In Vivo Pharmacology
Murine models: breeding, genotyping, dosing (IP, retro-orbital), tissue and blood collection, glucose monitoring. Colony management with strict protocol adherence and sample tracking.
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Profile
Translational research scientist with cross-sector experience across academia, government, and industry, supporting preclinical drug discovery and in vivo pharmacology in immunology, structural biology, diabetes, ophthalmology, and metabolic disease.
I design and execute in vivo studies โ murine transplant and knockout models โ and read out pharmacodynamic responses, biomarker profiles, and disease-relevant immune activity using multi-parameter flow cytometry and immunofluorescence-based tissue immunophenotyping. My work sits at the interface where messy biological data becomes an actionable decision: continue, redesign, or kill.
0Peer-reviewed
publications
publications
0ARVO poster
presentations
presentations
0Color flow
cytometry panels
cytometry panels
0Bench & in vivo
experience
experience
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Technical Capabilities
Flow Cytometry & Immune Analysis
Multi-parameter flow cytometry, โฅ18-color panels. Cytek Aurora, BD Fortessa, Canto II. Immune subset definition and inflammatory profiling for biomarker assessment. FlowJo.
Protein & Molecular Biology
Western blotting, SDS-PAGE, ELISA, chemiluminescence detection. RNA/DNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, PCR and qPCR for gene-expression and pathway analysis.
Tissue & Imaging
Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry on wholemount cornea, conjunctiva, and lacrimal gland. Microscopy and quantitative image-based immune infiltration analysis.
Ophthalmic Drug Development
Preclinical safety and efficacy of ophthalmic formulations on ex vivo human organs โ Franz diffusion method, BCOP, and HET-CAM assays.
Data & Instrumentation
GraphPad Prism, FlowJo, Qubit, NanoDrop, INSTRON. Mammalian and primary cell culture, adherent and suspension.
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Professional Experience
Graduate Research Assistant II
Ocular Disease Pathology Lab
- Investigated ocular graft-versus-host disease using murine transplant models, characterizing immune cell infiltration, activation, and tissue-specific inflammatory responses.
- Performed multi-parameter flow cytometry and tissue immunophenotyping (cornea, conjunctiva, lacrimal gland) to define immune subsets and inflammatory profiles supporting biomarker assessment.
- Evaluated preclinical ophthalmic therapeutics for safety, efficacy, and pharmacodynamic response using BCOP and HET-CAM assays.
- Contributed to experimental design, protocol development, and scientific reporting supporting translational research collaborations.
Biological Science Lab Technician / Study Coordinator
Metabolic Disease
- Performed Western blot analysis in mouse liver knockout models to evaluate protein expression, pathway modulation, and target-related biological effects.
- Executed RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, and qPCR workflows to assess gene expression and support mechanistic pathway analysis.
- Managed murine colonies โ breeding, genotyping, sample collection โ ensuring data integrity and efficient preclinical study execution.
- Conducted in vivo and ex vivo procedures including blood collection, tissue harvesting, dosing, and glucose monitoring.
Biological Science Lab Technician
Insulin Signaling
- Conducted Western blot, SDS-PAGE, ELISA, and PCR-based assays to characterize insulin signaling and FOXO1-driven metabolic pathways.
- Supported mechanistic studies of insulin resistance through molecular and protein-level pathway analysis, enabling target and pathway characterization.
Research Assistant
- Presented and synthesized scientific literature to support experimental design and hypothesis generation.
- Reviewed manuscripts to identify data inconsistencies and improve clarity and scientific rigor.
- Performed DNA extraction and purification from knockout murine liver samples; ensured reproducibility through standardized Qubit-based quantification workflows.
R&D / Manufacturing Assistant
- Developed and optimized bioactive dental cement and polymer formulations for translational material applications.
- Performed INSTRON-based mechanical testing under ISO-compliant conditions to assess material performance and structural integrity.
- Supported product validation and scale-up efforts to enable manufacturing readiness.
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Research Output
Publications
Alfuraih S., Patel D., Choi W., Ramasamy K., Ansari R., Sharma A. A protocol for immunostaining of macrophages in wholemount mouse cornea, conjunctiva, and lacrimal gland.
Choi W. Analyzing Functional Interactions of Designed Peptides by NMR Spectroscopy. Chapman University. doi.org/10.36837/chapman.000507 โ
Lohan S., Mandal D., Choi W., et al. Small amphiphilic peptides: activity against a broad range of drug-resistant bacteria and structural insight into membranolytic properties.
Poster Presentations
Irradiation conditioning regimen increases conjunctival chemokines and impacts conjunctival macrophages: implications for ocular GVHD.
Diabetes mellitus causes neutrophil and macrophage influx to the ocular surface and lacrimal gland.
โ Travel Grant Awarded ยท Hot Topic 2024Recombinant extracellular domain Klotho-ฮฑ attenuates senescence in human corneal epithelial cells.
Ocular surface safety and tolerability evaluation of MG53 protein-containing hydrogel.
Education
M.S. Pharmaceutical Sciences
Chapman University School of Pharmacy ยท 2023
B.S. Biology
University of Iowa ยท 2019
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Let's build something translational.
Open to roles in preclinical drug discovery, in vivo pharmacology, and translational immunology.