and other faculty.
  • Contributed to administration of graduate program policies, admissions, and student reviews as a member of the Committee on Graduate Studies for the Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology program.

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Immunology & Genomics. University of Minnesota, 2004-2006. Awarded a position on the Musculoskeletal Research Training Grant (NIH/NIAMS T32).
  • Ph.D., Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology. University of Minnesota, 2004.
  • B.S., Biology. Magna cum laude, University of Notre Dame, 1998.