Angelika Niemz

Arnold and Mabel Beckman Professor; Director of Research
angelika_niemz[at symbol]kgi.edu | (909) 607-9854
BS Chemistry - University of Konstanz, Germany
PhD Chemistry - University of Massachusetts
Postdoctoral Fellow Chemical Engineering - California Institute of Technology

Dr. Niemz joined Keck Graduate Institute in 2002, first as Assistant and since 2008 as Associate Professor. In 2009, she worked during a 6-month sabbatical for Roche Molecular Diagnostics in Switzerland, began serving as Director of Research at Keck Graduate Institute, and was named the Arnold and Mable Beckman Professor. Dr. Niemz teaches courses on medical diagnostics, high throughput technologies, and instrumentation development.

Jifeng Qian
jqian[at symbol]kgi.edu | (909) 607-0112
BS Computer Science – Southwest University, China
MS Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Southwest University, China
PhD Computational and System Biology (currently) - Keck Graduate Institute

Jifeng joined Keck Graduate Institute in 2006 as a PhD student in the Computational and Systems Biology program of Keck Graduate Institute/Claremont Graduate University. Since joining the Niemz Lab in 2010, she created computational tools for EXPAR assay design, data evaluation, and developed mathematical models that predict EXPAR assay performance based on template sequence. From 2007 to 2010 she worked on identifying and classifying computational motifs in the C. elegans’ brain.

Kristina Roskos

kristina_roskos[at symbol]kgi.edu | (909) 607-0168
BS Electrical Engineering – University of California, San Diego
MBS Medical Devices and Diagnostics Focus – Keck Graduate Institute
PhD Applied Life Sciences (currently) – Keck Graduate Institute

Kristina joined the engineering team in the Niemz Lab in 2008, where she provides the link between assay optimization and device development. Her PhD thesis focuses on design, manufacturing and testing integrated cartridges and associated instruments to execute isothermal nucleic acid amplification coupled with lateral flow detection. She has also served as the PhD student representative in KGI student government.

Anna Hickerson

Research Scientist and Lecturer
anna_hickerson[at symbol]kgi.edu | (909) 607-9541
BS Engineering and Applied Science – California Institute of Technology
PhD Bioengineering – California Institute of Technology
Postdoctoral Fellow – Keck Graduate Institute

Since joining KGI in 2005, Anna has designed and developed various instruments for the amplification and detection of nucleic acids. She currently leads the Niemz lab engineering team, and designs and manufactures cartridges for isothermal nucleic acid amplification, with emphasis on miniaturized inexpensive pumping and appropriate thermal control. She teaches a course on medical device and diagnostic product development. In 2007, Anna was an Adjunct Professor of Engineering at Harvey Mudd College.

Yvonne Klaue

Research Scientist
yvonne_klaue[at symbol]kgi.edu | (909) 607-0119
Diploma Biology - University of Kassel, Germany
PhD Molecular Biology – Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, United Kingdom
Postdoctoral Professional Masters – Keck Graduate Institute

Yvonne joined the Niemz Lab after finishing the PPM degree at KGI in 2010 to deepen her understanding of the Medical Device Industry. She is developing and optimizing EXPAR fingerprinting assay for detection of pathogens in particular Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Herpes Simplex Virus. Yvonne is heading the team that uses the Beckman Coulter BioMek for lab automation. She is the Project Manager for the Niemz Lab and a Faculty Advisor for the Team Masters Project.

Hsiang-Wei Lu

Research Associate
hlu[at symbol]kgi.edu | (909) 607-8597
BS Aerospace Engineering - University of Maryland, College Park
MS Aero/Astro Engineering - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
PhD Mechanical Engineering – University of California, Los Angeles

Hsiang-Wei joined Keck Graduate Institute in 2010 as a postdoctoral fellow. As part of the Niemz lab engineering team, he designs and manufactures cartridges for isothermal nucleic acid amplification, with emphasis on miniaturized inexpensive pumping and appropriate thermal control. He also developed a small inexpensive sample collection device for infectious disease diagnosis based on volatile organic compounds, and disposable electrowetting devices for DNA extraction and amplification.

Jose Salazar

Research Associate
jose_salazar@kgi.edu | (909) 607-0396
BS Biochemistry – California State University San Bernardino

Jose joined the Niemz Lab in 2008. His work focuses on reagent lyophilization and assay compatibility for devices that are applicable at point-of-care. His work involves developing and testing suitable excipients that are compatible and robust for the freeze-drying process of isothermal assays’ sensitive materials. His work also involves the testing of impurities from sample preparation to make the overall assay compatible with further downstream applications.

Ilya Tolstorukov

Research Scientist
ilya_tol[at symbol]kgi.edu | (909) 607-8591
MS Physiology and Genetics – Moscow State University, Russia
PhD and DSc Genetics – Institute for Genetics of Industrial Microorganisms, Moscow, Russia

Ilya came to Professor Cregg’s lab at KGI in 2001. His work in the Cregg Lab focuses on the yeast Pichia pastoris as a model for manufacturing a wide spectrum of proteins. In the Niemz lab, Ilya is involved with design, cloning and sequencing of targeting DNA molecules for the EXPAR fingerprinting assay as well PROXAR. Additionally, Ilya is leading the BSL2 trained team at KGI for growing microorganisms like M.bovis and others.