General Interests

Algorithm Design, Mathematical Modeling, Statistical Mechanics, Computational Statistics, Informatics (Chemical, Medical, and Biological), Computational Biophysics, Biomolecular Simulation, Condensed Matter Physics

Education

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC
PhD, Physics: May, 2004
Concentration: Biophysics
Minor: Biochemistry and Biophysics
Thesis Title: Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Biomembranes in Aqueous Solution

Appalachian State University, Boone NC
Bachelor of Science, Physics: May, 1998
Concentrations: Medical Physics, Mathematical Physics
Minors: Mathematics, Chemistry

Research Experience

Postdoctoral Fellow: 2008-Present
Mentor: Dr. Charles Brooks III, The University of Michigan Department of Chemistry
Research: Computational determination of free-energetic/coordination-structure bases for ion channel selectivity and conduction.

Postdoctoral Fellow: 2004-2008
Mentor: Dr. Charles Brooks III, The Scripps Research Institute Department of Molecular Biology
Research: Computational determination of free-energetic/coordination-structure bases for ion channel selectivity and conduction.

Research Assistant: 2002-2004
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Max Berkowitz, UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Chemistry
Research: Computer Modeling and Simulation of Biological Membranes and Membrane Proteins.

Biophysics Laboratory Rotation: 2000
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ann Eakin, UNC-Chapel Hill Division, of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy
Research: Analysis of X-ray diffraction data for the determination of the crystal structure of IMP-bound HPRT.

Biophysics Laboratory Rotation: 2000
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Alexander Tropsha, UNC-Chapel Hill, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy
Research: Design and implementation of statistical multi-body pseudo-potentials for the assessment of protein stability.

Biophysics Laboratory Rotation: 2000
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Max Berkowitz, UNC-Chapel Hill, Department of Chemistry
Research: Computational approaches for the simulation of liquids.

Biophysics Laboratory Rotation: 1999
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Iosif Vaisman, UNC-Chapel Hill, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy
Research: Development of a computational algorithm for the automated topological comparison of protein structures.

Physics Research Experience for Undergraduates: 1997
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Boris Yakobson, North Carolina State University, Department of Physics
Research: Characterization of the stress field in electron irradiated carbon onions during diamond formation.

Awards and Honors

National Science Foundation Postdoctoral-Fellowship for Research in Biological Informatics, 11/01/2004-11/01/2006
Biophysical Society Student Research Achievement Award for Research in Biomembrane Structure and Assembly, 2004
Biophysical Society Student Travel Grant Award, 2003
Biophysical Society Student Research Achievement Award for Research in Biomembranes, 2003
UNC-Chapel Hill Biophysics Graduate Trainee Award, 1999-2001
ASU Department of Physics Byrd Senior Award, 1998
ASU Department of Physics Connolly Award, 1997

Publications

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