Brief Career Summary
2022 to present – Research Scientist, Renaissance Bioscience, Vancouver, BC
2021 to 2022 – Research Associate, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Supervisors: Professors Ljerka Kunst and George Haughn. Investigating lipid trafficking between organelles in Arabidopsis thaliana using genetics, molecular and cell biology, and biochemistry.
2017 to 2021 – Research Associate, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Supervisor: George Haughn. Investigating polysaccharide biogenesis, secretion and post-synthesis modification during seed coat development in Arabidopsis thaliana using genetics, molecular and cell biology, and biochemistry.
2016 – Instructor, Second Year Genetics (BIOL2101), Mount Royal University, Calgary, Canada. Developed course materials and delivered instruction to students.
2016 – Freelance Editor, Cactus Communications. Copyediting and substantive editing of scientific manuscripts for global clients.
2015 to 2016 – Research Associate, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. Investigating nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in transgenic rice lines using cell and molecular biology techniques. Supervisor: Prof. Doug Muench (University of Calgary) in collaboration with Prof. Allen Good (University of Alberta) and Bayer Crop Science.
2012 to 2015 – Research Associate, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Investigating the links between seed coat mucilage production and seed oil accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana and Camelina sativa using molecular genetic techniques as part of an NSERC Strategic Grant. Supervisors: Profs. Ljerka Kunst and George Haughn (UBC) and collaborators at IRD-CNRS, Montpellier, France and NRC, Saskatoon, Canada.
2010 to 2012 – Manager of Molecular Resources and Project Manager, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong, Indonesia. Managing the generation of DNA barcodes from 3500 tree specimens, both in house and using several outsourcing options; project management and training staff. Supervisors: Dr. Campbell Webb (Senior Research Scientist) and Dr. Sarah Mathews (Sargent Fellow), Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.
2009 to 2012 – Scientist and Project Manager. Biogeography of Eucalyptus deglupta in the Malesia region, LIPI, Cibinong, Indonesia. Co-author of a grant from the Australia and Pacific Science Foundation. Collection of E. deglupta specimens in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines and analysis of genetic variation using DNA sequence markers and micro satellites. Collaborators: Dr. Frank Udovicic (Royal Botanic Garden Melbourne), Dr. Michael Bayly (U. Melbourne), and Dr. Siti Roosita Ariati (LIPI).
2009 to 2010 – Consultant in Molecular Biology, LIPI, Cibinong, Indonesia. DNA barcoding of plants of Gunung Palung National Park, Indonesia. Development of a DNA barcoding lab at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Botany Department, Cibinong, Indonesia; method development for DNA barcoding; data management; and staff training. Client: Dr. Campbell Webb, Senior Research Scientist, Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.
2007 to 2008 – Research Associate, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Comprehensive transcriptome analysis of Brassica seed coat development as part of the Designing Oilseeds for Tomorrow’s Market project funded by Genome Alberta. Supervisor: Prof. George Haughn.
2003 to 2007 – Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Cloning and characterisation of the role of the MUM2 gene in Arabidopsis seed coat development. Supervisor: Prof. George Haughn.
1999 to 2003 – Ph.D. Student, School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Durham, UK. Isolation of the KNAT6 homeobox gene from Arabidopsis roots and investigation of its role in root development. Supervisor: Prof. Keith Lindsey.
1999 – Research Assistant, Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, USA. Supervisor: Prof. Clint Chapple.
1997 to 1998 – Placement Student, Forestry Research Unit, Shell International Renewables, UK. Supervisor: Dr Glynn Edwards.