Education

University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA (Expected March 2026)
BS in Bioengineering: Biotechnology, Minor in Data Science

Coursework: Biochemical Eng., Molecular Biotech. Lab, Dynamic Systems Modeling, Bioreactors & Transport Theory, Biomaterials, Cell & Tissue Eng., Org. Chemistry I & II, Data Structures & Algo., ML Foundations

Experience

Undergraduate Research Intern , The Scripps Research Institue, Department of Integrative Structural & Computational Biology (Part-time: Aug 2024 - Present ; Full-time: June 2025 - September 2025)

Principle Investigator: Marco Mravic, PhD

Applied RFDiffusion, ProteinMPNN, and the Rosetta Protein Design Suite to design a minimal transmembrane (TM) channel and TM minibinders
Engineered E. coli expression plasmids using Gibson Assembly; performed primer design, PCR, transformation, and miniprep for sequence verification
Optimized large scale expression in E. coli through systematic variation of growth media, induction conditions, and temperature; purified lipid-embedded constructs using IMAC and SEC

Undergraduate Research Intern , The Scripps Research Institue, Department of Integrative Structural & Computational Biology (Part-time: September 2023 - Present)

Principle Investigator: Gabriel C. Lander

Performed protein extractions of endogenous cytosolic and membrane proteins from mitochondria
Analyzed results using SDS-PAGE, BCA assays, FPLC (SEC), and Negative Stain TEM
Maintained HEK293F suspension cell cultures for mitochondrial isolation
Harvested murine skeletal muscle tissue to isolate mitochondria
Processed nsTEM micrographs into 2D class averages using Appion API on HPC

Laboratory Assitant, UC San Diego, Systems Biology Research Group (February 2022 - October 2023)

Conducted bacterial overnight culture, media optimization, phenotypic screening, and growth rate experiments
Maintained lab operations: sterilization, waste handling, and inventory
Onboarded new lab assistants on safety protocols and cleaning procedures

Skills

Laboratory Skills

PCR and Gibson Assembly
Agarose Gel Electrophoresis and SDS-PAGE
FPLC/AKTA systems, SEC, IMAC
Negative Stain Grid Preparation, Negative Stain TEM (TFS Talos F200C, Leginon Automated Collection
Image Processing nsTEM Micrographs for 2D Class Average Generation
Mammalian cell culture in suspension, large scale bacterial expression, media preparation
Mitochondrial Isolation from Cells
Bicinchoninic Acid Assay (BCA)

Technologies

Python, Java
Git/Github, Bash/Unix CLI
Molecular Visualization with PyMol, Rosetta Protein Design Suite

Leadership

Project Team Leader & Project Manager, Engineering World Health, UC San Diego Student Chapter (June 2022 - May 2024)

Developed project implementation plans with 6-member team, delegated tasks, and led meetings
Guided 7 project leads with detailed timelines, resolving technical and team dynamic issues
Organized quarterly design review meetings for 35-member organization
Facilitated communication for resource allocation, skill development, and member fulfillment