Assistant Development

SANDRA LOBO

***** ******* ******,

Eden Prairie, MN 55344.

Phone : 952-***-**** (Home)

952-***-**** (Cell)

E-mail : ******.*****@*****.***

________________________________________________________________________

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Chief Scientific Officer, AgilVax, St Paul, Minnesota.

(November 2011- July 2012)

• Completed due diligence for the vaccine company

• Generated the business summary and report on company

• Composed a detailed technical overview document

• Presented company profile to potential investors and strategic partners

• Worked with senior scientists on planning experiments for design and testing of chimeric virus-like particles as vaccines

• Composed and submitted grants and proposals to NIH and DOD

Adjunct Professor, Grants Coordination specialist, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

(September 2011-November 2011)

• Coordinated efforts between the University of Minnesota, Novartis-vaccine division and GE-bioengineering, to write up a grant proposal put forth by DARPA titled “Design of a human In Vitro model to reduce failures of drugs & vaccines in clinical trails”.

Senior Scientific Director, Syntiron, St Paul, Minnesota.

(March 2010-September 2011)

• Oversee and manage gene cloning strategies and optimization protocols for pilot scale protein purifications of possible vaccine candidates.

• Scale-up protein development from pilot studies and troubleshoot problems.

• Implement methods to remove endotoxin and reduce bioburden from vaccine formulations.

• Implement methods to solubilize, renature and fold membrane proteins.

• Isolate and identify antigenic proteins as lead molecules in vaccine development.

• Implement methods to fractionate bacterial extracts to test for antigenicity in animal models for vaccine development.

• Manage cloning projects and protein purification projects outsourced to other contractors.

• Work with project managers to coordinate scheduling and priorities of production and meet deadlines.

• Write grants to fund the development of vaccines and/or antibodies for passive immunity against other novel and potentially dangerous microbes.

• Attend executive meetings and contribute to executive decision making.

Senior Scientist, Syntiron, St Paul, Minnesota.

(June 2009-March 2010)

• Provided expertise in the areas of molecular gene cloning and recombinant protein expression and purification of identified protein vaccine antigens.

Research Associate, University of Minnesota, Dept of Biochemistry Molecular biology and Biophysics, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

(July 2003-June 2009)

• Completed research projects that involved the study of enzymes and pathways in lipid binding and membrane transport in adipocytes and their role in development of obesity and metabolic disorders.

• Developed an in vivo FRET assay for high throughput screening of medicinal libraries of natural compounds for a coveted anti-obesity lead molecule.

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Iowa, Dept of Biochemistry, Iowa City, Iowa.

(August 2000-June 2003).

• Conducted research on the palmitoylation of yeast Ras oncoproteins and the pathways involved in trafficking of yeast Ras from the ER to the plasma membrane.

• Identified and patented the Ras palmitoyl acyl transferase

Research Assistant, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. (August 1997-July 2000).

Research Assistant, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland.

(June 1996-August 1997).

• Researched enzymes involved in initiating fatty acid biosynthesis and polyketide biosynthesis in Streptomycetes.

• Utilized a reverse genetics approach to identify, purify and characterize a novel acetyl CoA: acyl carrier protein transacylase from Streptomyces collinus.

Teaching Assistant, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland. (August 1995-May 1996)

• Conducted lab sessions for Pharm D students in Microbiology and Natural Product Chemistry.

Research Scientist – Research Center, Proctor and Gamble, Bombay, India.

(August 1994 - July 1995)

• Extraction and isolation of medicinally active compounds from crude plants extracts.

• Identification and characterization of these active compounds.

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Biomedicinal Chemistry (1995-2000)

Department of Biomedicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Maryland

Thesis : Initiation of fatty acid biosynthesis in Streptomycetes. The role of a novel acetyl CoA:ACP transacylase.

Master’s in Pharmacy., Major-Pharmacognosy (1992-1994)

Prin.K.M.Kundnani College of Pharmacy, University of Bombay, Bombay, India

Thesis: Pharmacognostical and Phytochemical studies on Tacca aspera. Roxb. and Bergenia ligulata (Wall) Engl.

Bachelor’s in Pharmacy., Pharmaceutical Sciences (Distinction) (1987-1992)

Poona College of Pharmacy, University of Poona, Pune, India.

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

• Experience in vaccinology and human vaccine development.

• Experience in the development of enzyme assays, enzyme kinetics and immunoassays.

• Experience in protein purification techniques such as gradient fractionation and chromatographic separations including ion-exchange, gel-filtration, hydrophobic interaction and affinity chromatography.

• Experience with FPLC and analytical techniques such as HPLC,GC-MS, MALDI-TOF, ITRAQ, 2D.

• Experience in spectrophotometric methods like UV-vis, NMR, IR and radiometric analysis.

• Experience in molecular biology techniques including gene cloning, PCR, RT-PCR and real time PCR analysis, Northern, Southern and Western analysis, in vitro mutagenesis, gene knockouts, RNAi and nucleotide chemistry.

• Experience with yeast genetics and two-hybrid assays.

• Experience working with prokaryotic (E.coli, Streptomyces) and eukaryotic (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia pastoris) model organisms.

• Experience with mammalian tissue and cell culture techniques.

• Experience in confocal, phase contrast and fluorescence microscopy.

• Experience in biosynthesis of compounds, some experience in organic synthesis.

• Managerial skills- Experience with training and supervising research projects of graduate and undergraduate students, research assistants and scientists.

AWARDS AND HONORS

• Primary inventor on US provisional patent filed December 22, 2011. Novel immunogenic polypeptides and methods of use. Application No: 61/579,500.

• Paul D. Boyer-James B. Peter outstanding research award recipient (2005-2006).

• Primary inventor on US patent Iowa:051USP1(2003), Patent number 7488592. Human protein acyl transferases and methods of uses therefor.

• First author in highly cited Journal of biological chemistry paper titled “Identification of a Ras palmitoyl acyl transferase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae”. J. Biol. Chem. 277: 412**-***** cited 200+ times.

• American Heart Association Post doctoral fellowship (2001-2003).

• Rho Chi-Pharmacy Honor Society (1996).

• National Graduate Aptitude Test scholarship for Master’s degree program in Pharmaceutical sciences (1992-1994).

• Graduated with a distinction from the Poona college of Pharmacy, Poona University

Rank holder (1992).

PUBLICATIONS

1. Thompson, B.R, Lobo, S., Bernlohr, D.A. (2010) Fatty acid flux in adipocytes: the in's and out's of fat cell lipid trafficking. Mol. Cell. Endocrinol. 318(1-2):24-33.

2. Wiczer, B., Lobo, S., Machen G.L., Graves L.M., Bernlohr, D.A. (2009) FATP1 mediates fatty acid-induced activation of AMPK in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. BBRC. 387(2): 291-298.

3. Lobo, S, Bernlohr, D.A. (2009) Functional analysis of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 1 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. J. Biol. Chem. 284(27): 18347-56.

4. Lobo, S, Bernlohr, D.A. (2008) Fatty acid transport in adipocytes and the development of insulin resistance. Novartis Foundation Symposium 286 - Fatty acids and lipotoxicity in obesity and diabetes. Novartis foundation book catalogue 2007-8: 113-126. John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

5. Lobo, S, Wiczer, B., Smith A.J., Hall A.M., Bernlonr, D.A. (2007) Fatty acid metabolism in adipocytes: Functional analysis of transport proteins 1 and 4. J. Lipid Res. 48: 609-620. Times cited:4.

6. Wiczer, B., Lobo, S., Bernlonr, D.A. (2006) Transport of fatty acids into adipocytes. Future Lipidology. 1: 291-298.

7. Swarthout, J.T ., Lobo, S ., Farh, L., Croke M., Greentree. W.K., Deschenes, R.J., Linder, M.E. (2005) DHHC and GCP 16 constitute a human fatty acyl transferase with specificity for H- and N-Ras. J. Biol Chem. 280: 31141-48 Contributed equally to this work.

8. Dong, X., Mitchell, D.A., Lobo, S., Zhao, L., Deschenes, R.J. (2003) Palmitoylation and plasma membrane localization of Ras2p by a nonclassical trafficking pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mol Cell Biol. 18: 6574-84.

9. Zhao, L., Lobo, S., Dong, X., Ault, A.D., Deschenes, R.J. (2002) Erf4p and Erf2p form an endoplasmic reticulum-associated complex involved in the plasma membrane localization of yeast Ras proteins. J. Biol Chem. 277: 493**-*****.

10. Lobo, S., Greentree, W., Linder, M.E., Deschenes, R.J. (2002) Identification of a Ras palmitoyl acyl transferase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J. Biol. Chem. 277: 412**-*****.

11. Lobo, S., Florova, G. and Reynolds, K.A. (2001) A Streptomyces collinus thiolase with novel acetyl CoA : acyl Carrier Protein (ACP) transacylase activity. Biochemistry. 40: 11955-64.

12. Zhang,Y., Denoya C.D., Skinner D.D., Fedechko R.W., McArthur H.A.I., Morgenstern M.R., Davies, R.A., Lobo, S., Reynolds, K.A. and Hutchinson, C.R. (1999) Genes encoding acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (AcdH) homologues from Streptomyces avermitilis provide insights into the metabolism of small branched-chain fatty acids and macrolide antibiotic production. Microbiology. 145: 2323-2334.

13. Han L., Lobo, S. and Reynolds, K.A. (1998) Characterization of β-ketoacyl-ACP carrier protein synthase III from Streptomyces glaucescens and its role in initiation of fatty acid biosynthesis. J. Bacteriol. 180: 4481-4486.

14. Wallace, K.K., Lobo, S., Han, L., McArthur, H.I. and Reynolds, K.A. (1997) In vivo and in vitro effects of thiolactomycin on fatty acid biosynthesis in Streptomyces collinus. J. Bacteriol. 179: 3884-3891.

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS

1. Lobo S., Hall A.M., Wiczer B. and Bernlohr D.A., Fatty acid influx in adipocytes: functional analysis using FATP knock down 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Keystone Symposia- Adipogenesis, Obesity and Inflammation: (J4), Vancouver, British Columbia, January 2006.

2. Lobo S., Hall A.M., Wiczer B. and Bernlohr D.A., Fatty acid transport and activation of the AMP Kinase cascade. Keystone Symposia- Obesity: Molecular Physiology and Genetics of the Control of Body Weight (J4), Keystone, Colorado, January 2005.

3. Lobo S. and Deschenes R.J., Characterization of an ER membrane complex required for palmitoylation of Ras. Minisymposium at the American society for cell biology 41st annual meeting, Washington DC, December 2001.

4. Lobo S. and Reynolds K.A., Purification and characterization of an acetyl CoA: ACP transacylase (ACAT) enzyme putatively involved in the initiation of straight-chain fatty acid biosynthesis in Streptomycetes, Society for Industrial Microbiology 50th Annual Meeting, Arlington, VA, August 1999.

5. Lobo S. and Reynolds K.A., Thiolactomycin, a potential antimicrobial drug, National Medicinal Chemistry Symposium, Richmond, VA, June 1998.

6. Lobo S., Wallace K.K. and Reynolds K.A. “A proposed role for 3-ketoacyl synthases in the initiation of fatty acid biosynthesis in Streptomycetes”, Genetic and Molecular Biology of Industrial Microorganisms, Bloomington, IN, October 1996.

REFERENCES

1. Joe Shaw, CEO & Chairperson, AgilVax, Inc., *****@*******.***, St Paul, MN, Ph 651-***-****.

2. Dr. David A. Bernlohr, Professor and chair, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota; ********@***.***, Ph 612-***-****.

3. Dr. Robert J. Deschenes, Professor and chair, Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin; ********@***.***, Ph 414-***-****.

4. Dr. Kevin A. Reynolds, Professor and chair, Department of Chemistry, Portland State University; *********@***.***, Ph 503-***-****.

5. Dr. Maurine Linder, Professor, Dept. of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine; *******@*****.***, Ph 314-***-****.

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