Scientist / 2024 — 2025

Designed strategies for mouse editing. Generated and maintained edited mice. Provided consultation for editing and genotyping.

Senior Research Scientist-Molecular Biology / 2022 — 2024

Designed and constructed precision genome editing tools for enhancer insertion and gene replacement. Manage the execution of product design and development. Mastered the cloning systems including Voytas and MoClo as well as the QC and sequencing. Identified variant of Cas nucleases and optimized sequence susceptible of increasing the editing efficiency. Identified key elements composing the CRISPR architecture for improving the editing efficiency in Peanut Soy Corn and Wheat. Lead and executed Work Packages in different teams.

Research Scientist / 2017 — 2022

Led and supported the execution of multiple research projects using the CRISPRCas technology to enhance plant genomes including improving peanut seed oil nutritional quality reducing peanut allergenicity and creating fungi-resistant peanut lines. Collaborated on the development of CRISPRCas9 genome editing systems for peanut and sweet potato by constructing vectors cloning and assembling gRNA in the vectors and validating vector constructs functionality. Leveraged a variety of systemscultures (including protoplast yeast leaf infiltration and hairy root transformation) to validate the gRNAvector construct. Deployed the validated constructs to transform peanut and sweet potato genomes involving floral dipping of tissue culture using Agrobacterium-mediated and particle bombardment (gene gun) technologies. Conducted detailed genotypical and phenotypical evaluations of genome-edited peanut and sweet potato plants in addition to investigating further applications of the CRISPRCas9 genome editing technology on legumes such as beans. Played a critical contributory role in writing grant proposals to secure 2 USDA-NIFA grants (worth 1M in total) for the universitys iBreed undergraduate program as well as a research project to create a genome editing system for sweet potato. Co-led the iBreed program to introduce undergraduate students to plant breeding molecular breeding mutation breeding new gene-editing techniques and NGS tools. Trained and mentored graduateundergraduate students (including 4 PhD and 3 Masters students) while ensuring compliance with laboratory safetybiosafety protocols during all stages of research.

Graduate Research Assistant / 2006 — 2009

Expressed various proteins into sweet potato for use as drugs against diseases such as HIV Cancer and Cholera while maintaining the sweet potato germplasm collection using in vitro techniques.

Research Fellow / 2015 — 2017

Performed comprehensive screeningsevaluations of grape and blueberry fields in Georgia and Alabama to detect Pierces disease infections as well as resistant lines. Directed and assisted fundamental research projects focusing on various aspects of pathogenic bacteria interactions with plant hosts while mentoring graduateundergraduate students research activity. Delivered advisory and consultancy services to farmers on various aspects of sustainable agriculture through workshops and training sessions.

Graduate Research Assistant / 2009 — 2014

Used computational analysis of genomic sequences to identify putative effectors genes and their contribution to the virulence of pathogenic bacteria. Utilized candidate effectors as molecular probes to investigate the molecular mechanism through which bacteria suppress the immune system of plants as well as resistance genes in host and non-host plants. Built multiple toolsresources including a plant cDNA library to identify potential interactors of genes of interest an A. citrulliN. benthamiana pathosystem and molecular tools to screen Type 3 effector genes (using fluorescence microscopy).