Senior Research Scientist, Computational Genomics at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

•	Serving as the computational genomics lead on two ongoing disease programs.  Working closely with a cross-functional team of scientists & clinicians to design & analyze genomic studies across the drug discovery pipeline, ranging from target discovery to defining treatable patient population.  Advanced one disease program from compound screening into Phase I clinical trials.[Target discovery & validation]•	Somatic drivers of disease phenotype:  Proposed, designed, implemented, and analyzed a whole-genome sequencing study of >100 disease tissues from patients of a rare genetic disease. Identified novel, recurrent somatic alterations that drive disease phenotype, which lead to a new therapeutic strategy.•	Germline genetic modifiers of disease severity:  Co-lead a whole-exome sequencing & array genotyping study of >1,000 patients with a rare genetic disease. Identified underlying genetic modifiers of disease severity.•	CRISPR functional genomic screening:  Analyzed an in-house CRISPR synthetic lethality screen and identified potential therapeutic targets that selectively inhibited the growth of diseased over healthy cells.[Disease mechanisms & biomarker discovery]•	Transcriptomic & proteomic characterization:  Designed & analyzed RNA-sequencing and proteomic profiling of in vitro and in vivo preclinical disease models and gained novel insight into disease etiology.  Characterized gene & protein expression changes in response to compound treatment, identified clinically relevant cellular response, and discovered novel biomarkers of response.[Treatable patient population identification]•	Genetic epidemiology using the UK Biobank:  Lead the analysis of about 500,000 individuals in the UK Biobank for a rare genetic disease.  Calculated the prevalence & risk of various clinical manifestations, leading to more accurate treatable patient population estimates and novel insights into the clinical disease phenotypes.
    
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About us

  Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious and life-threatening diseases.

We discovered and developed the first medicines to treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF), a rare, life-threatening genetic disease. In addition to clinical development programs in CF, Vertex has more than a dozen ongoing research programs focused on the underlying mechanisms of other serious diseases. 

Founded in 1989 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, our corporate headquarters is now located in Boston’s Innovation District, and our international headquarters is in London, United Kingdom. We currently employ 2,100 people in the United States, Europe, Canada and Australia with nearly two-thirds of our staff dedicated to research and development.

Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry’s top places to work by Science magazine, The Boston Globe, Boston Business Journal and the San Diego Business Journal. Our research and medicines have also received esteemed recognitions, including the Robert J. Beall Therapeutics Development Award, the Fench Prix Galien and the British Pharmacological Society awards.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Carolyn Slayman Prize for Outstanding PhD Thesis awardee.Precision medicine in oncology: (2016)• Performed clinical genomics diagnostics, including whole-exome sequencing analysis, of brain tumors from patients at the Yale-New Haven Hospital, in order to determine personalized treatment regimen.Genomic analysis of brain glial tumor progression (in collaboration with Gilead Sciences): (2013 – 2016)• Used genomics tools including whole-exome sequencing, SNP genotyping, RNA expression, and DNA methylation profiling, and computational analyses to characterize the genetic cause of benign-to-malignant brain tumor transformation.• Identified bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) family inhibition as a potential therapeutic approach.• Publication: Bai et al., Nature Genetics, 2016.Genomic analysis of brain meningeal tumors: (2011 – 2016)• Conducted whole-exome sequencing, RNA expression, and computational analyses to characterize the genetic cause of common brain tumors. • Identified novel gene mutations that cause over 90% of meningimas, as well as gene expression profiles that classify meningiomas into distinct subgroups.• Publications: Clark et al., Science, 2012. Clark et al., Nature Genetics, 2016. Harmancı et al., Nature Communications, 2017.Computational prediction of gene essentiality during neuro-development: (2011 – 2013)• Applied support vector machine algorithm to model the gene essentiality for human brain development, incorporating features such as common genetic variations.Characterization of limb development using ChIP-seq: (2011)• Performed and analyzed ChIP-seq experiments to identify the roles of cohesin in regulating gene transcription during mouse limb development.
    
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For more than 300 years, Yale University has inspired the minds that inspire the world. Based in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale brings people and ideas together for positive impact around the globe. A research university that focuses on students and encourages learning as an essential way of life, Yale is a place for connection, creativity, and innovation among cultures and across disciplines.

Yale University

• Conducted bioinformatics analysis to support oncology research and development. • Co-designed a web tool for Gilead researchers to identify cancer cells lines based on their genomic backgrounds.• Created an R software package for Gilead researchers to explore the functional relationships between genes, drugs, and diseases.
    
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      Gilead Sciences
  

• Solicit, review, and edit manuscripts for a PubMed-indexed, peer-reviewed scientific journal.



      Yale University
  

American Society of Plant Biologists national Summer Undergraduate Research awardee.Plant root system in response to gravity and nutrient starvation: (2007 – 2011)• Used time-lapse photography and image analysis programs to measure how plant root systems adapt to nutrient starvation. • Discovered that plant roots utilized gravity as a cue to grow deeper as opposed to more spread out.• Publications: Bai et al., Am J Bot, 2013.  Bai and Wolverton, Plant Signal Behav, 2011.
    
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Ohio Wesleyan University

Ohio State University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship awardee.


One of the largest universities in the United States, The Ohio State University is a leading research university and the model for Ohio's public higher education institutes. Founded in 1870 as a land-grant university, it consistently ranks as one of the top public universities in the United States. The main campus is located in Columbus, and regional campuses are located in Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Newark and Wooster.

The Ohio State University

A private, undergraduate, liberal arts university, Ohio Wesleyan is located in Delaware, Ohio, with easy access to Columbus, Ohio’s capital and the nation’s 14th-largest city. 

OWU is the home of The OWU Connection, the university's signature program designed to help students "think big"​ (understand issues from multiple academic disciplines), "go global"​ (gain international perspective), and "get real"​ (translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience).

OWU also is the home of the "Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at Ohio Wesleyan University,"​ a business accelerator and collaboration with the City of Delaware and Delaware County.  Center members work with OWU student-interns to research ideas, create business and marketing plans, and more.

The university offers more than 90 majors, 25 NCAA Division III women's and men's varsity sports, and a marching band. It is the home of the Battling Bishops!

The university has a long legacy of community service and offers opportunities for students to participate in spring break interfaith service trips each spring.

Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives” and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists.

Senior Research Scientist, Computational Genomics at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Senior Research Scientist, Computational Genomics

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Research Scientist II, Computational Genomics

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Research Scientist I, Computational Genomics

Yale University

PhD Candidate

Gilead Sciences

Bioinformatics Intern

Yale University

Journal Editor

Ohio Wesleyan University

Research Fellow

The Ohio State University

Research Fellow

Yale University

Genetics

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Yale University

Genetics

Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.)

Ohio Wesleyan University

Genetics & Biochemistry

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)