RAKESH K. BHAT, CRA, PhD
142-*****-** Ave NW Edmonton, AB, T6E 0B9 (M) 780-***-**** acqj1m@r.postjobfree.com
CAREER OBJECTIVE
To associate with an organization, wherein I am given a chance to utilize my knowledge and learn in the process to enhance my competency.
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Molecular biologist/protein biochemist with 13 years of experience in academia and industry
CRA Certification with solid knowledge of ICH/GCP, FDA, TPD, EMEA Regulations and HIPPA
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Able to handle multiple assignments under pressure while consistently meeting deadlines
Extensive experience in managing and working with diverse scientific and research teams
Good knowledge and experience in drug development and working in accordance with GLP and GMP compliance requirements
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Research Associate University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada Supervisor: Dr. Michael Houghton
Research Topic:
§ Study the viral Etiology of MS, IBD and cryptogenic hepatitis using next generation sequencing.
§ Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) rDNA Vaccine development program. Interferon Lambda (IFNL) cytokines: Molecular modeling, cloning, expression and purification, and assay development.
§ Development of stable cell lines for different Ion channel(s) (hERG, Nav1.5 and Cav1.2) and the drug toxicity assay with patch clamping. Dec. 2011 – Present
Clinical Research Associate (CRA) Internship
Edmonton, Canada
The Kidney Health Research Group
Clinical Trial Data Monitoring
Nov. 2013 – Feb. 2014
CLINPROXY Clinical Research Associate (CRA) Internship Home based Clinical Research Associate (Intern)
Phase II Clinical study of drug X as a preventive treatment for lowering blood concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients with normal and elevated concentrations of LDL-C.
§ Develop and write trial protocols, locate and assess the feasibility of sites
§ Identified Potential investigators
§ Created research site evaluation forms
§ Designed case report forms
§ Preparing randomization schedules for blinded studies.
§ Preparing checklists for study initiation, periodic visits, and study closeout visits
§ Drafting and reviewing informed consent documents and patient information sheets
Sept. 2013 – Nov. 2014
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada Supervisor: Dr. Christopher Power
Research Topic: Role of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) in the neuro- pathogenesis of MS and their possible modulation with miRNAs. Jan. 2009 – Nov. 2011
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow Vanderbilt University, Nashville, USA Supervisor: Dr. Jens Meiler
Research Topic: Expression of recombinant class I molecules as single chain polypeptides from vaccinia virus.
o Computational design of protein-small molecule interactions, and computational design of proteins
Nov. 2006 – Sept. 2008
Research Associate trainee, Wockhardt Research Center, Aurangabad, India Supervisor: Dr. K. Nagaiah
Research Topic: Upstream and downstream processing of erythropoietin (hrEPO). In addition to this worked on project entitled as " Large scale Erythropoietin production from Recombinant CHO Cell Line using fermenters".
July 2001 – Aug. 2002
Medical Representative, Astrum Healthcare, Pune, India Role: Meeting doctors, chemists, stockiest, Execute marketing plans Achieving sales targets
July/2000 - June/2001
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION
Undergraduate: School Of Public Health, University Of Alberta Public Health Biology (SPH 506)
Winter 2015
Clinical Research Associate Program, Kriger Research Center Clinical Trial Monitoring and Research Site coordination, International Conference on Harmonization (ICH), Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Guidelines Sept. 2013
Ph.D. Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Germany Thesis title: Cloning, expression and NMR characterization of 5S subunit of transcarboxylase multi-enzyme complex.
For the first time showed the binding of free biotin with 5S subunit of Transcarboxylase using different NMR methods.
Showed that there are two different binding sites for free biotin and pyruvate on 5S subunit.
Planned and commissioned a molecular biology and biochemistry laboratory.
Sept. 2002 – June 2006
M.Sc. (Masters in Biochemistry), University of Pune, Maharashtra, India 1998 – 2000 B.Sc. (Bachelors in Science), University of Kashmir, Udhampur, India 1995 - 1997 RESEARCH SKILLS
Next Gen DNA Sequencing: Roche 454 and Illumina Bioinformatics and molecular modeling Real time RT-PC Peptide design for antibody production PCR and DNA gel electrophoresis Protein expression, labeling, purification Vaccine development HPLC, FPLC, Column Chromatography Native/SDS-PAGE and Western blots CD spectroscopy
Primary Cell / neuronal cultures Molecular biology techniques Site-directed mutagenesis Reverse transcriptase assay Co-immunoprecipitation (IP) Custom array design
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) NMR spectroscopy Immuno –cyto/-histochemistry and confocal microscopy Confocal microscopy Clinical trials
COMPUTER SKILLS
Bioinformatics: Sequence analysis: Primer design, Bowtie, Annotation, SAM, Phylogenetic Analysis, ChemDraw Pro, Rosetta protein design package, Schrodinger Suite, Bruker TopSpin2.1, Modeller, Pymol, Chimera
Softwares: Geneious, CLCbio Main Workbench, Microsoft office Suite (Word, Excel, Power point and Outlook), Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Graphpad Prism Operating Systems: Cross-platform (Windows OS, Mac OS, Unix OS)
ACTIVITES/AWARDS
Vice-President (Academic) - postdoctoral fellows association, University of Alberta, 2009-2010.
Organizing member of Alberta NeuroImmunology Course for Alberta endMS regional research and training centre (RRTC), Red Deer, Alberta, 2010.
Organizing member of annual post-doctoral poster symposium, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, 2008.
Member: Graduate Studies Committee for Department of Chemistry, University of Leipzig, 2002-2006.
Organizing member of Golden Jubilee Exhibition 'Su-Darshan', University of Pune, India, 2000.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (full list upon request)
1. Adrian Egli, Deanna M Santer, Daire O'Shea, Khaled Barakat, Mohameedyaseen Syedbasha, Madeleine Vollmer, Aliyah Baluch, Rakesh Bhat, Jody Groenendyk, Michael Joyce, Luiz F Lisboa, Brad S Thomas, Manuel Battegay, Nina Khanna, Thomas Mueller, D. Lorne J. Tyrrell, Michael Houghton, Atul Humar, Deepali Kumar, “IL-28B is a key regulator of B- and T-cell vaccine responses against influenza”, PLOS Pathogens 2014 10(12).
2. Jason Wong, Rakesh Bhat, Darren Hockman, Michael Logan, Chao Chen, Aviad Levin, Sharon Frey, Robert Belshe, D. Lorne Tyrrell, John Law, and Michael Houghton, "A recombinant HCV envelope glycoprotein vaccine elicits antibodies targeting multiple epitopes on the envelope glycoproteins associated with broad cross-neutralization", J Virology 2014 Oct. 3. Rakesh K. Bhat, Wallis Rudnick, Joseph M Antony, Kristofor K Ellestad, Matt B Wheatley Ralf, R Tonjes and Christopher Power, “Human endogenous retrovirus-K(II) envelope induction protects neurons during HIV/AIDS ”, PlosOne 2014 9(7).
4. Deslauriers AM, Afkhami-Goli A, Paul AM, Bhat RK, Acharjee S, Ellestad KK, Noorbakhsh F, Michalak M, Power C., “Neuroinflammation and endoplasmic reticulum stress are coregulated by crocin to prevent demyelination and neurodegeneration”, J Immunol. 2011, 187(9) 5. Rakesh K. Bhat, Kristofor K Ellestad, Matt B Wheatley, Rene Warren, Robert A Holt and Christopher Power, “Age- and disease-dependent HERV-W envelope allelic variation in brain: association with neuroimmune gene expression”, PLOSOne 2011 6(4).
6. Christopher Power, Joseph M. Antony, Kristofer K. Ellestad, Andre M. Deslauriers, Rakesh Bhat, Farshid Noorbakhsh, “The human Microbiome in multiple sclerosis: pathogenic or protective constituents?” Can J Neurol Sci 2010; 37
7. Joseph M. Antony, Andre M. Deslauriers, Rakesh K. Bhat, Kristofer K. Ellestad, Christopher Power,
“Human endogenous retroviruses and multiple sclerosis: Innocent bystanders or disease determinants?” Biochim Biophys Acta-Mol Bio Dis, 2010