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PhD in Genetics
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Present
BS in Genetics/Biotechnology
New Mexico State University
2019
Master of Arts in Economics
New Mexico State University
2009
Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Foreign Languages
New Mexico State University
2007
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Ward, R. D., Tran, J. S., Banta, A. B., et al. (2023). "Essential gene knockdowns reveal genetic vulnerabilities and antibiotic sensitivities in Acinetobacter baumannii." Mbio, e02051-23.
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Ward, R. D., Stajich, J. E., Johansen, J. R., et al. (2021). "Metagenome sequencing to explore phylogenomics of terrestrial cyanobacteria." Microbiology resource announcements, 10(22), e00258-21. American Society for Microbiology.
- (Enright. A. L., Heelan, W., Ward, R. D.), Peters. J., et al. (2024). "CRISPRi functional genomics in bacteria and its application to medical and industrial research". Microbiology and molecular biology reviews, 10.1128/mmbr.00170-22.
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Enright, A. L., Banta, A. B., Ward, R. D., et al. (2023). "The genetics of aerotolerant growth in an alphaproteobacterium with a naturally reduced genome." Mbio, e01487-23.
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Yu, M. A., Banta, A. B., Ward, R. D., et al. (2023). "Investigating Pseudomonas aeruginosa Gene Function During Pathogenesis Using Mobile-CRISPRi." In Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Methods and Protocols, pp. 13-32. Springer US.
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Enright, A. L., Banta, A. B., Ward, R. D., et al. (2023). "The Genetics of Aerotolerant Growth in a Naturally Reduced Genome Alphaproteobacterium." bioRxiv, 2023.06.12.544693.
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Johnson, R. A., Chan, A. N., Ward, R. D., et al. (2021). "Inhibition of Isoleucyl-tRNA Synthetase by the hybrid antibiotic thiomarinol." Journal of the American Chemical Society, 143(31), 12003-12013.
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Banta, A. B., Ward, R. D., Tran, J. S., et al. (2020). "Programmable Gene Knockdown in Diverse Bacteria Using Mobile-CRISPRi." Current protocols in microbiology, 59(1), e130.
- "Systematic Dissection of Genetic Vulnerabilities in Acinetobacter baumannii"
- Talk: Symposium on the Biology of Acinetobacter, International Conference, Coimbra, Portugal (June 23)
- Poster: EMBL Symposium: New Approaches and Concepts, International Conference, Heidelberg, Germany (June 28)
- "Genetic Tradeoffs Underlying Synergistic Antibiotic Function in Acinetobacter baumannii"
- Talk: UW-Madison Genetics Colloquium (July 27)
- Poster: Genetics Retreat (September 16), K.B. Raper Symposium (September 6), Molecular Genetics of Bacteria and Phages (August 4), Perlman Symposium (May 20)
- "An essential gene CRISPRi library to explore antibiotic function in Acinetobacter baumannii"
- Talk: UW-Madison Pharm Sci Drug Action Seminar (November 12)
- Poster: Genetics Retreat (October 14), Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference (September 18)
- "Genetic Basis of Antibiotic Function in Acinetobacter baumannii"
- Poster: K.B. Raper Symposium (September 3), Pearlman Symposium (May 14)
- "A Gap Size Approach to Identify Essential Genes from Tn-seq Datasets."
- Authors: Ward, R. D., Peters. J.M.
- Poster: Perlman Symposium (September 2)
- "Identifying and Characterizing Druggable Targets for Small Cell Lung Cancer in-vitro and in Mouse Models."
- Authors: Ward, R.D., Norton, J., MacPherson, D.
- Fred Hutch Summer Undergraduate Research Program, University of Washington (August 9)
- Grad Student Executive Committee (2023-2024)
- Midwest Healthcare Case Competition (2022, Semi-finalists)
- Penn Healthcare Case Competition (2022)
- Genetics PhD Program Selections Committee (2021)
- Stone Travel Award, 2023 * $1250.00
- Awarded to travel to Acinetobacter Conference (Coimbra, Portugal) and New Approaches and Concepts (Heidelberg, Germany)
Peters Lab
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Graduate Researcher, Fall 2019 – Present
- Constructed inducible Mobile-CRISPRi mutants in emerging bacterial pathogens to discover essential gene function
- Created statistical pipelines analyzing next-generation sequencing data from random transposon mutant (Tn-seq) libraries to identify core genomes in Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii
- Designed data visualization techniques to identify gene targets and functional pathways from chemical genomics screens in Bacillus subtilis
- Developed software to facilitate Mobile-CRISPRi guide design for programmable gene knockdown in bacteria.
Pietrasiak Lab
New Mexico State University
Research Assistant, Fall 2018 – Summer 2019
- Extracted and assessed DNA from cyanobacteria as part of a project funded by the Joint Genome Institute to understand phylogenetic relationships and photosynthetic pigment evolution
Schmitz Lab
University of Georgia
Undergraduate Researcher, Summer 2018
- Conducted experiments on duckweed as a model organism, investigating the effects of DNA methylation inhibitors on phenotype
- Performed genome-wide epigenetic marker analysis on poplar and Arabidopsis thaliana using bioinformatics and statistical approaches to discover effects of methylation enzymes on phenotype
Bailey Lab
New Mexico State University
Undergraduate Researcher, Spring 2018 – Spring 2019
- Assembled Leucaena trichandra and Heteropsylla cubana genomes on Linux-based cluster supercomputers using methodologies from recent relevant publications
MacPherson Lab
University of Washington
Undergraduate Researcher, Summer 2017
- Helped validate drug targets for small cell lung cancer that were identified using high-throughput screening
- Performed assays on differential drug efficacy in cultured cells
- Helped prepare identified drugs for in-vivo usage in mouse models
MountainView Regional Medical Center
Las Cruces, NM
Scribe, Translator, 2017 – 2019
- Worked with health care providers to document care provided, helping interview over a thousand patients in the Emergency Department
- Managed sensitive data to reduce the administrative burden on physicians
- Provided Spanish language translation between patients and hospital staff
New Mexico Dept. of Agriculture
Las Cruces, NM
Policy Analyst, 2012 – 2017
- Reported to state cabinet-level secretaries regarding government actions affecting New Mexico’s natural resources, agriculture, budget, economy, and litigation
- Briefed government officials on current and emerging policy issues, and helped compose content for congressional testimony
- Facilitated binational infrastructure project planning between stakeholders in New Mexico, Texas, and Chihuahua as member of US International Boundary and Water Commission – Citizens Forum Board
- Worked alongside New Mexico Acequia Commission and rural predominantly Spanish-speaking communities to allocate maintenance funds for culturally significant waterways
- Served on the Executive Committee of the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Collaborative Program to represent rural water rights holders while assuring the recovery of local endangered species (Hybognathus amarus, Empidonax traillii extimus, and Zapus hudsonius luteus).
POSIT (FDA Contractor)
Food Sentry (Analyst), 2009 – 2013
CrypTech Database Architecture (Owner & Principal Consultant)
Data Analyst, Economic Consultant
- Built and maintained servers, databases, and web-interface to help organize and improve workflow and logistics between contractors and the FDA
- Collected, analyzed, synthesized, and cataloged data characterizing food security with major US food trading partners for the FDA’s Predictive Risk-based Evaluation for Dynamic Import Compliance Targeting (PREDICT) system
- Prepared reports from analysis of open-source information on products originating from South America regarding potential health threats
- Provided Spanish translation to analysts working on South American import alerts and threats
Arrowhead Center, NMSU
Las Cruces, NM
Research Assistant, 2008 – 2009
- Prepared grant applications to develop Southern New Mexico’s economy concerning comparative advantages including military testing and movie production
- Assessed military test locations in New Mexico and west Texas to generate a database of potential grant-funding sources
Dept. of Economics, NMSU
Las Cruces, NM
Teaching Assistant, 2007
- Helped prepare Excel worksheets to demonstrate economics concepts and to be used as assignments
- Graded assignments for undergraduate microeconomics classes
- Regularly met with students to answer questions
- Conducted study sessions to help prepare for exams
Wells Fargo Bank
Denver, CO
International/Business Teller, 2006
- Facilitated wire transfers and other financial transactions between large multinational corporations