PREVIOUS TEACHING
Taught for three years at DePaul University, instructing general chemistry and biochemistry courses.
EXPERIENCE
13 years of teaching experience
RESEARCH & INTERESTS
Research program integrates biomedical, biochemical, and cell biology approaches to study disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies:
Melanoma biology and drug synergy, focusing on natural compounds such as pterostilbene in combination with targeted therapies like dabrafenib
Endothelial dysfunction under hyperglycemic stress, with emphasis on oxidative stress pathways, NOX4 regulation, and translational implications for diabetic kidney disease
Undergraduate research mentoring in course-based research experiences (CUREs) linking genetic polymorphisms (ACTN3, CKM, SLC16A1) to muscle performance traits
Expertise includes cell culture, enzyme kinetics, molecular biology (PCR, western blotting, genotyping), and analytical chemistry (HPLC, ICP-MS, CHN analysis).
PUBLICATIONS & PROJECTS
Genetic Variants and Athletic Performance: An Undergraduate Laboratory Exploration of ACTN3, CKM, and SLC16A1 Polymorphisms (in preparation, 2025)
Synergistic inhibition of V600E BRAF melanoma by dabrafenib and pterostilbene through disruption of the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway (in preparation, 2025)
PRESENTATIONS
Institute for Bioengineering, Session Chair and Poster Presentation (2025)
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Poster Presentations (2, 2025)
Rocky Mountain Bioengineering Symposium, Poster Presentations (2, 2025)
AWARDS & HONORS
Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring, Utah Tech University (2023)