Tonia Li
PHD
Austin
Summary
Recent graduate with a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, seeking a full-time position in drug development and therapeutics. Proficient in biomolecular assay development and dedicated to advancing innovative pharmaceutical solutions. Stay up-to-date on industry trends and driven by a passion for improving patient outcomes through groundbreaking research and development.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
23
23
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Texas at Austin
6 2019 - 7 2024
- Led investigation on how age affects processing of Z-DNA, an alternative DNA structure that serves as an endogenous mutation hotspot, in vivo
- Maintenance of mouse colonies
- Mutation frequency and spectra analysis of mouse tissues through blue-white screening and Sanger sequencing
- Analysis of proteins involved in DNA repair through western blot
- Established various tissue extract assays to examine DNA repair pathways and protein functionality through experimental procedures including gel purification, DNA sequencing gels, and gel electrophoresis
- Immunohistochemistry staining of mouse tissues
- Investigated HMGB3 (high mobility group box 3) protein and the role it plays in human serous ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3, PEO1 and PEO4 cells) upon depletion
- Transfection of siRNA to deplete gene expression of HMGB3
- Clonogenic survival assays using cisplatin
- Established a CRISPR knockout cell line
- Mentored undergraduate students.
Research Technician
Georgia Institute of Technology
01.2018 - 08.2018
- Assisted in Investigation on immune-oncology biomarkers and aided in the development of murine immunotherapy tumor models and T-Cell cytotoxicity assays through experimental procedures including T-Cell isolation, ELISA, tumor dissociation, fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC), expression of PD-1 in CHO cells
- Assisted in management of mouse breeding colonies
- Held responsibility for lab maintenance
- Mentored two undergraduate researchers.
Biochemistry Research Intern
Emory University
06.2014 - 08.2016
- Investigated von Willebrand’s disease through the expression, purification, and characterization of various proteins such as lactadherin C2-GFP/HIS fusion protein, glycoprotein 1b-alpha (GP1bα), glutathione s-transferase mechanosensory domain (GST-MSD), glycocalicin and von Willebrand factor A1 (vWF-a1) through bacterial and mammalian cell culture, SDS-Page, western blot, and size exclusion chromatography (SEC).
Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences -
University of Texas At Austin
Austin, Texas 04.2001 - 05.2024
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry -
Emory University
Atlanta, GeorgiaSkills
Mammalian Cell Culture
Bacteria Cell Culture
Transfection
Transformation
Western Blot
Southern Blot
DNA Sequencing Gels
Agarose Gels
Immunohistochemistry
Clonogenic Survival Assays
ELISA
Protein Purification
Protein Expression
T-cell Isolation
Gel Electrophoresis
Mouse Handling
SDS-PAGE
PCR
Cell Based Assays
Protein Based Assays
SEC
ChIP
Prism-GraphPad
Data Analysis
FPLC
Laboratory Operations
Publications
- Li, Tonia T., et al., Aging alters DNA structure-induced genetic instability in female mice (Manuscript in preparation)
- Li, Tonia T, et al., Z-DNA structure-induced genetic instability in male mice mirrors those found in female mice (Manuscript in preparation)
- D’Amico, A, Li, T, and Vasquez, K.M. Tissue-specific effects of aging on repeat-mediated mutation hotspots in vivo. Biomolecules, 2024 (in review)
- D’Amico, A; Li, T; Wang, G; and Vasquez, K.M. Aging alters genomic instability at endogenous mutation hotspots in mice. Nature Communication, 2023 (in review)
Timeline
Research Technician
Georgia Institute of Technology
01.2018 - 08.2018
Biochemistry Research Intern
Emory University
06.2014 - 08.2016
Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences -
University of Texas At Austin
04.2001 - 05.2024
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Texas at Austin
6 2019 - 7 2024
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry -
Emory University
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