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Laney College

About me

About me

My current experience and professional interests are on my LinkedIn page.

My background…
I’ve been into biology since I was a kid growing up in Arizona. I used to spend a lot of time exploring the desert around my home. Later, I earned a B.S. in Biology at UC Irvine and then worked in various field biology positions in the Sierra Nevada mountains. I returned to school to earn an M.S. in Biology from Sonoma State University. For my Master’s thesis, I studied the physiological and genetic responses of a willow leaf beetle to temperature (and climate change) in the Sierra Nevada mountains. After that, I took a few year detour as a union organizer before returning to my lifelong passion of teaching science.

What I teach...
Mostly, biomanufacturing and biotech courses! See laneybiotech.com for the most up-to-date information about our program.

My teaching philosophy…
I consider myself a lifelong student of biology and teaching. I am thrilled to be in a discipline in which new advances and major breakthroughs happen daily. Also, I am constantly learning and trying to improve myself as an instructor. Since biomanufacturing is such a rapidly evolving field, I consider it a top priority to keep up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques. I have trained at NC State’s Golden Leaf Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), Madison Area Technical College’s stem cell center, Fresno State’s cell culture facility, CCSF’s stem cell labs, and Ohlone College’s industry trainings. We are constantly updating our lab equipment and techniques to keep up with the latest industry innovations. We have added new bioreactors, an AKTA chromatography system, and a slew of molecular biology equipment for our new synthetic biology program. I also keep current by reading various industry publications, attending local industry organization meetings, and being a member of industry organizations like the Parenteral Drug Association. The classes I teach have a very heavy emphasis on hands-on learning. I invest a considerable amount of time designing laboratory exercises that are engaging and convey the principles and techniques that industry considers most valuable like Good Documentation Practices (GDP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), aseptic technique, math skills, instrumentation, and so on. Outside of class, I help students in the program launch their careers in the industry. I invite recruiters from Kelly Scientific and Aerotek to speak to students. I am involved in organizing career fairs and resume workshops on campus.