Work with thought leaders and academic experts from University of Washington

Garrett A. Perchetti, Research Scientist - Virology

New York
Research Scientist and MD Candidate in virology with publications on infectious diseases, laboratory medicine, viral genetics, and clinical medicine
Education

University of Washington

BS, BA, Microbiology; Art History

Seattle, Washington, United States of America

Ross University School of Medicine

MD, Infectious Diseases / April, 2025 (anticipated)

Bridgetown

Harvard University

SSP, Psychology

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
Experience

University of Washington

Research Scientist / 2015Present

Research Expertise
Virology
Microbiology
Infectious Diseases
SARS-CoV-2
COVID-19
And 10 more
About
Garrett A. Perchetti is a highly accomplished research scientist in the field of virology. He received a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the University of Washington. His interest in both science and the arts led him to pursue a career in virology, where he could combine his passion for understanding the natural world with his creative thinking skills. After completing his undergraduate studies, Garrett continued his education by earning a Medical Degree from Ross University School of Medicine in 2025. During his time in medical school, he developed a keen interest in virology and infectious diseases, which ultimately led him to specialize in this field. Garrett's educational background is complemented by his extensive experience as a research scientist. He has worked at the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he has conducted groundbreaking research on various types of viruses. His work has been published in numerous scientific journals, and he has presented his findings at international conferences. Garrett's contributions to the field of virology have been widely recognized, and he has received several awards and accolades for his work. He is known for his meticulous attention to detail, innovative thinking, and ability to collaborate effectively with other researchers. In his free time, Garrett enjoys painting, hiking, and traveling. He is also passionate about raising awareness about the importance of vaccinations and promoting public health initiatives. With his exceptional education and extensive experience, Garrett A. Perchetti is a valuable asset to the field of virology and will continue to make significant contributions in the future.

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Daniel Simons, PhD

Greater Seattle Area, Washington, United States of America
Recent Physics Ph.D. graduate from the University of Iowa with a passion for data science
Education

University of Iowa

Ph.D., Physics / May, 2023

Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America

University of Washington

Bachelor's, Physics and Astronomy / June, 2018

Seattle, Washington, United States of America
Research Expertise
Physics
Math
Data
About
Daniel Simons is a highly dedicated and motivated individual with a passion for physics and astronomy. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Physics and Astronomy from the University of Washington in 2018 and recently graduated with a Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Iowa. As a Graduate Research Assistant, Daniel was involved in various research projects, focusing on studying the properties of subatomic particles and how they interact with each other. Daniel's strong analytical skills and attention to detail have allowed him to excel in his research and contribute to the advancement of the field of particle physics. He is a quick learner and has a strong understanding of theoretical concepts as well as practical applications. In addition to his academic pursuits, Daniel is also passionate about science communication and has given talks and presentations at various conferences and events. He strives to make complex scientific concepts accessible and interesting to a wider audience. With his combination of education, experience, and passion, he is well-equipped to take on any challenges and make a meaningful impact in the scientific community.

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Steve Isley

Ph.D. trained research scientist with deep expertise in sustainable consumption and applied generative AI
Education

Ph.D., Policy Analysis / June, 2014

Santa Monica, California, United States of America

Georgia Institute of Technology

MS, Aerospace Engineering / June, 2010

Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America

University of Washington

BS, Aerospace Engineering / June, 2005

Seattle, Washington, United States of America
Research Expertise
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Building and Construction
Mechanical Engineering
Global and Planetary Change
Geography, Planning and Development
And 9 more
About
My career has been about solving hard problems in ambiguous spaces. I’m passionate about sustainability and the societal consequences of new technologies. I have a multi-disciplinary background including startup entrepreneurship, software development, deep subject matter expertise in sustainable consumption, a PhD in policy analysis, and an MS & BS in aerospace engineering. <br> I love exploring new technologies. For the last year, I’ve been using generative AI to build CountOn - an entirely new type of shopping experience where we use LLMs to summarize the knowledge of trusted experts in order to help people make better purchase decisions. Prior to CountOn, I spent five years at Amazon where I led sustainable customer research and helped launch The Climate Pledge (Amazon's commitment to be net zero carbon by 2040). Before that, I was a scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory where I did some of the earliest research in augmented reality shopping tools, smart transportation, and home energy management systems.

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Dr. Tami Blumenfield, Ph.D., MLIS

Sociocultural anthropologist and gender expert specialized in Mosuo (Na) people of southwest China, University of New Mexico Department of Anthropology
Education

University of Washington

PhD, Sociocultural Anthropology, China Studies, and International Development Policy and Mgmt / June, 2010

Seattle, Washington, United States of America

University of South Carolina

MLIS, Archives, Digital and Scholarly Librarianship, International Libraries / December, 2021

Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America

Oberlin College

BA, East Asian Studies, History Minor / December, 2000

Oberlin, Ohio, United States of America
Research Expertise
Southwest China
ethnicity
Mosuo or Na people
intangible cultural heritage politics
media studies
About
Dr. Tami Blumenfield is a sociocultural anthropologist, China scholar, and library expert. She received her PhD from the University of Washington in 2010, where she focused on issues of ethnicity, identity, and development in southwest China. She also holds a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of South Carolina, with a specialization in archives, digital and scholarly librarianship, and international libraries. Dr. Blumenfield has extensive experience conducting research in China, particularly related to Mosuo and Nuosu people, and has published numerous articles and book chapters on topics related to ethnic minority communities, cultural heritage preservation, and development in the Chinese context. She has also worked with various organizations, including the United Nations Development Programme, to promote sustainable development and cultural heritage preservation in China. In addition to her academic and research pursuits, Dr. Blumenfield is also a trained librarian and has worked in various library settings, including academic and special libraries. She brings her expertise in information management, digital libraries, and international librarianship to her work as a researcher and educator. Currently, Dr. Blumenfield is an Adjunct Research Assistant Professor at University of New Mexico and Kui Ge Research Scholar at Yunnan University, where she continues to conduct research on issues related to ethnic minorities, cultural heritage, gender and development in China.

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Nika Kabiri JD PhD

Decision Scientist with focus on AI and consumer decision-making.
Education

University of Washington

PhD, Choice Theory and Institutional Analysis / May, 2012

Seattle, Washington, United States of America

The University of Texas at Austin

JD, Law / June, 1995

Austin, Texas, United States of America

Rice University

B.S., Political Science / May, 1991

Houston, Texas, United States of America
Experience

DecisionWise AI

Principal and Decision Scientist / January, 2024Present

Clio

Senior Director, Decision Science / July, 2022December, 2023

Kabiri Consulting

Founder, Consultant, Decision Scientist / August, 2019July, 2022

University of Washington

Instructor, Decision Science / June, 2019March, 2022

Various Consumer Insights Roles (including at Ipsos and a legal tech company)

From Director to VP level / June, 2010July, 2019

About
Nika has spent 20+ years studying decision making in a variety of contexts, from organizations to business to consumer behavior. She has worked with clients like Amazon, Google, Expedia, PepsiCo, General Mills, and many tech startups. She has been featured in *Fast Company,* has been quoted in *The Washington Post* and *Time Magazine,* and has contributed to *The Hill* and *Huffington Post.* Nika is currently Principal and Decision Scientist at DecisionWise AI, a consultancy that helps organizations optimize decision-making by advising them when AI is or isn't useful or relevant. Where AI is relevant, DecisionWise will do the work of integrating it. Where it isn't DecisionWise will provide alternative solutions. Nika earned her PhD in Sociology from the University of Washington with an emphasis on choice theory and institutional analysis. She earned her JD from the University of Texas School of Law.

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Billy Erazo

Microbiologist | Business Strategy | Entrepreneurial Scientist
Education

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Cellular and Molecular Pathology / July, 2025 (anticipated)

University of Washington

Post Baccalaureate, Biological and Biomedical Sciences / June, 2020

Universidad de Puerto Rico

Bachelor's degree, Industrial Microbiology / December, 2019

About
Billy Erazo is a highly educated and experienced professional in the field of cellular and molecular pathology. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Cellular and Molecular Pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2025. Before that, he completed his Post Baccalaureate in Biological and Biomedical Sciences from the University of Washington in 2020. Prior to that, he obtained his Bachelor's degree in Industrial Microbiology from the Universidad de Puerto Rico in 2019. Throughout his academic career, Billy has gained extensive research experience through various internships and research assistant positions. He has worked as a Consultant at WiSolve Consulting Group, Graduate Research Assistant at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Post-baccalaureate at University of Washington - School of Medicine, Food Microbiology Research Intern at Universidad de Puerto Rico, Extremophiles Laboratory Research Intern at Universidad de Puerto Rico, and Food Science Summer Scholar at Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Billy's strong academic background and practical experience have allowed him to develop a deep understanding of cellular and molecular pathology and its applications in the field of medicine. He is dedicated to using his knowledge and skills to contribute to the advancement of this field and improve patient outcomes.

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Joseph Gasper

Bioinformatician at University of Washington
Education

University of Washington

B.S, Fisheries / 1994

Seattle, Washington, United States of America
Experience

University of Washington

Bioinformatician / August, 2022Present

Developing and maintaining NGS analysis pipeline by the addition of annotation of SNVs. Also, developing a structure variation calling pipeline by the addition of long read technology. Proficient with Python, R, and bash scripting.

BloodworksNW

Research Scientist / April, 2020August, 2022

Developed a python custom pipeline for SNP annotation. Briefly, gnomAD sequencing data is appended with SeattleSeq Annotation results among 3 gene panels. There are also filtering by transcript steps and options to filter out excessive gnomAD data. Investigated structural variation in the VWF gene, mediated by VWFP1. Developed 2 bash script pipelines using Hydra and Lumpy in this effort. Also became familiar with Smoove, Cn.mops and CNVpytor. In addition, I wrote python scripts to count reads (depth) by kmers that distinguish between VWF and VWFP1 sequence. Alignment was performed with BLAT. Completed variant calling pipeline in bash from raw fastq data to vcf data. The primary applications are BWA, GATK, Samtools, and Picard. Use of many databases such as gnomAD, UCSC Genome Browser, Ensemble, and NCBI. Python annotation pipeline and bash scripts available upon request.

Columbia River Inter Tribal Fisheries Commission

Genomics Researcher / June, 2019April, 2020

Alignments of amplicons (generated from RADseq) to reference genome sequence in several species of salmonids. Comparisons of BWA and Bowtie2. Documentation of multiple aligned amplicons and determination of SNP coordinates in genome from fastq sequences. Use of SnpEff to annotate above SNP variants. Extensive use of Samtools, Bcftools, and GATK for variant calling. Run IGB to visualize bam files. Routinely program and call commands in the Linux environment. Knowledgeable of Ensembl genome browser variant effect predictor. Maintain and edit GTseq pipeline (perl scripts). Use of mummer to align large DNA sequences.

University of Washington

Research Scientist 4 / July, 2014May, 2019

Alignment of fastq files generated on a MiSeq using BWA. Generate read count and ratio distributions on a per gene basis. Calculate probabilities from distributions and create linear regression of control/treatment data frames in R. Wrote python scripts to facilitate large scale data analysis. RNAseq analysis (DESeq2 and cufflinks) of count data to determine differential expression between different treatments. Good understanding of tophat, bowtie, Fisher’s exact test, Wald statistic, normalization methods, and variance modeling using the negative binomial distribution.

University of Washington

Research Scientist 3 / June, 1994July, 2014

Analysis of next generation sequence (whole and exome) data sets by fastq alignments, QC analysis, and gene annotating with SeattleSeq Annotation. Experience with multiple quality checks of DNA sequence data such as sequencing depth, length distributions, base quality scores, percent reads mapped, allele distributions per cycle, and duplication distributions. Also, used variant calling software GATK to identify SNPs (biomarkers for cardiomyopathy, prostate cancer) and gained a strong understanding of variant call formats (VCF) and Bayesian statistics to call genotypes. Experience with the following software and packages in R - ExomeDepth, Varscan, and Mutect.

About
I am a bioinformatician with experience in both academic research and industry. I have worked as a researcher at BloodworksNW and as a genomics researcher at the Columbia River Inter Tribal Fisheries Commission. I currently work as bioinformatician at the University of Washington. My research focuses on the use of bioinformatics to understand the genetic basis of blood disorders by calling and annotating single nucleotide variation. I have also developed pipelines to call structure variation (deletions, insertions, inversions, translocations). Previous work experience involved calling genotypes by GTseq in salmonids to enhance fish population management strategies. These management practices were primarily applied to the tribes of Eastern Washington and Oregon.

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