Engineering Years Experience

Kaela M. Leonard, PhD

*** ********* **, *********, ** 02184 Phone: 781-***-**** email: *****.*.*******@*****.***

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

§ Dissertation focused on microfluidics, electrokinetics and human red blood cells; did

foundational work to type blood samples in less than 4 minutes.

§ 6+ years experience in microdevice design and fabrication, biological sample handling and

experimental design

§ First author in over 10 presentations (university-level and national-level)

§ Mentored 17 undergraduates, 5 earned awards

PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS

Postdoctoral Research Fellow Michigan Technological University

Department of Chemical Engineering March 2013 – January 2014

§ Entrepreneurial Lead for National Science Foundation I-Corps team, which won top award in

cohort

§ Determined company plan for start-up based on PhD research, including interviewing potential

customers, suppliers and partners

§ Commercializing doctoral research: enhancing microdevice design to transfer from in-lab use

to prototype phase

§ Conducted over 100 customer discovery interviews with potential customers, partner,

suppliers and competition in a 7 week period

SKILLS: skills taught to undergraduate researchers are italicized

Research Skills: Laboratory Equipment: Computer:

Microfluidics Zeiss Axiovert Inverted Light Microscope LabSmith System

Electrokinetics Function generator AutoCAD

Microdevice Fabrication LabView System COMSOL

Biological Sample Handling Metal deposition: E-beam and sputter Zeiss Axiovision

Presentation: Oral and Written UV Mask Aligner Matlab

EDUCATION

PhD Chemical Engineering August, 2012

Michigan Technological University

Dissertation: Alternating Current Dielectrophoretic Manipulation of Erythrocytes in Medical

Microdevice Technology (Advisor: Dr. Adrienne R. Minerick)

King-Chavez-Park Future Faculty Fellowship Program, Fall 2011

PhD Candidate in Chemical Engineering

Mississippi State University

Advisor: Dr. Adrienne R. Minerick

Bagley Fellowship August 2007-May 2009

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering May, 2007

University of Notre Dame

Concentration: Biomolecular Engineering

One of 30 students selected to participate in a Summer 2005 Engineering Program in London,

England taking engineering and business classes.

Undergraduate thesis: Liposome Stabilization with Calcium Phosphate and Encapsulation of

Polystyrene Molecules (Advisor: Dr. Elaine Zhu)

Kaela M. Leonard

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

§ Biosafety Officer for M.D.–ERL for 4 years

§ Looked upon by lab group members as go-to person for laboratory policies and procedures

o Logistical coordinator for laboratory equipment and travel

§ Mentor for 17 undergrads

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Project: Alternating Current Dielectrophoresis of Erythrocytes

Objective: To create a custom-fabricated microdevice that can be used to test for the ABO-Rh

blood type of an unknown sample by way of subjecting the sample to an alternating current

dielectrophoretic field.

§ Quantified rupture rates of human erythrocytes when in a 1kHz AC dielectrophoretic field

§ Optimized enzyme reaction for removing the ABO-Rh antigens from the human erythrocytes

§ Tracking movement of native and modified erythrocytes at varying AC frequencies and

communication of this movement via Zeiss and Matlab analysis and coding

§ Designed and fabricated microdevices via CAD-based designs, soft photolithography and

electrode plating via E-beam deposition and metal sputtering

§ 9 undergraduate researchers, 18 presentations, 3 papers, 5 awards

Project: DC Dielectrophoresis Resistance Measurements of Erythrocytes

Objective: To determine the human erythrocyte concentration in a sample by measuring the

direct current resistance across the length of a 20µm by 100µm by 2cm PDMS channel.

§ Designed an experimental plan for testing the dependence of resistance on percent of

dextrose in buffer solution, blood type and concentration of erythrocytes

§ Monitored voltage across the system when direct current power is applied using LabView

§ Analyzed data by way of LabView and Excel computations of resistance from measured

voltage drop

§ Mentored 4 undergraduates to conduct experiments

PUBLICATIONS

(^ indicates in preparation, *indicates undergraduate researcher)

Peer-Reviewed Publications:

1. Leonard, K.M., and A.R. Minerick. Exploration of ABO-Rh Antigen Expressions on

Erythrocyte Dielectrophoresis: Theoretical and Experimental Results. Electrophoresis,

September 2011, Vol. 32, Issue 18, pp 2512-2522, 2011.

2. Walters, K.B.; Minerick, A.R.; Srivastava, S.; Hall, J.I.; Leonard, K.; Parker, A.; Thomas, H.

Instructor and Student Perspectives on a Graduate Professional Development Course:

Career Issues for Women in Engineering 2010 ASEE Ntnl Conference, Louisville, KY.

3. Keshavamurthy, S.S., Leonard, K.M., Burgess, S.C., and A.R. Minerick Direct Current

Dielectrophoretic Characterization of Erythrocytes: Positive ABO Blood Types. Nanotech

Proceedings. (June 2008)

4. Adams, T.A., Leonard, K.M., and A.R. Minerick Frequency Sweep Rate Dependence on the

Dielectrophoretic Response of Polystyrene Beads and Red Blood Cells. Biomicrofluidics,

December 2013.

5. ^Leonard, K.M., Feuerstein, K.* and A.R. Minerick Human Blood System: Biochemistry and

Electrokinetic Manipulation. In preparation.

6. ^Leonard, K.M., Baker, C.* and A.R. Minerick Dielectrophoretic Response of Human

Erythrocytes Using AC Sweeps: ABO-Rh Antigen and Conductivity Dependencies. In

preparation.

Kaela M. Leonard

Non-Peer Reviewed Publications:

1. Leonard, K.M., Rutan, E., Reeves, S., Pate, A., Walton, M., Thompson, S. and A.R.

Minerick. Dielectrophoretic Characterization of Red Blood Cells. American Institute of

Chemical Engineers Proceedings. (September 2008)

Presentation (18):

1. Leonard K. M., and A. R. Minerick (October 2011) Dependence of Membrane Antigen

Expression on Cross-Over Frequency of Human Erythrocytes and Corresponding

Theoretical Explanation. American Institute of Chemical Engineers and American

Electrophoresis Society Presentation. **Travel Awards from Michigan Technological

University Graduate Student Government and Biotechnology Research Center**

2. Leonard, K.M. and A.R. Minerick (April 2011) Dielectrophoretic Characterization of Human

Erythrocytes within a Microdevice. Department of Chemical Engineering, Michigan

Technological University **Invited departmental seminar**

3. Leonard, K.M. and A. R. Minerick. (March 2011) Dielectrophoretic Spectrum of Human

Erythrocytes: Experimental and Theoretical Observations. ESC/BRC Student Research

Forum, Michigan Technological University

4. Prado, C.*, Zayan, K.*, Leonard, K.M. and A. R. Minerick (March 2011) Solution Resistance

of Human Blood Types in Microchannels. ESC/BRC Student Research Forum, Michigan

Technological University

5. Leonard, K.M. and A.R. Minerick (November 2010) Crossover Frequency of Human

Erythrocytes- Membrane Antigen Dependence. American Institute of Chemical Engineers

and American Electrophoresis Society Presentation. **Travel Awards from Michigan

Technological University Graduate Student Government and Biotechnology Research

Center**

6. Leonard, K.M. and A.R. Minerick (October 2010) Quantitative Analysis of Erythrocyte

Rupturing in an Alternating Current Dielectrophoretic Field as Compared to Theoretical

Observations FACSS Presentation- Dielectrophoresis and Related Techniques **Invited

presentation with advisor**

7. Leonard, K.M., Rutan, J.E.*, Duke, S.M.*, Jamison, P.* and A.R. Minerick. (March 2010)

Hemolysis of Human Erythrocytes in an Alternating Current Dielectrophoretic Field.

ESC/BRC Conference, Michigan Technological University

8. Leonard, K.M. and A.R. Minerick. (February 2010) Erythrocyte Characterization in an

Alternating Current Dielectrophoretic Field. Graduate Research Colloquium, Michigan

Technological University

9. Duke, S.M.*, Leonard, K.M. and A.R. Minerick. (November 2009) Erythrocyte Concentration

Responses in Micro-device Blood Typing. Presentation at 2009 Argonne Conference. **This

work earned a Shackouls Honors College Travel Award**

10. Leonard, K.M,, Rutan, J.E.*, Duke, S.M.*, Jamison, P.M.* and A.R. Minerick. (November

2009) Dielectrophoretic Characterization of Human Erythrocyte Rupturing. American

Institute of Chemical Engineers and American Electrophoresis Society Presentation.

**Travel award from COACh Program to Attend Meeting**

11. Jamison, P.M.*, Leonard, K.M. and A.R. Minerick. (November 2009) Frequency

Optimization of Dielectrophoretic Blood Cell Rupture in Micro-devices. American

Electrophoresis Society Annual Conference Poster Presentation. **This poster won

honorable mention**

Kaela M. Leonard

12. Pullen, S.A.*, Leonard, K.M. and A.R. Minerick. (April 2009) Fluorescent Tagging as a Tool

to Assess Hemolysis. Mississippi State University Undergraduate Research Symposium

Poster Presentation. **This poster won second prize**

13. Rutan, J.E.*, Leonard, K.M. and A.R. Minerick (April 2009) Affects of Blood Preparation,

Microdevice and Donor on Erythrocyte Hemolysis Rates. Mississippi State University

Undergraduate Research Symposium Poster Presentation.

14. Rutan, J.E.*, Leonard, K.M. and A.R. Minerick. (November 2008) Field Strength

Dependency of Red Blood Cell Rupture Rate in Dielectrophoretic Microdevice. Food and

Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology Division- American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual

Conference (AIChE) **2nd place in a subsection of the Poster Competition**

15. Leonard, K.M., Rutan, E.*, Reeves, S.*, Pate, A.*, Walton, M.*, Thompson, S.* and A.R.

Minerick. (November 2008) Dielectrophoretic Characterization of Red Blood Cells. American

Electrophoresis Society and American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Presentation

16. Leonard, K.M., Rutan, E.*, Reeves, S.*, Pate, A.*, Walton, M.*, Thompson, S.* and A.R.

Minerick (July 2008) Rapid Cell Rupture in a Dielectrophoretic Field. Presentation at

Gordon Research Conference-Bioelectrochemistry, Biddeford, Maine. **Travel award from

Gordon Research Conference to Attend**

17. Leonard, K.M., Reeves, S.*, Pate, A.*, Walton, M.*, Thompson, S.* and A.R. Minerick (April

2008) Rapid Cell Rupture in a Dielectrophoretic Field. Presentation at Annual Graduate

Student Symposium at Mississippi State University.

18. Leonard, K.M., Reeves, S.*, Pate, A.*, Walton, M.*, Thompson, S.* and A.R. Minerick.

(November 2007) Rapid Cell Rupture in a Dielectrophoretic Field Poster presented at 2007

Annual AES Conference. **This work won 1st place in the poster competition**

ACADEMIC MEMBERSHIPS:

• Society of Women Engineers 2003-2007

• American Institute of Chemical Engineers August 2005-Present

• American Electrophoresis Society August 2007-Present

• Omega Chi Epsilon Honor Society Spring 2008-Present

• Sigma Xi Honor Society April 2009-Present

Kaela M. Leonard

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