Vijay Elango

• Collaborate with target drug discovery team to functionally characterize cell model repository lines, using qPCR, ICC, flow cytometry and setting up snRNA-seq workflow.

Successfully developed ddPCR, qPCR and live cell imaging assays within the non-viral transgene delivery / Gene editing team to functionally characterize mRNA based cargoes targeting tissues of interest.

• Assay development: Bio-analytical assays to analyze RNA/ssDNA cargo encapsidation into heterologous virus like particles by ddPCR, qPCR, live cell imaging and confocal microscopy
• Optimized assays in mouse tissue extracts to detect transgene delivery of lead candidates in treated animals
• Tissue culture: Perform primary mouse/ human hepatocyte extraction, culture and transfection to screen for therapeutic potentials of nucleotides in cell models

Generated procedures and validation protocol for a ddPCR assay (target knockout) that was submitted to FDA as part of CMC product characterization document for IND enabling of CTX 131, CTX 112 program biologics.

• Assay development: Multiplex ddPCR for target expression analysis in modified CAR-T cells (CTX 131, CTX 112 program)
• AAV Process development: AAV Sample testing for viral titer (AAV 138, AAV 145) using ddPCR (CTX 110,130)
• AAV Process development: AAV Sample testing for cQA (residual gDNA, pDNA) using qPCR (CTX 110, 130)

Successfully delivered a time sensitive project for an external client (Quidel) to characterize positive controls sourced from Microbix, for inclusion in Quidel's diagnostic kits

• Multiplex qPCR-based development of positive controls for respiratory viral panel (ISO 13485: 2016)

Successfully processed batches of over 800 samples for GMO analysis (ELISA, Western blot) of nutraceuticals/ biologics under GMP /GLP regulation (ISO/IEC 17025:2017) and initiated a pilot project for plant genome editing using CRISPR systems.

• ddPCR, ELISA and western blot based assays for GMO analysis of nutraceuticals.
• qPCR based microbial testing of finished cannabis infused products (GMP - Health Canada)
• Inter-lab microbial proficiency testing (ELISA)
• Plant tissue culture, microscopy, CRISPR based plant genome editing project design and development
• Instrument Operational qualification, performance qualification (ELISA plate reader, qPCR)

Demonstrated a Proof-of-concept to virally transduce isolated primary cardiac fibroblasts, reprogramming them to cardiomyocyte like cells with proteomic characterization.

• Retroviral mediated reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts to cardiomyocytes
• Informatics analysis of Nanotrap bound protein interactome through LC-MS
• Graduate teaching assistant for appointed courses including biology 1000, genetics and research methods in cell and molecular biology

Individually handled a project to design a CRISPR-Cas9 mediated knock-out of endogenous target. Validated the pipeline including guide RNA design (snap Gene), cloning, expression and target knock out (using T7 endonuclease assay)

• CRISPR mediated knock-out of endogenous cytoskeletal protein
• Knock-out validation using T7 endonuclease assay
• Homologous recombination mediated knock-in design of reporter gene

Rotated in neurobiology labs as part of a PhD program analyzing neuron morphogenesis during organ development with exposure to various molecular biology techniques.

• Mass spectrometric analysis, immunostaining and immunoblot to validate localized proteins
• Dicer deletions of miRNA candidates observing motor neuron identity in mouse spinal cord
• Drosophila transgenics to identify transcription factors regulating neuron morphogenesis

Experimentally contributed as a co-author towards the publication of a research article identifying SUMOylated proteome during an immune response in D.melanogaster

• Drosophila transgenics, immunoprecipitation, affinity tag pull-down of SUMOylated proteins
• S2 cell culture, DNA transfection, cell culture using SILAC to identify SUMO proteome
• Immunoblot analysis and sample preparation for Mass spectrometry