Quality Assurance Medical

Rajalakshmi Balakrishna, Ph.D.

**** * **** **, *** # 6, Lawrence, KS – 66047

Tel: 785-***-****; Email: *********@*****.***

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

* Strong skills in developing Iso-type specific ELISAs in a 384 well format to measure the immunoglobulin titers which focus on developing self-adjuvanting vaccine construct.

* Knowledge of screening techniques to optimize and identify novel leads and targets for the development of a new antibiotic.

* Actively involved in the high-throughput analyses of TLR activation by NF-kB, and quantitative characterization of indices of immune stimulation by Cytometric Bead assays and activation of NK, CIK, B and T cells in human blood by flow cytometry.

* A team player with strong communication, presentation, interpersonal, and research skills.

EDUCATION

Ph.D.: Medical Microbiology, JIPMER, India. 1998 - 2003

M.Sc.: Medical Microbiology, Kasturba Medical College, India. 1992 - 1995

B.Sc.: University of Mysore, India. 1989 - 1992

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Research Associate, (2009-Present)

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Kansas University, Lawrence, KS

* Developed Iso-type specific ELISAs to measure the immunoglobulin titers which focus on developing self-adjuvanting vaccine construct.

* Actively conducting high-throughput analyses of Toll-like receptor activation by NF-kB, and quantitative characterization of indices of immune stimulation by Cytometric Bead assays

* Analyzing activation of NK, CIK, B and T cells in human blood by flow cytometry.

* Developed screening techniques to optimize and identify novel leads and targets for the development of a new antibiotic by testing small molecules for their bacteriostatic or bactericidal and membrane permeabilizing activities.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, (2004-2006)

Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Kansas University, Lawrence, KS

* Evaluated acylpolyamines for their intrinsic antimicrobial properties, outer- and inner-membrane-permeabilizing properties, and sensitization of bacteria to hydrophobic antibiotics.

* Optimized and identified novel leads/targets for new antibiotic by determining MIC, minimum bactericidal concentration and membrane permeabilization assays.

Doctoral Research, (1998-2002)

Department of Microbiology, JIPMER, India.

* Thesis title: Bacterial pneumonia with special reference to pneumococcal pneumonia: A study of immunological methods of diagnosis.

* Investigated nasopharyngeal carriage, antimicrobial susceptibility and serotyping of pneumococcal isolates in healthy school children in Pondicherry, South India.

SKILLS

Experimental Animal Methods: Administration of Drugs (IM, IV). Intraperitoneal inoculation of S. pneumoniae into mice and recovery of Streptococcus pneumoniae from blood obtained by cardiac puncture.

Cell and Molecular biology: Cell Culture including propagation, maintenance and storage, Transfection, Transformation, Nucleofection, Plasmid DNA isolation, Lyophilization, Nf-kB assays, XTT, resazurin & Nitric oxide assays, Cell fractionation, Isolation and quantification of Proteins, Protein electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), Protein assays, Enzyme assays and kinetics.

Immunology: T-cell isolation, CD4+T-cell Proliferation Measurement, Th1/Th2 cells harvest, 384 well high-throughput ELISA, Western blot, PCR, Flow cytometry, Multiplex Immunoassay (magnetic bead assay) & polyclonal antibody production.

Diagnostics: Antigen and antibody detection, Enzyme immuno assays, Latex agglutination, Co-agglutination, Widal test, Brucella antibody detection test, IHA, Serotyping, Bacterial culture, MRSA and ESBL detection, Fungal identification, culture, direct microscopic examination with KoH, Lactophenol Cotton Blue and wet mounts, Microscopic examination of smears by staining, Biochemical tests for the diagnosis of clinical infections, Quality assurance and control including testing of culture media for performance and sterility, Decontamination of instruments, Steam sterilization, Dry heat, biological monitoring of the efficacy of sterilization and SOPs.

Instrument handling: Bio-Plex multiplex array system, BD-FACS Array, Biotek Precision 2000 pippeting system, Spectramax, Vi-Cell cell viability analyzer, Biotek ELISA washer, DNA 120 speedvac concentrator, Bactec & Vitek 2 system.

Software Skills: Flow-Jo, Origin 7, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe and Photo shop.

AWARD/FELLOWSHIPS

* Senior Research Fellowship, Indian Council of Medical Research, India. 1999– 2002

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

* Lecturer, Medical Microbiology, Adichunchangiri Institute of Medical Sciences, India. 1997-1998

* Trained fellow Postdocs, Graduate and Undergraduate students on skills in cell culture, microbiology and immunology techniques.

CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY EXPERIENCE

* Clinical Microbiologist, Ernakulam Medical Centre (P) Ltd, India. 1996 -1997

* Clinical Microbiologist, Christus Muguerza Hospital, Mexico. 2003- 2004

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

American Society for Microbiology

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Salunke DB, Shukla NM, Yoo E, Crall BM, Balakrishna R, Malladi SS, David SA. Structure-Activity Relationships in Human Toll-like Receptor 2-Specific Monoacyl Lipopeptides. J Med Chem 2012 Apr 12; 55(7):3353-63.

Shukla NM, Mutz CA, Malladi SS, Warshakoon HJ, Balakrishna R, David SA. Toll-like receptor (TLR)-7 and -8 modulatory activities of dimeric imidazoquinolines. J Med Chem 2012 Feb 9; 55(3):1106-16.

Agnihotri G, Crall BM, Lewis TC, Day TP, Rajalakshmi Balakrishna, et al., Structure-Activity Relationships in Toll-like Receptor 2-Agonists Leading to Simplified Monoacyl Lipopeptides. J Med Chem. 2011; Dec 8; 54(23):8148-60.

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