William James Zaragoza

4000 SW 37th Boulevard Apt 314A, Gainesville, FL 32608

904-229-6072

Wzaragoza@ufl.edu

Professional Skills

·     Molecular Techniques

·     Ligations

·     Primer design

·     Plasmid extractions

·     PCR

·     Silicone fabrication

·     ELISA

·     DNA Purification

·     Electrophoresis

·     Cloning

·     Electroporation

·     Plasmid construction

·     Data Analysis

·     Silicone fixation

·     Plasmid construction

·     Chemical library screens

·     FTIR analysis

·     UV/VIS Spectroscopy

·     Karl Fischer Titrations

Education

The University of Florida                                                                               Bachelors of Science                                                                                                         Major: Microbiology and Cell Science,                                       Expected date of                                                                                                graduation:                                                                                                        December, 2009

3.3 GPA

Relevant Course work: Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Bacterial Genetics, Prokaryotic Cell Structure and Function, Pathogens, Virology, Genomic Sequencing, Basic Biology of Microorganisms, Communicating Complexity in Science

Awards/Presentations

 

 

Recipient of the Howard Hughes HHMI research fellowship (G.A.T.O.R.)-Group Advantaged Training of Research                                                                                                  Project: Determining the role of the GacS/GacA two component regulatory system in surface colonization and persistence on oysters

Recipient of a research grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute - $500.00

Interruption of the GacS/GacA regulatory system as a strategy for eliminating pathogen contamination

American Society for Microbiology Regional Meeting                                           1st place – best poster presentation

2009 University of Florida & Morehouse College HHMI Celebration of Undergraduate Creativity in the Arts & Sciences                                                                                             Jointly sponsored by Morehouse College and the University of Florida– Poster presentation by invitation only                                 Interruption of the GacS/GacA regulatory system as a strategy for eliminating pathogen contamination           

 Employment History

 

Undergraduate Research Fellow (Full time/part time), Ecology Lab at the University of Florida, Genetics and Cancer Research Institute, Gainesville, FL                     Salary: $2500.00 fellowship plus research funding

05/2008 – present

 

Lab Technician (Part time), Materials Science , Jacksonville, FL                                                         Salary: $8.00/hour

04/2007 – 01/2008

 

Lab Technician (Part time), Vistakon., Jacksonville, FL

Salary: $15.00/hour

Customer Service Representative (Full time),  Vistakon, Jacksonville, FL 

Salary: $12.00/hour                                                 

 02/2005 –04/2007

        11/2003 – 04/2007