Katherine N. Kuhn

Skills

Automated PCR
Quantitative Real Time PCR
ELISA
ELFA
Southern Blotting
Northern Blotting
Western Blotting
Sequencing Techniques
Mammalian Cell Culture
Primary Cell Culture
Microbial Cell Culture
Flow Cytometry
DNA Cloning Techniques
PAGE
Protein Extraction
Whole Mount Embryo Staining
Histological Techniques
Terminal Restriction Fragment Analysis
Immunoprecipitation
Immunoflourescence
In vivo translation
Microscopic Analysis
Immunohistochemistry
Environmental testing
Microbial Ecology Analysis
Genotyping
EMSA

Computers and Software Applications(PC and Macintosh)

Molecular Biology: Lasergene (DNASTAR, Inc.), BLAST, Auto Assembler, Quantity One, Geneious
Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access
Adobe Photoshop
S-Plus
Graph Pad Prism

Experience

April 2013-Present

University of Colorado Denver-AMC

Dr. Jason Gien

Professional Research Assistant and Lab Manager for a Pediatric Developmental Biology Lab studying CDH.
Independently and collaboratively researched the effects of CDH specifically pulmonary hypertension.
Created and maintained a database for samples.
Wrote animal use protocols and assisted in writing grants.
Worked on mice, rats and sheep as animal research models and primary cell culture.
Performed the following assays: microsurgery on animals, RT-PCR, Western Blotting, Mammalian primary cell culture, various cell culture based assays, immunohistochemistry, histology, protein isolation, flow cytometry and fetal sheep hypertensive monitoring and manipulation.
Participate in clinical research projects including sample pickup and collaboration with nurses and clinical investigators.
Laboratory management including ordering, health and safety compliance.

May 2012-Janurary 2013

University of Colorado Denver-AMC

Dr. Phil Simonian

Professional Research Assistant and Lab Manager for an Immunology Lab studying Lung infections.
Independently and collaboratively research the role of multiple genes.
Performed various assays including MPO, ELISA, PCR, RT-PCR, mouse surgery involving BAL and lung removal and introduction to flow cytometery techniques.
Techniques including in-vivo mouse and in-vitro cell culture models.
Maintenance of an extensive animal colony including knockout, double knockout and transgenic mice.
Laboratory management including all ordering, health and safety compliance, space organization and training of research assistants, post-docs and graduate students.
Maintained and established extensive relationships with Health & Safety Department including all inspections and pickups for hazardous waste and radioactivity.
Involved in writing animal protocols, biosafety authorizations.

Feburary 2007-May 2012

University of Colorado Denver-AMC

Dr. David Clouthier

Professional Research Assistant and Lab Manager for a Developmental Biology lab specializing in Craniofacial defects.
Independently and collaboratively research the role of multiple genes including Gata 3, Endothelial and Hand 2 in the formation of the Mandible and the Maxilla using animal models.
Managing a lab consisting of seven people from PRAs to Post-docs.
Performed various assay: whole mount insitu hybriziation, tunel, EdU (BrdU), nerve stain, bone and cartilage stain, microinjection, DNA plasmid construction, knockout mouse construction, sectional immunohistochemistry, tunnel, EdU, BrdU and H & E Staining.
Techniques including in-vivo mouse and in-vitro cell culture models.
Maintenance of an extensive animal colony including knockout, double knockout and transgenic mice.
Laboratory management including all ordering, health and safety compliance, space organization, training and supervision of research assistants, post-docs and graduate students.
Maintained and established extensive relationships with Health & Safety Department including all inspections and pickups for hazardous waste and radioactivity.
Writing grants, animal protocols, biosafety authorizations and journal articles.

May 2004- January 2007 Denver, CO

University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

Dr. Raphael Nemenoff

Professional Research Assistant in a lung cancer Biology Lab studyingthe mechanism of cancer initiation and progression.
Independently and collaboratively researched the role of prostaglandins and PPAR gamma in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Techniques including extensive cell culture techniques and related assays including transient and stable transfections, 2D and 3D cell culture.
Establishment and maintenance of an extensive animal colony including knockout and transgenic mice.
Daily lab maintenance: including hazardous waste management, radioactivity compliance and upkeep of general supplies for the lab and department.

April 2002 –May 2004 Denver, CO

University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

Dr. Edward Abraham

Professional Research Assistant and Lab Manager in a clinical immunology research laboratory studying the human body’s response to infections on the cellular level.
Independently researched the role of uPA in Acute Lung Injury.
Collaboratively researched the human body’s response to infection and Acute Lung Injury by in-vivo and in-vitro methodology including primary cell culture, cell culture based techniques and proteomics
Creation, implementation and maintenance of a mouse-breeding colony.
Study recruitment, study sample collection, study sample database creation, study sample processing and analyzation for a clinical research study.
Responsible for laboratory ordering, lab upkeep and maintenance.

September 2001-April 2002 Denver, CO

University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

Dr. Nicholas Seeds

Professional Research Assistant in a neurology laboratory studying neuronal regeneration.
Independently and collaboratively researched neuron regeneration and neuron regeneration agents in a mouse model.
Responsible for laboratory ordering.
Responsible for laboratory upkeep and maintenance.

April 1999 – August 2001 San Luis Obispo, CA

Environmental Biotechnology Institute

Research associate in an environmental microbiology research laboratory studying the role of bacteria in bioremediation process.
Microbial Cell Culture, proteomics and DNA manipulation.
Project Manager of three bioremediation projects originating from Guadalupe Dunes in Guadalupe, California.
Supervisor of up to five undergraduates.
Assisted in sequencing the Lactobacillus acidophilus genome.
EBI Leadership Award: 2000-2001

January 1999- August 2001

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA

Microbial Ecology Laboratory Instructor
Duration of two quarters
Microbiology 221 Laboratory Instructor
Duration of seven quarters.

April 1997 - August 1998 Santa Barbara, CA

Dr. Les Wilson Laboratory

Research assistant in a mammalian cell culture research laboratory studying the influence of novel anti-cancer drugs on cancer cells.
Studied the actions of a new taxol derived anti-cancer drug on HeLa cells.
Used immunofluorescence microscopy to study the microtubule dynamics of affected cancer cells.
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship: June 1997

September 1994 - March 1997 Santa Barbara, CA

Dr. Ian Ross Laboratory

Research assistant in a mycology laboratory investigating new modes for cancer development.
Use of fungal culturing and RNA and DNA molecular techniques to study telomeres

Publications Poster Sessions

American Society for Microbiology General Meeting: May 2000.

Diversity of alkB Homologues in a Microbial Community

During Bioremediation of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons.

American Society for Microbiology General Meeting: May 2001.
Diversity of alkB Homologues in a Soil Microbial Community During Bioremediation of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons.
9th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology: August 2001.
Long Term Effects of Petroleum Contamination on Bacterial Communities in Sand Dune Soils.

Papers

Endothelin-1 - Rho-kinase Interactions Impair Lung Structure and Cause Pulmonary Hypertension After Bleomycin Exposure in Neonatal Rat Pups.Kuhn K, Tseng N, Seedorf G, Abman SA, Gien J. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. In Press
Altered pulmonary artery endothelial-smooth muscle cell interactions in experimental congenital diaphragmatic hernia.Acker SN, Seedorf GJ, Abman SH, Nozik-Grayck E, Kuhn K, Partrick DA, Gien J. Pediatr Res. 2015 Apr;77(4):511-9. doi: 10.1038/pr.2015.13. Epub 2015 Jan 12.
Ectodermal-derived Endothelin1 is required for patterning the distal and intermediate domains of the mouse mandibular arch.Tavares AL, Garcia EL, Kuhn K, Woods CM, Williams T, Clouthier DE.Dev Biol. 2012 Nov 1;371(1):47-56. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2012.08.003. Epub 2012 Aug 11.

Downregulation of Dlx5 and Dlx6 expression by Hand2 is essential for initiation of tongue morphogenesis.Barron F, Woods C, Kuhn K, Bishop J, Howard MJ, Clouthier DE.Development. 2011 Jun;138(11):2249-59.

Bren-Mattison Y, Meyer AM, Van Putten V, Li H, Kuhn K, Stearman R, Weiser-Evans M, Winn RA, Heasley LE, Nemenoff RA.Antitumorigenic effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma in non-small-cell lung cancer cells are mediated by suppression of cyclooxygenase-2 via inhibition of nuclear factor-kappaB. Mol Pharmacol. 2008 Mar;73(3):709-17. Epub 2007 Nov 30.

Strassheim D. Asehnoune K. Park JS. Kim JY. He Q. Richter D. Mitra S. Arcaroli J. Kuhn K. Abraham E. Modulation of bone marrow-derived neutrophil signaling by H2O2: disparate effects on kinases, NF-kappaB, and cytokine expression. American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology. 286(3):C683-92, 2004.

Abraham E. Gyetko MR. Kuhn K. Arcaroli J. Strassheim D. Park JS. Shetty S. Idell S. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator potentiates lipopolysaccharide-induced neutrophil activation. Journal of Immunology. 170(11):5644-51, 2003.

Strassheim D. Asehnoune K. Park JS. Kim JY. He Q. Richter D. Kuhn K. Mitra S. Abraham E. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase and Akt occupy central roles in inflammatory responses of Toll-like receptor 2-stimulated neutrophils. Journal of Immunology. 172(9):5727-33, 2004.

Nick JA. Coldren CD. Geraci MW. Poch KR. Fouty BW. O'Brien J. Gruber M. Zarini S. Murphy RC. Kuhn K. Richter D. Kast KR. Abraham E.: Recombinant human activated protein C reduces human endotoxin-induced pulmonary inflammation via inhibition of neutrophil chemotaxis. Blood. 104(13):3878-85, 2004.

EducationSeptember 1998 - August 2001 San Luis Obispo, CA

California Polytechnic State University

Masters of Science, Biology
Master’s Thesis: The diversity of alkane monooxygenase (alkB) sequences in microbial communities during bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons.

September 1994 - July 1998 Santa Barbara, CA

University of California at Santa Barbara

Bachelor of Arts, Molecular Biology
Research performed in two separate Laboratories.