Doctoral Researcher, McGill University, Montreal, CA. 01/2018 - 04/2024
- Secured prestigious grant scholarships totaling CAD 145,000: CAD 56,000 from a Canadian grant and CAD 89,000 from an international grant.
- Managed laboratory operations as Lab Manager, providing essential support to students in mastering laboratory techniques.
- Maintained meticulous task sheets and ensured strict adherence to Research Institute regulations and protocols.
- Led the first quantification of soluble novel immune checkpoint CD155 in Basal Cell Carcinoma using ELISA, revealing elevated levels compared to healthy controls, contributing to Cancer Research and Immuno-Oncology.
- Investigated the cytotoxic mechanisms of auranofin and its synergistic interaction with the pro-oxidant drug L-BSO in EGFR overexpressing brain cancer cell lines, demonstrating synergistic cytotoxicity independent of EGFR overexpression.
- Demonstrated the efficacy of auranofin, alone or combined with L-BSO, in inducing cytotoxicity in High-grade Serous Ovarian Cancer cells by targeting multiple molecular pathways, independent of platinum sensitivity.
- Conducted comprehensive cell-based assays to evaluate the cytotoxicity of anticancer compounds, optimizing key parameters such as cell seeding density and readout methods (colorimetric assays like MTT and fluorescence-based assays like Alamar Blue).
- Performed flow cytometry experiments to quantify cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and various cellular markers (PI, Annexin V,
7-AAD, ATM, H2AX), involving meticulous optimization of cell culture conditions and probe concentrations.
- Validated high-throughput screening assays using 96-well plates and fluorescent probes, ensuring assay linearity for ROS measurements.
Research Assistant, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, MX 01/2016 - 2017
- Led DNA isolation and genotyping of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in indigenous Mexican populations, utilizing techniques including spoligotyping, southern blot, PCR, and VNTR-MIRU.
- Investigated Nocardia brasiliensis pathogenicity in neutrophil co-cultures in the Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Dermatologic Research.
Research Trainee, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA 12/2014 - 06/2015
- Led experimental research demonstrating that TC-1 murine cancer cells expressing HPV16 E6/E7 enhanced Adhz60, a conditionally replicative adenovirus lacking E1b-19/55K, resulting in significant oncolytic efficacy through virus replication and apoptosis induction,
contributing to the advancement of oncolytic virotherapy and immunocompetent animal tumor modeling, crucial for clinical translation.
Student Researcher, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, MX 08/2013 - 10/2015
- Developed DNA-based vaccine strategy for SA-4-1BBL for cancer immune prevention and therapy.
- Conducted experiments including cloning DNA fragments, isolating DNA, transforming competent cells, and characterizing resulting vectors.
- Designed and implemented chimeric HPV-16 E7 DNA vaccine (SP-SA-E7-4-1BBL) with significant prophylactic and therapeutic effects in mice.
- Demonstrated increased frequency of E7-specific T cells producing interferon (IFN)-γ via ELISpot analysis.
- Provided expert assistance to fellow researchers, troubleshooting and ensuring assay reliability.
- Contributed to research demonstrating enhanced lung cancer virotherapy through combined therapy of oncolytic adenovirus and temozolomide in vitro and in vivo.
Research Assistant, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, MX 08/2012 - 07/2013
- Engineered Lactococcus lactis to express fluorescent proteins including Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), mCherry, and near-infrared
Fluorescent Protein (iRFP) using the promoter NICE for controlled expression.
- Developed strains optimized for live cell imaging studies both in vitro and for in vivo imaging studies, particularly enhancing the applicability of iRFP for in vivo studies.
Graduate Trainee, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, MX 08/2011 - 07/2012
- Designed and constructed an innovative adenovirus vector targeting cervical cancer by incorporating mutant versions of E6 and E7 proteins from HPV-16 fused to calreticulin.
- Demonstrated the efficacy of the adenoviral vaccine in reducing tumor size significantly compared to control groups in a murine model of cervical cancer.
- Spearheaded research contributing to the development of potential antitumor strategies for cervical cancer, showcasing expertise in molecular biology and cancer immunotherapy
