Serina L. Robinson 605-929-0147 (cell) ● robi0916@umn.edu

2127 Pleasant Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55404 EDUCATION Ph.D. student in Microbiology

Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology GPA 4.00 University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN August 2016-Present

B.A. in Chemistry and Norwegian Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa GPA: 3.96/4.00 (Class rank 13 of 672) St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN May 2015

FELLOWSHIPS AND HONORS 2017-2020 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship 2015-2016 Fulbright Research Fellowship to Norway

2013-2015 EPA Greater Research Opportunities Undergraduate Fellow 2012-2014 Beckman Scholar 2013-2014 Rand Scholar 2011-2014 Dean’s List 2011-2014 Buntrock Scholar 2011 National Merit Scholar Finalist

COMPUTER SKILLS Programming Languages: R, Python, Matlab, C++ Bioinformatics applications: Samtools, Bioconductor, Biopython, BWA, Bowtie, Tophat, Cufflinks, COBRA Toolbox, BLAST, MEME, Cytoscape, QIIME, SVM-light

SCIENTIFIC SKILLS RT-qPCR, Nucleic acid extraction, Bacterial culture, HPLC, GC-MS, Gel electrophoresis, Fluorescence/Confocal microscopy, NMR Spectroscopy, Fluorimetry, Spectrophotometry

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Research Assistant, Microbiology University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Dr. Lawrence P. Wackett August 2016 - Present

Genome mining to predict microbial β-lactone and olefin biosynthesis Developed bioinformatics pipeline to detect β-lactone biosynthetic pathway in bacterial genomes. Trained machine learning classifiers to predict products from biosynthetic gene clusters to aid in the discovery of new natural products and advance drug development.

Fulbright Research Fellow, Microbial Ecology UiT: The Arctic University of Norway Dr. Mette M. Svenning August 2015 – July 2016 Metabolic pathway reconstruction of Methylobacter tundripaludum

Investigated the effects of rising Arctic temperatures on methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) by studying changes in MOB protein and mRNA expression under different temperature conditions. Used RNA-Seq data to improve understanding of how MOB metabolism altered by climate change will affect the global carbon budget and the health of Arctic ecosystems.

EPA GRO Fellow, Molecular Biology U.S. EPA MED Laboratory, Duluth, MN Dr. Anthony Schroeder, Dr. Carlie LaLone Summer 2014 Quantified localized gene expression effects of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole on growth and development of fathead minnows using whole-mount in situ hybridization. Developed and published R workspace for visualization of output from web-based sequence alignment tool.

Visiting Researcher Norwegian University of Science and Technology Dr. Eivind Almaas January 2014 Identified antibacterial drug targets through computational reconstruction of iron uptake pathways in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Used flux balance analysis and genome-scale modeling to develop an improved metabolic model for mycobacterial iron acquisition.

Beckman Research Scholar, Microbiology St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN Dr. Lisa Bowers August 2013- May 2015 Characterized TonB-dependent receptor function and expression in stalkless Caulobacter crescentus mutants compared to wild type under heavy-metal conditions using RT-qPCR.

Research Assistant, Biochemistry St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN Dr. Gregory Muth January 2013-August 2013

Examined lipid vesicle expression using BODIPY staining in phytoplankton. Extracted lipids from algae and analyzed GC-MS spectra to compare lipid production across species.

Research Assistant, Ecology CiPHER Research Site, Healy, AK Dr. John Schade, Dr. Sue Natali Summer 2013 Collaborated with students and faculty from Woods Hole Research Center and Colgate University and to investigate nutrient cycling patterns and methane flux in the Alaskan tundra. Gained field work experience and laboratory research skills in C:N:P analysis.

PUBLICATIONS LaLone, C.A., D. L. Villeneuve, H.W. Helgen, D.G. Lane, S.A. Walata, K. Nelson, S.L.

Robinson, J. Swintek, G.T. Ankley. (2016). Editor’s Highlight: Sequence Alignment to Predict Across Species Susceptibility (SeqAPASS): A web-based tool for addressing the challenges of cross-species extrapolation of chemical toxicity. Tox. Sci. Oct; 153(2):228-45.

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS AND POSTERS Robinson, S., Hestnes, A.G., Tveit, A., Svenning, M.M. (2016). Characterization of a novel obligate methanotroph within Beijerinckiaceae closely related to upland soil cluster alpha. Poster. 16th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology (ISME 16), Montreal, Canada.

Robinson, S., Tveit, A., Didriksen, A., & Svenning, M.M. (2016). Effects of Temperature On Arctic Methane-Oxidizing Bacteria: Resilience And Response To Climate Change. Oral presentation. Arctic Frontiers Conference, UiT: The Arctic University of Tromsø, Norway.

Robinson, S., Hall-Holt O., & Sanft, K. (2015). Statistics-infused Introduction to Computer Science. Oral Presentation. Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE). Kansas City, MO.

Robinson, S. LaLone C., Bowers, L., & Schade J. (2014). Comparative analysis of bioremediation agents using SeqAPASS and genome-scale metabolic modeling. Poster. Beckman Scholars Symposium. Irvine, CA.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS International Society of Microbial Ecology