Experience

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  Brigham young university hawaii

  Sept 2013 - Apr 2015

  Worked under the direction of Dr. Shane Gold at Brigham Young University-Hawaii as the Research Team Leader over the Microbial Biofuel Cell project. Our team composed of 5 individuals with the objective of creating a customized, functional microbial biofuel cell that can be used industrially to conserve energy and eliminate waste.Through the customization of a dual-chambered microbial biofuel cell, we began to determine potential microorganisms and organic mediators to be utilized in order to create a pH gradient-based microbial fuel cell. Microbial fuel cells use the metabolic activities of microorganisms to harness electricity from organic waste and renewable biomass. We had hypothesized that an endogenously maintained pH gradient may improve efficiency and cost. Lactobacilli, grown in an anodic chamber, release electrons via the lactic acid fermentation pathway and naturally serve to decrease the pH, whereas ammonia-producing bacteria, such as Proteus mirabilis growing in the cathodic chamber will produce an alkali environment thereby maintaining a pH gradient without external manipulation. Additionally, organic mediators used to shuttle electrons from the Lactobacilli in the anodic chamber to the electrode have been shown to provide an increase in current output. Show less Under the mentorship of Dr. Shane Gold, I investigated the effect of Bryophyllum pinnatum (an indigenous Hawaiian plant belonging to the family Crassulaceae) aqueous extract on calcium oxalate crystallization promoting urolithiasis and fractioning of B. pinnatum bioactive molecules involved in the inhibition of calcium oxalate crystallization. The crystallization of calcium oxalate from supersaturated urine plays a major role in urolithiasis. Urinary and kidney stone formation is often triggered by hypercalcemia which leads to increased calcium excretion in urine; the excess calcium then combines with oxalate through the process of urolithiasis. At its highest concentrations, B. pinnatum extracts have been shown to completely inhibit the formation of the more damaging calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals and to promote the formation of the less destructive calcium oxalate dihydrate crystals. An array of bioactive molecules in B. pinnatum could be potentially involved in antiurolithiatic activity. During this study period, I tested the effect of the B. pinnatum aqueous extract on pre-formed calcium oxalate crystals, as well as on separated oxalic acid and calcium crystals so as to evaluate the extract’s potential in treatment and prevention, respectively, in urinary and renal stone formation. Show less

  • Microbial Biofuel Cell Research Team Leader

    Sept 2013 - Apr 2015

  • Upper-Division Biology Tutor/Teaching Assistant/Lab Instructor

    Dec 2013 - Aug 2014

  • Undergraduate Researcher -- Urolithiasis Research

    Sept 2013 - Aug 2014
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  University of hawaii at manoa

  Aug 2014 - Jun 2015

  Volunteer research intern

  The lab’s main purpose was to investigate the ability to repair damaged organs using stem cells as a potential mechanism for the treatment of certain diseases, using clonal analysis to define where mesenchymal stem cells arise during development as well as during regeneration. Over the course of one year as a volunteer research assistant, I explored the roles of various signaling cascades in the dynamic process of epicardial fibroblast differentiation during fibrosis. After creating several knockout species in our rat studies, and following the placement of a restricting loop around the ascending aorta of the rat’s hearts, I would monitor the activity of the hypertensive heart through echocardiogram analysis of ejection fraction at different stages of development. I would then extract the hearts and passage the cells for further investigation of differentiation. I would create histological slides and apply specific antibody stains to further identify via computer imaging the specified localization of differentiating fibroblasts throughout the anatomical structures of the heart. We would often observe minimal fibroblast formation around the epicardium, even during later stages of induced hypertension, in our “knockout” strains as compared to our wild-type rats. All research was conducted at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's John A. Burns School of Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease Research Center. Show less

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  Castle medical center

  Sept 2014 - Apr 2015

  Medical scribe

  Involved several weeks of classroom training, covering various topics from medical pathophysiology and pharmacological treatment regimens to navigating the Electronic Medical Record and producing quality representations of the physician’s actions and requests. The intimate collaboration between physician and scribe allowed me to become exposed to a deeper level of hospital and ER workflow, offering a valuable vantage point of the constantly-sprinting-mindset of a physician. I had the opportunity to work with a broad variety of specialists at Castle Medical Center in Kailua, HI, rotating on a daily basis between Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine and Intensive Care. It was not uncommon for many of our morning shifts with the Internists to be extended into the evening hours to accommodate a dynamically expanding patient populace on the windward side of O'ahu. Extensively learned directly from physicians how to effectively interpret EKG readings and various radiographs, as the physician always took a moment to explain to me the readings they had been trained to recognize and diagnose. As we synthesized the lists of differential diagnoses for each patient we had seen throughout the day, I began to identify commonalities and trends between certain symptoms and conditions upon admission and the physician’s ultimate diagnosis. The encouragement and mentorship I received from these tremendous physicians was an unparalleled inspiration to me. Show less

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  Kahuku medical center

  Oct 2014 - May 2016

  Nationally-certified phlebotomist (certified phlebotomy technician)

  Placed over 200 IV’s and performed well over 2000 venous blood draws from out-patients, in-patients, and ER patients. This has allowed for extensive collaboration with all members of the health care provider team. Dr. Jason Hughes was a key physician mentor to me as I continued to gain experience in his primary care clinic adjoined to the medical center. The position allowed me to expand my knowledge base of diagnostic methodologies in clinical medicine, being able to work alongside outstanding medical laboratory technologists, mentoring me towards a deeper understanding of clinical healthcare. Show less

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  University of hawaii cancer center

  Jun 2015 - May 2016

  Chronic inflammation is the cause for about 20% to 30% of cancers. Specifically, patients with intestinal diseases that cause chronic inflammation, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’sdisease, are at higher risk for developing colorectal cancer. Gαi proteins are thought to have a critical role in inhibiting and controlling colon cancer, based on their down-regulation in human colon cancer tissue. Our hypothesis was that the loss of Gαi 1 and Gαi 3 (Gi1/3) proteins wouldpromote colitis-associated Colon Cancer (CAC) development. The purpose of our study was to characterize the effect of GαI proteins on tumorigenesis in the colon. Azoxymethane/DextranSodium Sulfate (AOM/DSS) induced colon cancer mouse models were used to observe the relationship between Gαi proteins and cancer. Show less

  • Research Associate

    Jan 2016 - May 2016

  • Cancer Biology Research Associate

    Jun 2015 - May 2016
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  Stanford health care

  Apr 2017 - Apr 2017

  Visiting student

  Under the mentorship of Paige Fox, MD, PhD, participated in clinical care of pediatric and adult patients with hand and upper-extremity injuries, and conducted a prospective research study using electromyography (EMG) to determine the severity of hand dysfunction following traumatic injury, now published in the journal Orthopedics.

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  Washington university school of medicine in st. louis

  Jun 2017 - Jun 2017

  Visiting student

  Under the mentorship of Dr Marissa Tenenbaum and Dr Terence MycKatyn, I helped conduct a research study describing the salvage of implant-based breast reconstruction utilizing autologous flaps (locoregional or free-tissue transfer) which has been published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, July 2018 issue.

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  Harvard medical school

  May 2018 - May 2018

  Visiting student

  Worked on the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery team in the Harvard Combined Plastic Surgery Residency Program and conducted several research studies in burn reconstruction and neck rejuvenation under the mentorship of Samuel Lin, MD, MBA, Bernard Lee, MD, MBA, MPH, and Sumner Slavin, MD

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  Litiscape, llc

  Jul 2018 - Feb 2020

  Regional manager

  -Provide innovative malpractice litigation risk screening and mitigation for healthcare providers, optimized malpractice premium plans-Train and lead a team of sales representatives on software use and clinical application-Plastic surgery industry liaison for Litiscape, LLC

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  Cleveland clinic

  Nov 2018 - Nov 2018

  Visiting student

  Under the mentorship of Dr. James Zins and Dr. Ali Charafeddine, participated in clinical and surgical care of patients in the Aesthetic Plastic Surgery practice at the Cleveland Clinic. Also co-authored a book chapter entitled "Perioperative Management of the Facelift Patient" published in Clinics in Plastic Surgery, edited by Drs. Zins and Charafeddine.

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  Maxhealth & nutrition

  Jul 2019 - Feb 2020

  Fitness and nutrition consultant

  -Provided personalized fitness, lifestyle, and nutrition plans to clients-Sold full spectrum of athletic supplements to help clients increase performance and achieve health goals

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  Center for medical innovation - university of utah

  Jul 2019 - May 2021

  Oversee operations carried out by the Executive Leadership Team at the Center for Medical Innovation at the University of Utah for the campus-wide Bench2Bedside competition (2020-2021). Lead a team of Vice Presidents and Ambassadors and manage all aspects of outreach, education, and cross-disciplinary collaboration between key stakeholders in the College of Engineering and Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, Business, and Law. Lead the design and development of multiple novel biomedical devices for the Bench2Bedside competition through the Center for Medical Innovation at the University of Utah. Lead process of acquiring the intellectual property for devices and therapeutics for multiple teams. Oversee the design teams from the 'idea' phase through prototype development, market analysis, and investor pitch.

  • President, Bench2Bedside Executive Leadership Team

    Aug 2020 - May 2021

  • Project Manager / Team Leader

    Jul 2019 - May 2021
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  University of utah health

  Jul 2019 - Apr 2021

  The core experience of my Ph.D. program in Biomedical Engineering involves the formation of a multi-disciplinary team of engineers and healthcare professionals to reverse-engineer a novel biomedical device. Our team is responsible for bringing a clinician's idea for a more practical patient-centered solution to life, performing all due diligence, prototyping, FDA suitability, and go-to-market strategy. I serve as the Medical Specialist on the team, bridging the engineering and clinical sciences. As a PhD student in Biomedical Engineering, I am currently investigating novel approaches to correct cleft lip/palate anomalies through prenatal gene product replacement therapeutics and postnatal scaffold-based tissue engineering.

  • Medical Specialist - Device Design

    Aug 2020 - Apr 2021

  • Graduate Research Assistant

    Jul 2019 - Apr 2021
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  Advanced bioinformatics, llc

  Apr 2020 - Nov 2021

  Consultant

  Conduct market analysis and investor research in the field of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) as well as the entire cardiac rhythm management sector. Engage key scientific advisors, senior management, and stakeholders to create executive summary statements, investor pitch decks and company-specific market and scientific analyses.

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  Lassonde entrepreneur institute

  Sept 2020 - Aug 2022

  As Director of the GetSeeded Milestone Grant Program at the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, I facilitate and guide a leadership team of hand-picked graduate student Associates to lead all aspects of the GetSeeded Program each month. We review and select applications for student start-up company funding requests based on current milestones and trajectories of the company and mentor student teams to progress their business to the next level. As an Associate for the Get Seeded Milestone Grant Program, I worked on a leadership team to select student teams to receive seed funding based on investor pitch presentation and potential for impact. I was also responsible for mentoring multiple student-led start-up groups in preparation to launch companies and funded product proposals.

  • Director

    Apr 2021 - Aug 2022

  • Associate

    Sept 2020 - Apr 2021
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  Utah business

  Feb 2021 - Feb 2023

  Biotechnology & healthcare innovation writer
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  National institutes of health (nih): intramural research program (irp)

  Apr 2021 - May 2024

  Pre-doctoral fellow

  Intramural Research Trainee Award (IRTA) Pre-Doctoral Fellow at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

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  Leland

  May 2023 - now

  Professional coach

  Professional coach, mentor, and consultant to aspiring professionals across a broad spectrum of disciplines. Particular expertise in coaching non-traditional applicants to professional / graduate school with diverse backgrounds. Proven track record in helping prospective applicants successfully apply to and matriculate in medical school, dental school, graduate (Master’s and Doctorate) school, and MBA programs. Hands-on mentorship covering the full array of application components, including personal statement, standardized exam preparation, essay writing, and interview preparation. Show less

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  National institutes of health

  May 2024 - now

  Post-doctoral fellow

  Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Section on Craniofacial Genetic Disorders