PhD candidate in Pharmacology
Resume:
Laura Castellano Stong
Email: **********@*****.*** Phone: 518-***-****
**** ***** ***** *** #*, Philadelphia, PA 19146
EDUCATION
University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine (Philadelphia, PA) December 2014
Ph.D. candidate in Pharmacology
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Courses taken include: Cell Biology, Fundamentals of Pharmacology, Molecular Basis of Disease,
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Pharmacogenetics, Human Physiology, Medical Pharmacology
Union College (Schenectady, NY) 2009
B.S. in Chemistry with minors in Biology and Mathematics; graduated summa cum laude
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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Graduate Student, Pharmacology Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania 2009-present
Managed 4 simultaneous research projects resulting in first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals
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Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team of international virologists and chemists
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Independently developed written protocols for biochemical and virological assays
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Edited colleagues’ manuscripts, grant proposals, and thesis dissertations prior to submission
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Published a comprehensive literature review making use of online reference databases
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Analyzed datasets for statistical significance and evaluated dose-response relationships using Prism software
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Wrote a successful research proposal that was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) fellowship
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Gave 5 oral presentations and 10 poster presentations at venues including international conferences
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Supervised and trained an undergraduate and two junior lab members
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Presented findings at weekly lab meetings to post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduates
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Critically analyzed data and expanded scientific expertise in diverse therapeutic areas at weekly journal clubs
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Bridge to ReBIO Mentor, Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine 2010-2012
Led teams of high school students in the design, implementation, and presentation of research projects
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Undergraduate Research, Department of Chemistry, Union College 2008-2009
Conducted research in organic synthesis and utilized analytical techniques to verify chemical structures
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Wrote an honors senior thesis and presented posters at 2 international meetings
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Laboratory Technician, Chemical Development Department Summer 2006, 2007
Albany Molecular Research Inc., Albany, NY
Developed an optimized synthetic procedure for an active pharmaceutical ingredient
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Generated weekly progress reports detailing results and future experimental plans
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SKILLS
Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint; Adobe Acrobat and Illustrator; GraphPad Prism
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Extensive experience performing literature searches with PubMed and Google Scholar and managing
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references/citations with Endnote software
Highly organized and self-motivated with excellent time management skills developed from balancing multiple
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research projects and classwork simultaneously
Public speaking including poster and oral presentations tailored to audiences of diverse backgrounds
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PUBLICATIONS
1. Castellano LM, Bart S, Holmes V, Weissman D, and Shorter J. Repurposing Hsp104 to antagonize seminal
amyloid and counter HIV infection. In submission at Nature Communications.
2. Lump E*, Castellano LM*, Meier C, Seeliger J, Erwin N, Stürzel CM, Usmani S, Hammond RM, Einem J,
Gerold G, Kreppel F, Bravo-Rodriguez K, Pietschmann T, Holmes VM, Palesch D, Zirafi O, Weissman D,
Sowislok A, Wettig B, Kirchhoff F, Weil T, Schrader T, Bitan G, Sanchez-Garcia E, Winter R, Shorter J, and
Münch J. A molecular tweezer antagonizes seminal amyloids and HIV infection. In submission at eLife.
(*These authors contributed equally to this work)
3. Castellano LM, Hammond RM, Holmes V, Weissman D, and Shorter J. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate eradicates
PAP85-120, SEM1(45-107), and SEM2(49-107) seminal amyloid fibrils. In review at Biology Open.
4. Torrente M, Castellano LM, and Shorter J. Suramin inhibits Hsp104 ATPase and disaggregase activity. PLoS
ONE. 2014, 9, e110115.
5. Jackrel ME, DeSantis ME, Martinez BA, Castellano LM, Stewart RM, Caldwell KA, Caldwell GA, and Shorter
J. Potentiated Hsp104 variants antagonize diverse proteotoxic misfolding events. Cell. 2014, 156, 170-182.
6. Castellano LM and Shorter J. The surprising role of amyloid fibrils in HIV infection. Biology. 2012, 1, 58-80.
7. Turner JR, Castellano LM, and Blendy JA. Parallel anxiolytic-like effects and upregulation of neuronal
nicotinic acetylcholine receptors following chronic nicotine and varenicline. Nicotine Tob Res. 2011, 13, 41-46.
8. Turner JR, Castellano LM, and Blendy JA. Nicotinic partial agonists varenicline and sazetidine-a have
differential effects on affective behavior. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2010, 334, 665-72.
PRESENTATIONS
Oral presentations:
Biochemistry and Biophysics Friday Research Discussions, University of Pennsylvania (2014)
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Pharmacology Graduate Group Annual Symposium, The National Constitution Center, Philadelphia (2013)
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Chemistry Biology Interface Annual Retreat, Bryn Mawr College (2013)
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Chemistry Biology Interface Luncheon, University of Pennsylvania (2011, 2014)
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Poster presentations:
Biomedical Health and Natural Science Research Day, Philadelphia (2014)
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American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting, New Orleans, San Francisco (2012, 2013)
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Pharmacology Graduate Group Annual Symposium, Philadelphia (2011, 2012, 2014)
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Biochemistry and Biophysics Annual Retreat, Philadelphia (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014)
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American Chemical Society National Meeting, New Orleans, Salt Lake City (2008, 2009)
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AWARDS/HONORS
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The John S. O’Brien Award for best oral presentation at the 30 annual Pharmacology Graduate Group
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Annual Symposium (2013)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (2011)
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William H. Wright Chemistry Scholarship (2007-2009)
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Laudise Summer Research Fellowship (2008)
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Iota Sigma Pi National Honor Society of Women in Chemistry (2008)
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Phi Beta Kappa Academic Honor Society (2008)
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Union College Presidential Scholarship (2005-2007)
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