Nina Spagone-Wolf

Providing guidance and support to economically disadvantaged adolescents in their education and career decisions.

Managed medical and health content for a digital rehabilitation aftercare app (MEDIAN App), coordinating with external partners. Took the lead on app support, handling patient and clinic enquiries and ensuring efficient and high-quality service. Supported the team with monthly reporting on key metrics and conducted bug testing on Android and iOS devices. Used Stackfield to communicate, write and resolve support tickets.

Optimised the TOBIAS pipeline to analyse transcription factor binding in open chromatin regions. Focused on optimising sample processing before TOBIAS usage and refining the pipeline itself to improve recognition of transcription factor binding patterns across various cell types and physical abnormalities. Processed and interpreted single-cell sequencing data using Python-based tools, including TOBIAS, Semitones and Jupyter.

Cultured human lung cancer and melanoma cell lines for drug sensitivity studies, IncuCyte-based proliferation and apoptosis assays, colony formation assays and western blotting. Knocked down target genes using shRNA systems and generated lentiviral particles. Performed cell viability assays after treatment with different drugs and statistical analysis of all obtained results to determine biological significance. Quantified and analysed data using GraphPad Prism, Bio-Rad software and ImageJ.

Sectioned murine brain and cardiovascular tissues using a cryostat device, followed by immunostaining and imaging via confocal microscopy with consecutive data analysis via ImageJ (Fiji). Preserved whole-mount murine tissues and labelled mechanosensitive ion channels for light-sheet microscopy.

Performed siRNA-mediated cytoskeleton protein knockdowns in human cancer cell lines. Conducted thorough immunostaining and validated transfection efficacy using spinning disk confocal microscopy with subsequent data analysis via ImageJ (Fiji).

Transformed plasmids into bacterial cells for expression and plasmid extraction. Verified constructs by restriction digestion and agarose gel electrophoresis. Cultured and transfected Sf9 insect cells for viral infection and recombinant protein production. Performed western blot and dot blot analysis.

Transformed bacterial cells with plasmids and cultured them for protein isolation via affinity chromatography on an ÄKTA system. Solubilised inclusion bodies, performed bacterial cell lysis by ultrasound and stepwise protein refolding. Conducted ELISAs with expressed SARS-CoV-2 proteins and patient sera in an S2 biosafety setting and performed western blots for protein detection with data analysis via GraphPad Prism.

Developed solid-phase extraction (SPE) methods to separate proteins and excipients, analysing samples via liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light scattering or charged aerosol detection and evaluating data using Empower 3. Consistently adhered to SOPs and GMP regulations.

Maintained human cancer and bacterial cell cultures, performed plasmid transfection and isolation, fluorescence microscopy, PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis. Cloned gRNA into plasmids with subsequent construct validation via enzyme digestion. Analysed data with Origin software and adhered to S2 and S3 biosafety protocols while handling high-risk pathogens.

Independent planning and teaching of weekly German lessons to a group of refugees from diverse social and cultural backgrounds within the project “Start ins Deutsche”.