I have a Bachelors and Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering, and I am currently pursuing a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at The University

of North Carolina at Charlotte. During my graduate education, I have pursued a curriculum including advanced heat conduction, advanced heat convection, and compressible fluid dynamics that will prepare me to specialize in application of the principles of heat and mass transfer, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics. I have applied these engineering principles to solve biomedical related problems. My Masters Thesis project evaluates long term thermal stability of a model protein in ionic liquids through fluorescence methods, absorbance assays, and micro-calorimetry. To develop my abilities as an independent problem solver and researcher, I have also taken an experimental design course focused heavily on using statistics to efficiently research and communicate results. My work has made allowed me to become more independent, confident, and self-sufficient worker, and has cultivated an ability to systematically and efficiently solve problems. The cooperation between the mechanical engineering, chemistry, biology, and physics departments that I have used to familiarize myself with unknown specialized fields applicable to my research has prepared me for the interdisciplinary collaboration that will be required in the workplace. I have completed the required curriculum for a Doctorate of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering which was heavily emphasized on heat and mass transfer. I have also completed and passed the qualifying exams in the areas of advanced mathematics, heat transfer, and bioengineering required for a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. I am currently completing my doctoral dissertation research, and expect this work to be completed by August 2013. This work has been done as a collaborative effort with Carolinas Medical Center, which has provided an opportunity to work in both a private and public sector setting. My dissertation is focused on evaluating the structural and functional stability of interleukin-2, a therapeutic protein, in an aqueous, lipid, and dry environment, using novel excipients and a microwave drying technique developed in our lab.

Regina Vrikkis
e-mail: rmkemp@uncc.edu regina.vrikkis@gmail.com

EDUCATION
B.S., Mechanical Engineering Dec 2006 The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC M.S. Mechanical Engineering December 2008 The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC Pursuing PhD. Mechanical Engineering (anticipated) The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC August 2013

AWARDS Williams States Lee Doctoral Fellowship

2008

August

Graduate School Tuition Award (Graduate Assistant Support Plan)

August 2008
Speaker at 2008 ASME Summer Bioengineering Conference

June 2008
North Carolina Graduate School Tuition Grant

August

2007
AND

COMPUTER SKILLS
Origin OEM MS Word MS Project Adobe Products

PROJECTS
Pro Engineer MS Excel Windows XP SPSS (statistics) MathCAD MatLab MS Power Point MS Outlook Windows Vista Abacus GraphPad (statistics)

Doctoral Dissertation-

Evaluated structural and functional stability of a pharmaceutical biopolymer using spectrophotometric and calorimetric methods. Used thermodynamics and mass transfer models to describe bimolecular transitions Master's Thesis Project - Evaluated the long term thermal and functional stability of a model protein in a biocompatible ionic liquid using calorimetry and fluorescence techniques Thermal Fluids Project - Participated in winning design team charged with the task of designing the evaporator coils for a refrigerated warehouse Senior Design Project Worked in a team to design, prototype, and test a cervical spine fixation device used in testing the effects of anterior cervical disc fusion and artificial disc replacement Junior Design Project Worked in a team to design and manufacture a remote controlled robot to traverse an obstacle course and tighten and loosen bolts with a specified torque Sophomore Design Project - Individually designed and built a utensil for handicapped persons with limited finite motor control

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Served as reviewer, The Journal of Physical Chemistry

AWARDS 2011 Charlotte Biotechnology Conference Graduate Student Poster Competition Runner Up
October 2011 2009
Williams States Lee Doctoral Fellowship Cannon Research Scholar

August August 2008August August

present
Graduate School Tuition Award (Graduate Assistant Support Plan)

2008-present
North Carolina Graduate School Tuition Grant

PAPERS

2007

AND PUBLICATIONS In vitro assessment of choline dihydrogen phosphate (CDHP) as a vehicle for recombinant human interleuking-2 (rhIL-2). (2012) David M. Foureau, Regina M. Vrikkis, Chase P. Jones, Katherine D. Weaver, Douglas R. MacFarlane, Jonathan C. Salo, Iain H. McKillop and Gloria D. Elliott. Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Weaver KW, Vrikkis RV, Van Vorst MP, Trullinger J, Vijayaraghavan R, Foureau DM, McKillop IH, MacFarlane DR, Krueger JK, Elliott GE. (2011) Structure and function of proteins in hydrated choline dihydrogen phosphate ionic liquid. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys, DOI 10.1039/c1cp22965f Parker, WC Chakraborty N, Vrikkis R, Elliott G, Smith S, Moyer PJ. (2010) High-resolution Intracellular Viscosity Measurement Using Time-Dependent Fluorescence Anisotropy. Opt Express, 18(16): pp. 16607-17. Vrikkis, Regina, Fraser, Kevin, Fujita, Kyoko, MacFarlane, Douglas R., Elliott, Gloria D. (2009). Biocompatible Ionic Liquids: A New Approach for Stabilizing Proteins in Liquid Formulation. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 131 (7), pp. 074514-074518 Elliott, Gloria D., Kemp, Regina, MacFarlane, Douglas R (2010). The Development of Ionic Liquids for Biomedical Applications Prospects and Challenges. In Plechkova, Natalia V., Rogers, Robin D., Seddon, Kenneth R. (Eds.) Ionic Liquids: From Knowledge to Application (pp. 95-105). Washington DC: American Chemical Society

PRESENTATIONS Poster presentation at 2012 Biomaterials Symposium Conference: Design Optimization of a

Lymphatic Targeting Immunotherapeutic. Regina Vrikkis, David Foureau, Katherine Weaver, Iain McKillop, Gloria Elliott Poster presentation at the 2011 Charlotte Biotechnology Conference (CRI Research Institute): Choline dihydrogen phosphate: a novel excipient for therapeutic proteins. Regina Vrikkis, David Foureau, Katherine Weaver, Chase Jones, Iain McKillop, Gloria Elliott Poster presentation at the Fourth Annual Chapel Hill Drug Conference (UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy): DESIGNER NANOTHERAPEUTICS: Stabilization of Proteins in Biocompatible Ionic Liquids. Regina Vrikkis, Katherine Weaver, Hye Jin Kim, Jonathan Trullinger, Joanna Krueger, Douglas MacFarlane, Gloria Elliott Presenter at 2008 American Society of Mechanical Engineers Summer Bioengineering Conference: Biocompatible Ionic Liquids: A New Approach for Stabilizing Proteins in Liquid Formulation

WORK EXPERIENCE

Research/ Teaching Assistant present University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC

January 2007

Designed and carried out scientific experiments Performed statistical analysis on data sets Wrote manuscripts for publication in professional scientific journals In charge of grading for several Thermodynamics I and II undergraduate classes Responsible for assisting in ordering for and maintenance of Biostability lab Responsible for learning the operation of new equipment and developing protocol for its use Responsible for training new laboratory members Assisted in parts of other interdisciplinary projects as needed

Cannon Summer Scholar Intern 2009 Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC

May 2009 August

Worked with laboratory and medical professionals to design and carry out experiments Performed statistical analysis on data sets Assisted with writing a manuscript for publication in a professional journal

Research Assistant for liver preservation study August 2006 University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC

May 2006

Assisted in obtaining an accurate cellular model of two liver preservation methods: simple cold storage and hypothermic machine perfusion Perform cell viability tests Machine a liver perfusion chamber