Communication Skills
Clear and Concise
The MMB program offers numerous opportunities to engage in public speaking. For example, during my first semester, I made two individual presentations on a current event topic related to biotech. I also participated in several group presentations to the class and industry professionals throughout the semester. The semester also included about ten meetings with my group's industry partners, which sharpened a different set of communication skills.
In addition, I have served as a teaching assistant. For the introductory biology course, I led multiple lab sections per week. In addition to hours of in-person interaction, I communicated with more than 40 students through email each week.
View my latest literature review on Digital Health Technologies for Diabetes Care an example of my written communication. Alternatively, see my summary presentation on the same topic.
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Teamwork
As a lifelong athlete, I have found that the ability to work within a team is a necessity and an asset. Group projects and team sports require similar mindsets and skills that I have spent many years cultivating. The most successful teams that I have been a part of involved team members who were consistently conscientious and proactive when problems arose. Feedback is welcome and expected.
Emotional intelligence, adaptability, and commitment represent some of the strengths that I bring to my teams.
Scientific Skills
Completed Masters-Level Scientific Coursework
MB 714: Microbial Metabolic Regulation
An in-depth exploration of microbial regulation of many processes including: cell structure formation, metabolic pathways and the cell cycle.
View: Journal Article Critique Assignment
BEC 540 and 541: Expression Systems in Biomanufacturing
Introduction to basic techniques in DNA cloning and protein purification in E. coli, P. pastoris, S. cerevisiae, suspension and adherent CHO cells, and tobacco plants.
Preview: Plant Expression Presentation
BEC 595: Animal Cell Culture Engineering
Lab-based course giving students experience working with CHO-S and MDCK cells in bioreactors ranging from 5L wave bags to 2L and 50L single-use bioreactors as well as T-flasks for adherent cells. Once the bioreactors were inoculated, students completed fed-batch or perfusion runs over the course of several weeks.
View: 50L Fed-batch Run Presentation
BEC 575: Global Regulatory Affairs for Medical Products
This course is designed to given students a panoramic view of regulatory concerns for pharmaceutical products.
View: Compliance Audit of Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center Simulated-GMP Facility Report
Undergraduate Research
“Cellular processes in Mycobacterium smegmatis are regulated by lysine acetylation”
Jenny Hayden, PhD, and Abigail Nails
William Peace University Biology Department
15 East Peace Street, Raleigh, NC 27604
Abstract
Tuberculosis disease is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is a complex global health threat. While many metabolic processes important to M. tuberculosis pathogenesis are understood, regulation of these various processes remains unclear. We have been focusing on lysine acetylation as a possible metabolic regulator. Our studies show that lysine acetylation does impact mycobacterial metabolism, and we identify the mediators of lysine acetylation in Mycobacterium smegmatis, a soil bacterium often used as a model for M. tuberculosis. Lysine acetylation is a post-translational modification in which an acetyl group is covalently attached to lysine side chains. While not as well-studied as phosphorylation, lysine acetylation is likely to regulate a similarly large and functionally varied number of proteins. Lysine acetylation is mediated by acetyltransferases, which add acetyl groups to lysine residues, and deacetylases, which remove the acetyl groups. One of the few well-studied acetylated bacterial proteins is acetyl-CoA synthetase (Acs). In Mycobacterium smegmatis Acs is required for acetate and propionate metabolism. By measuring acetate metabolism in various mutants, we identified that the lysine acetylation/deacetylation system in M. smegmatis cells is comprised of one acetyltransferase, PatA, and one deacetylase, SrtN. Using mutants that lack either PatA or SrtN, we examined the need for lysine acetylation in other cellular processes such as biofilm formation and DNA repair.
Mother Teresa
“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”