Nikita Vishwanath Pinjarkar
Boston, MA +1-323-***-**** *********.*@************.*** www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-pinjarkar EDUCATION
Northeastern University (Boston, MA) Sept 2023- Dec 2025 Master of Science in Biotechnology GPA: 3.7/4.0
Coursework: Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, Cell culture, Downstream Process, Protein Principle, Biotech enterprises, Biostatistics. Fergusson College (Pune, India) July 2019- May 2021 Master of Science in Biochemistry GPA: 3.7/4.0
Coursework: Biochemistry, Protein Chemistry, Bioinformatics, Immunology, Genetic engineering, Toxicology, Neurochemistry. SKILLS
Wet Lab: UV-Vis spectrophotometry, Chromatography (HPLC, FLASH, FPL, LC-MS, Thin Layer Chromatography, Paper Chromatography), SDS PAGE, PCR, Mammalian cell culture (HEK293T, E. coli), ELISA, Flow cytometry, Western blotting, Cell transfection, Gel electrophoresis, Tissue culture, Molecular cloning, Nucleic acid preparation (DNA and RNA extraction), CRISPR, Microbial cell culture, Buffer and media preparation, Plasmid purification, Transformation, Protein extraction, Gel electrophoresis, Preparation of Competent cells, Pipetting, Molecular Modeling, NGS Data Analysis, Pharmacology, Microbiology. Software & Databases: JMP, BLAST, Swiss dock, PyMOL, SPDV, Discovery Studio, Phyre2, NCBI, PDB, UniProt, SwissProt, FASTQ, Galaxy,Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Industrial Trainee in NGS Data Analysis Feb 2021- April 2021 RASA Life Science Informatics, Pune
• Gained expertise in NGS methodologies, including sequence alignment, gene prediction, and variant calling.
• Performed genomic data analysis using BLAST, FASTA, and multiple sequence alignment techniques while designing primers for PCR and real-time PCR experiments.
• Conducted RNA-Seq analysis, gene expression profiling, alternative splicing studies, and variant analysis. Performed NGS data processing, quality evaluation, and alignment theories. NGS workflow improve seq alignment accuracy by 15%.
• Leveraged GenMark & GenScan for genome annotation, resolved misannotations, explored de novo assembly, ChIP-seq analysis, and metagenomics sequencing for precise genomic analysis.
• Developed bioinformatics workflows for large-scale genomic studies, ensuring high-quality data processing and interpretation. Research Intern – Molecular Biology for Young Scientists. Jan 2020- Feb 2020 Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune
• Extracted &purified DNA from a fluorescent fish gene to analyze gene expression and protein function.
• Performed PCR amplification, agarose gel electrophoresis, and cloning, followed by cell culture for recombinant protein expression and analysis like affinity and size-exclusion chromatography for downstream analysis.
• Utilized SDS-PAGE and fluorescence microscopy to assess protein expression, integrity, and localization.
• Applied BLAST for sequence alignment and comparative genomic analysis, gaining hands-on experience in molecular techniques. Clinical Laboratory Technology (CCLT) & Diploma in Clinical Laboratory Technology (DCLT) Aug 2016- Aug 2018 Shri R.L.T. College of Science, Akola
• Performed clinical diagnostics in haematology (CBC, blood smear preparation, ESR, coagulation tests), microbiology, biochemistry assays (blood glucose, lipid profile, liver and kidney function tests), and serology.
• Conducted microbiological techniques, including Gram staining, culture methods, and antibiotic sensitivity testing.
• Executed serological tests such as ELISA, Widal, VDRL, and CRP, along with urine and stool analysis for clinical diagnostics.
• Operated automated lab equipment, ensured quality control, and managed patient sample processing for accurate reporting. ACADEMIC PROJECTS
Protein Structure Prediction of Human Toll-Like Receptor Protein-2 (TLR2) Feb - May 2021 Rasa Life Science Informatics, Pune
• Utilized in silico techniques to predict the 3D structure of TLR2 using homology modeling and molecular docking.
• Conducted sequence alignment and structural analysis using tools like Phyre2, Swiss Model, and Modeller to identify the best-fit template for TLR2 and provided insights into TLR2 structure.
• Performed structural validation using PROCHECK, Ramachandran plot analysis, and energy minimization techniques.
• Investigated receptor-ligand interactions to understand TLR2's role in immune response pathways. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
• Leadership: Secretary of Microbiology Association, Coordinator; Indian Astrobiology Research Foundation.