Brody Dion

I worked with Dr. Zachariah Tritz to investigate how MHC class I signaling regulates TLR-mediated immune responses. My current project is investigating the role MHC class I signaling has in THP-1 monocytes, focusing on cellular activation and cytokine production. I performed ELISAs on microbe-stimulated THP-1 cells to discover the impact on inflammatory cytokine production. Alongside my project, I was in charge of lab managerial tasks and mentoring three other students. I maintained cell cultures, ensuring resources for each student's project, and coordinated schedules of undergraduate students to tackle larger experiments as a group.

Prepared reagents, media, and materials for academic laboratory testing and analysis, ensuring compliance with safety standards and promoting an organized laboratory environment.

• Conducted laboratory experiments following established protocols and safety guidelines.
• Prepared and maintained laboratory equipment for various research projects.
• Assisted in the analysis of biological samples using standard laboratory techniques.

Working in Dr. Daniel Billadeau's lab, I determined the impact of adding the intracellular domain of the co-receptor CD2 to the intracellular motif of CD16 on the killing ability of Natural Killer cells against tumor cells. Over the 12 weeks I was there, I presented my research findings at weekly lab meetings and exchanged ideas, conducted literature reviews to support ongoing research projects and enhance the knowledge base, used specialized laboratory equipment and software tools, and used statistical software to analyze data. I furthered my skills in cell culture, protocol development, flow cytometry, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, and cytotoxicity assays. I presented my research and findings by oral presentation to the immunology faculty and a poster presentation to all faculty and staff at Mayo Clinic.

Eurofins is a food microbiology testing lab. I was promoted after a year and a half to a lab technician from a lab assistant. Working there for two years during the breaks between my school semesters, I learned to maintain a safe and organized laboratory environment, adhering to strict safety protocols to ensure an accurate result of microbial load from different samples. Maintained documentation on tests performed in the lab to allow for easy verification on data collected. I learned how to use aseptic technique, follow protocols, cell culture, and analyze bacterial colonies while working here. My main role was to aliquot samples into workable amounts and then dilute them in specified media to allow for optimal growth of specific bacteria needed to be absent from the sample at a low enough CFU/ml to be safe for human consumption. I have trained roughly five lab technicians in proficiently aliquoting samples.