Nicholas P. Ambulos, Jr., PhD, Director
Dr. Nicholas Ambulos has been director of the Genomics Shared Resource since 1993. He has an extensive background in molecular biology and molecular microbiology. He is fully familiar with all aspects of DNA and RNA synthesis, DNA sequencing, genotyping, peptide synthesis, and more recently has become exceedingly familiar with gene expression technologies. Dr. Ambulos has co-authored a number of manuscripts relating to peptide synthesis chemistry and analysis, and was responsible for the synthesis and purification of the three peptides that comprise the NIST Reference Material #8327, "Peptide Standards for Molecular Mass and Purity Measurements". More recently, Dr. Ambulos has coauthored manuscripts relating to gene expression studies.
Dr. Ambulos is responsible for introducing new investigators to the facility, by providing detailed descriptions of the services offered, and introducing investigators to the staff members responsible for these services. After initial consultations regarding specific projects, the investigators are encouraged to interact directly with the staff members that will be supporting their research projects. Dr. Ambulos is responsible for the educational component of the core, arranging to host research and technical seminars, as well as presenting the Facility's capabilities at Departmental meetings.
As part of his role as facility director, Dr. Ambulos is responsible for acquiring state of the art instrumentation and identifying new areas of service. He has been successful in securing NIH Shared Instrumentation Grants with which to purchase new instrumentation. He has also taken advantage of the State of Maryland's Revolving Equipment Loan Program, whereby the State purchases an instrument for the facility, and the facility repays the loan with modest interest. In addition to his role as the director of the Biopolymer/Genomics Core Facility, Dr. Ambulos has also served as the Director of Shared Resources for the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center since 2004. In this role, Dr. Ambulos provides guidance to other shared resource directors to ensure that the services offered are effective and strengthen the mission of the Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Ambulos works with shared resource directors and Ms. Susan Myers, Director of Finance, to prepare realistic and cost-effective budgets for each of the shared resources.
Jin Yin, DDS, Laboratory Supervisor
Dr. Yin was hired in 2004 to support the Biopolymer/Genomics Core Facility's gene expression and high through put genotyping services. Dr. Yin has over 10 years experience in methods development for microarray technology. This includes developing optimal methods for the extraction of high quality RNA from cell culture, tissue, and more importantly, from small biopsy samples. She has also optimized methods for printing custom cDNA and oligonucleotides arrays, and has extensive experience preparing labeled cRNA, hybridizing, washing and scanning arrays. She has coauthored numerous manuscripts related to microarrays, genotyping and gene expression analysis. Dr. Yin provides consulting services for investigators who want to initiate gene expression or genotyping studies.
Patricia Campbell, PhD, Research Specialist
Dr. Campbell joined the facility in January, 2001 to support the peptide synthesis and purification service, and to establish new services for the analysis and characterization of peptides and proteins. With over 30 years of experience in molecular separations, Dr. Campbell has brought a much-needed expertise in protein chemistry to the School of Medicine. With an expertise in HPLC and capillary electrophoresis separations, Dr. Campbell has a particular aptitude for assay development to monitor chemical reactions, enzymatic processes and in vitro and in vivo degradation of molecules. Dr. Campbell has authored numerous applications notes and primers on HPLC and capillary electrophoresis separations methodologies and has co-authored manuscripts on synthetic peptide methodologies.
Li Tang, Research Specialist
Ms. Tang joined th Biopolymer/Genomics Core Facility in January 2009. She has more than five years experience in automated DNA sequencing gene expression array technology and genotyping. Ms. Tang is responsible for gene expression services using both our Affymetrix GeneChip technology. Ms. Tang has co-authored a number of manuscripts based on gene expression and DNA sequencing.
Kevin Rossomando, Research Technician
Mr. Rossomando has been a member of the Biopolymer/Genomics Core Facility for 12 years. He was responsible for the DNA/RNA synthesis service until July 2010, when the facility terminated this service. He has also provided critical support to the DNA sequencing service during his tenure here. Currently, he is responsible for oversight of the DNA sequencing service and provides a conduit between our customers and the commercial vendors with whom we have established contracts, to meet the DNA synthesis needs of our investigators.
Advisory Committee Members
Below is the list of faculty that currently comprise our Advisory Committee. If you have any questions or concerns, and would feel more comfortable addressing them with one of our committee members, their contact information is listed below.
Susan G. Dorsey, PhD
Associate Professor, UMB School of Nursing
sdorsey@son.umaryland.edu
Braxton D. Mitchell, PhD
Professor, Medicine, UMB School of Medicine
bmitchel@medicine.umaryland.edu
Stephen Munger, PhD*
Associate Professor, Anatomy & Neurobiology, UMB School of Medicine
smung001@umaryland.edu
Alan Smith, PhD
Somerset Consulting, Grass Valley, CA
alanj_smith@yahoo.com
Alan Tomkinson, PhD
Professor, Radiation Oncology, UMB School of Medicine
atomkinson@som.umaryland.edu
Paul Welling, MD
Professor, Physiology, UMB School of Medicine
pwelling@umaryland.edu
Stefanie Vogel, PhD
Professor, Microbiology & Immunology, UMB School of Medicine
svogel@som.umaryland.edu
*current committee chair