Project Manager Engineer

JOY SINHA

**** ******* **** ***, *** **, Champaign, IL Phone: 404-***-**** Email: ******@*****.***

PROFESSIONAL OVERVIEW

Nucleic acid molecular biologist with over 3 years’ of industrial experience and over 11 years’ of research

experience. Broad, multidisciplinary background in molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, cloning and

RNA techniques. Scientific expertise validated through strong publishing record in peer reviewed journals.

Experience as project leader and project manager.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Research Scientist 2011-Present

ANDalyze Inc., Champaign, IL

• Lead discovery effort to select nucleic acid sensors and aptamers for multiple targets

• Successfully developed two new nucleic acid sensors to expand company’s toolbox of nucleic acid sensors

• Design, implement and conduct in vitro selection (SELEX) experiments

• Conduct post-selection optimization and characterization of aptamers and nucleic acid sensors;

• Develop and optimize cost effective lateral flow devices using nucleic acid sensors and gold nanoparticles

• Independently plan experiments, execute experiments at the bench, document, organize, analyze, and

interpret data, maintain appropriate lab notebook record

• Keep abreast of relevant literature and serve as a resource in area of specialized expertise

• Provide training and mentorship to junior scientists

• Prepare progress reports, program accomplishments and project assessments; communicate to key

stakeholders

• Propose process improvements for efficiency and quality

• Establish productive research alliances with outside groups to meet expansion and diversification goals

• Contribute to the intellectual property of the company

• Take part in recruiting new scientists

Postdoctoral Fellow 2006-2011

Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

Advisor: Dr. Justin P. Gallivan

• Used a combination of in vitro and in vivo selection to engineer an RNA switch that can regulate gene

expression in the presence of a user-specified small molecule

• Designed and incorporated a novel high throughput screening step within the selection scheme so that RNA

selection is significantly more efficient

• Selected RNA aptamers through in vitro selection that recognizes antibiotics

• Designed and engineered an RNA-based molecular switch that could potentially report on bacterial state

without invasive or costly procedures

Graduate Researcher 2001-2006

Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

Advisor: Dr. Stephen M. Testa

In vitro study of RNA catalyzed splicing and ligation of RNA:

• Studied intermolecular excision and insertion of sequences by an RNA enzyme (ribozyme) derived

from an autocatalytic RNA group I intron

• Characterized ribozyme reactions using biochemical analysis and kinetic characterization

• Elucidated molecular recognition properties of the ribozyme, outlined the kinetic pathway and determined

the mechanism of the reaction

• Investigated development of new biotechnology by reengineering the ribozyme

Junior Research Fellow 2000-2001

Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India

Green route to organic synthesis using transition metals:

• Established a method to perform Hünsdiecker reaction in aqueous medium using transition metal

catalyst

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Chemistry 2001-2006

University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

Dissertation Title: Molecular recognition properties and kinetic characterization of the trans excision-splicing

reaction catalyzed by group I intron-derived ribozyme

Advisor: Dr. Stephen M. Testa

M.S., Organic Chemistry 1998-2000

Visva Bharati University, India

B.S., Chemistry (With Honors) 1995-1998

Visva Bharati University, India

SKILLS

Molecular Biology: Standard cloning techniques, chemical/electro competent cell production and use, Gibson

assembly PCR, RT-PCR, qRT-PCR, plasmid construction, DNA/RNA/protein extraction, Northern and Western

blotting, 5'-and 3'-RACE, general cell culture, fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), in vivo reporter gene

assays, high throughput screening, laboratory automation, genomic DNA library construction

Biochemistry: DNA/RNA/protein electrophoresis, DNA/RNA isolation and purification, radiochemical usage and

handling, in vitro selection of RNA/DNA aptamers, in vitro selection of deoxyribozymes, mRNA and phage

display, nucleic acid nanotechnology, isothermal titration calorimetry

Bioinformatics: Sequence alignment tools, conservation analysis, Vector NTI and Geneious, common

international databases (NCBI, SwissProt, PDB)

PUBLICATIONS

1. Sinha, J., Topp, S. & Gallivan, J.P. From SELEX to Cell: Dual Selections for Synthetic riboswitches. Methods

Enzymol. 497, 207-220 (2011).

2. Sinha, J., Dotson, P.P. & Testa, S.M. Kinetic characterization of the first step of the ribozyme-catalyzed trans

excision-splicing reaction. FEBS J. 275, 3110-3122 (2008).

3. Dotson, P.P., Sinha, J. & Testa, S.M. A Pneumocystis carinii group I intron-derived ribozyme utilizes an

endogenous guanosine as the first reaction step nucleophile in the trans excision-splicing reaction.

Biochemistry 47, 4780-4787 (2008).

4. Johnson, A.K., Sinha, J. & Testa, S.M. Trans Insertion-Splicing: Ribozyme catalyzed insertion of targeted

sequences into RNAs. Biochemistry 44, 107**-***** (2005).

5. Sinha, J., Baum, D.A. & Testa, S.M. Molecular recognition in a trans excision-splicing ribozyme: Non-Watson-

Crick base pairs at the 5 -splice site and ωG at the 3 -splice site can play a role in determining the binding

register of reaction substrates. Biochemistry 44, 1067-1077 (2005). (Joint first author)

6. Bell, M.A., Sinha, J., Johnson, A.K. & Testa, S.M. Enhancing the second step of the trans excision-splicing

reaction of a group I ribozyme by exploiting P9.0 and P10 for intermolecular recognition. Biochemistry 43,

4323-4331 (2004).

7. Sinha, J., Layek, S., Mandal, G.C. & Bhattacharjee, M. A green Hünsdiecker reaction: synthesis of β-

bromostyrenes from the reaction of α, β-unsaturated aromatic carboxylic acids with KBr and H 2 O 2 catalyzed

by Na 2 MoO 4 . H 2 O in aqueous medium. Chem. Comm. 19, 1916-1917 (2001).

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

Ad hoc Reviewer: Tetrahedron Letters, Journal of Material Research, RSC Advances, Chemical Communications,

RSC Analysts, Advances in Biological Chemistry, Nucleic Acids Research, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry

Contact this candidate