Kari Nichole Nejak-Bowen

Career Goal: To leverage my diverse educational degrees, my experience at a non-profit institute, my familiarity with running a start-up company, and my strong interpersonal skills in order to obtain a demanding managerial position in the field of life sciences.

Education: Master of Business Administration 1/00 – 12/02

University of Pittsburgh Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business

Concentration: Marketing with Special Interest in Strategy

Participated in a school-sponsored market research project for the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine after completion of degree.

Bachelor of Science 9/97 - 5/99

University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Major: Microbiology

Dean’s list 1997-1998 and 1998-1999

Graduated Summa Cum Laude

Allegheny College, Meadville PA 9/94 - 5/97

Major: Biology; Minor: English Literature

Alden Scholar Awards 1995-1996 and 1996-1997

Experience: University of Pittsburgh Department of Pathology, Pittsburgh, PA

Research Specialist IV 8/04 – Present

· Investigated the development of small organs such as adrenal tissue from primary cell suspensions and cultures.

· Elucidated the role of newly discovered growth factor FGF-19 in liver development and regeneration. Determined that although FGF-19 is upregulated under both growth conditions in vitro and regenerative conditions in vivo, FGF-19 alone was unable to stimulate either proliferation or differentiation of hepatocyte monolayers and/or organoid cultures.

· Localized Homer-1c (a synapse protein normally found in the brain) to stellate cells in the liver through immunofluorescence staining and confocal microscopy. This result suggests that stellate cells possess a dendrite-like function in the liver, and may be important in liver signaling.

· Confirmed upregulation of both Notch and Jagged when hepatocytes de-differentiate in culture, and a downregulation of Notch and Jagged expression when hepatocytes are cultured in a differentiating environment such as a biomatrix. Preliminary data also shows a decrease in Jagged RNA expression in monolayer cultures after transfection with silencing RNA.

· Demonstrated by Western blot that the amount of phosphorylated, active Met protein is repressed after injection of Met siRNA in the rat partial hepatectomy model (collaboration with Dr. Shirish Paranjpe).

Kytaron Technologies, Inc. (now Stemnion, Inc.), Pittsburgh, PA

Project Manager 3/03 – 7/04

Hired as the second employee of a start-up firm, and was initially responsible for applying for grant money. Through own initiative, responsibility eventually evolved into managing the daily business operations. Successfully performed a wide range of business functions, such as:

Business

· Originated an application for assistance in preparing a proposal for federal funding (Innovation Partnership PPA FAST microgrant program). This application was approved July 2003.

· Prepared an application for acceptance into the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse. This application was approved in July 2003. Originated a preliminary business plan, which became part of the Life Sciences Greenhouse application.

· Searched for additional sources of company funding, including venture capital, government grants, and state funds. Compiled a database of potential government funding sources. Periodically check grant solicitations.

· Developed and filed a protocol for IRB approval; followed up on its approval and administration, maintained current certifications, and submitted a modification to the original as the protocol was updated.

· Initiated contracting an animal facility for future studies; wrote an animal protocol for pending IACUC approval.

· Assisted in writing an ATP grant proposal for submission April 14, 2004.

· Compiled a list of major competitors, and tracked the current status of these competitors through weekly media monitoring and periodic patent searches.

Administrative

· Managed an inventory control protocol using an Excel database to track orders from request through delivery and invoicing. Kept an updated inventory log that incorporates information such as price, quantity, and arrival date. Verified the incoming invoices against expected prices for accuracy. Extracted information from the database to determine monthly ordering costs and a breakdown of purchases by project.

· Ordered and monitored the arrival of all laboratory supplies and equipment.

· Established credit accounts with major lab supply companies; negotiated competitive discount rates.

· Assisted in determining the working monthly budget for laboratory supplies. Also helped to create a capital equipment list, which included estimated costs and a timeframe for purchasing equipment.

Operational

· Organized the maintenance, repair, and certification of equipment, including tissue culture hoods and deionized water supply.

· Assisted in tracking the progress of projects and determining quantifiable milestones.

· Responsible for equipping and outfitting a fully functioning laboratory.

· Commenced preliminary laboratory experiments, which involved isolating and culturing AE cells from human placental tissue.

· Implemented the computer network system in conjunction with the IT consultant, including formatting hard drives, installing software, networking the computers and printer, installing hubs and routers, and troubleshooting.

· Attended several seminars on grant writing, specifically SBIR grants. Attended other meetings, such as the Venture Capital Conference, that give Kytaron media and industry exposure.

Human Resources

· Initiated the search for new employees by determining which media outlets will maximize exposure and response. Assisted in structuring the ad text; placed ads in selected journals and websites.

· Screened potential employees’ resumes and summarized each applicant’s qualifications; picked the most qualified applicants for review.

University of Pittsburgh Department of Pathology, Pittsburgh, PA

Research Specialist III 5/99 – 6/03

· Demonstrated through detergent fractionation and Western blotting that u-PA activates the latent form of HGF at the cell surface of hepatocytes either with or without first binding to its receptor (uPA-R).

· Showed through immunoprecipitation and Western blotting that LRP, the alternative receptor for u-PA, associates with with the HGF receptor, MET on the cell membranes of hepatocytes.

· Interacted on various other projects with investigators in both Pathology and in other departments

· Trained and supervised Summer Undergraduate Research Program students, part-time undergraduate students, and graduate students by coordinating their activities and assisting in experimental designs.

· Developed and maintained several consistent lines of transgenic and knockout mouse strains through genotyping and breeding. These mice were used in liver, kidney, and brain development studies.

· Independently managed general lab duties in an efficient manner, including ordering supplies, analyzing and calculating experimental results, and disposing of hazardous or radioactive materials.

University of Pittsburgh Department of Epidemiology, Pittsburgh, PA

Student Research Assistant II 9/97 – 5/99; 1/00-3/00

· Assisted the lab manager part-time in the maintenance of a clinical laboratory.

· Organized and updated a backlog of data, and implemented a quality control system in order to keep solutions and data current.

· Processed and catalogued samples for over 30 studies.

· Performed lipid panels and other assays, such as glucose analysis, on human blood samples. Data were utilized in cholesterol maintenance, colon cancer, AIDS, and pre-eclampsia studies.