University of California Irvine
California, USA

Postdoctoral researcher

January 2025 - present

Lead a multidisciplinary team focused on genetic engineering, protein and bioassay development.
Designed gene delivery platforms in human cells with integrated outputs for real-time biosensing.
Engineered and characterized antibodies and protein constructs for signaling and targeting.
Conducted tissue characterization of human and cephalopod samples using advanced imaging, histological staining, and cell isolation techniques.
Spearheaded development of next-generation cell-based materials, integrating surface chemistry and reflectin-derived biopolymers.
Mentored junior scientists and collaborated with academic and industry stakeholders.

Graduate student researcher

June 2019 - December 2024

Genetically engineered mammalian cells to express tunable, functional biomolecules for diagnostics and bioinspired materials.
Developed and optimized antibody-based assays (e.g., ELISA, immunostaining) for cell and protein validation.
Conducted optical, electronic, and mechanical characterization of engineered tissues and isolated pigment cells from cephalopod skin.
Performed protein expression, purification, and labeling for conjugation to cells and nanoparticles.
Led a team of 8 researchers and secured over $3M in research funding.
Validated novel biosensing platforms using COMSOL simulations, cell-based assays, and custom instrumentation.

Graduate Research Assistant

New Mexico Highlands University
New Mexico, USA

August 2017 - June 2019

Designed, synthesized, and characterized functional organic crystals for drug delivery and optoelectronic sensing applications.
Performed X-ray crystallography to resolve small molecule structures and assess crystal packing for performance optimization.
Built custom lab-scale instrumentation to support high-throughput crystal screening and thermal processing.
Collaborated on interdisciplinary research integrating materials science and pharmaceutical chemistry.

Engineer

August 2016 - August 2017

Provided hands-on engineering support for diagnostic imaging systems, including MRI, CT, and X-ray.
Interfaced with global OEM vendors (Siemens, Philips, GE) for system integration, troubleshooting, and compliance documentation.
Contributed to reliability assessments and uptime improvement for mission-critical clinical instrumentation.

Engineer

June 2015 - August 2016

Assembled and aligned advanced optical and optoelectronic instruments, including research-grade microscopes.
Authored and revised technical documentation and user manuals for ISO-compliant production workflows.
Performed QA/QC testing and validation of optical devices for scientific and medical applications.

Media designer

November 2012 – June 2015