Eric Lee
Annapolis,MD
Summary
Accomplished, self-motivated, and highly adaptable PhD graduate with excellent scientific and communication skills. Doctoral work focused on the design, synthesis, and characterization of protein nanocages as tools for synthetic biology applications. Possesses in-depth knowledge of supramolecular protein assemblies and their applications in synthetic biology, materials, and therapeutics. Fascinated by emergent AI-driven tools for science communication.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Graduate Student Researcher
UCLA
01.2019 - 01.2024
Successfully designed and synthesized Ligand-Operable Cages (LOCs), a novel protein nanocage-based platform for targeted molecular delivery
- Structurally modeled synthetic protein nanoparticles capable of ligand-triggered opening and encapsulated cargo release
- Purified recombinant proteins using classical molecular biology and biochemistry techniques, including size-exclusion chromatography, dynamic light scattering, and negative-stain electron microscopy
- Developed fluorescence and luminescence-based reporter readout assays for ligand-triggered cage disassembly and cargo delivery.
- Analyzed data to interpret efficacy of designs and optimize experimental conditions
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Boston College
01.2015 - 01.2018
Investigating the roles of TACC3 and TorsinA on neural development: examined in vitro and in vivo effects of TACC3 and TorsinA on axon outgrowth and guidance during embryonic development in Xenopus laevis (African clawed frogs)
- Performed designed RNA extractions and injections into early embryos
- Differential expression and axonal growth tested via molecular biology techniques and confocal microscopy.
Education
Ph.D. - Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
UCLA
Los Angeles, CA03.2024
Bachelor of Science - Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA12.2018
Skills
- Scientific: E Coli recombinant gene design, isolation, and expression; PCR; SDS- and native PAGE; affinity chromatography; SEC; DLS; negative-stain EM; dialysis; SPR; BLI; cysteine-reactive labeling; assay development; enzyme kinetics; experimental design
- Communication: Scientific writing (abstracts, patents, posters, manuscripts, reports), data analysis and presentation, figure illustration, collaborative discussion, critical and creative thinking, recruit training, writing and presentation coaching
- Programs: Word, Excel, Illustrator, ChimeraX, PyMOL, ChemDraw, Matplotlib
Mentorship And Leadership
Yeates Lab - Research Mentor
2021 - 2024
Instructed recruits on biochemical and molecular biology techniques. Advised new research assistants on various projects.
- Nika Gladkov, undergraduate assistant
- Brian Nguyen, graduate student
- Roman Aguirre, graduate student
UCLA, Department of Chemistry - Teaching Assistant
2019 - 2024
Advisor: Anne Hong-Hermesdorf, PhD
CHEM 153L: Introduction to Biochemical Methods: lectured and instructed undergraduates in classical biochemistry techniques and analysis, focusing on enzyme assays. Reviewed and gave feedback on lab reports and data analyses. Led discussions on scientific concepts during office hours and review sessions.
Patents
Ligand Operable Protein Cages, Eric J. Lee, Justin E. Miller, Todd O. Yeates, 02/14/2022, UC Regents, 63/308,243
Publications
- Nika Gladkov, Elena A. Scott, Kyle Meador, Eric J. Lee, Arthur D. Laganowsky, Todd O. Yeates, Roger Castells-Graells, Design of a symmetry-broken tetrahedral protein cage by a method of internal steric occlusion, Protein Science, 04/01/2024, 10.1002/pro.4973
- Eric J. Lee, Nika Gladkov, Todd O. Yeates, Design of Ligand-Operable Protein-Cages That Open Upon Specific Protein Binding, ACS Synthetic Biology, 01/19/2024, 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00383
- Burcu Erdogan, Garrett M. Cammarata, Eric J. Lee, Benjamin C. Pratt, Andrew F. Francl, Erin L. Rutherford, Laura Anne Lowery, The microtubule plus-end-tracking protein TACC3 promotes persistent axon outgrowth and mediates responses to axon guidance signals during development, Neural Development, 02/15/2017, 10.1186/s13064-017-0080-7
Awards
- 2023, Michael Jung Excellence in Teaching Award
- 2020, UCLA Chemistry and Biochemistry Excellence in Research Fellowship
- 2017, Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation - Northeast Regional Meeting of The Society for Developmental Biology
Posters
- Design and Synthesis of Ligand-Operable Protein Cages: Nanoparticles Tuned for Targeted Delivery and Release, Sigman Symposium, October 2022, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Design and Synthesis of Ligand-Operable Protein Cages: Nanoparticles Tuned for Targeted Delivery and Release, Seaborg Symposium, August 2022, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- TACC3 mitigates Nocodazole-induced growth cone effects and is required for proper embryonic neural development and morphology, Northeast Regional Meeting of The Society for Developmental Biology (NESDB), April 2017, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
Timeline
Graduate Student Researcher
UCLA
01.2019 - 01.2024
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Boston College
01.2015 - 01.2018
Ph.D. - Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
UCLA
Bachelor of Science - Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences
Boston College
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