Amada Abrego

Experience

• 

  Rice University

  Jun 2012 - Jul 2012

  Research Associate

  Qutub LabJune- July 2010, June-July 2011, June-July 2012Research project: Integrated Computational-Experimental Study of Neurovascular regenerationResponsibilities and duties: • Cultured and maintained mammalian cells (HUVECs). • Ran migration assays in vitro, simulation 2D or 3D, when different growth factors are present.• Measured and analyzed the data obtained.• Designed and wrote protocols needed for the assays.• Assisted in other lab's duties: cleaning, allocating space, and training undergraduate students in cell culture techniques.• Stained and imaged the cells for different immunofluorescence markers Show less

• 

  Rice University

  Aug 2014 - May 2015

  Graduate Research Associate

  Qutub LabResearch project: Phenotyping of endothelial cells during Alzheimer’s disease.Responsibilities and duties:• Culture and maintain mammalian cells (HUVECs). • Design and write protocols needed.• Wrote protocol that will be submitted for IRB approval.• Assist in other lab's duties: cleaning, allocating space, training undergraduate students in cell culture techniques, preparing papers for journal submission. • Stained and imaged the cells for different immunofluorescence markers. Show less

• 

  Baylor College of Medicine

  Nov 2015 - Aug 2017

  Research Technician III

  Angelaki LabResearch project: Role of self-motion in spatial navigation.• Performed surgery, analyzed data, wrote Matlab scripts, and set up experimental equipment• Designed a GUI to make analysis easier and implemented algorithms of coherence and spatial information

• 

  Rice University

  Aug 2017 - Aug 2019

  Graduate Student

  • Recorded from brain’s activity and processed data• Analyzed data using machine learning and statistical algorithms: generalized linear models, partial correlation coefficients, coherence, entropy, coefficients of variations• Clustered data by looking at different features and then doing dimensionality reduction in the principal component space• Designed sketches for 3D printing• Presented and reported my findings to supervisor

• 

  The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston)

  Jan 2020 - now

  In addition to responsibilities of prior role as research engineer:• Kept manufacturing and research team of 12 on track to meet deadlines• Managed budget for UH3/UG3 grant, and our relationship with our CMO• Drove front end modifications to our neural recording device• Designed the 5 PCBs used by our manufacturing team for testing and assembly of our neural device• Reviewed regulatory material for FDA IDE submission, and prepared pre-submission document• Assisted in the electrophysiology study design in rats and sheep • Put together the biocompatibility evaluation plan for our device following ISO 10993 Show less • Developed first prototype of our directional neural recording device, and performed benchtop testing• Assisted in microfabrication in cleanroom setting for device assembly• Created analysis pipeline used by the lab for feature extraction and signal processing, and performed statistical hypothesis driven analysis in our animal model data. • Optimized machine learning model to obtain a 95% accuracy using supervised learning models to classify animal model data• Created scripts for data visualization in matlab and python to allow team assess the quality of the data• Developed firmware for electrode impedance testing• Obtained IRB and IACUC approval for device clinical validation• This work, in which I assembled 2 of the 3 devices and completed all data processing, modeling, and analysis, resulted in a 2023 JNE publication available here https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1741-2552/acb230/metaThe data analysis code is available at https://github.com/TBBL-UTHealth/DISC1/tree/main/Data-Analysis Show less

  • Senior Research Engineer

    Apr 2023 - now

  • Research Engineer

    Jan 2020 - Apr 2023