Scientist

MICHAEL L. HAYES

805-***-**** - *********@*****.***

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

I am a plant biochemist with excellent molecular biology techniques and extensive experience in plant transformation, data analysis, and reporting of results in peer-reviewed manuscripts. I am excited about the opportunity to explore new challenging opportunities in the study on phytochemicals and their effect on human health.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Transformation: E-coli - Yeast - Chloroplasts - Soybean - Tobacco

Tissue culture: Tobacco - Soybean

Protein: FPLC - Size-exclusion, Hydrophobicity, and Ion-Exchange Chromatography - Ammonium Sulfate Precipitation - ELISA - Ni-NTA Purification

DNA: PCR - RT-PCR - Primer Extension - Cloning - Sequencing

RNA: Nuclease Mapping - Radioisotope Labeling - In vitro Transcription - SNP-Analysis

Isolations: Protein - DNA - RNA - Subcellular compartments

Blotting: Northern - Southern - Western

Computer: Windows 98/NT/XP - Microsoft Office Suite - ImageQuant - Lasergene 6 Suite - Adobe Photoshop CS - Endnote

EDUCATION

CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Ithaca, NY 2002 – 2008

Ph.D. Biochemistry, Molecular & Cellular Biology Mentor: Prof. Maureen Hanson

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, Lexington, KY 1998 – 2002

B.S. Agricultural Biotechnology & Biology Mentor: Prof. Glenn Collins

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA, Santa Barbara, CA 2008– 2009

Researcher

Project: Researching methods for the transformation of complex chloroplasts of marine algae

• Created diatoms with resistance to antibiotics

Project: Study the role of nuclease cleavage in ribosome stalling in E. coli

• Designed and engineered DNA constructs and successfully expressed proteins to study nuclease cleavage of mRNA on stalled ribosomes

• Developed an in vitro assay to study paused ribosomes and mRNA cleavage

CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Ithaca, NY 2002 – 2008

Ph.D. Candidate

Project: Determine critical sequences for chloroplast RNA editing in transgenic tobacco

• Created transplastomic plants containing chloroplasts stably and transiently expressing synthetic editing substrates with different sequences around an editing site.

• Discovered secondary structure affects editing of transcripts from recombinant gene fragments

Project: Development of an in vitro chloroplast RNA editing assay for model higher plant species to characterize critical factors for C-to-U RNA editing.

• Designed and optimized protocols for editing exogenous RNAs using proteins present in chloroplast extracts from maize, tobacco, pea, and Arabidopsis.

• Invited to publish the protocol in the Journal of Methods of Enzymology

Project: Determine the sequence requirements for tobacco chloroplast editing in vitro.

• Revealed a six nucleotide motif required for editing in vitro of one particular C-target.

• Established that the C-target edited must be a particular distance from the required motif.

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, Lexington, KY 1998 – 2002

Research Assistant (1998-2002)

Project: Production and characterization of transgenic soybean plants.

• Created callus tissue from different varieties of soybeans, transformed soybean cells using the gene gun, selected for transformants, generated soybean embryos, and planted them into the greenhouse for screening.

• Analyzed soybean transformants using Northern, Southern, and Western blotting.

• Performed tobacco tissue culture and transformation using Agrobacterium.

• Contributions as an undergraduate acknowledged in seven peer reviewed publications.

Undergraduate Researcher (2002)

Project: Examine if there are binding partners for a protein involved in the regulation of chloroplast division.

• Screened an Arabidopsis cDNA library using yeast 2-hybrid technology

CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS

GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCE: RNA EDITING, Ventura, CA 2005

Poster Presenter

• Presented “RNA sequence requirements for chloroplast editing in vitro.”

ASPB NORTHEAST SECTIONAL MEETING, UNIVERSITY BINGHAMTON, Binghamton, NY 2005

Student Speaker

• Gave a talk entitled “RNA sequence requirements for chloroplast editing in vitro.”

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH, UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA, MT 2000

Poster Presenter

• Exhibited “Screening and characterization of transgenic soybean plants.”

ACADEMIC HONORS

GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCE: RNA EDITING, Ventura, CA 2007

Poster Award for Outstanding Poster Presentation

• “Critical nucleotides for in vitro RNA editing and editing site targeting in tobacco chloroplasts”

CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Ithaca, NY 2005 – 2006

Predoctoral NIH Training Fellow

• Awarded competitive training grant for research on sequence requirements for RNA editing.

16TH PENN STATE PLANT SYMPOSIUM, PENN STATE UNIVERSITY, University Park, PA 2006

Invited Speaker

• Presented “Critical nucleotides for in vitro RNA editing and editing site targeting in tobacco chloroplasts.”

CSPP/SCPV 2004 ANNUAL MEETING, Guelph, ON, Canada 2004

Award for Outstanding Presentation

• “In vitro analysis of RNA substrate requirements for plastid RNA editing”

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, Lexington, KY 2000 – 2002

Astronaut Scholarship

• Recipient of one of 17 national competitive scholarships for aptitude in science or engineering by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, originally founded by the Mercury 7 astronauts.

PUBLICATIONS

Hayes ML, Hanson MR. High conservation of a 5’ element required for RNA editing of a C target in chloroplast psbE transcripts. Journal of Molecular Evolution. 2008 67: 233-45

Heller WP, Hayes ML, Hanson MR. Cross-competition in editing of chloroplast RNA transcripts in vitro implicates sharing of trans-factors between different C targets. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2008 283:7314-7319

Hayes ML and Hanson MR. Assay of editing of exogenous RNAs in chloroplast extracts of Arabidopsis, maize, pea, and tobacco. Methods of Enzymology. 2007 424: 459-482.

Hayes ML and Hanson MR. Identification of a sequence motif critical for editing of a tobacco chloroplast transcript. RNA. 2007 13: 281-288.

Hayes ML, Reed ML, Hegeman CE, and Hanson MR. Sequence elements critical for efficient RNA editing of a tobacco chloroplast transcript in vivo and in vitro. Nucleic Acids Research. 2006 34: 3742-3754.

Hegeman CE, Hayes ML, and Hanson MR. Substrate and cofactor requirements for RNA editing of chloroplast transcripts in Arabidopsis in vitro. Plant J. 2005 42: 124-132.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Ithaca, NY 2002 – 2007

Graduate / Undergraduate Mentor (2004-2007)

• Led three graduate students and one undergraduate through their research projects

• Developed the research project, trained established lab protocols, and mentored.

Teaching Assistant (2002-2003)

• Instructed graduate and undergraduate students for two different laboratory classes on Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

LIBERTY HYDE BAILEY GARDEN CLUB, Ithaca, NY 2005 – 2007

Editor / Webmaster / Board Member

• Produced a monthly publication and maintained club webpage.

SAINT CATHERINE’S CHURCH, Ithaca, NY 2002 – 2006

Catholic Education Instructor

• Taught church teachings to middle school students.

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, Lexington, KY 2001 – 2002

UK SMASH Assistant Instructor

• Taught molecular biology principles and techniques to sophomore high school students.

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