PostDoc / October, 2019 — Present

PhD student / February, 2014 — September, 2019

PostDoctoral Researcher / October, 2019 — October, 2025

Developed and optimized cell-based potency and efficacy assays for therapeutic small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) and biologics such as Fc-fusion proteins and macrocycles; Translated strong findings to in vivo studies. Investigated cancer cell gene dependencies combining public datasets and cell line engineering with functional and phenotypic assays. Generated cell-cycle, cell-death biomarker profiling including multi-omics datasets to characterize perturbation in cancer cell lines. Deciphered a new pro-tumorigenic mechanism of action and identified the essential mechanistic drivers. Developed a plethora of co-IP assays for endogenous transmembrane proteins in order to exclude/confirm PPIs; optimized cell cycle synchronization assays; troubleshot transduction efficiencies for suspension cells and 3D-cultured cells; troubleshot electrophoretic methodologies for phosphorylation identifications.

PhD Student / January, 2013 — December, 2019

Specialized in membrane traffic with an emphasis on cell surface expression and endocytosis of the ADAM17 metalloprotease. Established human cell lines but also isolated and maintained primary tissues and cells (bone marrow derived macrophages and dendritic cells, splenocytes embryonic fibroblasts keratinocytes). Identified FRMD8 (iTAP) as a new ADAM17 sheddase interactor after validating direct binding to the sheddase complex. Characterized perturbed phenotype and identified iTAPs downstream mechanism of action (controlling internalization of complex) leading to 2 peer-reviewed publications (including a first-author publication in eLife). Generated a murine iTAP model (iTAP KO) with CRISPR-editing; Phenotypically described KO mice and their tissues. Translated in vitro findings into in vivo inflammatory and cancer model systems for more physiologically relevant target validation. Proposed iTAP as a superior pharmacological target to ADAM17 for disease-targeted drug delivery.