Kathleen Gillespie, PhD

Creative and progressive Microbiologist with 10+ years experience in industry prior to doctorate, seeking new research position in Biotechnology with emphasis on microbiome studies and eDNA barcoding in natural systems and aquaculture

• Phylogenetic sleuthing: Radiation of Teleosts is Reflected in the Expansion of Class I eIF4Es, NOAA-EPP/MSI Forum, City University, New York City, 2016
• Why eIF4E-2B? That is the question: neofunctionalization of eIF4E2B in zebrafish (Danio rerio), RNA meeting, UMB Campus Baltimore, 2015

• Monitoring of stream water toxicity by using bioluminescent bacteria Photobacterium phosphoreum biosensor, Maryland ASM Chapter, Baltimore Maryland 2019
• Use of antibiotics for Maintenance of Axenic Cultures of Amphidinium Carterae for the Analysis of Translation, Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB) conference, Baltimore, Maryland 2017
• Widespread distribution of Class III eIF4E Family Members in Metazoans, EMBO conference, Heidelberg, Germany, 2017
• Origins and Evolution of eIF4E Family Members in Vertebrates, International Marine Biotechnology Conference, Baltimore, Maryland 2015
• Functional Characterization of eIF4E family members from Zebrafish, NOAA EPP Forum, UMCES Cambridge, Maryland 2014
• Role of eIF4E family members in zebrafish (Danio rerio), International Marine Biotechnology Conference, Brisbane, Australia, 2013

• 2021-2022 Skype a Scientist: High School student engagement days spring 2021, DNA Day spring 2022
• 2021 Baltimore Underground Science Space (BUGSS) and JHU Project Bridge virtual Science Slam
• 2019 'Fall into Science' 3 min elevator talk, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology
• 2018 Maryland Humanities segment broadcast on WYPR 'The poetry in science' January 4, 2018
• 2016-2017 Science Slam!' 5 min talk, Project Bridge (JHU)/ Baltimore Underground Science Space
• 2017 'Fall into Science' 3 min elevator talk, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology

• 2021 Poetry in Science Writing Workshop held at SENCER virtual Conference: Narratives in Science, Mid Atlantic
• 2020 Poetry in Science Writing Workshop held at IMET virtual summer internship, Baltimore MD
• 2019 Poetry in Science Writing Workshop held at CESTEMER 2019, NYIT New York City
• 2019 Collaboration with science group CapSci to create Poetry in Science reading Series
• 2018 CUNY CUE Conference in STEAM: workshop in Poetry in Science
• 2018 Writing workshop at Baltimore Underground Science Space: Poetry in Science
• 2016-2017 Teaching workshops in Bioluminescence bacteria biomarker for disinfectants testing: Do they glow, or no? Baltimore Underground Science Space (BUGSS)
• 2016-2017 Volunteer Judge for UMBC and BCCC (Baltimore City Community College) undergraduate research symposiums
• 2016-2017 Assisted at American Society of Microbiology events including: Science and engineering Expo and Morgan State University STEM Day
• 2016 Maryland Women's Heritage Center (MWHC) volunteer and writer
• Writer for Maryland Women's Journal (MWJ) STEM articles both online and print
• 2010-2015 Baltimore Healthy Harbor Initiative public outreach volunteer

• 1992 American Society of Microbiologists (ASM)
• 2015 Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMBs)
• 2018 American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)
• 2021 STEMNoire: Black women Scientists
• 2022 Minorities in Aquaculture (MIA)

• Scientist, NSF research award /summer intern coordinator, 06/2017, 08/2018, Institute for Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), Baltimore, MD, Conducting basic and applied research on Microalgae microbiome using genomic and culture analysis, Collecting biological data about relationships between Microalgae and bacteria under treatments designed to recover and culture undefined communities, Extracting DNA samples from cell cultures using molecular techniques, Generation and analysis of data by Next Generation Sequencing (Illumina Myseq instrumentation), Flow Cytometry instrument cell sorting to define bacterial and micro algae population, Coordinator for summer 2018 internship for underrepresented minorities in science
• Graduate Research Assistant and Postdoctoral Associate, 08/2010, 08/2016, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science-IMET, Baltimore, MD, Study of function/evolution of eukaryotic translational factors, PCR optimization, RT-PCR, qPCR/RNA/DNA/Protein isolation/identification, sub-cloning, transfection/Western blot, /SDS-PAGE/recombinant protein expression, Bioinformatics includes Primer design, phylogenetic analysis, data mining, Instructed LMRCSC Summer interns and high school students in GLP and SOP, Writing of manuscripts for book chapters on Translational proteins, published 2016, Managing the daily running of the laboratory, ordering, inventory, and personnel, Training interns in good laboratory practices (GLP) and molecular techniques
• Scientist, 12/2005, 06/2007, US Genomics Environmental Testing Group, Baltimore, MD, Spearheaded the completion of project milestones and maintenance of culture bank, Trained associates on sample preparation, DNA lysis/ digestion of environmental isolates BL2, Implemented testing of airborne bacteria/fungal using cultural, microscopic, amd molecular techniques for single molecule platform for biodefense purposes, Developed PFGE assay for selected isolates
• Bioanalytical Research Associate, 11/2004, 12/2005, Laureate Pharma Inc, /GMS, Princeton, NJ, Product Development role of validation biopharmaceutical antibody/antigen samples using molecular techniques, Assisted with SOP, general lab equipment calibration and maintenance, Radiation, GLP and GMP, QA/QC training, Responsible for development and execution of ELISAs (Enzyme linked Immunosorbent Assay) for determination of specificity of antigen screening
• NANO scholar, 07/2002, 07/2004, Lund University/ Chalmers Institute of Technology, Sweden, Development of biological interface with NANO cell chip biosensor using GFP and Fibrinogen for electrode manipulation in electro-immunoassay with CCD camera, Created and optimized bio surfaces for use with Biacore (TM300 and 2000), utilized SEM and AFM for evaluation of surface reactivity, Took courses in Molecular Imprinting, Enzyme Technology, Clean Room protocols, Taught Laboratory Component involving Enzyme Thermistor (ET) and Ion selective Electrode (ISE)
• Technical Specialist, 01/1999, 06/2002, BD Diagnostic Systems Technical Services, Sparks, MD, Responsibility for supporting Industrial microbiology products as sourced from Difo (BBL/Difco), Training in BDCell tissue culture media and transport collection systems, Liaison with clientele, research, product development, production, and regulatory to support BD products, Member of BDProbetec ET HTS (High Throughput Screening) device support team, Maintained GMP and ISO9000 protocols for testing/sampling under CLIA, CFR, Specialist to assist clients with Sterility testing via USP standards
• Research Associate I, 06/1996, 12/1998, Merck Sharp Dohme (MSD) Bioprocess, Rahway, NJ, Assisted medicinal chemistry by screening drug candidates, Engaged in bench scale cultivation of microbes and fungal organisms from Merck's culture collection and novel isolates, HPLC analysis of secondary metabolites, Formulation of media to support growth, Scale up into 30 liter batch culture prior to production floor

• 2023 Marine Biological Laboratories(MBL) Scholarship to attend Premiere Microbial Diversity summer program
• 2010-2015 NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center Graduate Fellowship (LMRCSC)
• 2017 Science Communication: 'Science Slam' 2nd place award for creativity
• 2010 A Bridge to Academic Excellence (ABAE) SAT tutoring coordinator award

• K. Gillespie, Tsvetan R.Bachvaroff, R. Jagus. Identification of Bacterial Communities associated with laboratory cultures of Amphidinium carterae by metabarcoding. The FASEB Journal 33(S1), April 2019
• K. Gillespie, B. Joshi, R. Jagus Characterization of Class I and III eIF4E Family Members in zebrafish (Danio rerio) (in progress for PlosOne submission)
• Kathleen M. Gillespie, Tsvetan R.Bachvaroff, Rosemary Jagus Expansion of eIF4E and 4EBP family members in Deuterostomes. Book Chapter in Evolution of the protein synthesis machinery and its regulation: Hernández and Jagus, Springer 2016
• Greco Hernández, Kathleen M. Gillespie, Tsvetan R. Bachvaroff, Rosemary Jagus, Cátia Igreja, Daniel Peter, Manuel Bulfoni, Bertrand Cosson Evolution of eIF4E-interacting proteins Book Chapter, in Evolution of the protein synthesis machinery and its regulation: Hernández and Jagus, Springer, 2016
• K. Gillespie, B. Joshi, R. Jagus Characterization of Class I and III eIF4E Family Members in zebrafish (Danio rerio) (submitted PlosOne 2017)
• Chiragwandi, Z. G.; Gillespie, K.; Zhao, Q. X.; Willander, M.; Panas, I. Ultraviolet driven negative current and rectifier effect in self-assembled green fluorescent protein device Applied Physics Letters, Volume 89, Issue 16, id. 162909 (2006).
• Dong, H., Onstott, T.C., DeFlaun, M.F., Fuller, M.E., Gillespie, K., and Fredrickson, J.K. Development of radiographic and microscopic techniques for the characterization of bacterial transport in intact sediment cores from Oyster, VA. Journal of Microbiological Methods, 37, 139-154. (1999)
• Gillespie, K. M., Angle, J. S. and Hill, R. L. Runoff Losses of Pseudomonas aureofaciens (Laczy) from Soil. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 17: 239-245. (1995)

• • 1992 American Society of Microbiologists (ASM)
• • 2015 Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (SIMBs)
• • 2018 American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)
• • 2021 STEMNoire: Black women Scientists
• • 2022 Minorities in Aquaculture (MIA)