CALLING GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POSTDOCS
WARF Ambassadors enhance the important connection between research on campus and technology transfer at WARF. We’re looking for creative, energetic graduate students and postdocs from scientific or technical disciplines who are interested in learning more about the tech transfer process.
Become an Ambassador
Contact Beth (Werner) Fischer, Director of IP, Life Sciences at [email protected] to learn more.
You will:
- Gain leadership skills by organizing events and leading presentations.
- Build your network of tech transfer professionals and peers across campus.
- Plan to spend about 10 hours per month on Ambassador projects.
- Help PIs and graduate students understand how their technology can positively impact the world through technology transfer.
We will:
- Teach you about patents, licensing and related career opportunities.
- Use your firsthand insights to inform new initiatives at WARF.
- Facilitate networking and career and social opportunities to help you build your resume.
Meet Our Current WARF Ambassadors
Roma Broadberry
Department: Morgridge Institute, Biophysics Program
Major Professor: Tim Grant
Email: [email protected]
Background: Develops cryo-EM methodologies for structural determination of biomolecules.
Tina Dang
Department: Pharmacy
Major Professor: Lingjun Li
Email: [email protected]
Background: Utilizes mass spectrometry techniques to research peptides and optimizing database searching algorithms for analysis of mass spectra.
Jorge De Los Santos Funes
Department: Animal & Dairy Sciences
Major Professor: John Parrish
Email: [email protected]
Background: Maternal-fetus communication in mammalians. Our approach involves study cells, miRNAs and DNA, in the maternal plasma coming from the fetus at the early stage of pregnancy. Domestics animals present different types of placentas and represent an excellent model to study these fascinating biochemical interactions.
Emily Eix
Department: Medicine/Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Major Professor: Jeniel Nett
Email: [email protected]
Background: Studies the fungal pathogen Candida aurist using ex vivo skin models to understand its high propensity for skin colonization and biofilm growth.
James Finn
Department: Bacteriology
Major Professor: Briana M. Burton
Email: [email protected]
Background: Investigates the molecular and biological function of the Type VII protein secretion system to improve our understanding of bacterial cooperation and competition.
Kendra Hanslik
Department: Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Major Professor: Tyler Ulland
Email: [email protected]
Background: Investigates how the gut microbiome impacts the neuroimmune response in the context of neurodevelopment and Alzheimer’s disease.
Caroline Hopkins
Department: Pharmacy
Major Professor: Seungpyo Hong and Glen Kwon
Email: [email protected]
Background: Develops hyperbranched nanocarriers for active targeting and drug delivery to disease sites for combination therapies.
Lisa Je
Department: Chemical & Biological Engineering
Major Professor: Reid Van Lehn and Victor Zavala
Email: [email protected]
Background: Guides experimental materials design by using molecular dynamics as an atomic microscope in conjunction with data-centric methods to identify structure-property relations; ex: using computations to identify ionic liquids suitable as an electrolyte for batteries.
Sojin Kim
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Major Professor: Frank Pfefferkorn
Email: [email protected]
Background: Utilizes biofluidic hydrodynamic cavitation to detect and separate foodborne pathogens from food particle samples.
Jill Kyzer
Department: Pharmacy
Major Professor: Cody Wenthur
Email: [email protected]
Background: Investigating novel treatments for substance use disorders through both traditional pharmacotherapy and vaccine-based approaches.
Noah Lancaster
Department: Chemistry
Major Professor: Joshua Coon
Email: [email protected]
Background: Develops mass spectrometry technologies to improve protein and proteomic characterization.
Aiping Liu
Department: Surgery
Major Professor: Angela Gibson
Email: [email protected]
Background: Researches wound healing, focusing on burn wounds.
Aaron Lowenstein
Department: Plant Pathology
Major Professor: Andrew Bent
Email: [email protected]
Background: Investigates the molecular mechanisms of soybean resistance to the soybean cyst nematode.
Michael Patton
Department: Materials Science and Engineering
Major Professor: Chang-Beom Eom
Email: [email protected]
Background: Thin film growth of oxides for novel spintronic and magnetic properties.
Victor Santoro Fernandes
Department: Medical Physics
Major Professor: Robert Jeraj
Email: [email protected]
Background: Medical image analysis, focusing on automated response assessment for metastatic cancer patients.
James Unzaga
Department: Materials Science and Engineering
Major Professor: Michael Arnold
Email: [email protected]
Background: Develops advanced electronics by fabricating and studying carbon nanotube nanodevices.
Jacob Vander Griend
Department: Medical Microbiology & Immunology
Major Professor: Mark Mandel
Email: [email protected]
Background: Investigates the regulatory mechanisms of biofilm formation in the beneficial symbiont Vibrio fischeri, to contribute to better understanding of host colonization processes.
Kristy Wendt
Department: Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Biomedical Engineering
Major Professor: Susan Thibeault
Email: [email protected]
Background: Studies how the gene expression of individual cells changes during vocal fold injury and repair.