ALIX BOOMS
Gowen,Michigan
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Research Scientist
CentralStar Cooperative
01.2025 - Current
- Develop sequencing and genotyping methodologies for the Bovine Leukocyte Antigen (BoLA) region.
- Design targeted sequencing approaches for immune-associated regulatory elements and MHC genes in cattle.
- Analyze long-read sequencing data from Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV) to characterize viral integration sites, intra- and inter-animal quasispecies diversity, and viral strain variation.
- Conduct genetic variant–trait association studies using quantitative genetics, molecular genomics, and population genetics approaches.
- Integrate whole-genome, targeted sequencing, and phenotypic datasets to identify genetic factors associated with immune function and disease susceptibility.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to translate genomic discoveries into tools supporting cattle health and genetic improvement.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Van Andel Institute
01.2024 - 01.2025
- Processed and analyzed RNA-seq, small RNA-seq, DNA-seq, and DNA methylation datasets using HPC computing environments.
- Applied differential expression, pathway enrichment, and methylation analyses to investigate epigenetic inheritance.
- Integrated multi-omics datasets to identify heritable metabolic and epigenetic signatures.
- Coordinated sequencing workflows and quality-control procedures for genomic studies.
Independent Contractor
CentralStar Cooperative
01.2024 - 01.2025
- Analyzed publicly available ATAC-seq and ChIP-seq datasets to identify immune-associated regulatory elements in cattle.
- Developed a hybrid capture library and quality-control pipeline for targeted sequencing of immune regulatory elements.
- Applied custom R and Python workflows to evaluate signatures of selection and population-level variation.
- Designed targeted genotyping approaches for functional regulatory variation associated with cattle health traits.
Senior Research Technician
Van Andel Institute
01.2016 - 01.2018
- Conducted integrative analyses of GWAS, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and ChIP-seq datasets to investigate Parkinson's disease susceptibility.
- Optimized genomic assays and developed reproducible data-analysis pipelines.
- Performed CRISPR/Cas9 functional validation of disease-associated regulatory variants.
Research Technician
Michigan State University
01.2014 - 01.2016
- Evaluated therapeutic approaches for Parkinson's disease using rodent and cell culture models.
- Conducted behavioral, biochemical, and histological analyses to assess treatment response.
Education
Ph.D. - Molecular and Cell Biology
Van Andel Institute
Grand Rapids, MI01.2024
Professional Science Master's - Cell and Molecular Biology
Grand Valley State University
Allendale, MI01.2016
B.S. - Animal Science
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI01.2011
Skills
- Bioinformatics & Computing: R, Bash, Linux/HPC environments, RNA-seq, DNA-seq, ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, methylation analysis, multi-omics integration
- Genomics & Quantitative Genetics: Variant discovery, SNP/INDEL analysis, population genetics, targeted sequencing, genomic prediction, GWAS interpretation, association studies
- Software & Databases: GATK, IGV, BLAST, DESeq2, EdgeR, SeSAMe, UCSC Genome Browser, Ensembl
- Molecular Biology: DNA/RNA extraction, PCR/qPCR, plasmid cloning, bacterial transformation, mammalian cell culture, CRISPR/Cas9, library preparation
Affiliations
- Ad hoc Van Andel Institute Graduate School Planning Committee (2020)
- Van Andel Institute Graduate School Career Day Planning Committee (2020)
Awards and Honors
Dean's Citation for Academic Excellence – Outstanding Final Project (2016), Brian Stauffer Memorial Scholarship (2006), Victoria Walter Patterson Memorial Scholarship (2006)
Timeline
Research Scientist
CentralStar Cooperative
01.2025 - Current
Postdoctoral Fellow
Van Andel Institute
01.2024 - 01.2025
Independent Contractor
CentralStar Cooperative
01.2024 - 01.2025
Senior Research Technician
Van Andel Institute
01.2016 - 01.2018
Research Technician
Michigan State University
01.2014 - 01.2016
Professional Science Master's - Cell and Molecular Biology
Grand Valley State University
B.S. - Animal Science
Michigan State University
Ph.D. - Molecular and Cell Biology
Van Andel Institute