LC-MS/MS method development and Assay Validation

Youngsoo Kim

*** *. ***** ***, ***** Prospect, IL 60056 847-***-**** ********@*****.***

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Clinical research scientist with 20+ years of experience developing, optimizing, and validating quantitative liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assays for chemical identification and testing in human specimens and other complex biological matrices. Track record of building targeted assays where no standardized method existed, providing quality oversight in a CAP-accredited clinical laboratory, and leading multi-investigator projects with technical direction and staff mentoring. Author of 28 peer-reviewed journal articles, including two in PNAS.

CORE QUALIFICATIONS

• LC-MS/MS method development and optimization: Designed targeted multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) assays on Sciex, Waters, and Thermo platforms quantifying amino acids, neurotransmitters, endocannabinoids, drugs, and metabolites in plasma, urine, dried blood spots, brain dialysates, and tissue.

• Method validation and quality oversight: Validated quantitative clinical assays with defined quality metrics; served as mock inspector preparing the laboratory for annual College of American Pathologists (CAP) inspection; reviewed safety compliance of other clinical laboratories.

• Instrumentation, software, and data systems: Operate and maintain uHPLC-MS/MS systems (Sciex Citrine, Waters Xevo, Thermo Scientific Finnigan TSQ Quantum Ultra); analyze and report data with Analyst, Xcalibur, GraphPad Prism, SAS, and MATLAB; document standard operating procedures (SOPs) and standardized data-analysis workflows.

• Technical leadership and collaboration: Directed daily LC-MS operations supporting 20+ investigators nationally and internationally; instructed 30+ investigators, students, and technicians in sample preparation and data analysis; coordinated complex multi-investigator projects, tasks, and timelines.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago — Chicago, IL

Senior Clinical Development Technologist, Mass Spectrometry Laboratory 05/2022 – Present Full-time, 40 hours/week

• Develop and validate a quantitative LC-MS/MS assay that simultaneously measures a panel of 47 amino acids and 24 related isotopes in plasma, urine, and dried blood spot samples to screen for inborn errors of metabolism.

• Perform clinical LC-MS/MS assays across diverse human specimen matrices, including branched-chain amino acids in plasma for maple syrup urine disease evaluation, phenylalanine and tyrosine in dried blood spots for phenylketonuria, plasma free and total carnitine for carnitine deficiency, and immunosuppressive drugs (cyclosporine A, tacrolimus, sirolimus) for transplant patients.

• Define and monitor quality metrics for validated clinical assays and provide quality oversight in a CAP-accredited clinical laboratory.

• Serve as mock inspector to prepare for the annual College of American Pathologists (CAP) inspection and systematically review safety compliance of other clinical laboratories.

• Operate, calibrate, and troubleshoot Sciex Citrine and Waters Xevo LC-MS/MS systems; analyze and report experimental data and document standard operating procedures (SOPs).

University of Michigan — Ann Arbor, MI

Assistant & Associate Research Scientist, Chemistry and Psychology 10/2014 – 04/2022 Full-time, 40 hours/week

• Developed and implemented a targeted metabolomics assay to simultaneously quantify 70 neurochemical compounds and their metabolites in brain, blood, and peripheral tissue samples using uHPLC-MS/MS.

• Developed multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) assays for amino acids, acetylcholine, monoamines, endocannabinoids, dimethyltryptamine, and their metabolites where standardized methods were unavailable.

• Directed maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting of the Thermo Scientific Finnigan TSQ Quantum Ultra and Vanquish uHPLC system and performed daily analysis of brain dialysate and plasma samples for multiple investigators.

• Provided technical direction and hands-on instruction to 30+ investigators, students, and technicians on LC-MS sample preparation and data analysis methods.

• Coordinated complex, multi-investigator projects with collaborators at institutions nationwide and internationally, managing tasks, timelines, and technical communication.

Harvard Medical School & VA Boston Healthcare System — Brockton, MA

Instructor (2013–2014) / Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2006–2013), Department of Psychiatry 09/2006 – 09/2014 Full-time, 40 hours/week

• Investigated neurobiological mechanisms of chronic sleep restriction in rodent models using conventional and high-density EEG, qRT-PCR, microdialysis, and ELISA.

• Assessed pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics (PK/PD) of a beta blocker and an adenosine receptor antagonist to improve sleep and cognitive performance.

Northwestern University — Evanston, IL

Research Assistant 09/2000 – 08/2006 Full-time, 40 hours/week

• Studied electrophysiological and behavioral responses to sleep restriction and circadian rhythm disruption in a rodent model of aging.

• Tested gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), ramelteon, and modafinil on sleep and wake EEG responses; investigated sleep-deprivation effects on cocaine and amphetamine responses.

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Neuroscience — Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 2006

M.S., Biology — Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 1995

B.S., Biology — Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea, 1991

Postdoctoral Training: Harvard Medical School & VA Boston Healthcare System, Department of Psychiatry (PIs: Robert W. McCarley & Robert E. Strecker)

TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Mass spectrometry: uHPLC-MS/MS method development, MRM assay design, instrument maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting (Sciex Citrine, Waters Xevo, Thermo Scientific Finnigan TSQ Quantum Ultra; ExionLC, Vanquish uHPLC).

• Bioassays: qRT-PCR, ELISA and AlphaLISA, radioimmunoassay (RIA).

• Pharmacology: Drug administration (IP, SC, local brain infusion); pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD).

• Rodent techniques: Survival surgery, microdialysis probe customization and implantation, stereotaxic surgery, IV catheter implantation, behavioral training and analysis.

• Electrophysiology: Conventional and high-density EEG, single/multi-unit recording, field potential analysis, tDCS, amperometric biosensors.

• Other: DREADDs, optogenetics, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization.

• Software: MATLAB, LabVIEW, C; GraphPad Prism, SigmaPlot, SPSS, Statistica, SAS, Stata; Analyst, Xcalibur, MED-PC, SleepSign.

• Languages: Fluent in English and Korean.

LEADERSHIP & OTHER ACTIVITIES

• President, Saturday Tennis Club, Chicago, IL 01/2025 – Present

• Secretary and Executive President, Korean United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI 01/2019 – 04/2022

• President, Korean Tennis Fellowship, Ann Arbor, MI 01/2020 – 03/2022

• President, Tuesday Tennis Club, Ann Arbor, MI 08/2018 – 12/2019

• Military Service, ROK-US Combined Forces Command, Seoul, South Korea 07/1995 – 06/1997

• Volunteer, Bongcheon-dong Children’s Nursery, Seoul, South Korea 01/1989 – 12/1989

• President, Bio English Study Club, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea 03/1989 – 12/1989

• Class Representative, Department of Biology, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea 09/1987 – 02/1988

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (3 OF 28 PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES)

• Kim Y, Geng L, Lenhart A, Li J, Dauer WT, Kennedy RT (2022) Measurement of α-synuclein dynamics in vivo using microdialysis with a novel homogeneous immunoassay. ACS Chem Neurosci 13(17):257–2564.

• Kim B, Kocsis B, Hwang E, Kim Y, Strecker RE, McCarley RW, Choi JH (2017) Differential modulation of global and local neural oscillations in REM sleep by homeostatic sleep regulation. PNAS 114(9):E1727–E1736.

• Kim Y, Laposky AD, Bergmann BM, Turek FW (2007) Repeated sleep restriction in rats leads to homeostatic and allostatic responses during recovery sleep. PNAS 104:10697–10702.

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