Biomaterialsusc.files.wordpress.com



Alysia Cox, PhDE: alcox@tcd.ieORCID iD: 0000-0001-9484-4922Career SummaryBiologist with extensive experience in nanomedicine, in vitro and in vivo techniques based in neurophysiology, pharmacology and microbiology. I have a special interest in nanomedicine-based drug delivery for multiple diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. My long-term goal is to run my own research lab in an academic setting.June 2020-present Postdoc in Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, USA. PI: Eun Ji ChungNanomedicine to treat kidney disease.Apr 2019-May 2020 Postdoc in Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA.Effect of air pollution on genetic expression in the brains of healthy mice and those with glioblastoma or Alzheimer’s disease. Using qPCR and RNAseq data.Using multifunctionalized polymer-based nanoconjugates to treat Alzheimer’s Disease and glioblastoma. Analysis includes RNAseq, CyToF/flow cytometry, WB, ELISA, behavioral testing, IHC and microscopy.Oct 2015-Jan 2019 PhD in Translational & Molecular Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, graduated Feb 2019. PI’s: Massimo Masserini, Francesca RePart of NABBA project (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action), titled “Design and Development of advanced Nanomedicines to overcome Biological Barriers and to treat severe diseases”. nabbaproject.euThesis: Functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) to overcome the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and treat neurodegenerative diseases.Research: Exploiting physiological proteins/peptides identified through several techniques (protein corona analysis, phage display) to functionalize NPs (gold, liposomes, polymeric) to boost their passage through the BBB (in vitro and in vivo) and therefore be used in therapy for neurodegenerative diseases, e.g. Alzheimer’sSecondments:Enviroinvest, Pecs, Hungary doing in vivo phage display (PI: Tamas Kovacs)University of Paris-Sud, France, synthesizing, characterizing, functionalizing, and testing polymeric NP in an in vitro BBB model (PI: Patrick Couvreur, Julien Nicolas, Simona Mura)Oct 2013 - Apr 2015 MSc by Research in Pharmacology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, graduated Jun 2015. PI: Marian BrennanThesis: The development of a flow cytometry-based assay to determine the efficacy of a novel GPIb antagonistResearch: Use of healthy human donor samples with snake-venom derived GPIb antagonist, anfibatide, to develop assay for Lei Pharmaceuticals in Hefei, China. The assay was used in phase III clinical trials of anfibatide in China, 2015. I trained the research team in Hefei and Beijing to use the assay and I gathered data from a military hospital in Beijing.2009-2013 BSc Human Health and Disease, Trinity College Dublin, graduated 5/12/13, 2.I.Modules: physiology, biochemistry, statistics, math, anatomy, chemistry, microbiology, immunology, psychology, clinical medicine, nutrition. Emphasis on teamwork, presentation skills, and integrative view of research in scientific and clinical settings. Acted as demonstrator in the Science Gallery, TCD, explaining the exhibitions to visitors as part of the Science, Technology and Society module. Thesis: The effect of exercise on LPS-induced neuroinflammation and short-term memory impairment in a rat model. PI: Aine Kelly. E x p e r i e n c e: ResearchJul-Sep 2012: Malaria Research, St James’ Hospital, PI: Dr. James O’Donnell. Used a shear flow system & aggregation studies with human blood to study the role of von Willebrand factor in malaria.Feb-Sep 2010, Jul-Sep 2011: Microbiology research assistant, RCSI. Documented the platelet aggregation and hemagglutination responses of human donors to 15 strains of Escherichia coli.E x p e r i e n c e: TeachingApr 2019-present: Training of lab technicians, students, and other researchers in multiple lab techniques Oct 2015-Mar 2019: Gave lectures and practical lessons to students in Nanomedicine courses in UNIMIB and directed masters/undergraduate students.Sep-Dec 2012, 2013: Pharmacy Demonstrator/Corrector for Biochemistry labs with 2nd year Pharmacy Students, RCSIFeb-Sep 2010, Jul-Sep 2011: Managed the research/teaching of two final year microbiology students and a medical student.E x p e r i e n c e: OtherWork for the TCD/RCSI Research Day (2014) & telephone fundraising to support research/disadvantaged students in TCD (2010-2014). TV interview with TGR Buongiorno Regione – Lombardia (RAI3) about NABBA project/PhD research, 16-02-2018. YouTube video explaining the research: A, et al. Exaggerated gene dysregulation in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease exposed to airborne particulate matter. In preparation 2020. Cox A, et al. Exaggerated gene dysregulation in mouse model of glioblastoma following exposure to air pollution. In preparation 2020.Israel LL, et al. Crossing blood-brain barrier in normal, Alzheimer’s disease and tumor bearing mice using polymalic acid-peptide nano-conjugates. In preparation 2020.Cox A, et al. Characterization of binding of GPIb antagonist anfibatide to platelets and development of a receptor occupancy assay. In preparation 2020.Kovacs JK, et al. Virulence traits of inpatient Campylobacter jejuni isolates, and a transcriptomic approach to identify potential genes maintaining intracellular survival. Microorganisms, 2020, 8(4), 531.Corti R*, Cox A*, et al. The clustering of mApoE anti-amyloidogenic peptide on nanoparticle surface does not alter its performance in controlling beta-amyloid aggregation. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2020, 21, 1066.Formicola B*, Cox A* et al. Nanomedicine for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. J Biomed Nanotechnol 2019, 15(10):1997-2024.Cox A, et al. Protein functionalized heterotelechelic polymer prodrug nanoparticles for crossing the blood-brain barrier. Eur J Pharm Biopharm, 2019, 142:70-82.Dal Magro R, et al. The extent of human apolipoprotein A-I lipidation strongly affects the beta amyloid efflux across the blood-brain barrier in vitro. Front Neurosci, 2019, 13, 419. *corresponding authorKovacs J, et al. Stress response and virulence potential modulating effect of peppermint essential oil in Campylobacter jejuni. Biomed Res Int, 2019, 2971741.Cox A, et al. Evolution of nanoparticle protein corona across the blood-brain barrier. ACS Nano, 2018, 12:7292-7300.Schneider G, et al. Kinetics of targeted phage rescue in a mouse model of systemic Escherichia coli K1. BioMed Res Int, 2018, 7569645.Dal Magro R, et al. The ability of liposomes, tailored for blood-brain barrier targeting, to reach the brain is dramatically affected by the disease state. Nanomedicine (Lond), 2018, 13(6):585-594.Zapotoczna M, et al. Novel anti-staphylococcal and anti-biofilm properties of two anti-malarial compounds: MMV665953 {1-(3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)-3-(3, 4-dichlorophenyl)urea} and MMV665807 {5-chloro-2-hydroxy-N-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]benzamide}. J Med Microbiol, 2017, 66(3):377-387. Moriarty RD, et al. Escherichia coli induces platelet aggregation in an FcγRIIa-dependent manner. J Thromb Haemost, 2016, 14(4):797-806.PresentationsOral & Poster: Biobarriers, Saarbrucken, 27-29th Aug 2018.Poster: Workshop – Interaction between nanomaterials and the immune system: medical exploitations and safety issues, Milan, 9-10th Jul 2018.Oral: National PhD Meeting, Salerno, 22-24th Mar 2018. Evolution of the Protein Corona across the Blood-Brain Barrier.Poster PC-55: XII Spanish-Portuguese Conference on Controlled Drug Delivery, Coimbra, 14-16th Jan 2018. Nanoparticles for Therapy and Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases.Oral: 4th meeting for Marie-Curie funded students part of the "NABBA" programme, Coimbra, 16-17th Jan 2018. Presenting current PhD research/progress to MCSA fellows & leaders. Nanoparticles for Therapy and Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Oral: Complementary Training Course for NABBA students, Milan, 10-12th Jan 2017. Functionalized liposomes to cross the blood-brain barrier.Poster: DIMET Open Day, Milan, 25-26th Sep 2017. Nanoparticles for Therapy and Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Won €500 best poster prize.Oral: International School of Nanomedicine, Erice, 6-10th Jun 2016. Nanoparticles for Therapy and Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases.Oral: 1st meeting for Marie-Curie funded students part of the "NABBA" program, Paris, Oct 2015. Nanoparticles for Neurodegenerative Disorders.Poster: ISTH Congress Toronto, 20-25th Jun 2015. Development of a Receptor Occupancy Assay for Anfibatide, a Novel GPIb Antagonist.Poster: ISTH Congress Kyoto, 23-28th Jul 2011. Escherichia coli –induced Platelet Aggregation.Awards & Scholarships4-month research fellowship, University of Milano-Bicocca, Oct 2018-Jan 2019.Best poster at DIMET Open Day, Milan, 25-26th Sept 2017.3-year NABBA fellowship as part of EU’s Horizon 2020 Marie Curie-Sklodowska Actions (2015-2018).2-year scholarship to complete MSc by research in RCSI, funded by Lee Pharmaceuticals, China (2013-2015).Funding as microbiology research assistant in RCSI, Feb-Sep 2010, Jul-Sep 2011.SkillsAnimal handling: IP, IV, SQ injections, ear tagging. Intracranial inoculation of brain tumors (syngeneic and xenograft models). Use of 5xFAD and 2xTg mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and rat models of neuroinflammation. In vivo phage display. Monitoring of symptoms of glioma and AD. Organ and blood collection (retro-orbital, cardiac puncture, tail vein). Euthanasia (cervical dislocation, decapitation by guillotine). Novel object recognition test.General lab techniques and analysis: Processing of tissue, RNA and DNA. ELISA. PCR. WB and gel electrophoresis. Extensive writing experience for journal articles and grants. Flow cytometry. Preparation of samples for CyToF analysis. IHC and microscopy. Handling of human blood samples including platelet-rich plasma and serum isolation. Platelet aggregation and hemagglutination assays. Using shear flow systems for platelet aggregation studies. Microbiology techniques.Nanomedicine techniques: formulation of liposomes and polymeric nanoparticles (NPs). Functionalization and/or encapsulation using liposomes, polymeric NPs, gold NPs and iron oxide NPs. Formation and analysis of protein corona on NPs.Cell culture: Use of multiple healthy and pathological cell lines including endothelial (hCMEC/D3, HUVEC), LN229 and GL261 (brain cancer) and astrocytes. Use of a transwell model of the BBB mimicking the healthy and AD condition. Cell uptake studies, MTT and LDH assays. In vitro phage display. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download