Expert Details
DNA Technology including DNA isolations, DNA fingerprinting, PCR, DNA Sequencing & Forensic Studies
ID: 727037
Michigan, USA
MICROBIOLOGY; BACTERIOLOGY; MYCOLOGY; MICROORGANISM IDENTIFICATION. EXPERT HAS EXPERTISE IN THE IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL OF MICROORGANISMS INCLUDING ASPECTS OF MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY AND MICROBIAL GENETICS. HE HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF METHODS IN RAPIDLY DETECTING, ISOLATING, CHARACTERIZING, AND IDENTIFYING MICROBES IN FOOD SYSTEMS, WATER SYSTEMS CLINICAL SPECIMENS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES.
Expert has directed or been a part of research studies involving the isolation and identification of microorganisms related to waterborne and food-borne contamination.
Expert is very knowledgeable regarding the activities of micro-organisms as they influence food, feed, and human health.
Expert has utilized advancements in genetics and molecular biology to develop assays for the detection of specific microbial genes and is familiar with molecular and engineering aspects of biotechnology. Expert maintains a state-of-the-art knowledge in molecular biology techniques and interpretations.
Expert's Scientific and Technical Skills:
DNA/RNA isolation Sample processing/preparation-- microbial cultures; Nucleic acid amplification-- PCR, RT-PCR, Real-time PCR, QPCR, etc; Prokaryotic/eukaryotic expression; DNA sequencing--radioisotopic, automated, etc; Genetic cloning; Protein Assay Western Blot, EMSA; Purification methodologies--gel filtration, nuclear and protein extractions, etc; Nucleic acid analysis—DNA Fingerprinting, Southern blot, Northern blot; Detection technologies--chemiluminescent, fluorescent, colorimetric; Organic chemistries—organic extraction, gas ghromatography.
Expert is skilled in the manipulation of DNA, total RNA and mRNA, including isolation from different sources, such as microbial cells, Hair, muscle, liver and blood, and their analysis by PCR, DNA sequencing, DNA footprinting and electrophoresis. Expert has expertise in gene expression and regulation, DNA sequencing, cloning, and PCR amplification, as well as computer applications in biology.
Expert has been active in research involving the development of methods for amplifying, sequencing, cloning and analyzing nuclear and mitochondrial genes and examining their structure, function, expression and molecular evolution. Has worked with development of PCR based genetic markers for phylogenetic analysis, gene expression and the detection and differentiation of several bacterial species. He has published extensively in this field.
Is an expert in designing oligonucleotide PCR and DNA sequencing primers across phyla and for several molecular biology experiments such as gene cloning, species detection and strain differentiation.
His research interests also evolve towards the development of rapid and novel methodologies for the real-time detection, identification and quantification of pathogenic microorganisms and other environmental contaminants associated with public and occupational health environments using state of the art DNA-based techniques and microbiological methods. He has an extensive knowledge and expertise on designing molecular assays including PCR based assays.
Expert began using molecular biology tools early in his research career. He utilizes a wide-range of tools, and understands their limitations, their misuse, and how to interpret them. His expertise includes (but is not limited to) PCR, sequencing, cloning, DNA fingerprinting, microarrays, protein identification, RNA, quantitative PCR.
For 12 years Expert has been active in research, teaching, and training of graduate students and professional staff members.
He has been a consultant for a legal case that involved being the top expert witness for the plaintiff. His responsibilities included extensive laboratory testing and analysis using the piece of evidence that the case was based upon, performing background research, searching through the scientific literature and reading appropriate material, analyzing data and corresponding with technical service personnel.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1997 | Degree: PhD | Subject: Molecular Biology | Institution: Wayne State University |
| Year: 1992 | Degree: Masters of Science | Subject: Biology | Institution: Wayne State University |
| Year: 1987 | Degree: Bachelor of Science | Subject: Marketing | Institution: Oakland University |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2009 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Laboratory Director | Department: Research Testing and Analysis |
Responsibilities:He is responsible for set up and design of this new laboratory testing and research company which includes researching all pertinent literature and procedures that relate to the research, testing and analysis performed by the laboratory. In addition he is rresponsible for writing and carry out the experimental protocols for the purpose of performing microbial source testing on various types of biological samples. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2007 to 2009 | Employer: Microbiological Associates | Title: Laboratory Associate and Consultant | Department: Research Testing and Analysis |
Responsibilities:He was involved with performing the testing and analysis of water from municipal, environmental and manufacturing sources, along with food and cosmetic samples for the presence of microbial contamination. He was responsible for setting up and maintaining microbial culture samples and determining both the level and type of contamination. He was also involved with projects involving the specific identification of bacterial species using molecular methodologies, in cases pertaining to investigations and legal disposition of a criminal or civil matter. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2005 to 2007 | Employer: Wayne State University | Title: Research Associate | Department: Nutrition and Food Science |
Responsibilities:His responsibilities included performing experiments and contributing to publications that focuses on understanding the effect of nutrition intervention (i.e. caloric restriction, folate deficiency) on the molecular mechanisms of aging and cancer. His research involved investigating DNA damage and DNA repair, specifically base excision repair in mammalian systems using molecular techniques and recombinant DNA technologies. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2000 to 2005 | Employer: Wayne State University | Title: Research Associate | Department: Anatomy |
Responsibilities:His research involved determining the globin expression patterns in fetal and embryonic primate tissues and correlating the expression patterns with sequence change in the upstream control regions. He was instrumental in using first beta globin locus DNA sequences to investigate phylogenetic relationships among New World monkeys, and for comparison with homologous beta globin sequences of other primates, for the purpose of deciphering phylogenetic footprints. The hypotheses generated by the expression and sequence analysis studies were subsequently being tested using transgenic mice. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2001 to 2003 | Employer: Wayne State University | Title: Research Consultant | Department: Biological Sciences |
Responsibilities:He was responsible for the management and direction of laboratory activities that include budget outline, database maintenance, design of experimental procedures, coordination of experiments, technical problem evaluation, data analysis and supervising laboratory personnel for a variety of projects. He provided extensive experimental data and written information for grant proposals submitted to the National Science Foundation for laboratory funding. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1999 to 2000 | Employer: Children's Hospital of Michigan | Title: Research Associate | Department: Pediatric Urology |
Responsibilities:His research involved determining the presence of estrogen receptors in the reproductive tissues of male rats, testing the hypothesis that the presence of estrogen receptors in gubernaculum tissue is linked with male rats born with undescended testicles. For tissues containing estrogen receptors, a quantitative analysis was applied to determine the amount of gene expression in male rats of various ages. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1997 to 1999 | Employer: Wayne State University | Title: Postdoctoral Fellowship | Department: Biological Sciences |
Responsibilities:He conducted PCR and DNA sequencing experiments to gather DNA sequence data from the b-fibrinogen gene for selected avian orders. DNA sequence was used in subsequent phylogenetic analyses. Developed three additional novel intron sequences from other nuclear genes for use in further phylogenetic analyses of avian species. Evaluated the statistical comparison of the base composition, distribution of substitutions, transition / transversion ratio, degree of homoplasy, and variation in substitution rates among the introns. He additionally explored DNA sequence patterns in introns of nuclear genes for the purpose of locating possible gene promoter and transcription factor binding sites and their possible link to gene expression. |
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Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
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| He belongs to the Soil and Water Conservation Society |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
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| He has 5 publications that he has published as the primary author in peer-reviewed journals and 4 publications that he has contributed to as a secondary author in peer-reviewed journals. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
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| He has given a deposition in April of 2009 for the attorney representing the defense in a case where he was involved as an expert witness. His role in the case was to perform PCR and DNA testing and analysis on a foreign object that was believed to be contaminated with a specific microorganism, and determine if that specific microorganism was indeed present on the foreign object. His deposition involved answering questions related to the experimental procedures and methods that he used during the testing and analysis of the foreign object. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| He has delivered several seminars dealing mainly with the topics of phylogenetic analysis and the molecular methods and DNA technology used to explore appropriate gene sequences, the techniques used to generate PCR and DNA sequence data and the techniques used for the interpretation of the data. He has also delivered seminars and presentations that deal with methods and procedures involved with gene expression analysis as it relates to the regulation of development, DNA repair mechanisms and dietary intervention. |
| Vendor Selection |
|---|
| He has had the opportunity to seek out and contact a number of vendors such as Promega, Invitrogen, Molecular Research Center, BioRad and ATCC, for the purpose of seeking out particular products needed for performing laboratory work and/or to consult with customer service personnel regarding experimental protocols and procedures. |
| Marketing Experience |
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| As a new laboratory business entrepreneur, his previous experience working in a variety of laboratories has enabled him to establish a goal of creating and maintaining a company that has industry leading standards and is constantly developing new techniques and strategies such that the company can remain at the forefront of the industry. |
| Other Relevant Experience |
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| He is well versed in all of the cutting edge methods and procedures related to DNA technology and his specific areas of expertise in molecular biology. He has earlier in his research career established a novel DNA marker gene sequence that has since been used in the field as a standard for molecular phylogenetic studies and contributed to the understanding of nuclear intron structure an function. He has excellent verbal skills and is extremely proficient in his overall communication skills as well. |
Fields of Expertise
biology, biotechnology, DNA, DNA amplification, DNA analysis, DNA assay, DNA priming, DNA probe, DNA sequencing, DNA structure, DNA synthesis, DNA technology, DNA polymerase, eukaryotic gene, gene, gene amplification, gene characterization, molecular biology, nucleic acid, nucleotide mapping, oligonucleotide, pathogen, pathogen detection method development, pathogenic bacterium, polymerase chain reaction, pulse field gel electrophoresis, RNA, sense DNA, template, genetic marker, phylogenetics, statistical genetics, biotechnology management, molecular diagnostics, proteomics, genomics, proteome, DNA fingerprinting, Western blotting, reverse transcriptase, nucleoid, adenine, topoisomerase, plasmid DNA, restriction endonuclease, complementary DNA, synthetic DNA, biotechnology assessment, applied biotechnology, locus, DNA probe technology, microbial genetics, human genome, clinical microbiology, antisense DNA, polynucleotide, identification process, genotype, forensics, DNA manipulation, supercoiled DNA, biological process, recombinant DNA technology, restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, protein synthesis, human identification, gene expression, cloning technique, applied microbiology