Chaz M Cuckler
***** ***** ***** *** - ******, OH 45701
740-***-**** – ***********@*****.***
Education
Ohio University Athens, OH Graduation: Expected August 2016
Master of Science in Chemical Engineering GPA: 3.61
Ohio University Athens, OH Graduation: May 2013 Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering GPA: 3.60
Work Experience
Research and Development Engineer - Quidel, Athens OH Jan 2016-Present
Participated in optimizing the lyophilization of assay reagents
Participated in quantitative PCR for assay optimization equivalence testing purposes
Optimized cartridge welder parameters, resulted in consistent performance of new assay cartridges
Responsible for production and quality control of assay cartridges
Participated in setup, maintenance, and performance testing of prototype RNA extraction/amplification devices
Trained to dry room procedures
Learned the ins and outs of product development as well as the importance of strong communication between members of a multidisciplinary team
Graduate Research Assistant - Ohio University, Athens OH August 2013-December 2015
Studied a novel enzyme inhibitor and made the case for its potential as an effective pharmaceutical treatment, results may lead to better treatments for a diverse range of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and diabetes.
Used numerous lab techniques such as enzyme linked immunosorbent assays, microplate photometry, cell proliferation assays, and cell culture.
Learned to collaborate with technical resources companies to achieve data driven goals
Data resulted in thesis titled “A Comparison of Novel Compounds to Tideglusib, a Phase 2 Qualifying GSK-3 Inhibitor”
Creating manuscript for publication of results
Mentor in ACE Scholars Program - Ohio University, Athens OH August 2013-May 2014
Met with students weekly to obtain information on their academic and extracurricular involvement/achievement, and organized that data in a way that could be analyzed for trends
Graduate Teaching Assistant - Ohio University, Athens OH May 2013-July 2013
Organized study sessions, administered exams, and graded homework in an introductory level chemical engineering course
Learned to effectively present challenging material to a group of young students
Research Assistant - University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA May 2012-July 2012
Quantified the effects of chemical and physical stimuli on cancer cell adhesion and migration
Contributed to long term work in identifying key factors of tumor cell microenvironment
Learned to apply engineering principles to biological systems as well as to present the new knowledge that I have generated
Research Assistant - Ohio University, Athens OH September 2010-December 2011
Independently performed experimentation and data analyses that contributed to the long term progress of the lab. Much of the data I generated was published
Learned the basics of lab function such as safe laboratory conduct, ethics, and courtesy while working in the laboratory,
Learned numerous skills such as electrophoresis, flow based cellular assays, flow cytometry, and affinity chromatography
Class Project Examples
Designed packed bed reactor (PBR) for grain drying based on textbook knowledge of PBR kinetics and data collected in the lab. Also created spreadsheet estimating capital and production cost while maximizing profit
Specified reactor and distillation column parameters for the production and separation of cumene based on available published data
Projects required the extensive use of ChemCad, Matlab, and Excel
Relevant Course Work
Transport Phenomena, Advanced Thermodynamics, Reaction Engineering, Process Control, Process Design, Polymer Science, Material Science, Advanced Engineering Mathematics, Applications of Biomolecular Engineering, Engineering Statistics
Computer Skills
ChemCad, Matlab, C++, Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, Imaris
Paper in press
Burdick MM, Reynolds NM, Martin EW, Hawes JV, Carlson GE, Cuckler CM, Bates MC, Barthel SR, Dimitroff CJ. Isolation and characterization of chimeric human Fc-expressing proteins using protein A membrane adsorbers and a streamlined workflow. J Vis Exp. 2013; in press.
Venktesh S. Shirure, Tiantian Liu, Luis F. Delgadillo, Chaz M. Cuckler, David F. J. Tees, Fabian Benencia, Douglas J. Goetz, and Monica M. Burdick. CD44 variant isoforms expressed by breast cancer cells are functional E-selectin ligands under flow conditions.
Poster presentations
Chaz Cuckler, Dannielle Ryman, Shelly Peyton. ECM Stiffness and Modulus as Independent Controllers of Cancer Metastasis. Poster presentation, ICE REU, Amherst Massachusetts, 7/30/12.
Shirure VS, Delgadillo LF, Liu T, Cuckler CM, Carlson GE, Benencia F, Goetz DJ, Burdick MM. E-selectin Ligand Expression on Breast Cancer Cells Varies with Mesenchymal or Epithelial Phenotype. Poster presentation, BMES Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, 10/26/12.
Other presentations
Presented background and data associated with work performed at Ohio University in Dr. Monica Burdick’s lab at the Ohio University Student research and Creativity Expo. May 2011.
Presented background and data associated with work performed at the University of Massachusetts in Dr. Shelly Peyton’s lab at an ICE REU meeting. July 2012.