SUMMARY OF SKILLS

• Motivated biochemist with diverse and intense academic, professional, and leadership experience.

• Over 12 years of laboratory experience in industry and academic settings

• Excellent leader and team player with experience working collaboratively with scientists globally from a range of disciplines and levels of expertise.

• Ability to establish priorities and work independently to design, develop, execute, and interpret complex metabolic projects.

• Highly developed organizational, problem-solving, analytical, and record-keeping abilities.

• Demonstrated manuscript and grant preparation resulting in publications in peer reviewed journals.

• Knowledge in experimental techniques, including: High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC), UV Spectrophotometer, catheter insertion in lactating sows, jugular blood collection from piglets, sow and piglet diet formulation, swine and gerbil husbandry, mathematical modeling of data using SAAM software, and in vitro digestion.

• Development and modification of analytical methods for routine and non-routine analysis by HPLC of drug and feed additives in various pharmaceutical formulations.

• Development of resistant and non-resistant starch in corn using Megazyme kit.

• Experience with Three Stage In Vitro digestion of carotenoids in corn

• Primary coordinator of seven animal experiments and one human food sensory evaluation study.

• Significant software experience with Empower and data interpretation.

• GLP experience

INTERNATIONAL MAIZE AND WHEAT IMPROVEMENT CENTER (CIMMYT): NON-PROFIT RESEARCH AND TRAINING INSTITUTE, TEXCOCO, MEXICO

Research Associate, 09/10-present

• Improve and develop biochemical methods for carotenoid and mycotoxin using both HPLC and UPLC methodology.

• Quantify resistant and non-resistant starch analysis in maize and maize food products.

• Determine in vitro digestibility of carotenoids in maize.

• Collaborate with scientists from multiple disciplines.

• Manuscript preparation on a review of resistant starch in maize.

• Assist in the accreditation of potential labs in Zambia to be used for carotenoid analysis.

• Train international scientist on carotenoid analysis in maize using HPLC methodology.

• Received a certificate in Waters ACQUITY UPLC System for Lab Practitioners, Milford, MA

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, Dept of Nutritional Sciences, MADISON, WI

Research Associate, 1/09-10/10

• Primary nutritional biochemist in food efficacy trial in Zambia under Harvest Plus

• Discovered that vitamin A in sugar decreases over time when packaged for market use

• Assisted in improving international provitamin A carotenoids analysis in maize

• Developed methods to determine vitamin A tracers in sow milk using HPLC

Research Associate, 8/07-11/07

• Initiated an online Nutritional Science Course

Research Assistant, 9/02–7/07

• Dissertation: Evaluation vitamin A Indicators and Supplementation Regimes using a Swine Model.

• Primary coordinator in seven swine studies involving husbandry, diet design, blood, tissue and milk collection and analysis of biomarkers, statistical analysis and mathematical modeling.

• Discovered 3,4 didehydroretinol can be used as a vitamin A tracer in sows

• Showed that current vitamin A supplementation programs need further evaluation

• Designed and coordinated a human sensory evaluation study with multi-colored carrots

• Trained and managed undergraduate students, visiting scientists and inexperienced graduate students.

• Collaborated with scientists from multiple disciplines.

• Communicated results in peer reviewed journals, departmental seminars, and national and international conferences.

• Created material to be used UW-Extension

Teaching Internship, 6/06-8/06

• Led an online discussion in a Nutritional Science course

• Developed an online evaluation form

Teaching Assistant, 9/02–5/03

• Led a weekly discussion group for an Undergraduate Nutritional Science course

• Provided office hours to assist students with special needs

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE:

COVANCE LABS, MADISON, WI

Research Assistant II, 11/07-12/08

• Development and modification of analytical methods for routine and non-routine analysis by HPLC of drug and feed additives in various pharmaceutical formulations.

EN CHEM, MADISON, WI

Lab Technician, 10/00–7/02

• Extraction of environmental contaminants in food, soil, and plant material

EDUCATION

PH.D,. NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES, MADISON, WI

B.S., BIOLOGY, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, CHICO, CA

PRESENTATIONS

“Surrogate measures of the modified relative dose response test,” Regional Training Course on Assessment of Vitamin A Status and Analysis of Vitamin A in Foods and Biological Samples, Institute of Nutrition, Mahaidol University; Salaya, Nakorn Pathom; Thailand, 5/24/04.

“Determining the efficacy of vitamin A doses given to infants in developing countries using a piglet model”. Experimental Biology Conference, San Francisco CA, 4/06

PUBLICATIONS

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Rebecca L. Surles, Dohle, S., & Palacios, N. (2012) Maize resistant starch: its health potential for Mexican and worldwide population. Submitted to Journal of Cereal Chemisty.

Rebecca L. Surles, Hutson PR, Valentine AR, Mills JP, & Tanumihardjo SA (2011). 3, 4-Didehydroretinol Kinetics Differ during Lactation in Sows on a Retinol Depletion Regimen and the Serum:Milk 3, 4-Didehydroretinol:Retinol Ratios Are Correlated. Journal of Nutrition (In press).

Dever JT, Rebecca L. Surles, Davis CR, & Tanumihardjo SA (2011). α-Retinol Is Distributed through Serum Retinol-Binding Protein-Independent Mechanisms in the Lactating Sow-Nursing Piglet Dyad. Journal of Nutrition;141:42-47.

Sun T, Rebecca L. Surles, & Tanumihardjo SA (2008). Vitamin A concentrations in piglet extrahepatic tissues respond differently 10 d after vitamin A treatment. Journal of Nutrition;138:1101-6.

Rebecca L. Surles, Mills, JP, Valentine AR, & Tanumihardjo SA. (2007). One-time graded doses of vitamin A to weanling piglets enhance hepatic retinol but do not always prevent a deficient vitamin A status. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 86:1045-53.

Tateya T, Tateya I, Rebecca L. Surles, Tanumihardjo SA & Bless DM (2007). Prenatal vitamin A deficiency causes laryngeal malformation. Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology 116: 785-792.

Tateya T, Tateya I, Rebecca L. Surles, Tanumihardjo SA & Bless DM (2008). The roles of vitamin A and macula flavae in maintaining vocal folds. Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology 117: 65-73.

Tateya I, Tateya T, Rebecca L. Surles, Tanumihardjo SA & Bless DM (2008). Vitamin A deficiency causes metaplasia in vocal fold epithelium: a rat study. Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology 117: 153-158.

Rebecca L. Surles, Li L & Tanumihardjo SA. (2006) The Modified-Relative-Dose-Response Values in Serum and Milk are Positively Correlated Over Time in Lactating Sows with Adequate Vitamin A Status. Journal of Nutrition 136: 939-945

Rebecca L. Surles, Weng N, Simon PW, & Tanumihardjo SA. (2004) Carotenoid Profiles and Consumer Sensory Evaluation of Specialty Carrots (Daucus carota, L.) of Various Colors. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 52: 3417-21.

Bogiatto RJ, Hindley JA, Rebecca L. Surles. (2001) Notes on the Winter Diet of Short-Eared Owls in Northern California Western North American Naturalist 61:501-502.

ABSTRACTS:

Surles, R.L, Tanumihardjo, S.A. & Palacios, N. (2012) Bioaccesibility of Carotenoids from Maize Flour with Varying Levels of Resistant Starch. FASEB J. (In press).

Surles, R.L, Mills, J.P. Valentine, A.R & Tanumihardjo, S.A. (2007) Evaluation of the efficacy of vitamin A supplements currently administered to infants using a piglet model. In “The science base needed for national policy formulation and program commitment” Micronutrient Forum, Istanbul, Turkey, April. 2007

Surles, R.L, Valentine, A.R Mills, J.P. & Tanumihardjo, S.A. (2007) Application of 3,4-didehydroretinol in the modified relative dose response test and as a vitamin A tracer during lactation in a sow model. In “Assessment and Evaluation" Micronutrient Forum, Istanbul, Turkey, April. 2007

Valentine, A.R., Surles, R.L., & Tanumihardjo, S.A. (2007) The modified relative dose response (MRDR) test value predicts liver vitamin A reserves in a piglet model. FASEB J. 2007

Surles, R.L., Mills, J.P. & Tanumihardjo, S.A. (2006) Determining the efficacy of vitamin A doses given to infants in developing countries using a piglet model. FASEB J. 20

Surles, R.L., Li, J. & Tanumihardjo, S.A. (2005) The uptake and clearance of 3, 4- didehydroretinol in lactating sows and the relationship of the modified relative dose response (MRDR) value in serum to that in breast milk. FASEB J. 19: A475 (abs. 292.7).

Tanumihardjo, S.A., Valentine, A.R. & Surles, R.L. (2004) Validation of the modified relative dose response test against liver vitamin A for application to infants and women using a swine model. In “Vitamin A and the Common Agenda for Micronutrients,” XXII International Vitamin A Consultative Group Meeting, Lima, Peru, Nov. 2004; p. 47, abs. T9.

Surles, R.L., Weng, N., Simon, P.W. and Tanumihardjo, S.A. (2004) Carotenoid profiles and consumer sensory evaluation of specialty carrots (Daucus carota, L.) of various colors. FASEB J. 18: A 155, (abs. 131.1).

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

“Functional foods”. A three piece display describing what functional foods are and an activity.

“Fats in your foods”. A three piece display describing the different types of fats found in foods and an activity.

“Three Sister’s” Brochure. A handout describing the Three sisters, how to grow a Three Sister’s garden and a recipe.

REFERENCE

Natalia Palacios. Current Supervisor at CIMMYT. e1fkjr@r.postjobfree.com

Sherry Tanumihardjo. PhD Advisor. e1fkjr@r.postjobfree.com

Julie Thurlow. Graduate Advisor. e1fkjr@r.postjobfree.com

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