SARS-CoV-2 Molecular Diagnostic Testing
I have recently been tasked with aiding in the implementation and carryout of SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing. The team at FYR Diagnostics has been working to implement the CDC 2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel in an automated and high-throughput fashion. We have been validating the test in-house as well as developing our own diagnostic test for detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA that runs to completion in less than half of the time it takes to run traditional RT-qPCR.
FYR Diagnostics has recently received CLIA designation and I am working on acquiring my certification as a Molecular Diagnostic Technologist through the American Association of Bioanalysts.
Multi-Level Dynamics of Viral Co-Infection
I am broadly interested in the effects of environmental and external pressures on shaping the genetic structure of a population. I believe that understanding environmental effects on the genetic level will provide a basis for stronger models of population structure, conservation, and disease response.
I earned my MSc in biology as a part of a collaborative and interdisciplinary effort through the CMCI at the University of Idaho. We built upon a host-virus system of Drosophila and associated viruses to develop a tractable invertebrate model for the study of viral infection and co-infection on multiple organizational levels, from molecule to community.
I utilized RT-qPCR with data analysis and modeling in R to look at viral transmission probability in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster under single and co-infection events with Drosophila C Virus and Drosophila X Virus.
Wolbachia
I am also interested in the ability of the commonly found endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia pipientis to confer antiviral protection to host flies and mosquitoes. Recently, Wolbachia have garnered attention regarding introduction into mosquitoes as a biocontrol of vector-borne pathogens to combat the spread of diseases such as dengue and malaria. Mosquitos that are infected with Wolbachia strains from Drosophila have shown immune priming of genes associated with anti-microbial peptides. However, the same immune response genes were not up-regulated in the natural host D. melanogaster. These results suggest that the core mechanism involved in antiviral protection is not dependent upon immune priming of antibacterial response genes.
I am interested in exploring the tripartite interaction between host, virus, and bacteria to determine the molecular mechanisms of antiviral protection conferred by Wolbachia in a natural Drosophila host