Karen Perot Shaff
PO Box 302
La Honda, CA 94020
(650) 747-9633 home
(650) 575-4281 cell
Biotechnology Resume
(updated 2/25/2006)
EDUCATION:
University of California, Berkeley, Ca. B.A. Genetics 1984
College of Marin, Kentfield, Ca. A.A. Art, and A.S. Chemistry 1981 Honors: Alpha Gamma Sigma
Camden County College, Blackwood, N.J. Major: Animal Science Technology 1978
WORK EXPERIENCE:
02/06-present: Consultant with pharmaceutical company - enzyme assays, pharmacokinetics studies, etc.
9/02 - current: Coastside Veterinary Clinic, PO Box 306, La Honda, Ca 94020
Veterinary Assistant, (small animal clinic, part-time): Assist with all aspects of clinic including animal care & handling before, during and after medical treatments & surgeries; website maintenance; preparation & autoclaving of surgical packs; front desk duties-phones, computer, greeting clients & gathering info for veterinary visit, preparing Rx Drugs, etc.
11/87-6/97: Chiron Corp. Virology Dept. Emeryville, Ca. 94608
Research Specialist II : HCMV & HSV Vaccine Projects. Research & development of potential vaccine candidates for human herpesviruses using molecular & cellular biological techniques, including transfection & expression in mammalian cell cultures & screening of clones, purification of cell lines, etc.. Cytokine ELISA analysis studies in HSV natural infection and vaccine recipients. Cloning, cell culture, development & maintenance of cell lines for vaccine production. Writing and compiling data for publications, INDs, & oral presentation of research findings at meetings in house and at conferences. (See also my curriculum vitae below with extensive list of techniques & publications)
4/85-11/87: Mount Zion Hospital, Cell Biology Research Dept., S.F., Ca.
Research Technician II: RNA & DNA purification, cDNA library synthesis and screening, lgt11, hybridizations, cloning, cell culture, mammalian transfections, etc.
2/85-4/85: Univ. of California, Berkeley Microbiology & Immunology Dept.
Laboratory Assistant III: Affinity purif. of samples and Ames Test Mutagenicity assays
9/82-8/83: Stauffer Chemical Co. 1200 So. 47th St. Richmond, Ca. 94804
Research Technician: Synthesis and purification of organic compounds, notebook keeping, computer entry, literature searches, etc.
9/80-12/81: College of Marin Chemistry Dept., Kentfield, Ca. 94943
Lab Asst.; Teaching Asst.; Proctor: Further description upon request.
CURRICULUM VITAE: Karen Perot Shaff
Experience in Laboratory Techniques:
Molecular Biology:
RNA extraction & purification from cell culture & whole rat pancreas
M.W. size fractionation of mRNA for oocyte injection and cDNA cloning
Agarose gel electrophoresis; Northern, Southern transfer & hybridization
Slot & Dot blotting of nucleic acids and hybridization
cDNA cloning from above RNA (via reverse transcriptase reaction)
Screening cDNA libraries, isolation of clones, plasmid prep., restriction
analysis, electrophoresis, & mapping of clones, lgt11 library screening
Nuclear Run-on transcription assays
Nick translation using 32P-dCTP & 35S-dATP
PCR amplification and cloning
Cell Culture:
Transfection (mammalian cells), expression, and screening of clones by ELISA, Radioimmunoprecipitation, PAGE, Western blot, immunofluorescence, etc.
Maintenance, freezing, storage, passage of important cell lines
Immunofluorescent staining of infected & transfected cells
Infection of various cell types with HCMV for studies seeking animal model(s) for HCMV, publication of results.
Bacterial Work:
Making competent cells, transformation with cloned plasmid DNA
Plasmid DNA amplification, growth and purification
Maintenance and storage of bacterial cells, record keeping
Ames test mutagenicity assays on histidine auxotrophic mutant Salmonella typhimurium with affinity purified wine extracts
Teaching Experience:
College of Marin, Chemistry Dept.- Worked as Proctor/Teaching Asst. for several semesters
Mt. Zion Hospital, Cell Biology Research Dept. - Taught lab techniques to graduate students, post doctoral fellows and other technical personnel, often troubleshooting problems.
Chiron Corp., Virology Dept. - Trained employees in many lab techniques and computer skills.
Writing Experience:
Publications:
1.K.J. Perot, R.R.Spaete (1992) Expression of HCMV in Chimp fibroblasts...
2. R.R. Spaete, K.J. Perot et al. (1992) Expression of CMV gH with FGFr or the UL115 gene product results in association. The 17th International Herpesvirus Workshop, Edinburgh, Scotland.
3.Spaete, Richard R., K. J. Perot, Carol Pachl et al. (1991) CMV (Towne) glycoprotein H (gH) is complexed with GRP78 and GRP94. Progress in CMV Research, The 3rd International Cytomegalovirus Workshop, Bologna, Italy. (abstract)
4.Pachl, .C., G. Kim, K. Perot, J.R. Schuster, H. Lee, L. Rasmussen, R.R. Spaete. (1990) Expression and characterization of recombinant forms of CMV (Towne) glycoprotein H (gH). The 15th International Herpesvirus Workshop, Washington, DC.
5.Pachl,C., K.J. Perot, G. Kim-Crofton, W.S. Probert, L. Rasmussen, W. Britt, and R.R. Spaete. (1989) Expression of CMV (Towne) gH in mammalian cells. The 14th International Herpesvirus Workshop, Nyborg Strand, Denmark
6.Pachl, C., W.S. Probert, K.M Hermsen, K.J. Perot, F.R. Masiarz, L. Rasmussen, T.C. Merigan and R.R. Spaete. (1988) Nucleotide sequence of the CMV (Towne) gH gene and the identification of glycoprotein p86 as the gH gene product. 13th International Herpesvirus Workshop, Irvine, CA. (abstract)
7.Spaete, Richard R., Carol Pachl et al. (1988) Human CMV Strain Towne Glycoprotein B is Processed by Proteolytic Cleavage. Virology 167, 207-225 .
8.Logsdon, C.D., J.A. Williams et al. (1988) Pancreatic acinar cell amylase gene expression: Selective effects of adrenalectomy and corticosterone replacement. Endocrinology.
9.Logsdon, C.D., K.J.Perot, A.R. McDonald. Mechanism of glucocorticoid increase in pancreatic amylase gene transcription. J. Biol. Chem. , 1988.
10.Logsdon, C.D., K.J. Perot, and A.R. McDonald. Glucocorticoids regulate amylase gene transcription in pancreatic acinar AR42J cells. Fed. Proc. 46:2016, 1987.
Computer Experience:
Macintosh &/or PC: ccMail, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Netscape Communicator, Internet Explorer, Adobe GoLive, Canvas, Plasmid Artist, MacDraw, Photo Shop, Painter, Safari, DNA sequence analysis-alignment/comparison software, veterinary software - currently Cornerstone, and more...
Writing of the scientific procedures for Chiron’s HSV and CMV Investigative New Drug (IND) applications including preparation of DNA sequence alignments, comparisons, and diagrams; conversion to Word Perfect 5.1 and transmission to Regulatory Affairs prior to the deadline.
Unix: vi editor, mail,
DNA sequence analysis programs: Intelligenetics suite including: Align, Resmap, dnatopro, protodna, others...
Evaluation of patents for viral glycoproteins by retrieval of DNA and protein sequences from multiple databanks, alignment comparisons of the sequences, and preparation of diagrams summarizing the scientific procedures used in cloning these molecules.
Other current experience, interests and accomplishments:
Sept. 2005 - present: Vice-President La Honda Educational Foundation 501(c)3 non-profit organization - primary focus is to raise funds for Music & Educational Enrichment Programs for La Honda Elementary School
Sept. 2002 to present: Member Board of Directors, La Honda Educational Foundation since 2002.
1997 — current - Own my own business — began creating jewelry, including marketing and sales, after my twin girls were 6 months old, and Chiron terminated HSV project; entire HSV research team was laid off or reassigned to new jobs.
March 2002 - Designed my own website (with technical assistance) for my jewelry business; maintain/update it myself (when I have time). Click on http://www.karenshaff.com.
June 2002 — current Coordinator of annual fundraiser concert/luau "Aloha in the Redwoods" with Hawaiian slack-key guitar master George Kahumoku performing for ~250-300 people to raise money for La Honda Elementary School. Includes all aspects of event coordination, hiring musicians, securing food, tickets/sales, publicity, etc. See live web media player of 2005 Aloha in the Redwoods concert here: http://www.liquidrockstudios.com/aloha
Involved requesting Kahumoku to perform, finding venue, obtaining permission to use private property, getting liability insurance, publicity for the event (I personally wrote a whole page article which was published in the local Coast Views magazine with photo of Kahumoku, and submitted it to all of the newspapers in the area, and emailed it to many local Hawaiian-interest group lists); organizing ticket & poster design, printing, and distribution; researching web for Hawaiian recipes and decorations, putting event details & recipes on school website; speaking to people to get donations of flowers and foliage and any other donations; setting up the grounds; organizing ticket sales with local shops and restaurants; taking tickets and money at event; organizing volunteers to work security, pick up and deliver tables and chairs from rental, trash and recycling, etc. VERY SUCCESSFUL!
September 2002 -Second Concert, Dinner & Workshop - another very successful Hawaiian slack key guitar event with George Kahumoku. He was so impressed with my enthusiasm, my (first time) concert organization skills, my writing and publicity, and by the excellent turnout at both shows that he asked if I would be his publicist.
Sept. 2003 - 2nd annual fundraiser concert/luau "Aloha in the Redwoods" with Slack Key Guitarist Patrick Landeza and Hula dancers.
August 2004 - 3rd annual fundraiser concert "Aloha in the Redwoods" with Hawaiian Music's Next Generation Slack Key and Ukelele Masters David Kamakahi, Keoki Kahumoku, Herb Ohta, Jr. and Patrick Landeza, with special guest Dennis Kamakahi & hula dancers.
Sept. 2005 - 4th annual Aloha in the Redwoods featuring Ledward Kaapana