CV
Education
- Ph.D. in Biological Engineering, UC Santa Barbara, Expected 2029
- Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering with specialty in Applied Biomedical Technologies, Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana, 2022
Work experience
- January 2023 - September 2023 (9 months): Research and Development Engineer
- University of California San Diego, Systems Biology Research Group
- Duties included:
- Designed and conducted 83 bacterial and viral adaptive evolution experiments to improve growth and tolerance in specific environments using Tecan liquid handling platforms (EVO and Fluent)
- Collaborated and developed with an international team of 7 R&D engineers a specialized liquid handling platform to perform automated adaptive evolution experiments using SOLIDWORKS, Python, and Polyscope
- Programmed and developed real-time experiment data visualization interface system in Linux using JavaScript, Bootstrap, and SQL
- Trained and supervised 4 undergraduates and 2 graduate students to assist in experiments and perform laboratory tasks
- Determined and solved biocontamination issues by performing sterility tests, ~300 PCR and gel electrophoresis runs, and changing SOP and FluentControl scripts used in experiments
- Cultured and isolated ~200 E. Coli and Bacillus strains for PCR analysis, experiments, and testing
- Analyzed and documented resulting data from 2 bacterial evolution experiment projects
- Operated and maintained 4 Tecan liquid handling platforms with 160 active experiments
- Rewrote and implemented an SOP for population and colony PCR, gel electrophoresis process, and data interpretation
- Scheduled meetings with clients and collaborators to discuss progress and end goals of bacterial evolution experiments
- Supervisor: Dr. Adam Feist
Research experience
- June 2021 - August 2021 (3 Months) : Research Assistant Intern
- University of California San Diego, San Diego Supercomputer Center
- Duties included:
- Analyzed, in cooperation with a doctoral researcher, the spread of COVID-19 in Mexico in the spatial, temporal, and phylogenetic domains using statistical Python packages
- Determined and documented four risk factors (urban areas, obesity, age, and depression) that could potentially increase the death rate from COVID-19 in 2021
- Presented research results on the spread of COVID-19 in Mexico through an oral presentation at the ENLACE 2021 closing ceremony and symposium
- Taught a team of two high school students, one undergraduate student, and one PhD graduate programming using Python for biomedical data analysis
- Supervisor: Dr. Peter Rose
- January 2020 – June 2022 (2 years 3 months): Research Assistant
- Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana
- Duties included:
- Analyzed 10878 brain signals for the identification of evoked potentials using machine learning methods using Python
- Designed an algorithm in Python for the detection of motor-related events on brain signals for the development of prosthetics based on brain-computer interfaces
- Documented an SOP to follow for the detection of events in brain signals for prosthetic design
- Organized and led meetings with a team of 3 biomedical engineers for discussions related to development of a brain-computer interface
- Coordinated and directed 2 biomedical engineering students in their research projects involving brain-computer interface module development
- Reviewed and tested previous works related to evoked potentials in brain signals
- Developed a senior project report based on data analysis results and presented findings to a panel of 5 professors and 40 undergraduates
- Supervisor: M.S. Arturo Sotelo
- August 2019 - December 2019 (5 months): Research Assistant
- Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana
- Duties included:
- Cultured and determined type of bacteria in 20 graphene culture plates of E. Coli and other bacteria
- Examined and tested the permeability of 30 graphene membranes
- Designed and Fabricated 2 water filter prototypes using graphene membranes and SOLIDWORKS
- Supervisor: M.Eng. Francisco García
Synergistic activities
- September 2018: Scientific Workshop
- University of San Diego San Diego
- Workshop: Gel Electrophoresis/Crime Scene Investigation Workshop
- Duties included:
- Performed and analyzed PCR and gel electrophoresis from 10 human DNA samples to determine the aggressor of a crime scene
- June 2018: Security and custody
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California
- Events: Day of Early Detection of Cardiac Pathologies in Athletes
- Duties included:
- Analyzed the statistics of young athletes who may suffer cardiac arrest
- Administered and conditioned checked medical equipment
- Educated young athletes on how to perform CPR
Teaching Experience
Publications
Identification of potentials in electroencephalic signals, evoked by virtual experiences of movement.
Kevin A. Valenzuela, Arturo Sotelo. (2023). "Identification of potentials in electroencephalic signals, evoked by virtual experiences of movement." IN PROGRESS. 1(1).
Talks
Spatial, temporal, and phylogenetic analysis of COVID-19 spread.
Conference talk at UC San Diego, ENLACE summer research program, CLOSING CEREMONY and SYMPOSIUM, La Jolla, California
Identification of potentials in electroencephalicsignals, evoked through virtual experiences of movement.
Talk at Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana, Senior project presentation, Tijuana, Mexico
Grants, Fellowships, & Scholarships
- NRT: Data Driven Biology, Present
- ENLACE summer research program, Summer 2021
- Jóvenes Escribiendo el Futuro, July 2019 - June 2022
Certifications
- University of California, San Diego
- August 2024: Molecular Evolution (Bioinformatics IV)
- July 2024: Comparing Genes, Proteins, and Genomes (Bioinformatics III)
- May 2024: Genome Sequencing (Bioinformatics II)
- October 2022: Biology Meets Programming: Bioinformatics for Beginners
- IBM
- March 2024: Data Visualization with Python
- January 2024: Deep Learning with Tensorflow
- October 2022: Machine Learning with Python
- September 2022: Python for Data Analysis
- September 2022: Python 101 for Data Science
- Intellegy
- May 2021: Curso básico de SOLIDWORKS
- University of San Diego
- November 2018: Gel Electrophoresis/Crime Scene Investigation Workshop
Skills
Technical: Circuit design and analysis (electronic, analog, power, and digital), measurement of mechanical properties (tensile, compression, bending, hardness, creep, and impact test), thermal analysis of materials, signal analysis, and network design.
Software: Windows, MAC OS, Linux, Microsoft Office, LaTeX, SOLIDWORKS, MySQL, MongoDB, Git, GitHub, Bitbucket, Gitlab, Azure, ImageJ, Cello, Jira, Benchling, Scientific Workplace, wxMaxima, SciLab, GNU Octave, Jupyter Notebooks, Spyder, Android studio, Visual Studio, MPLAB, Eureqa, Simulink, Proteus, and Multisim.
Programming: Python, MATLAB, Verilog HDL, VHDL, R, SQL, Java, C++, C, Assembly Language, LabView, JavaScript, PHP, CSS, HTML, EVOware and FluentControl.
Data science techniques: Machine learning, data visualization, data mining, data processing, statistical analysis, computer vision (OpenCV and YOLOv4), and deep learning.
Bioinformatic techniques: Sequence alignment and genome assembly
Bioinformatic tools: BLAST, clustal omega (multiple alignment), EMBOSS (local and global alignment), and Galaxy (SPAdes/genome assembly and QUAST)
Laboratory techniques: Bacterial culture, cell count, cell harvest, cleaning glassware, clonal isolation, column chromatography, cryopreserving, differential centrifugation, filtrating, gel electrophoresis, gel electrophoresis imaging, Glucose sensor assays, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), in vitro experiments, inoculation, PCR, pipetting, practicing sterile techniques, preparing media, preservation of cell lines, replica plating, sterilizing, and weighing.
Laboratory Instruments: Autoclave, biosafety cabinet, centrifuges, fume hood, high accuracy digital thermometer, incubator, lab glassware, liquid handling platforms (Tecan: Evo and Fluent), logic analyzer, micropipette, microscope, multimeter, oscilloscope, PCR machines, pH meter, pipettes, plate reader spectrophotometer, precision balance, signal generator, spectrophotometer, stirring hot plate, thermocycler, volumetric glassware, and vortex mixer.
Tooling instruments and techniques: Abrasive Cut-Off saw, bench drill, caliper, micrometer, CNC machining, jigsaw, lathe, MIG welding, mill machining, oxyacetylene gas welding, resin printing, sanding, shielded metal arc welding, and vise.