Brindar Sandhu at the UCB Amgen Scholars Poster Session ...
Brindar Sandhu
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Department of Biochemistry
Education
Emory University
Ph.D., Genetics & Molecular Biology
Activities and Societies: Graduate Student Council - Social Chair, GMB Student Representative
Experience
Graduate Student
Emory University
Genetics & Molecular Biology Ph.D. program
Dissertation topic: "Aminoglycoside phosphotransferases: Models for Enzyme Evolution"
Rotation project, lab of Justin Gallivan, Ph.D.: "Creating a Theophylline-binding OFF-Riboswitch"
Attempted to create a riboswitch utilizing an aptamer that changed secondary structure upon binding of the small molecule theophylline in the 5’ UTR, such that downstream translation of a reporter gene is inhibited
Rotation project, lab of David Lynn, Ph.D.: "Selecting for Amyloid Production to Epigenetically Regulate Plasmid Copy Number"
Developed a proposal based on the RepA plasmid replication protein, specifically a mutant version that induces the formation of amyloid, to regulate plasmid copy number through antibiotic selection and amyloid production
Rotation project, lab of Ichiro Matsumura, Ph.D.: "Using Bacteria as a Sensor"
Attempted to engineer the metal-reducing bacterium, Shewanella oneidensis, to act as a gating detection device to, upon addition of lactose, sense the small molecule, theophylline, and upon binding, transcribe and translate the lacY and lacZ genes and emit electrons that can be detected using a voltmeter
Social co-chair, Graduate Student Council
Emory University
Help plan, set-up, and execute mixers for Laney graduate students (4 per year)
Facilitate cab reimbursement program with the Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA)
Serve as a Laney representative to GSGA
President, Graduate Students in Genetics
Emory University
Co-founded and currently aid in running the extracurricular group Graduate Students in Genetics, or GSIG. We hold monthly networking mixers in order to facilitate networking for those interested in genetics within the graduate school. GSIG is a chartered group through the Laney Graduate School's Graduate Student Council.
GMB Student Representative
Emory University
Function as a liaison between faculty and students within the GMB program
Serve on the recruitment and the retreat committee to help plan, set up, and run recruitment for incoming class as well as the annual program retreat
Teaching Assistant - BIOL 264: Genetics: A Human Perspective
Emory University
Facilitate weekly class discussions
Graded three exams per semester along with another TA and the instructor.
Teaching Assistant - BIOL 370: Introduction to Microbiology
Emory University
Graded weekly homework assignments and three exams throughout the semester for an undergraduate course of 130 students
Held review sessions in preparation for the three exams
Held weekly office hours for assistance with homework assignments
Postbaccalaureate Research Fellow
National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Genetics of Simple Eukaryotes Section
Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics
Ran a screen for URE2 mutations that prevent the Hsp40 Ydj1 from curing Ure2delta yeast cells of the [URE3] prion to deduce essential domain interactions for prion propagation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Tested known mutations to the Hsp40 Sis1 that cause changes to the [PSI+] prion for phenotypic changes to the [URE3] prion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Grader, BiomedE 321: Bioreaction Engineering & Design
University of Michigan
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Worked with the instructional aide, graduate student instructor, and the professors to grade homework assignments, exams, and regrade requests, return them to the students, and upload grades online
Undergraduate Research Assistant
University of Michigan Health System
Urology Department
Project 1 (Sept 2009 – Apr 2010): “The Roles of Soluble E-Cadherin and EGFR in Prostate Cancer”
Used timed experiments, immunoprecipitations, and western blots to analyze interaction of soluble E-Cadherin and EGFR in prostate cancer cell lines
Project 2 (Jun 2008 – Apr 2009): “The Role of ADAM15 in the Metastatic Progression of Prostate Cancer”
Examined the interaction of ADAM15 (A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase) and EGFR family members and the AKT signaling pathway in LNCaP cells using western blots and immunoflourescence
Presented results in oral presentation at conclusion of program
Wrote final reports at the end of each semester summarizing data and conclusions
Co-author on abstract submitted to American Association of Cancer Research: Advances in Prostate Cancer Research National Conference: “Activation of the Disintegrin Protease ADAM15 Leads to Cleavage of E-cadherin and Enhanced Signaling in Prostate Cancer Cells”
Amgen Scholar
University of California, Berkeley
Department of Bioengineering
Project: “Induced Control of MLCK-Dependent Mechanobiology in Human Glioma Cells”
Performed 2-D collagen gel, 3-D gel contraction, immunoflourescence and cell migration assays to demonstrate changes in tumor invasiveness properties in human glioma cells as myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) activity was varied using a tetracycline-off promoter construct
Presented results in poster and oral presentations at conclusion of program
Discussed research with other scholars and professional scientists at 2009 Amgen Scholars U.S. Symposium at UCLA (July 2009)
Summer Research Intern
University of Kansas
Research Experience for Undergraduates
Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Project: “Subcritical CO2-melded Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) Microsphere-based Tissue Scaffolds for Cartilage Tissue Engineering”
Seeded novel tissue scaffolds with chondrocyte cells to determine feasibility for future osteochondral tissue engineering
Tested strength of microsphere-based scaffolds with uniaxial compression tests
Tested cell viability and cartilage formation with histological and immunohistochemical assays
Presented results in the form of a poster at a university-wide poster symposium
Honors & Awards
NIH GMB Training Grant
Emory Genetics & Molecular Biology Ph.D. Program
August 2011Courses
Emory University
- Introduction to prokaryotic molecular genetics
- Genetics of progenitor and stem cells
- Eukaryotic chromosome organization & function
- Model genetic systems
- Ethical conduct in research
- Hypothesis design & scientific writing
- Introductory graduate seminar
Limin Wang, Milind Singh, Mihael Lazebnik, Michael Detamore, and Liang Zhao. Front Row: Ivy Tran, Brindar Sandhu, Jeannie Salash, and Jordan Christian.
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