Research Focus

Protein biomarker discovery for human disease diagnosis and progression

• Emphasis on protein biomarkers for diabetes, diseases of the kidneys and the urogenital tract

Characterization of host-pathogen interactions using proteomics and other ‘omics technologies

• Emphasis on urogenital tract and gastrointestinal infectious diseases

Analysis of complex microbiomes using proteomics and other ‘omics technologies

• Emphasis on host-pathogen-commensal relationships in the urogenital tract

Development of new methods and technology transfer for protein-based clinical diagnostics

• Emphasis on increasing efficiency of urine and plasma protein and whole proteome analysis

Education and Training

• Postdoctoral Fellow Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California
• Ph.D. Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Technical University, Berlin, Germany
• B.S./M.S. equivalent Pharmacy, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany

Work Experience

• J. Craig Venter Institute, 2009-Present, Associate Professor, Genomic Medicine and Infectious Diseases
• J. Craig Venter Institute, 2003-2010, Associate Director, Pathogen Funct. Genomics Resource Center
• Large Scale Biology Corporation, 1999-2003, Associate Director (2001) and Staff Scientist, Protein Chemistry
• National Cancer Institute, 1996-1998, Research Fellow, Protein Chemistry and Tumor Immunology

Patents (since 2010)

• U.S. Patent #7,342,089 (issued 1/5/10): Immunoaffinity-Based Subtraction Method
• U.S. Patent, No. US20130178377 (published 7/2013): Metaproteomic method for diagnosis of bacteriuria, urogenital tract and kidney infections from urinary pellet samples 

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