Rebekah Reynolds
Seattle,WA
Summary
Accomplished research scientist with specializations in medical entomology and malaria vaccinology. Fostered collaboration as the lead scientist of a multi-institutional grant to develop a novel malaria vaccine. Secured funding from the National Science Foundation for graduate studies while gaining technical laboratory experience and mentoring emerging scientists.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Research Scientist II
University of Washington
Seattle, WA
05.2020 - 05.2025
- Primary project: Lead scientist working to develop an orally delivered, liver-targeted T-cell vaccine for malaria, in collaboration with material scientists at Johns Hopkins University.
- Insectary manager: Designed and optimized protocols for mosquito rearing, infecting rodents and nonhuman primates with malaria, and the propagation and isolation of rodent, nonhuman primate, and human malaria parasites.
- Department: Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
- Advisor: Sean C. Murphy
Graduate Research Assistant
Iowa State University
Ames, IA
05.2015 - 05.2020
- Primary project: Lead scientist studying whether a well-defined reproductive hormone also stimulates anti-Plasmodium immunity in Anopheles mosquitoes.
- Funding: Graduate Research Fellowship Program ($130,000 from 2016-2020) from the National Science Foundation and Wayne Rowley Scholarship in Entomology ($9,000 from 2015-2018) from Iowa State University Department of Entomology awarded to Rebekah Reynolds.
- Department: Entomology
- Advisor: Ryan C. Smith
Laboratory Manager
Drake University
Des Moines, IA
05.2014 - 05.2015
- Primary project: Lead post-baccalaureate scientist collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates to assess water quality in the Raccoon River Watershed
- Funding: Raccoon River Watershed Association and Drake University ($12,000 from 2014-2015) awarded funding to Rebekah Reynolds.
- Additional Responsibilities: Advised an undergraduate student studying aquatic insects for a capstone project, monitored endangered box turtles using radio telemetry, and conducted a diversity assessment of insects in Iowan prairies.
- Department: Environmental Science
- Advisor: Keith Summerville.
Education
PhD - Entomology
Iowa State University
Ames, IA05-2020
BS - Biology And Environmental Science
Drake University
Des Moines, IA05-2014
Publications
- Zhu, Y., Ma, J., Shen, R. et al (Reynolds, R.A). Screening for lipid nanoparticles that modulate the immune activity of helper T cells towards enhanced antitumor activity. Nat. Biomed. Eng 8, 544–560 (2024).
- Yadav, N., Kalata, A.C., Reynolds, R.A. et al. Identifying Plasmodium P36 and P52 antigens for coadministration with circumsporozoite protein to enhance vaccine efficacy. npj Vaccines 9, 241 (2024).
- Yadav, Naveen, et al (Reynolds, R.A) . "More time to kill: A longer liver stage increases T cell-mediated protection against pre-erythrocytic malaria." Iscience 26.12 (2023).
- Shears, Melanie J., et al (Reynolds, R.A). "Plasmodium knowlesi in pig-tailed macaques: a potential new model for malaria vaccine research." Malaria Journal 22.1 (2023): 379.
- Zhu, Y., Shen, R., Vuong, I. et al (Reynolds,R.A). Multi-step screening of DNA/lipid nanoparticles and co-delivery with siRNA to enhance and prolong gene expression. Nat Commun 13, 4282 (2022).
- Kwon, H., Simões, M. L., Reynolds, R. A., Dimopoulos, G., & Smith, R. C. (2021). Additional Feeding Reveals Differences in Immune Recognition and Growth of Plasmodium Parasites in the Mosquito Host. Msphere, 6(2), e00136-21.
- Reynolds, R. A., Kwon, H., e Silva, T. L. A., Olivas, J., Vega-Rodriguez, J., & Smith, R. C. (2020). The 20-hydroxyecdysone agonist, halofenozide, promotes anti-Plasmodium immunity in Anopheles gambiae via the ecdysone receptor. Scientific reports, 10(1), 1-9.
- Reynolds RA, Kwon H, Smith RC. (2020) 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) primes innate immune responses that limit bacteria and malaria parasite survival in Anopheles gambiae. mSphere, 5(2)
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Research Scientist II
University of Washington
05.2020 - 05.2025
Graduate Research Assistant
Iowa State University
05.2015 - 05.2020
Laboratory Manager
Drake University
05.2014 - 05.2015
PhD - Entomology
Iowa State University
BS - Biology And Environmental Science
Drake University
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