Resume

Education

Graduate: University of Utah                                                 Salt Lake City UT, August 2019- Present

  • Ph.D. Candidate in Microbiology and Immunology (graduation: Spring 2025)

  • Current GPA: 3.994

  • Awards

    • National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, Honorary Mention

    • 3i T32 Training Grant (2021-2023)

    • NIH F31 grant (2023-Current)

    • Science Communication Fellowship of Utah National History Museum (2022)

    • Poster Award (Microbiology and Immunology meeting, 2022)

    • Poster Award (International Society of Hyaluronan Sciences, 2023)

    • Travel Award for Abstract (Society for Glycobiology, 2023)

  • Relevant coursework and certifications

    • G3; Cell Biology; Protein and Nucleic Acids Biochemistry; Faculty Research Seminar; Cellular Signaling; Proposal Preparation; Critical Thinking; Topics in Immunology; Basic Immunology; Pathology Research in Progress; Advanced Immunology; Thesis Research: PhD; Hypothesis and Writing; Research Graphics Bootcamp

    • TA for Basic Immunology (2020)

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Undergraduate: Whitman College                                     Walla Walla, WA. August 2012- May 2016

  • Bachelors of Art in Biophysics, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology (BBMB)

  • GPA: Major 3.967; Overall: 3.968

Science Communication

  • Science Tutor (2013-2019)

  • Chemistry Tutor (Whitman College, 2013-2016), General Science tutor and ACT Science tutor (Huntington Learning Center, 2016-2019), Personal Biology tutor (2019).

  • “Getting The Science Write” Science communication blog (www.gettingthesciencewrite.com)

  • Blog posts covering scientific concepts through the lens of fantasy and science fiction topics

  • Website creator and writer (2019-Present)

  • Science Communication Fellowship of Utah National History Museum

    • recipient and participant (2022)

    • Focus: presenting science to a laymen audience

  • Science And Sorcery Charity

    • Participant as both a “Dungeons and Dragons” player and Dungeon Master for charity fundraisers (2022-2024)

    • Author of charity’s Tears of Silver science communication adventure (2025, link currently unavailable)

  • Letters to a Pre-Scientist (2022)

    • Participant: scientist paired with elementary school student as a pen pal

  • CaDeTs (Career Development Training Series) (2022)

    • Committee member

    • Organize discussions/seminars on career skills for graduate students, such as science outreach, scientific figure development, and grant writing.

  • Diversity and Science Lecture Series (DASL) (2023-2024)

    • Science Writing workshop leader

    • Focus: teaching scientists how to write an emotional story for a layman audience

    • Resulting stories were published in the ebook, Beyond the Lab Bench, Vol 1 (2025)

  • “How to Present Your Science” Workshop Series (2024-Present)

    • Co-creator and leader

    • Focus: helping scientists craft a clear, engaging research story and practicing stage presence

    • Delivered to graduate students (2024-Present), BridgeUp students (2024), and Post BACC students (2025)

  • University of Utah’s U2M2 Website (2025)

    • Assisting in summarizing research for a general audience

Scientific Publications

  • Rebecca A. Mellema, Kimberly A. Queisser, Abigail Ajanel, Nansy Albtoush, Lydia Smith, Matthew T. Rondina, Julie Will, John F. Valentine, Aaron C. Petrey. Layilin regulates integrin activation and contributes to platelet hyperactivation via Rac1 in inflammatory bowel disease. 2025. Blood. Publication Pending.

  • Queisser KA, Mellema RA, Petrey AC. Hyaluronan and Its Receptors as Regulatory Molecules of the Endothelial Interface. J Histochem Cytochem. 2021 Jan;69(1):25-34. doi: 10.1369/0022155420954296. Epub 2020 Sep 1. PMID: 32870756; PMCID: PMC7780188.

  • Queisser KA, Mellema RA, Middleton EA, Portier I, Manne BK, Denorme F, Beswick EJ, Rondina MT, Campbell RA, Petrey AC. COVID-19 generates hyaluronan fragments that directly induce endothelial barrier dysfunction. JCI Insight. 2021 Sep 8;6(17):e147472. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.147472. PMID: 34314391; PMCID: PMC8492325.

  • Mellema RA, Crandell J, Petrey AC. Platelet Dysregulation in the Pathobiology of COVID-19. Hamostaseologie. 2022 Aug;42(4):221-228. doi: 10.1055/a-1646-3392. Epub 2021 Dec 8. PMID: 34879421.

  • Haynes, P., Bomsztyk, K., Miller, D. “Sporadic DUX4 expression in FSHD myocytes is associated with incomplete repression by the PRC2 complex and gain of H3K9 acetylation on the contracted D4Z4 allele” Epigenetics & Chromatin, 2018 Aug 20;11(1):47. doi: 10.1186/s13072-018-0215-z

    • Acknowledged under technical assistance