About Michael.
Hey there! I am a third year graduate researcher at Boston University in the Dunlop Lab. Previously Olin College (Engineering: Bioengineering).
My paper resume.
A selection of research, design, and personal projects I've been a part of.
Optogenetics--using light to regulate genes--is a promising new toolset for synthetic biology. With the Dunlop Lab, I developed and optimized novel optogenetic recombinases for bacterial use. See our publication or preprint for the details!
Synthetic Biology, Optogenetics
The BioBuilder program focuses on bringing modern research into high school classrooms. Specifically, we help high school teams work on synthetic biology projects using the Design-Build-Test-Learn cycle. I mentor teams and help run monthly BioBuilderClub team calls, as well as occasionally teach workshops at their Learning Lab in LabCentral.
Education Outreach
Characterized anoxygenic photosynthetic communities by genetic diversity and metabolic processes(especially cellulose degradation & nitrogen fixation). Analyzed microbial community reactions to environmental and composition perturbations. Studied collective motion of diverse bacterial systems and potential applications (i.e. turning gears). Used various cell culture, molecular biology, genomic analysis, anaerobic microbiology, and photolithography techniques.
Environmental & Physical Microbiology
Used the microbe Tetrahymena thermophilia to produce high-volume, high-purity synthetic human ion channels for pharmaceutical research. Personally, I've purified five ion channels in milligram quantities from whole cells by affinity chromatography (anti-FLAG, IMAC) for industry partners and internal use for antibody development and screening, as well as assessed protein concentration via BCA and OD280 and prepared proteins into liposomes.
Ion Channel Production
Co-developed polymeric nanoparticles for delivery of proprietary drug conjugates to in vivo xenograft models to develop treatment for cancer. Designed, optimized, and executed feasibility studies of nanoparticles from lab- to pilot-scale. Responsible for compiling source references for company’s first IND application. Used high-pressure homogenization processes, tangential flow filtration (TFF), particle sizing methods, and basic HPLC.
Nanoparticle Formulation Development
Differentiated a “keratinocyte” containing skin-like tissue from bone marrow stems cells on a team of three.
Keratinocyte Differentiation
Project Manager on a team working on design, hardware, and distribution elements of a newborn warmer to work with phototherapy as part of the firm Design that Matters. Will visit district hospitals that will use the device and the manufacturing location in Vietnam in January 2017.
Designed and ran campus-wide social experiments with a d/Deaf member of the Olin community to improve disability awareness & accommodation on campus.
Interviewed and co-designed with domestic abuse support network voluneers, and prototyped a personal private pop-up space on a team of six.
Worked on a team of five to design and create a “magical” chess board that moves pieces via voice command, enforces the rules of chess, and gives verbal feedback to players. We used the Google Speech Recognition API to interpret voice commands, the built-in text-to-speech software in Ubuntu to give verbal feedback, our own chess engine written in Python, an Arduino Uno in tandem with motor shields to power two motors, and a two-axis gantry to carry an electromagnet under the board, which in turn moves 3D-printed pieces of our own design with magnets embedded in the bases.
Used COMSOL to model of the effect of multi-cell originated autologous chemotaxis on metastasis of cancer cells from tumor to lymph.
Analyzed the effect of donor and recipient motivations, limitations, & behaviors on foreign aid efficacy and efficacy metrics in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Extensively reviewed recent scientific and technological advancements in vaccine refrigeration.
Explored and compared uses of mathematical models of single-neuron action potentials.
Conducted grounded theory and psychobiographical analysis of a life story interview with a trans man.
Selected as a Cast Member in Attractions at Spaceship Earth in Epcot, Walt Disney World. Provided exceptional service to hundreds of guests per day in a variety of roles requiring immediate decision making and extensive knowledge of the ride and theme park.
