Dillan Pienaar
Petersham,NSW
Summary
Skilled researcher and educator, enthusiastic about supporting advancements in science. Passionate about increasing knowledge to drive growth and needed improvements. Ready to apply knowledge and strong communication to drive forward collaboration in the working environment.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Teaching Academic Assistant
University Of Technology Sydney, Broadway
02.2021 - Current
- Operated as an academic tutor for the subject 'Cell Biology and Genetics' under Dr. Kristine McGrath
- Instructed students throughout the semesters in rigorous lab work while also managing the dangers of working in a lab environment
- Involved in running major subject workshops in addition to the marking of major assessments for the subject
Key Achievement
- Successfully mentored a struggling student who initially encountered great difficulty with lab work, to eventually develop great lab skills
Learn to Swim Instructor
Methodist Ladies’ College (MLC) Aquatic Centre
03.2019 - 12.2021
- Teaching children from a wide range of ages (3-12 years) to be safe in the water while also developing their technical swimming skills
- Assessing children who are new to the program so that they can be placed in the appropriate group
- Providing feedback to both children and their parents about their areas of strength and areas for improvements
- Training potential staff members who are looking to gain experience in order to seek employment opportunities
Key Achievement
- Helped train multiple staff who would go on to gain their certifications and become employed at the centre
Education
Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) -
University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AUS
Sydney, NSW11.2020
Bachelor of Biotechnology (Medical Science) -
University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AUS
Sydney, NSW11.2019
Skills
- Isolation of RNA and analysis by RT-qPCR
- Isolation of protein and analysis utilising Western Blotting
- Mammalian primary and secondary cell culture
- Immunofluorescence staining
- Fluorescence microscopy
- Statistical quantitative image analysis
- Effective communicator
- Confidant leader
- Collaborative and Team-Oriented
Relevant Experiences
PhD Student, University Of Technology Sydney, Broadway
Sydney, NSW January 2022 - July 2023
- Research centred on developing novel in vitro models of preeclampsia in context of both placental and cardiac tissue
- The established model would facilitate the testing of potential therapeutics in the management of the preeclampsia
Visiting Academic Scholar, University Of Technology Sydney, Broadway
Sydney, NSW January 2021 - December 2021
- Volunteered time to work in UTS research lab, assisting in experiments of other academics and students
- Performed multiple ELISA's and quantified results through statistical analysis for use in a academic paper
Internship Student, Concord Repatriation Hospital
Concord, NSW November 2019 - December 2019
- Operated within the histology department of the hospital preparing patient tissue samples for pathological analysis
- Sorted, organized, and maintained incoming patient files and details.
Notable Achievements
- Recipient of the highly competitive 'Research Excellence Stipend' scholarship from UTS in 2021
- Recipient of the 'Dean's Merit List for Academic Excellence' award from UTS in 2021
Publications
- Ghorbanpour, S. M., Richards, C., Pienaar, D., Sesperez, K., Aboulkheyr Es, H., Nikolic, V. N., ... & McClements, L. (2023). A placenta-on-a-chip model to determine the regulation of FKBPL and galectin-3 in preeclampsia. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 80(2), 44.
- Aneman, I., Pienaar, D., Suvakov, S., Simic, T. P., Garovic, V. D., & McClements, L. (2020). Mechanisms of key innate immune cells in early-and late-onset preeclampsia. Frontiers in immunology, 11, 1864.
References
Available on request
Timeline
Teaching Academic Assistant
University Of Technology Sydney, Broadway
02.2021 - Current
Learn to Swim Instructor
Methodist Ladies’ College (MLC) Aquatic Centre
03.2019 - 12.2021
Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) -
University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AUS
Bachelor of Biotechnology (Medical Science) -
University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AUS
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