LAURENPEPI

 

LAUREN PEPI

 

Contact

 

Address

Athens, GA, 30602

Phone

508.740.2785

E-mail

lauren.pepi@uga.edu

 

Skills

 

Bruker FT-ICR MS (Apex and solariX, ESI and MALDI)

Agilent Capillary Zone Electrophoresis

Bruker MALDI- TOF

Thermo Fisher Xcalibur

Bruker Data Analysis

Matlab

GlycoWorkbench 2.0

Microsoft Office Suite

Adobe Illustrator

 

Mass spectrometrist with 5+ years of experimental and interpretation experience. Self-motivated, hardworking professional skilled with technical problem solving, troubleshooting and diagnostic abilities. Proven history of collaboration to achieve strong results and obtain new knowledge. Robust multitasking skills; able to drive multiple projects forward interchangeably. Focused on key issues and results to meet necessary and important deadlines. Expertise in many areas of mass spectrometry, including electrospray ionization and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization. Strong critical thinking skills allowing for fast adaptation to new analytical techniques. Experienced working with proteins and highly experienced with carbohydrates.

 

Work History

 

 

2015-08 - Current

 

Graduate Research Assistant

The University of Georgia, Athens, GA

· Research Advisor: Dr. I. Jonathan Amster.

· Utilize high resolution mass spectrometry, specifically Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, to assign fragment ion peaks and determine structure of highly sulfated glycosaminoglycans.

· Focused on electronic excitation tandem mass spectrometry methods including electron detachment dissociation (EDD), negative electron transfer dissociation (NETD), charge transfer dissociation (CTD) and ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD).

· Identify and assigned fragment ion peaks using mass differences, GlycoWorkbench and in-house assignment software.

· Work with protein standards to perform intact and trypsin digest mass measurements using MALDI-TOF and MALDI-FTICR, and utilized collision induced dissociation (CID), electron capture dissociation (ECD) and electron transfer dissociation (ETD) for top-down analysis on protein standards.

· Perform MALDI-ISD on protein standards and glycoproteins.

· Maintain FTICR instruments including but not limited to calibration, high vacuum pump oil changes, glass capillary cleaning, bakeouts, quadrupole calibration, cryogen fills of magnet (LN2 and LHe).

· Laboratory supervisor in charge of maintaining chemical inventory, safety regulations, hazardous waste, physical inventory, and lab group website.

· Supervised 3 undergraduate students working on research projects.

 

2015-08 - 2017-08

 

Graduate Teaching Assistant

University of Georgia, Athens, GA

· Instructed undergraduate laboratories for Organic Chemistry I.

· Graded laboratory assignments, proctored and graded class exams.

· Provided 4 hours of office/ tutoring hours per week.

· Facilitated student growth through individual and group consultation.

 

2015-07 - 2015-08

 

Teaching Assistant

Brown University, Providence, RI

· Assisted instruction of a precollege virology/bacteriology summer course

· Delivered personalized educational, behavioral and emotional support to individual students to enable positive learning outcomes.

· Supported instructor with curriculum development

 

2014-05 - 2015-05

 

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Assumption College, Worcester, MA

· Research Advisor: Dr. Aisling Dugan.

· Investigated the roll of host cell cycle on BK virus infection rate through mammalian cell culture.

· Utilized immunofluorescent staining of cells and fluorescent microscopy

 

2015-01 - 2015-05

 

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Assumption College, Worcester, MA

· Research Advisor: Dr. Brian Niece

· Identification of an unknown oil sample using known oil standards

· Techniques used included NMR, UV/ Visible spectroscopy, GC/MS

 

2014-10 - 2015-05

 

Sales Associate

A.C. Moore, Worcester, MA

· Organized racks and shelves to maintain store visual appeal, engage customers and promote specific merchandise.

· Operated cash register for cash, check and credit card transactions.

 

2012-12 - 2013-08

 

Pharmacy Technician

CVS Pharmacy Inc., Bellingham, MA

· Ordered medicines daily to replenish stock and increase inventory in anticipation of need.

· Stocked, labeled and inventoried medication to keep accurate records.

· Processed over 100 prescriptions per day in busy pharmacy achieving decreased customer wait times and maintaining excellent customer satisfaction.

 

Education

 

 

2015-08 - Current

 

Ph.D.: Analytical Chemistry

University of Georgia - Athens, GA

· Dissertation: Advances in Electronic Excitation Tandem Mass Spectrometry Approaches for the Structural Characterization of Sulfated Glycosaminoglycans

· Member of Women in Science (WiSci)

· Elected to Treasurer for WiSci 2018-2019

· Member of Chemistry Graduate Student Organization (CGSO)

 

2011-08 - 2015-05

 

Bachelor of Arts: Chemistry and Biology

Assumption College - Worcester, MA

· ACS certification

· Member of Assumption Against Cancer

· Elected to Mission and Advocacy Chair in Assumption Against Cancer 2013-2015

· Member of Outreach Center

 

Publications

 

Duan, J., Pepi, L., Amster, I. J. (2019). A Scoring Algorithm for the Automated Analysis of Glycosaminoglycan MS/MS Data. Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 30, 2692-2703. doi:10.1007/s13361-019-02338-9

Lu, W., Zong, C., Chopra, P., Pepi, L. E., Xu, Y., Amster, I. J., Liu, J., Boons, G. -J. (2018). Controlled Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Heparan Sulfate Oligosaccharides. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 57(19), 5340-5344. doi:10.1002/anie.201800387

Agyekum, I., Pepi, L., Yu, Y., Li, J., Yan, L., Linhardt, R. J., Chen, S., Amster, I. J. (2018). Structural Elucidation of Fucosylated Chondroitin Sulfates from Sea Cucumber Using FTICR-MS/MS. European Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 24(1), 157-167. doi:10.1177/1469066717731900

Conference Publications:

Pepi, L. E., Sasiene, Z. J., Leach, F. E., Mendis, P. M., Klein, D. R., Chopra, P., Zhang, F., Linhardt, R., Boons, G-.J., Brodbelt, J. S., Jackson, G. P., & Amster, I. J. (June 2020). Advances in Tandem Mass Spectrometry Approaches for the Structural Characterization of Sulfated Glycosaminoglycans. In 68th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics. Online due to COVID-19 (Oral)

Kim, J., Pepi, L., Zhang, F., Linhardt, R. J., Amster, I. J. (June 2020) Multivariate Analysis of Tandem Mass Spectrometry Data Distinguishes Epimeric Glycosaminoglycans. In 68th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics. Online due to COVID-19 (Poster)

Liss, M., Pepi, L., Chopra, P., Boons, G. P., Amster, I. J. (June 2020) Identification of Synthetic Heparan Sulfate Glycosaminoglycan Hexasaccharide Epimers by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis Negative Electron Transfer Dissociation Tandem Mass Spectrometry. In 68th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics. Online due to COVID-19 (Poster)

Agyekum, I., Kim, A., Pepi, L., Boons, G. P., Amster, I. J. (June 2020) Negative Ion Mode Electron Capture Dissociation of Synthetic Heparan Sulfate Oligosaccharides. In 68th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics. Online due to COVID-19 (Poster)

Pepi, L., Sasiene, Z. J., Mendis, P. M., Jackson, G. P., Amster, I. J. (September 2019). Comparison of Charge Transfer Dissociation (CTD) and Electron Detachment Dissociation (EDD) for the Structural Analysis of Glycosaminoglycans. In Atlanta Athens Mass Spectrometry Discussion Group. Atlanta, GA. (Poster)

Pepi, L., Sasiene, Z. J., Mendis, P. M., Jackson, G. P., Amster, I. J. (June 2019). Comparison of Charge Transfer Dissociation (CTD) and Electron Detachment Dissociation (EDD) for the Structural Analysis of Glycosaminoglycans. In 67th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics. Atlanta, GA. (Oral)

Pepi, L., Sasiene, Z. J., Mendis, P. M., Jackson, G. P., Amster, I. J. (April 2019). Comparison of Charge Transfer Dissociation (CTD) and Electron Detachment Dissociation (EDD) for the Structural Analysis of Glycosaminoglycans. In 12th North American FTMS Conference. Key West, FL. (Poster)

Pepi, L. E., Chopra, P., Boons, G., Amster, I. J. (July 2018). Assignment of C-5 Uronic Acid Stereochemistry in Synthetic Heparan Sulfate Glycosaminoglycan Hexasaccharides by Electron Detachment Dissociation. In 18th Proteoglycan Gordon Research Conference. Andover, NH. (Poster)

Pepi, L. E., Chopra, P., Boons, G., Amster, I. J. (July 2018). Assignment of C-5 Uronic Acid Stereochemistry in Synthetic Heparan Sulfate Glycosaminoglycan Hexasaccharides by Electron Detachment Dissociation. In Proteoglycan Gordon Research Seminar. Andover, NH. (Poster & Oral)

Pepi, L., Chopra, P., Boons, G., Amster, I. (June 2018). Assignment of C-5 Uronic Acid Stereochemistry in Synthetic Heparan Sulfate Glycosaminoglycan Hexasaccharides by Electron Detachment Dissociation. In 66th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics. San Diego, CA. (Poster)

Agyekum, I., Pepi, L., Chen, S., Linhardt, R. J., Amster, I. J. (June 2017). Structural Elucidation of Fucosylated Chondroitin Sulfates from Sea Cucumber Using Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry. In 65th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics. Indianapolis, IN. (Poster)

Agyekum, I., Pepi, L., Chen, S., Linhardt, R. J., Amster, I. J. (April 2017). Structural Elucidation of Fucosylated Chondroitin Sulfates from Sea Cucumber Using FTICR-MS/MS. In 11th North American FTMS Conference. Key West, FL. (Poster)

Pepi, L., Niece, B. (April 2015). Instrumental Analysis of Various Oils. In Assumption College Undergraduate Research Symposium. Worcester, MA. (Poster)

Pepi, L., Dugan, A. (April 2015). Investigating Inhibition of Host Cell Cycle on BK Virus Infection. In Assumption College Undergraduate Research Symposium. Worcester, MA. (Poster)

Brown, L. S., McCann, M., Pepi, L., Schneider, M., Sholes, O. (April 2014). Vegetative Growth Along a Moisture Gradient in a Detention Pond. In Assumption College Undergraduate Research Symposium. Worcester, MA. (Poster)

 

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