Curriculum vitae

EDUCATION

Ph.D.     Plant Biochemistry and Physiology, Institute of Plant Physiology, RAS, Russia (2004)

M.S.        Biochemistry, Moscow State University, Russia (2000). Magna cum laude.

Major     Biology, High School of Biology #520, Moscow, Russia (1995). Summa cum laude.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Kean University, NJ (2016-current)

Introduction to Botany and Biochemistry courses.

Lehman College, CUNY (2008-2016)

Summer and semester courses for undergraduate students: General Biology BIO166/167, College Now – advanced  placement biology course for high school students, General Biology Summer Workshop for freshmen (preparing students for transitioning from high school to college system), Anatomy and Physiology BIO181/182, Plants and Society BIO184, Molecular Biology BIO420 (guest lecture on Protein Biochemistry; lab teaching assistance).

Research training: individual training of undergraduate and graduate students in a molecular biology laboratory. Aspects taught: how to design an experiment, bench work – from cloning to analysis of the results, how to make presentations, basic knowledge of scientific writing (how to make a poster or write a report). Individual training of graduate students and visiting scientists on instrument usage (confocal microscope (Leica TCS SP5), HPLC (Waters).

Math and Science Academy, New York (2008-2009)

Tutoring of undergraduate students. Subjects covered multiple biology disciplines (biology, anatomy and physiology, molecular biology, biochemistry).

Stockholm University, Sweden (2005-2007)

Molecular Biology (lectures and labs, assistance with advanced course – membrane fractionation, protein isolation, proteomics).

Research training: supervising training of research projects of Erasmus program students (research design, bench work, written and oral reports).

 APPOINTMENTS

Kean University, NJ, USA (2016-current)

Assistant Professor.

Lehman College, CUNY, New York, USA (2013 – 2016). Adjunct Assistant Professor, Doctoral Lecturer.

Lehman College, CUNY, New York, USA (2008 -2013): Postdoctoral Fellow (NIH funded). Principal Investigator: Prof. Eleanore T. Wurtzel.

Research:   Localization of enzymes/complexes involved in carotenoid biosynthesis in plants.

• Developed maize protoplast transformation method, localized proteins by confocal fluorescent microscopy (Leica TCS SP5 system)
• Expressed and detected radioactively labeled proteins in chloroplast fractions (in vitro)
• Analyzed protein complexes by pull down assays, cross-linking, Blue-Native/2D electrophoresis and Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC), as well as LC MS/MS (in collaboration with Mass Spec Facility at Hunter College, CUNY)
• Expressed and purified biosynthetic enzymes; set up in vitro activity assays
• Analyzed by HPLC and UPLC carotenoid composition of plant and coli samples

Scientific Writing: Participated in manuscript and grant proposal writing and development

Lab management: coordinated lab activities, purchasing, equipment maintenance and repair.

Stockholm University, Sweden (2005-2007). Postdoctoral Fellow.

Principal Investigator: Prof. Birgitta Norling.

Research:   Protein transport and sorting in Cyanobacteria.

• Knock-out of Synechocystis protein sorting enzymes (leader peptidases) genes
• Participated in developing method of different membrane fractions purification and membrane protein isolation to compare protein distribution in mutants and wild type
• Used MALDI-TOF in proteomic analysis of Synechocystis membrane fractions

Scientific Writing: Participated in manuscript writing

Institute of Plant Physiology, RAS, Moscow, Russia (2000-2005). Ph.D. Student/Research Scientist, Principal investigator: Prof. Dmitry A. Los.

Research:   Stress inducible gene expression in Cyanobacteria.

• Identified key proteins involved in signal transduction in a two-component system
• Analyzed gene expression of a cyanobacterium Synechocystis under different stress conditions with by DNA-microarray and bioinformatic methods

National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan (2002-2004). Visiting Scientist.

Principal Investigator: Prof. Norio Murata.

Research:   Stress inducible gene expression in Cyanobacteria.

• Constructed a library of Synechocystis mutants affecting proteins involved in two-component stress signal transduction system
• Analyzed gene expression of cyanobacteria under different stress conditions by Northern blot, DNA-microarray and bioinformatic methods

Institute of Virology, RAMS, Moscow, Russia (1998-2000). Junior Research Assistant.

Principal Investigator: Prof. Edward V. Karamov.

Research: HIV-induced apoptosis in human lymphocytes; HIV drug resistance.

HONORS

Best oral presentation among young scientists: 3^rd Meeting of Russian Society of Geneticists and Breeders, 2004.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADDITIONAL TRAINING COURSES

Scientists Teaching Science; at New York Academy of Sciences (2014). A course on modern teaching of science based on current techniques and education in science.

Writing for Biomedical Publication; Scientific Writing for General Public; at New York Academy of Sciences (2012).

Certificate of Fitness type C14 (charge of chemical laboratory); at Lehman College, CUNY (2010).

Operation of fluorescent confocal microscope system Leica TCS SP5 (basic and advanced courses taught by Leica Microsystems representatives); at Lehman College, CUNY (2008-2009).

Scientific Writing; at Stockholm University, Sweden (2006)

Operation of MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer Voyager-DE STR at Stockholm University, Sweden (2005).

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

MOJ Proteomics and Bioinformatics, Associate editor. http://medcraveonline.com/MOJPB/