126 Corporate Blvd
South Plainfield, NJ 07080
Admera Health provides genomic and bioinformatic services for researchers working on projects ranging from exploratory to clinical. Their technology also includes single-cell analysis, transcriptomics, and epigenetics which are essential services to researchers across the globe. Admera is hiring many scientists with PhDs at their New Jersey location so come visit to learn how you can get hired and contribute to this company’s amazing work.s.
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7 Clarke Drive
Building 2, Floor 4
Cranbury, NJ 08512
WuXi Biologics is a leading global Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO) offering end-to-end solutions that enable partners to discover, develop and manufacture biologics from concept to commercialization for the benefit of patients worldwide. WuXi Biologics leverages its technologies and expertise to provide customers with efficient and cost-effective biologics discovery, development and manufacturing solutions. Come visit their location in New Jersey where they are hiring many PhD level employees.
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777 Scudders Mill Road
Building 2, Floor 4
Plainsboro, NJ 08540
Genmab is a biotechnology company specializing in the creation and development of differentiated antibody therapeutics to fight against cancer and other serious diseases. Genmab’s proprietary pipeline includes bispecific T-cell engagers, next generation immune checkpoint modulators, effector function enhanced antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates. Come visit their location near Princeton where they are hiring postdocs and scientists to learn more about this growing company.
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Individuals with jobs in Regulatory Affairs negotiate the interaction between the regulators (the government), the regulated (industry), and the market (consumers) to get safe and effective therapies, products and devices to the market. This requires understanding the science behind the drug or product. Come hear from a panel of PhD level individuals who now work in Regulatory Affairs as writers and other roles to learn how you can also make the transition from bench to this area.
Click here to see speaker's information.
A Contract Research Organization (CRO) is a great place for a fresh PhD to land their first job. More and more pharmaceutical companies are outsourcing parts of their projects to these CROs so it is a growing industry. Come meet PhD-level panelists from three of the largest CROs: Charles River Laboratories, Labcorp Drug Development, and Medpace to learn how you can get this kind of job and the benefits of working for a CRO.
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Growth mindset, or the belief that our abilities are malleable rather than set in stone, has become an educational buzzword in the past decade. This workshop addresses misconceptions of what it means to have a growth mindset and explores the benefits of adopting a growth mindset for both students and instructors. Additionally, the workshop will introduce actionable ways that instructors can create a classroom environment in which all students feel they can learn and grow.
During this workshop we will discuss tips and strategies for maintaining effective communication between TAs and faculty members. We will focus on discussing expectations with your faculty member, important questions to ask in the beginning of the semester, as well as maintaining effective communication throughout the semester.
3:00 - 4:00pm
679 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (Room #10)
Center for Advanced Biotech and Medicine, Busch Campus
Zoom option available.
~Snacks & coffee provided!~
Register to attend in person or on Zoom.
Students, faculty, and staff are invited to join the School of Graduate Studies as we enjoy, dialogue about, and learn from two fantastic graduate students -- Parameshwaran Pasupathy (Ph.D. student, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering) and Mary Lally (Ph.D. student, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics) -- who will share their research in a friendly and low-stakes setting. Learn more about the presenters and their presentations below!
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1.) "A Fractional Viscoelastic Model of the Axon in Brain White Matter" by Parameshwaran Pasupathy
Abstract: Traumatic axonal injury occurs when loads experienced on the tissue-scale are transferred to the individual axons. Mechanical characterization of axon deformation especially under dynamic loads however is extremely difficult owing to their viscoelastic properties. The viscoelastic characterization of axon properties that are based on interpretation of results from in vivo brain Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) are dependent on the specific frequencies used to generate shear waves with which measurements are made. In this study, we aim to develop a fractional viscoelastic model to characterize the time dependent behavior of the properties of the axons in a composite white matter (WM) model. The viscoelastic powerlaw behavior observed at the tissue level is assumed to exist across scales, from the continuum macroscopic level to that of the microstructural realm of the axons. The material parameters of the axons and glia are fitted to a springpot model. The 3D fractional viscoelastic springpot model is implemented within a finite element framework using a vectorized user defined material (VUMAT) subroutine in ABAQUS finite element software. Representative Volume Elements (RVE) of axons embedded in glia are developed and subjected to a relaxation displacement boundary condition. The homogenized orthotropic fractional material properties of the axon-matrix system as a function of the volume fraction of axons in the ECM are extracted by solving the inverse problem.
Presenter Bio: Parameshwaran Pasupathy is a 4th year PhD student at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. His dissertation is on the multi-scale modeling of brain tissue, which is at the intersection of mechanobiology, computational solid mechanics, and interfacial mechanics. His interdisciplinary research on micro-scale modeling of white matter seeks to develop a fundamental understanding of brain injury and its relevance in detecting mTBI (mild-Traumatic Brain Injury), which is currently undetectable by standard diagnostic tools (such as MRI and DTI.). Paramesh has a Masters degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan. Prior to beginning his PhD at Rutgers, Paramesh worked as an Senior Technical Engineer for Siemens PLM as a part of their HEEDS multi-disciplinary design optimization team.
2.) "Dissociating the local and systemic effects of the non-absorbable antibiotic vancomycin" by Mary Lally
Abstract: Vancomycin is commonly prescribed to treat Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs), yet even with antibiotic treatment, CDIs cause 15,000 deaths per year. Previous studies have investigated vancomycin's impact on the microbiome and antibiotic resistance; however, none have differentiated between the antibiotic’s effects on the microbiome and on the host. When administered orally, vancomycin remains in the gut; it is neither absorbed nor metabolized. Since the microbiome has an important role in processing dietary fiber and training the immune system, vancomycin-induced changes likely affect the host’s ability to respond to infections and treatment. The long-term goal of this project is to elucidate the differences between local changes to the microbiome and systemic changes to the host induced by the non-absorbable antibiotic vancomycin. My hypothesis is that changes in the gut microbiota alter circulating factors like immune cells, lipids, and microbial metabolites to induce changes in host health. Understanding what alterations occur can eventually help counteract them to provide the best care for individuals with CDIs.
Presenter Bio: Mary Lally is a second year graduate student in the Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program and works in Dr. Martin Blaser’s laboratory. She earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences in 2020 and M.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology in 2021 from Fordham University. Mary first became interested in the microbiome when she was an undergraduate student and studied the salamander skin microbiome. She researched how bacteria living on a salamander’s skin protect the amphibians from the deadly chytrid fungus. Now, Mary researches the impact of antibiotics on the mammalian microbiome and its host and hopes that her work will improve outcomes and care for patients that receive antibiotic treatment.
Research Café brings together the entire graduate student community of Rutgers University-New Brunswick/Piscataway campus to strengthen scholarly literacy and interdisciplinary research communication by providing a platform for budding researchers to connect, share their in-progress research or scholarship, and benefit from peer feedback in a friendly and low-stakes setting.
Research Café is a monthly, one-hour event to occur at rotating locations across the Rutgers New Brunswick/Piscataway campus (a Zoom option will be available, too). Each event will feature:
Sign up to attend in person or on Zoom at https://grad.rutgers.edu/research-cafe.
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Questions? Contact the program coordinators:
Sonal Gahlawat at sg1389@scarletmail.rutgers.edu, Briana Bivens at bb770@grad.rutgers.edu, and Ramazan Güngör at rg835@grad.rutgers.edu.
3:00 - 4:00pm
679 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (Room #10)
Center for Advanced Biotech and Medicine, Busch Campus
Zoom option available.
~Snacks & coffee provided!~
Register to attend in person or on Zoom.
Students, faculty, and staff are invited to join the School of Graduate Studies as we enjoy, dialogue about, and learn from two fantastic graduate students -- Natalie Losada (Ph.D. student, Chemistry & Chemical Biology) and Souvik Mandal (Ph.D. student, Chemistry and Chemical Biology) -- who will share their research in a friendly and low-stakes setting. Learn more about the presenters and their presentations below!
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1.) "HIV‑1 gp120 Antagonists Also Inhibit HIV‑1 Reverse Transcriptase by Bridging the NNRTI and NRTI Sites" by Natalie Losada
Abstract: HIV-1 infection is typically treated using ≥2 drugs, including at least one HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor. Drugs targeting RT comprise nucleos(t)ide RT inhibitors (NRTIs) and nonnucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTIs). NRTI-triphosphates bind at the polymerase active site and, following incorporation, inhibit DNA elongation. NNRTIs bind at an allosteric pocket ∼10 Å away from the polymerase active site. This study focuses on compounds (“NBD derivatives”) originally developed to bind to HIV-1 gp120, some of which inhibit RT. We have determined crystal structures of three NBD compounds in complex with HIV-1 RT, correlating with RT enzyme inhibition and antiviral activity, to develop structure−activity relationships. Intriguingly, these compounds bridge the dNTP and NNRTI-binding sites and inhibit the polymerase activity of RT in the enzymatic assays (IC50 < 5 μM). Two of the lead compounds, NBD-14189 and NBD-14270, show potent antiviral activity (EC50 < 200 nM), and NBD-14270 shows low cytotoxicity (CC50 > 100 μM). ------TAKEN FROM::: J. Med. Chem. 2021, 64, 22, 16530–16540
Presenter Bio: I earned my bachelors in Chemistry from Rutgers in 2018 with a minor in Visual Art. Right after I went into my PhD program, once again in the Rutgers Chemistry department. I am now a 5th year PhD candidate in Eddy Arnold's lab group in the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine and Department, where I mainly use a technique called X-ray crystallography. I study the structures and mechanisms of interaction of HIV-1 proteins, such as reverse transcriptase, for potential drug development.
2.) "Ammonia and Beyond" by Souvik Mandal
Abstract: One of the most important technological inventions of the 20th century is the Haber-Bosch process (HB) for the synthesis of ammonia from atmospheric N2. However, HB is responsible for ca. 2% of global fossil fuel consumption and the co-production of commensurate quantities of CO2. In this context, we are investigating molecular catalysts with the ultimate goal of developing electrocatalysts for the reduction of N2 to ammonia. Reduction of N2 using molecular catalysts has gained significant attention since Schrock’s seminal report in 2003 and then a report by Nishibayashi in 2011. We have centered our approach on metal complexes that can bind and cleave N2 via a bimetallic pathway, and then accept protons and electrons to yield NH3. The Nishibayashi catalysts have been proposed, at least in some cases, to operate via dinitrogen-bridging Mo(I) (d5) fragments. Recent work by Schneider et al. demonstrates dinitrogen cleavage by Mo(II) (d4) fragments although the system failed to catalytically produce ammonia.
We are currently investigating the catalytic N2 reduction using a PNP-pincer-ligated Mo complex (PNP = Ozerov’s diaryl-based pincer ligand) and, in particular, the cleavage of the dinitrogen-bridged species, using electrochemical methods.
Presenter Bio: I am Souvik Mandal, a 4th year Ph.D. candidate in Prof. Alan Goldman's group in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. I have completed my B.Sc(Research) and M.Sc from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India in 2019 and joined Ph.D. program. I am interested in the activation and functionalization of small molecules utilizing homogenous metal complexes. In particular, currently, I am working on nitrogen activation to make ammonia, which is used as fertilizer. In this talk, I will share my understanding and our efforts for it. Outside the lab, I like to cook, travel and visit National Parks.
Research Café brings together the entire graduate student community of Rutgers University-New Brunswick/Piscataway campus to strengthen scholarly literacy and interdisciplinary research communication by providing a platform for budding researchers to connect, share their in-progress research or scholarship, and benefit from peer feedback in a friendly and low-stakes setting.
Research Café is a monthly, one-hour event to occur at rotating locations across the Rutgers New Brunswick/Piscataway campus (a Zoom option will be available, too). Each event will feature:
Sign up to attend in person or on Zoom at https://grad.rutgers.edu/research-cafe.
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Questions? Contact the program coordinators:
Sonal Gahlawat at sg1389@scarletmail.rutgers.edu, Briana Bivens at bb770@grad.rutgers.edu, and Ramazan Güngör at rg835@grad.rutgers.edu.
3:00 - 4:00pm
679 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854 (Room #10)
Center for Advanced Biotech and Medicine, Busch Campus
Zoom option available.
~Snacks & coffee provided!~
Register to attend in person or on Zoom.
Students, faculty, and staff are invited to join the School of Graduate Studies as we enjoy, dialogue about, and learn from two fantastic graduate students -- Shawn Rumrill (Ph.D. student, Chemistry & Chemical Biology) and Sergej Grunevski (Ph.D. student, Cognitive Psychology) -- who will share their research in a friendly and low-stakes setting. Learn more about the presenters and their presentations below!
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1.) "Structural implications of a second strand HIV-1 reverse transcription initiation complex +/- NNRTI for slow nucleotide incorporation and high sensitivity to NNRTI inhibition" by Shawn Rumrill
Abstract: A major target of antiretroviral therapy is the reverse transcriptase (RT) enzyme, which converts viral RNA into the DNA provirus, with nearly 50% of FDA approved HIV treatments targeting RT. Of these, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) are potent allosteric inhibitors of RT, but questions remain open about where and how they act in different stages of the viral lifecycle and reverse transcription. Biochemical studies have shown that plus-strand initiation of reverse transcription (initiating “second strand” DNA synthesis) is particularly sensitive to inhibition by NNRTIs, with more modest inhibition occurring in minus-strand synthesis. As such, our work investigates the structural features of a simplified plus-strand RT initiation complex (+miniRTIC) with and without an NNRTI (rilpivirine) to explore potential mechanisms that underlie these biochemical observations. Accordingly, we determined the first structure of HIV-1 RT with a DNA template and a polypurine tract RNA primer, representing the +0 state of plus-strand initiation. These structures provide new insights into the initiation state of RT, whereby the NNIBP more closely resembles an NNRTI-bound state, even in the absence of NNRTI, thus explaining increased susceptibility to inhibition. Further understanding of subsequent incorporation states may reveal new avenues for targeted therapy development.
Presenter Bio: Shawn Rumrill is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. Here, he uses biophysical techniques to understand the structure, function, and mechanisms of HIV and other proteins related to human health and disease. Outside of research, Shawn has a history of student involvement and leadership in organizations and student worker positions, include the Rutgers Graduate Student Association.
2.) "The dynamics of craving and willingness-to-pay for drugs and food in daily life" by Sergej Grunevski
Abstract: Craving refers to the intense desire for a particular substance or activity. Many people experience healthy cravings for food and snacks, whereas others report excessively high craving for drugs that predisposes them to relapse. Recent laboratory studies show that craving may bias behavior by influencing subjective value: people are willing to pay more for craved items during the momentary state of craving. The purpose of the current study was to extend these findings outside the lab by repeatedly surveying daily craving and willingness-to-pay for drugs and snack foods via smartphones as healthy people and people with opioid use disorder engaged in their everyday lives. In this talk, I will discuss similarities and differences between person-level and moment (day)-level experiences of craving, as well as the relationship between craving and willingness-to-pay within and across commodities. Overall, the purpose of our work is to understand the timescale of association between craving and subjective value for drugs and food, how craving for a specific commodity may influence willingness-to-pay for another commodity, how these processes are influenced by drug use, exposure to drug cues, and mood, and how predictive they may be of future relapse.
Presenter Bio: Sergej Grunevski is a first-year Ph.D. student in Cognitive Psychology at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. His primary graduate mentor is Dr. Anna Konova, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, whose main research focus is addiction & decision neuroscience. Prior to coming to Rutgers, Sergej received his B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Kansas and then worked as a research coordinator for three years at the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment under Drs. Richard Yi and Tim Pleskac.
Research Café brings together the entire graduate student community of Rutgers University-New Brunswick/Piscataway campus to strengthen scholarly literacy and interdisciplinary research communication by providing a platform for budding researchers to connect, share their in-progress research or scholarship, and benefit from peer feedback in a friendly and low-stakes setting.
Research Café is a monthly, one-hour event to occur at rotating locations across the Rutgers New Brunswick/Piscataway campus (a Zoom option will be available, too). Each event will feature:
Sign up to attend in person or on Zoom at https://grad.rutgers.edu/research-cafe.
---
Questions? Contact the program coordinators:
Sonal Gahlawat at sg1389@scarletmail.rutgers.edu, Briana Bivens at bb770@grad.rutgers.edu, and Ramazan Güngör at rg835@grad.rutgers.edu.