Brihget Sicairos

Senior Graduate Research Assistant                                                                   Aug 2017-Aug 2023

• Completed administrative and research duties per the professor's request.
• Performed statistical, qualitative, and quantitative analysis.
• Planned, modified, and executed research techniques, procedures, and tests.
• Provided comprehensive research assistance and support when designing and executing experiments.
• Contributed to professionally written scientific papers for publication.
• Contributed to research and data analysis within the cancer biology landscape.
• Met regularly with the research team to identify issues and maintain study alignment with objectives.
• Conducted independent or supporting research on range of topics, following correct protocols for study integrity.
• Prepared summaries of research data for use in high-level meetings and presentations.
• Learned new laboratory techniques and applied expertise in carrying out enhanced experiments under supervision of senior lab members.
• Followed health and safety regulations while handling dangerous or toxic substances.

Undergraduate Senior Thesis                                                                             Spring 2015

• Title - CASP8: Central Role in Programmed Cell Death and its Effects on Cancers and Neurodegenerative Diseases.
• Supervised by Douglas Rhoads, Ph. D.

• Brihget Sicairos, Shorna Alam, and Yuchun Du (2023). A comprehensive analysis of different types of databases reveals that CDH1 mRNA and E-cadherin protein are not downregulated in most carcinoma tissues and carcinoma cell lines. BMC Cancer.
• Zhenqi Zhou, Brihget Sicairos, Jianhong Zhou, and Yuchun Du (2023). Proteomic Analysis Reveals the Major Proteins and Pathways that Mediate the Effect of 17-β-Estradiol in Cell Division and Apoptosis in Breast Cancer MCF7 Cells. Manuscript submitted to Molecular and Cellular Proteomics.
• Anna M. Nguyen, Jianhong Zhou, Brihget Sicairos, Sangeetha Sonney, and Yuchun Du (2020). Upregulation of CD73 Confers Acquired Radioresistance and is Required for Maintaining Irradiation-Selected Pancreatic Cancer Cells in a Mesenchymal State. Molecular and Cellular Proteomics.
• Yimeng Wang, Jianhong Zhou, Brihget Sicairos, Sangeetha Sonney, Samuel G. Mackintosh, and Yuchun Du. RuvB-like protein 2 interacts with the NS1 protein of influenza A virus and affects apoptosis that is counterbalanced by type I interferons. In preparation for Molecular and Cellular Proteomics.

Poster Presentations

• Brihget Sicairos, Jianhong Zhou, Blake P. Johnson, Yuchun Du. Investigation of GPI-Anchored Proteins in the Exosomes Derived from Breast Cancer Cells. SelectBio Extracellular Vesicles 2023: Technologies, Biomarker Cargo & Diagnostics. July 26-27, 2023. Orlando, Fl, United States.
• Jianhong Zhou, Yimeng Wang, Lin Liu, Brihget Sicairos Meza, and Yuchun Du. RNA Helicase DDX1 Interacts with the NS1 of Influenza A Virus and is Required for Efficient Replication of the Virus. October 4, 2022. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States.
• Brihget Sicairos, Shorna Alam, and Yuchun Du. Meta-analysis reveals that CDH1 mRNA and E-cadherin protein are not downregulated in most carcinoma tissues and cell lines. 2022 Signaling by Adhesion Receptors (GRC). July 17, 2022 - July 22, 2022. Manchester, NH, United States.
• Brihget Sicairos, Shorna Alam, and Yuchun Du. Meta-analysis reveals that CDH1 mRNA and E-cadherin protein are not downregulated in most carcinoma tissues and cell lines. 2022 Signaling by Adhesion Receptors (GRS). July 16, 2022. Manchester, NH, United States.

• American Doctorate Fellowship (2017-2021)
• Swartz Graduate Fellowship (2020)
• Summer Research Graduate Assistantship (2022)
• GPSC Travel Grant (2023)
• Presentation Travel Grant (2022, 2023)

University Service:

Institutional Biosafety Committee         July 2019 - August 2023

• Reviewed and approved prospective protocols from across departments that involved recombinant DNA technology

Instructor Coach                                       Fall 2023

• Supported 27 students in an academic coaching role
• Conducted 1:1 and small group meetings with students
• Collaborated with the Early Alert team
• Logged interactions with students into UA Success

Project Director                                      Spring 2018 - May 2023

• As a PhD candidate, I mentored several undergraduate students teaching them techniques, editing their theses, and helping them prepare figures for their results.

Professional Service:

Mentor

• Letters to a Pre-Scientist 2019-2020

Yuchun Du, Associate Professor                          

Department of Biological Sciences                         

University of Arkansas                                             

479-575-6944, ydu@uark.edu                                

Michelle Evans-White, Department Chair and Professor

Department of Biological Sciences

University of Arkansas

479-575-4706, mevanswh@uark.edu

Ines Pinto, Associate Professor 

Department of Biological Sciences 

University of Arkansas

479-575-6941, ipinto@uark.edu