“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”

I worked for Reynolds American starting in the summer of 2019 as an R&D intern, then from 2020-2022 as a Senior Scientist. As an intern, I honed my bioinformatic skills and learned to use a new batch queuing system for high powered computing, as well as write my own scripts for analysis of sequencing data, and analyze the aforementioned data with tools such as Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and Diseaseland, both by Qiagen.

During my time as a senior scientist, I worked amongst other scientists to perform toxicological assessments. I learned several in-silico based toxicological assessment methods and became proficient in the use tools such as Derek Nexus, Leadscope, and ToxTree to predict several different toxicity endpoints. In addition, to performing toxicological assessments, I reviewed non-clinical data for accuracy and assessed the appropriate use of in vitro or in vivo methods. The results of these methods were communicated in detailed with the US FDA in the form of PMTA submissions.

Throughout my time with the company, I participated in DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) initiatives. One initiative in particular is the B United employee resource group. This group serves as a safe space for LGBTQ+ members and allies. As they continue to grow in membership and support, I wish them the best.

  • Biomarkers

    Genetic and metabolomic biomarkers may be used to help identify populations for a study, monitor therapeutic response, and identify potential adverse effects. In 2019, I worked as an intern to establish a pipeline for QC, quantification, normalization, and visualization of RNA sequencing data. In addition to this, I managed and executed a research project spanning multiple institutions. My findings helped fill gaps in our scientific knowledge and inform future studies.

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  • Toxicology

    Toxicology provides critical information and knowledge that can be used by regulatory agencies, decision makers, and others to put programs and policies in place to limit our exposures to potentially harmful substances. I worked to support new and current product development by assessing materials, ingredients, and manufacturing processes. I helped provide toxicological assessments and guidance for each project to ensure compliance with federal regulations.

  • Communication

    A regulatory submission is a series of documents sent by a drug company to a health authority as evidence of compliance. In addition to offering scientific guidance and expertise on a number of topics, I served as a non-clinical point of contact and worked to summarize in vitro and in vivo scientific data to the FDA. Furthermore, I collaborated with numerous groups to demonstrate that products and scientific methods were appropriate for the protection of public health.

  • Advocacy

    Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are voluntary, employee-led groups whose aim is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with the organizations they serve. I participated as a member of B United, the LGBTQ+ ERG. My contributions to this group varied from keeping track of budget to designing stickers and lanyards.

    Check out some of my designs