Kaitlyn Rae

Laboratory Technician within the Molecular Clinical Immunology Department.

• Immunogenetics and disease-associated HLA typing for immune sensitivities, solid organ transplantation and bone marrow transplantation.
• Participated in lab meetings and project presentations.
• Prepared samples for analysis by performing complex sample preparation tasks.
• Analysed results using analytical software and created reports.
• Developed new protocols and improved existing laboratory processes.

DNA Extraction:

• DNA extraction of blood, buccal and tissue samples utilising numerous assays and machines.
• DNA quantification and storage for the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

Third Generation Sequencing:

• Third Generation Sequencing - PCR of Class I & Class II HLA Genes.
• Making of PCR mastermixes & understanding of enzymes.
• Agarose Gel Electrophoresis & GelDoc Program.
• Amplicon Pooling.
• Ampure Bead Purification.
• GloMAX DNA Quantitation & QUBIT Assay.
• Amplicon Normalisation.
• TGS MinION Workflow.

Autoimmunity:

• Protein Isolation.
• ELISA Assay utilising the DS2 Dynamax - for clinical analyses of CMV & associated protein assays.

Instruments:

• QIAsymphony SP QIAGEN.
• EZ1 / EZ2 QIAGEN Biorobot.
• KingFisher FLEX Promega.
• Hamilton Star Robot.
• GelDoc.
• GloMAX.
• Thermocycler - Veriti & Eppendorf.
• MinION Oxford Nanopore Sequencing.
• DS2 Dynamax.

Software:

• SoftLIS - SoftMol, SoftLabMic, SoftTQC.
• Instrument validations & method writing.
• Maintenance of machines & troubleshooting.
• TQC, QC, extraction reviews & spreadsheet upkeep.
• Microsoft Suite - Word, Excel, Outlook.

Attended the 2023 Asia-Pacific Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Association (APHIA) Annual Scientific Meeting.

• Maintained documentation on tests performed in lab, within the Central Specimen Reception Area.
• Tracked specimens for testing following standard protocols by initialling, dating, and noting times of collection.
• Processed patient specimens according to priority, documented results and responded to medical staff enquires regarding test requirements.
• Robust knowledge of pathological tests utilised in numerous pathology departments.

• Instructed swimmers in stroke and turn techniques to improve swim times.
• Mediated conflicts between swimmers to maintain positive atmosphere and preserve team morale.
• Pool supervisor, reception and managerial roles.

The School of Human Biology & Anatomy - Honours in Reproductive Biology.

• Submitted research proposal and final thesis in timely manner.
• Studied topics using scientific methods to contribute to ongoing research.
• Collected, arranged, and input information into database system - STATA, GenStat, Excel.
• Generated reports detailing findings and recommendations.
• Worked in team environment to maintain high levels of productivity.

Thesis Published January 2024 - JAMA Network Open.

Prenatal Opioid Exposure and Immune-Related Conditions in Children.