Valerie Contreras Rivas
El Paso,TX
Summary
Master’s student in Bioinformatics with a strong foundation in biological sciences, clinical care, and data analysis. Experienced in cancer biomarker research under Dr. Jinying Zhang, focusing on tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) using proteomic and immunological approaches. Proficient in Python, R, and data analysis for biomedical applications. Passionate about advancing personalized medicine and gaining translational research experience, particularly in Alzheimer’s, or cancer-related fields.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Patient Care Technician
The Hospitals of Providence East Campus
El Paso, TX
08.2025 - Current
- Monitored vital signs and reported changes to nursing staff for timely interventions.
- Assisted with daily living activities, ensuring patient comfort and dignity.
- Maintained cleanliness and organization of patient care areas to promote safety and efficiency.
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to develop and implement patient care plans.
Teaching Assistant
University of Texas at El Paso
01.2024 - 12.2024
- Collaborated with professor to create a consistent and supportive learning environment for students
- Evaluated student performance through regular assessments, tracking progress and adjusting instructional strategies as needed.
Emergency Medical Technician
Life Ambulance
01.2023 - 04.2024
- Enhanced patient care by efficiently assessing and addressing medical emergencies in high-pressure situations
- Continuously improved skills through regular training sessions, workshops, conferences, and staying up-to-date on industry best practices.
Emergency Medical Technician
Loyal Source Government Services, LLC
El Paso, TX
04.2023 - 04.2024
- Improved patient outcomes by administering appropriate treatments based on thorough assessments of vital signs, physical conditions, and medical histories.
- Maintained accurate electronic medical records in compliance with HIPAA.
Covid Screener
University Medical Center
El Paso, TX
05.2021 - 03.2022
- Screened patients for Covid-19 symptoms before entering facilities, directed them to desired location.
Education
Master of Science - Bioinformatics
University of Texas At El Paso
El Paso, Texas12-2026
Graduate Certificate in Big Data Analytics - Data Science
The University of Texas At El Paso
El Paso, TX12-2026
Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics - Statistics
The University of Texas At El Paso
El Paso, TX12-2026
Bachelor of Science - Biology With Biomedical Concentration
University of Texas At El Paso
El Paso, Texas05-2022
Skills
- Python, R, Java, SQL, Bash
Programming & Bioinformatics Tools:
- Data visualization (ggplot2, matplotlib)
- Basic familiarity with AlphaFold, AutoDock, GitHub, Linux/Unix and Jupyter Notebook
Research
University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX
Research Assistant – Dr. Jinying Zhang, Border Biomedical Research Center
01/2024 – Present
- Contributed to research on tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) as cancer biomarkers.
- Performed literature reviews, data collection, and preliminary bioinformatics analysis using Python and R.
- Gained experience in transcriptomic and proteomic data interpretation, and scientific presentation.
Bioinformatics Projects
Gene Expression Analysis of MAGEA Genes Across Cancers
Spring 2025 – University of Texas at El Paso
- Extracted MAGEA expression data from TCGA, GEO, and cBioPortal for multiple cancer types.
- Performed differential expression analysis using DESeq2 in R to identify cancer-specific biomarkers.
- Conducted Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to assess clinical correlations.
Interactive Cancer Demographic and Survival Web App
- Developed a Flask-based dashboard to visualize clinical data from five cancer types (BRCA, COAD, LUAD, LAML, SKCM).
- Integrated MySQL databases with Plotly and Pandas for interactive visualizations (pie charts, histograms, survival trends).
- Designed a user-friendly interface to display patient demographics, diagnosis age, treatment data, and survival outcomes.
- Cleaned and imported >2,000 patient records after formatting raw clinical data from TCGA and cBioPortal.
Certification
Emergency Medical Technician, ID: 778860, EXP:11/2026
Volunteer Experience
Rota CAREFREE Clinic
- Provided basic medical assistance at a free walk-in clinic for uninsured and underserved patients in the El Paso community.
El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank
- Assisted with food sorting, packaging, and distribution to help combat food insecurity among local families.
Humane Society of El Paso
- Supported shelter operations by helping care for rescued pets and assisting during adoption events.
References
Available upon request
Timeline
Patient Care Technician
The Hospitals of Providence East Campus
08.2025 - Current
Teaching Assistant
University of Texas at El Paso
01.2024 - 12.2024
Emergency Medical Technician
Loyal Source Government Services, LLC
04.2023 - 04.2024
Emergency Medical Technician
Life Ambulance
01.2023 - 04.2024
Covid Screener
University Medical Center
05.2021 - 03.2022
Bachelor of Science - Biology With Biomedical Concentration
University of Texas At El Paso
Master of Science - Bioinformatics
University of Texas At El Paso
Graduate Certificate in Big Data Analytics - Data Science
The University of Texas At El Paso
Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics - Statistics
The University of Texas At El Paso