Education

2004-present

Duke University
Durham, NC

  • Ph.D. Candidate, Biochemistry
  • Thesis Advisor, Arno L. Greenleaf

2000-2004

Bradley University
Peoria, IL

  • Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry
  • Graduated Summa Cum Laude

Teaching Experience

Fall 2005

Duke University
Durham, NC

Teacher Assistant for General Biochemistry I
  • Assisted Professors Greenleaf, Hsieh, and Rudolph in teaching BCH 227. Duties included running weekly small discussion group, answering student questions, making exam review sheets, and grading homework assignments and exams.

2001-2004

Bradley University
Peoria, IL

Laboratory Teacher's Assistant
  • Assisted laboratory instructors for General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry laboratory courses.
  • Directly instructed students, answered questions, prepared solutions, set up lab equipment, and graded lab reports.

Research Experience

2006-present

American Journal Experts
Durham, NC

Scientific Editor
  • Edited scientific manuscripts for scientists whose first language is not English in the fields of Biochemistry, Structural Biology, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Proteomics, Genetics, Genomics, and Cell Biology.

2004-present

Duke University
Durham, NC

Graduate Assistant under Dr. Arno L. Greenleaf
  • Explored the association of the mRNA export factor, Yra1, to the phosphorylated form of the C-terminal Domain of RNA polymerase II in S. cerevisiae.
  • Trained undergraduates and technicians on experimental techniques.
  • Served as Radiation Safety Officer and was responsible for radiation ordering, storage, inventory, and surveying.

2002-2003

USDA, NCAUR
Peoria, IL

Laboratory Aid
  • Extracted water-soluble and alkali-solution proteins and lipids from corn wet milling wastes. Measured protein content, gelling and foaming properties, pH solubility, and heat capacity.

Summer 2002

Indiana University
Bloomington, IN

Summer REU Student
  • Worked with Andrew Fieg's group on the interaction between bacterial RNA and Hsq protein in the cold shock response.
  • Isolated and analyzed RNA, purified protein, crosslinked protein and RNA, and performed vertical PAGE, SDS-PAGE, and autoradiography.

Presentations and Publications

Posters

  • October 2006, Biochemistry Department Retreat

Presentations

  • February 2007, Small Eukaryotes Meeting of RTP
  • October 2007, Biochemistry Department Retreat
  • November 2007, Small Eukaryotes Meeting of RTP

Publications

Contact

Office: 919-681-8807
Home: 919-699-7848

april.mackellar (at) duke.edu

 

Curriculum Vitae