Jessica Renee Petree

1515 Dickey Drive, Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga, 30322
EDUCATION
Emory University, Atlanta, GA,
Ph.D. in Chemistry (anticipated graduation: Summer 2018)
Advisor: Khalid Salaita; GPA: 3.943
University of Georgia, Athens, GA (Dec. 2011)
Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Magna Cum Laude; GPA: 3.77
Oxford College of Emory University (May 2009)
Associate of Arts and Science; GPA: 3.872
PROJECTS / WORK EXPERIENCE
Graduate Work (2013 present)

Gene therapy involving multi-enzyme assemblies on gold nanoparticles.

Undergraduate Research at UGA (2010-2011)

(Summer/Fall 2011) Independent research under Dr. Mohanty (Kushner Lab) analyzing
the effect of RNase T, RNase PH, RNase D and RNase BN mutations on the 3
processing of met and pro tRNAs via RNA isolation and northern blot analysis.
(Spring/Fall 2010) Independent research adding His-tag to poly(A)polymerase (PAP1)
and analyzing the growth of E. coli mutants upon its overexpression. Also studied tRNA
processing in E. coli.

Undergraduate Research at Emory (SURE) (Summer 2009)

Introduction to research studying biomaterials (Conticello Lab). Expressed elastin

mimetic polypeptide repeat in E. coli with an unnatural amino acid (L-DOPA). Analyzed
protein via mass spectrometry.

HONORS

ARCS Scholar (2015-2018)

Honorable mention in NSF graduate fellowship (2014)
SURE Research Award (2009)
Alpha Epsilon Upsilon Honor Society (2007-2009)
CR Bard Scholar (2008)
Naval Science Research Award (2005)
Sigma XI Society State Award for Research (2003)
UGA Microbiology Award (2003)
Discovery Young Scientist Challenge Certificate (2003)

PUBLICATIONS

Mohanty, B.; Petree, J.; Kushner, S. Proline tRNA maturation in Escherichia coli
involves a unique pathway that does not involve any 3' - 5' exoribonuclease activity
(under review at RNA)
Acknowledged in the paper, Deregulation of poly(A)polymerase I in Escherichia
coli inhibits protein synthesis and leads to cell death," in the journal Nucleic Acids
Research (in press, December 2012)

MENTORSHIP

Undergraduate Students: Ian Bolin, Sam Druzak

High school students: Grace Thomsen

TEACHING

(Spring 2014) Organic Chemistry II (142) Laboratory Instructor, Emory University

(Fall 2013) Organic Chemistry I (141) Laboratory Instructor, Emory University
(Spring 2012) Organic Chemistry II (142) Supplementary instructor, Oxford College
(Spring 2011) General Chemistry II Personal tutor, Oxford College
(Fall 2010) General Chemistry I Personal tutor, Oxford College
(Spring 2010) Organic Chemistry II (142) Supplementary instructor, Oxford College

BROADER IMPACT

Created and managed a booth for the 2015 ATL Science Festival Exploration Expo
entitled "Hydrophobicity in Action: Acetone Dissolving Act" (March 2015)
Judge at the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair (Spring 2014)
Participated in ATL Science Festival Exploration Expo (March 2014)
Judge at the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair (Spring 2013)
Judge at the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair (Spring 2012)
Employment at Oxford Chemistry Dept. (Spring 2011)
Set up and broke down general chemistry labs
Organized and cleaned lab spaces
Managed other student workers setting up the labs
Judge at the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair (Spring 2011)
Summer work at Oxford Chemistry Dept. (Summer 2008)
Assisted in cleaning the labs and replacing old equipment
Assisted in doing inventory, reorganizing and creating equipment map
Work Study in the Oxford Chemistry Dept. (Spring 2008)
Assisted in setting up general chemistry labs
Assisted in setting up Organic I labs
Helped students use NMR
Work Study in the Oxford Chemistry Dept. (Fall 2008)
Assisted in setting up general chemistry labs
Cleaned and maintained lab space and equipment

LABORATORY TECHNIQUES

Graduate Research at Emory(2013-present)

SDS-PAGE mini-gels (RNA, DNA, protein)
Typhoon fluorescence imaging
RNA 5 end labeling with fluorescein
In vitro RNA transcription and purification
Protein expression, isolation and purification with Ni:NTA
Gold nanoparticle synthesis
Enzyme assays
Transformations
Nanodrop
PCR
Undergraduate Research at UGA (2010-2011)
electrophoresis minigels (DNA/RNA)
making electrocompetent cells
transformations (chemical/electroporation)
plasmid isolation (Quiagen)
transductions
P1 lystates
P1 assay
PCR
plasmid construction
growth curves and dilutions
RNA isolation and extraction
Nanodrop
removing kan cassettes w/ FLP recombinase
replica plating
Northern analysis with ATP-[32P]
probing and stripping Northern blots
Summer Undergraduate Research at Emory (2009)
SDS-PAGE
gel electrophoresis minigels
transformation (electroporation)
plasmid isolation
plasmid construction
protein overexpression, isolation and dialysis
mass spectrometry

REFERENCES

Professor Khalid Salaita, Dept of Chemistry, Emory University

Email: k.salaita@emory.edu, Phone: 404-727-7522
Brenda Harmon, Senior Lecturer, Dept of Chemistry, Oxford College of Emory
Email: bharmon@emory.edu, Phone: 770-784-8341
Bijoy Monhanty, Senior Scientist, Dept of Biochemistry, University of Georgia
Email: mohanty@uga.edu, Phone: 706-613-8608