Tania Wyss

Thank you for your impressive Team assisting students in your achievements as part of a greater community

Teaching Experience: 

Duke University Pre-College, NC Jun-July 2024

Teaching Assistant: Social Psychology & Law(Lecture, lab section)

• Reviewed course material for supporting students’ understanding
• Provided visual demonstration of concepts to help Students achieve successful results
• Connected topics in field to every-day life examples relevant to students, answered questions and encouraged academic & extra-curricular goals for students
• Extended help for students to achieve their maximum potential inside & outside of classroom

Instructor: Biotechnology (Lecture, lab section)

• Lectured course material relating to science
• Performed visual demonstration of lab experiments, helped achieve successful experimental results
• Answered questions and provided support during course, encouraged academic & extra-curricular goals
• Extended help for students to achieve their maximum potential inside & outside of classroom

Teaching Assistant: Biology (Lecture, lab section) Professor Carrie Doonan, Lynley Doonan, Brooke McCartney)

• Guided laboratory experiments relating to food science
• Assisted Students understand COVID-19 virus biology & lifecycle
• Answered questions and provided support during group sessions, encouraged academic achievement & extra-curricular activities
• Extended help for students to achieve their maximum potential inside & outside of classroom

University of Denver, Denver CO Sep 2017-Mar 2019

Graduate Teaching Assistant: General Chemistry. Professor Todd Wells (Laboratory: 2 sections: 36 students)

• Led laboratory sections experiments and laboratory lecture 
• Performed visual demonstration of lab experiments, designed lectures, graded exams 
• Conducted one-on-one advising in office hours, fostered motivating learning environment, created supportive student-teacher relationships 
• Extended assistance to students outside of course, met and planned teaching approach with fellow graduate teaching assistants and advisor 

Stony Brook University, Stony Brook NY Aug-Dec 2015

Adjunct Professor: Fundamentals of Biology Laboratory Professor

(Lecture: approx. 24 students, 2 lab sections: 48 students)

• Lectured course material with examples from daily life for understanding laboratory purpose
• Provided feedback on student laboratory performance as well as lab reports
• Performed visual demonstrations and led laboratory sections
• Helped students overcome difficulties with targeted help for succeeding in the course
• Offered students a motivating learning environment through collaborating with peers in the class

Adjunct Professor: Chemistry Professor and Laboratory Professor

(Lecture: approx. 48 students, 1 lab section: 20 students)

• Lectured course material using dynamic approach and relevant examples to daily life, Proctored exams 
• Performed visual demonstrations and led laboratory sections 
• Provided feedback to student performance 
• Offered alternative learning approaches and assisted with understanding during help hours 

Graduate Teaching Assistant: Principles of Genetics. Professor Mark Winey, Nancy Guild (Lecture: approx. 120 students, 2 lab sections: 20 students)

• Lectured laboratory material relating to material in lecture
• Performed visual demonstration of lab experiments, helped achieve successful experimental results
• Answered questions and provided support during office hours, encouraged academic & extra-curricular goals
• Extended help for students to achieve their maximum potential inside & outside of classroom

Student Teaching Assistant: South High School, Denver, CO Sep 2018– Mar 2019

• Momentum, Force, Projectile Motion, AP Physics

• Derivatives, Integrals, AP Calculus

• IR, H-NMR, Distillation, UV-Vis, TLC, Organic Chemistry Safety

Research Experience: 

University of Denver, Denver CO Nov 2018- Mar 2019

Research Scientist: Professor Knowles, Erich Chapman.

• Goal of the research was to study XRNase enzyme kinetics using RNA curtains using high-resolution microscopy
• Expressed RNA, quantified RNA, performed Western blot and Northern blot, designed RNA oligomers for annealing on substrate for single-molecule microscopy, quantified total internal reflection fluorescence TIRF microscopy, analyzed co-localization of signals using MatLab analysis
• Provided progress summary by email to PI, maintained clean laboratory sections 
• Participated in lab group meetings, performed autoclaving for lab group materials 

Research Scientist: Professor Randall Cohrs.

• Goal of the research was to study varicella zoster virus latency reactivation with drug treatment
• Purified DNA and RNA, quantified DNA, transformed mammalian cells with virus, Cell culture, treated cells with drugs, assisted undergraduate Student with data analysis and creating tables for results, searched field-related literature 
• Provided progress summary by email to PI, maintained clean laboratory sections 
• Participated in lab group meetings, performed autoclaving for lab group materials 

University of Colorado, Boulder CO Jun-Dec 2011

Research Scientist: Professor Robert Kuchta

• Goal of the research was to study kinetic rates of DNA polymerase enzymes from herpes virus using nucleotide analogs
• Constructed radiolabeled oligonucleotides, ran radioactive Northern blots and measured extension rate of oligomers, performed silver staining for visualizing assay, performed UV-Vis spectroscopy, searched field-related literature 
• Provided progress summary by email to PI, maintained clean laboratory sections 
• Participated in lab group meetings, performed autoclaving for lab group materials 

Research Scientist: Professor Chi Dang.

• Goal of the research was to study alternative splicing in cancer
• Constructed vectors with cloning, protein extraction and quantification, performed Western blot, silenced gene expression transiently by electroporating siRNA and long-term by lentivirus shRNA transforming, searched field-related literature 
• Provided progress summary by email to PI, maintained clean laboratory sections 
• Participated in lab group meetings, performed autoclaving for lab group materials 

Research Scientist: Professor Robert Cohen, Tingting Yao.

• Goal of the research was to study kinetic rates of de-ubiquitinating enzymes
• Constructed vectors with cloning, sequencing and analysis of sequences, expressed and purified proteins by affinity chromatography, performed mass spectrometry on deuterium-modified ubiquitin protein, searched field-related literature 
• Provided progress summary by email to PI, maintained clean laboratory sections 
• Participated in lab group meetings, performed autoclaving for lab group materials 

Research Assistant: Professor Orlando Schärer.

• Goal of the research was to study XPF protein function in nucleotide excision repair of DNA.
• Cultured mammalian and insect cells, transformed cells with bacculovirus to express XPF protein in large-scale, purified protein by affinity & size-exclusion & ion exchange chromatography, assayed enzyme activity with nuclease assay, ran radioactively labeled samples on Northern Blot 
• Presented first literature review presentation in a lab meeting, wrote-up project thesis,
• Defended project thesis to undergraduate committee, participated in lab group meetings, 

Research Assistant: Professor Nicole Sampson.

• Goal of the research was to study sperm fertilization in Xenopus eggs by synthesized peptides
• Synthesized tri-peptides using BOC-protected amino acids, performed rota-vap, performed TLC, purified oligopeptides using large-scale silica gel column, 
• Participate in lab meeting, maintained clean lab section
• Assisted in maintaining clear laboratory log for procedures

Work Experience: 

Undergraduate Laboratories Assistant : University Pittsburgh PA Jan 2022– present

• Assist Students achieve experiments successfully in safe laboratories

• Instruct classes for students including activities indoors & outdoors

• Analyzed patient urine or blood samples for maintaining well-being

• Support kids in summer camp lessons & activities

• Instruct courses for students in auditorium hall and laboratory sections

• Help to get the day started for multiple sclerosis patient, perform aerobic exercises 

• Reconnected with Colorado State University alumni and provided donation opportunities 

• Prepare for exams and studied course material 

• Practice pool safety and hygiene guidelines, welcomed guests to pool 

Languages

• Fluent speaking and writing: English, French, German, Spanish. 
• Intermediate Speaking: Korean. 

Education:

University of Denver, Denver, Colorado

• 2 Years Graduate coursework Sep 2017-March 2019

• Master’s Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Graduation December 2013

• 1 Year of PhD coursework Jan-Dec 2011 

• Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry, Graduation May 2008