Project Scientist and Laboratory Supervisor
Resume:
Suzanne Schubbert, Ph.D.
Long Beach, CA 90808
*******.*********@*****.***
SUMMARY
• Over 15 years experience in molecular and cellular biology, immunology, genetics, biochemistry,
cancer biology and animal models using multiple in vitro and in vivo systems
Expertise in cell culture, functional assays and molecular and genetic analyses using primary
cells, human samples, and animal models
• Exceptional critical thinking and analytical skills, ability to synthesize information, design and execute
experiments and interpret findings
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with extensive experience writing primary research
articles, reviews, technical reports and research proposals, and frequent presentation of work
• Outstanding leader, effective manager of laboratory operations, and integrated team player
Direct supervisor and mentor of research associates, graduate students, and postdoctoral
scholars with positive influence and promotion of a team approach
Demonstrated success in establishing and maintaining productive interdisciplinary collaborations
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
University of California, Los Angeles 2013-present
Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology
Assistant Project Scientist and Laboratory Supervisor
Role: Senior scientist, laboratory manager and direct supervisor of research associates, graduate
students, and postdoctoral scholars
• Developed a co-targeting therapeutic approach to eliminate T cell acute lymphoblastic
leukemia using mouse models, human cells, and primary patient samples.
• Defined mechanisms of drug action and identified mechanisms of resistance.
• Generated a novel cell line model of a high-risk subtype of T-ALL.
• Investigated pathogenic cell populations using NGS and advanced molecular technologies,
including RNA-seq, and bioinformatics.
• Provided expertise, training, and resources for research associates, graduate students, and
postdoctoral scholars to advance individual and group projects.
• Successfully generated and managed laboratory biosafety applications, animal research
protocols, and SOPs in compliance with offices of environmental health and safety,
institutional biosafety, and animal research oversight.
University of California, Los Angeles 2007-2013
Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Supervisor: Dr. Hong Wu
Project: Investigation of the mechanisms underlying leukemia development and evaluation of the
therapeutic utility of small molecule inhibitors targeted against critical deregulated pathways
• Defined genetic and molecular alterations that are essential for leukemia development using
genetic and pharmacological approaches in a mouse model of T-ALL.
• Demonstrated that TORC1 inhibitor rapamycin can suppress leukemia development.
• Established xenograft assays using immunocompromised mice to interrogate primary human
T-ALL patient samples (PDX models).
• Performed extensive multi-color and intracellular flow cytometry and managed two BD FACS
analyzers.
University of California, San Francisco 2000-2007
Department of Anatomy
Graduate Student Researcher
Mentor: Dr. Kevin Shannon
Thesis: Functional analysis of Ras pathway mutations in myeloid leukemia and developmental disorders
• Demonstrated that germline and somatic mutations discovered in individuals with disease by
clinical collaborators encoded gain-of-function mutant proteins that activated the Ras pathway.
• Generated recombinant proteins to uncover specific and unique cellular and biochemical defects
of multiple disease-associated mutant proteins.
University of California, San Diego 1999-2000
Department of Biology
Laboratory Technician
Supervisor: Dr. Michael Yaffe
Project: Genetic and biochemical characterization of mechanisms of mitochondrial inheritance in yeast
• Performed gain and loss of function studies on candidate genes regulating mechanisms
controlling mitochondrial morphology and distribution during cell division in S. cerevisiae and
S. pombe. Utilized many genetic, molecular, and biochemical techniques.
University of California, San Diego 1999
Department of Pharmacology
Undergraduate Individual Research Project
Mentor: Dr. Joan Heller Brown
• Identified gene expression changes regulated by Rho signaling downstream of heterotrimeric
G-protein coupled receptors. Used transient transfection and reporter gene assays with
activated and dominant negative mutants.
University of California, San Diego 1998
Department of Pharmacology
Undergraduate Independent Research
Mentor: Dr. Robert Tukey
• Performed molecular biology techniques to investigate differential UDP-
glucuronosyltransferase gene expression.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
- Primary cell isolation and culture - Stem and progenitor cell assays
- Transient and stable transfection - Derivation of cell lines
- Retroviral and lentiviral transduction - DNA and RNA extraction and analysis
- Molecular cloning - Recombinant DNA and vector construction
- Gene expression analyses - Protein expression
- Recombinant protein generation and functional studies - Proliferation, survival, and apoptosis
assays
- BD FACS operator certification - Western blotting
- Flow cytometry, sorting and intracellular staining - Signaling pathway analysis
- Genetic and xenograft mouse models - In vivo drug administration
- Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence - In vivo imaging
- Microscopy - HTS using colorimetric/fluorimetric assays
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
- Critical thinker - Strong analytical ability
- Outstanding problem solver - Highly innovative
- Self-motivated and goal-oriented - Excellent communicator
- Strong team player - Positive attitude
- Supervisor, leader, and mentor - Highly organized
- Excellence in independent work and team environment
EDUCATION
University of California, San Francisco 2000-2007
Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences Program
University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 1995-1999
B.S., Biology with Molecular Biology Focus
PUBLICATIONS
Schubbert S, Wei C, Cardenas A, Chen H, Garcia C, Guo W, and Wu H. Generation of a novel PTEN
null T-ALL cell line with features of early T cell precursor leukemia . (manuscript in preparation).
Schubbert S, Cardenas A, Chen H, Garcia C, Guo W, Bradner JE, and Wu H. (2014) Targeting the MYC
and PI3K pathways eliminates leukemia-initiating cells in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia . Cancer
Research, 1470.2014, epub Oct 6.
Guo W, Schubbert S, Chen JY, Valamehr B, Mosessian S, Shi H, Dang, NH, Garcia C, Theodoro MF,
Varella-Garcia M, and Wu H. (2011) Suppression of leukemia development caused by PTEN loss. PNAS,
108:1409-1414.
Rauen KA, Schoyer L, McCormick F, Lin AE, Allanson JE, Stevenson DA, Gripp KW, Neri G, Carey JC,
Legius E, Tartaglia M, Schubbert S, Roberts AE, Gelb BD, Shannon K, Gutmann DH, McMahon M,
Guerra C, Fagin JA, Yu B, Aoki Y, Neel BG, Balmain A, Drake RR, Nolan GP, Zenker M, Bollag G, Sebolt-
Leopold J, Gibbs JB, Silva AJ, Patton EE, Viskochil DH, Kieran MW, Korf BR, Hagerman RJ, Packer RJ,
Melese T. (2010) Proceedings from the 2009 genetic syndromes of the Ras/MAPK pathway: From
bedside to bench and back. American Journal of Medical Genetics. 152A:4-24.
Denayer E, Parret A, Chmara M, Schubbert S, Vogels A, Devriendt K, Fryns JP, Rybin V, Ravel TJ,
Shannon K, Cools J, Scheffzek K, Legius E. (2008) Mutation analysis in Costello syndrome: functional
and structural characterization of the HRAS K117R mutation. Human mutation. 2:232-239.
Schubbert S, Bollag G, Lyubynska N, Nguyen H, Kratz CP, Zenker M, Niemeyer CM, Molven A, and
Shannon K. (2007) Biochemical and functional characterization of germline KRAS mutations. Molecular
and Cellular Biology. 22:7765-7770.
Søvik O, Schubbert S, Houge G, Steine SJ, Norgård G, Engelsen B, Njølstad PR, Shannon K, and
Molven A. (2007) De novo HRAS and KRAS mutations in two siblings with short stature and neuro-cardio-
facio-cutaneous features. Journal of Medical Genetics. 44:e84.
Schubbert S, Bollag G, Shannon K. (2007) Hyperactive Ras in developmental disorders and cancer.
Nature Reviews Cancer. 7:295-308.
Schubbert S, Bollag G, Shannon K. (2007) Deregulated Ras signaling in developmental disorders: new
tricks for an old dog. Current Opinion in Genetics and Development. 17:15-22.
Kratz CP, Schubbert S, Bollag G, Niemeyer CM, Shannon KM, Zenker M. (2006) Germline mutations in
components of the Ras signaling pathway in Noonan syndrome and related disorders. Cell Cycle. 5:1607-
1611.
Schubbert S, Zenker M, Rowe SL, Boll S, Klein C, Bollag G, van der Burgt I, Musante L, Kalscheuer V,
Wehner LE, Nguyen H, West B, Zhang KY, Sistermans E, Rauch A, Niemeyer CM, Shannon K, Kratz CP.
(2006) Germline KRAS mutations cause Noonan syndrome. Nature Genetics. 38:331-336.
Schubbert S, Lieuw K, Rowe SL, Lee CM, Li X, Loh ML, Clapp DW, Shannon KM. (2005) Functional
analysis of leukemia-associated PTPN11 mutations in primary hematopoietic cells. Blood. 106:311-317.
Loh ML, Vattikuti S, Schubbert S, Reynolds MG, Carlson E, Lieuw KH, Cheng JW, Lee CM, Stokoe D,
Bonifas JM, Curtiss NP, Gotlib J, Meshinchi S, Le Beau MM, Emanuel PD, Shannon KM. (2004)
Mutations in PTPN11 implicate the SHP-2 phosphatase in leukemogenesis. Blood. 103:2325-2331.
Schubbert S. (2001) Genotyping and drug response: use of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) versus
haplotypes to predict albuterol efficacy. AAPS PharmSci. 3:1.
HONORS AND AWARDS
1999 Dean’s Honor List, Sigma Honors, Phi Beta Kappa; UCSD
2002-2006 California Highway Patrol 11-99 Foundation, Annual Scholarship Award
2004 Poster award, FASEB Summer Research Conference on Protein Phosphatases; Snowmass, CO
2005 American Society of Hematology Travel Award
2006 Outstanding Research Award, Student category, Society for Pediatric Research National Meeting;
San Francisco, CA
2006 American Society of Hematology Travel Award
2007-2008 NRSA T32 Tumor Cell Biology Training Grant Recipient
2008-2011 Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fellow
2012-2013 NRSA T32 Tumor Immunology Training Grant Recipient
CONFERENCES AND PRESENTATIONS
American Society of Hematology 45th Annual Meeting, abstract selected for poster
2004
presentation
FASEB Summer Research Conference on Protein Phosphatases, abstract selected for
2004
oral presentation
American Society of Hematology 46th Annual Meeting, abstract selected for poster
2005
presentation
2006 Pediatric Academic Societies, Annual Meeting, abstract selected for oral presentation
2006 Beatson International Cancer Conference: 24 years of Ras and human cancer, abstract selected
for poster presentation
2006 Cardiofaciocutaneous Syndrome and Noonan Syndrome Scientific Meeting 2006, invited speaker
American Society of Hematology 47th Annual Meeting, abstract selected for poster
2006
presentation
NF Conference, abstract selected for poster presentation
2007
Genetic Syndromes of the Ras/MAPK Pathway: From Bedside to Bench and Back
2008
NIH sponsored symposium, invited speaker
Tri-Institutional Stem Cell Retreat, invited speaker
2012
2013 Synthetic Lethal Approaches to Cancer Vulnerabilities, AACR Medicine Series, abstract selected
for poster presentation
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