Amanda Smith, Ph.D.

Experience

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  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  May 2012 - Aug 2013

  HHMI Future Scientists and Clinicians Fellow

  May 2013 to August 2013 Project focused on the effect ethynyl estradiol has on store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) in comparison to 17β-estradiol, which inhibits SOCE and the calcium-activated chloride channel in airway epithelia, leading to greater risk of exacerbations in female cystic fibrosis patients Conducted fluorescent calcium switch experiments using Fura-2-AM in HEK293 or H441 cells transfected with estrogen receptor alpha after treatment with vehicle, ethynyl estradiol, or 17β-estradiol Developed literature comprehension and scientific communication skills by participating in weekly journal clubs and professional development workshopsMay 2012 to August 2012 Project objective was to investigate if the hormone leptin has an effect on mate choice in Spadefoot toads using phonotaxis tests Performed PCR and gel electrophoresis to try to sequence the leptin gene in Spadefoot toads Developed literature comprehension and scientific communication skills by participating in weekly journal clubs and professional development workshops Show less

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  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  May 2014 - May 2015

   Project objective was to determine the localization of internalized CFTR after cigarette smoke exposure in cell culture, specifically focusing on its trafficking through the endosomal pathway Planned and conducted experiments involving co-transfecting fluorescent fusion proteins of CFTR and various endosomal markers into HEK293T cells and imaging these cells using confocal microscopy to measure colocalization after exposure to cigarette smoke or air Research culminated in a senior honors thesis and a peer-reviewed publication in Scientific Reports Show less

  • Undergraduate Research Assistant

    Aug 2014 - May 2015

  • Laboratory Intern

    May 2014 - Aug 2014
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  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  Aug 2015 - Feb 2024

   Planned and implemented experiments investigating the protein interactions and function of sperm-associated antigen 1 (SPAG1) in the cytoplasmic pre-assembly of axonemal dynein arms using primary airway cell culture, RT-PCR, droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), immunoblots, immunofluorescent microscopy, immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, molecular cloning, and transient transfection techniques Investigated the pathogenicity of novel genetic variants to cause primary ciliary dyskinesia by assessing human nasal epithelial cells from healthy volunteers and clinic patients using conditional reprogramming cell culture techniques, cilia beat frequency measurements, RT-PCR, ddPCR, immunoblots, and immunofluorescent microscopy Collaborated with colleagues to develop and validate a dual-luciferase/fluorescence reporter assay to implement in high-throughput screening for nonsense mutation readthrough agents as treatments for primary ciliary dyskinesia using primary cell culture, lentiviral transduction, and dual-luciferase assay methods Refined literature comprehension, science presentation, and writing skills by participating in journal clubs, being awarded a NHBLI NRSA F31 fellowship and 3 conference travel awards, giving over 15 oral/poster presentations in my graduate career, and publishing peer-reviewed articles Trained and mentored lab technicians and a rotating graduate student in lab techniques including primary cell culture and PCR primer design Show less

  • Postdoctoral Research Associate

    Aug 2022 - Feb 2024

  • Graduate Research Assistant

    Aug 2015 - Aug 2022
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  ReCode Therapeutics

  Feb 2024 - now

  Scientist I, Human Lung Biology