Professional Experience

2000 – 2001,December PolyGenyx, Inc. Worcester, MA

Senior BioInformatics Analyst

Wow, I did so much really cool stuff working here – where do I begin? Analysis of chromatograms produced from DOP-PCR and PCR to detect SNPs using Sequencher, Phred, Phrap, Consed and self-coded custom software was both interesting and fun.

I also performed analysis of MicroArray scans using (primarily) ImaGene (from BioDiscovery).

I was encharged with the design/implemention/updating of a PostgreSQL database to track our experimental SNP findings. The database contained a copy of the Human Genome (from the NCBI), the capability to store other genomes as well, and much of the data relating to the experiments. I designed all of the client interfaces to make the database useful. And, I coded a combination of shell scripts, Perl, and C to input vast amounts of data output from a variety of programs (see above) into the database.

I coded programs to simulate laboratory experiments; predict experimental results; and developed an electronic DOP-PCR simulator – results from which would pipe directly into the aforementioned database.

I wrote up scripts to control some of our robots. The robots I worked with include a Biomek 1000, a Biomek 2000 (both from Beckman Coutier), a ProSys 5510 Microarrayer and PegaSys 150 Stacker (from Cartesian Technologies), and an ArrayWorX Flourescence Slide Scanner (from Applied Precision Instruments). And, the setup of Bar Code scanners for (planned) tracking and database interfacing.

Of course, I maintained/updated the company website (www.polygenyx.com). And, I configured/maintained the employees' POP3 e-mail boxes. Also, it was my responsibility to maintain (including firewall/anti-virus protection and backups) our heterogeneous LAN (SGI Irix, Win98SE, WinNT4 W/S, RH Linux 6/7).

1999 – 2000 St.Bernard's Central Catholic High School Fitchburg, MA

Information Technology Coordinator

Working in a high school environment, I had to plan and configure hardware and software for a LAN to support multiple computer labs, several research computers in the library, and administration/staff machines. A major necessity was providing security for the LAN in a "hostile" environment (high school students can't be fired for malicious mischief on computers). Also, Internet connectivity (and the needed content filters) was provided across all machines. I was the first (and usually last) line of technical support all users. All this, and I had to teach computer courses too.

1998 – 1999 Corporate Technology Systems, Inc. Auburn, MA

Systems Engineer

This company provided an outsourced IT staff (or additional support for an in-house IT staff) for small to medium sized companies. I performed hardware and software configuration, diagnostics, and troubleshooting for a variety of clients, on both NetWare and WindowsNT networks, across a variety of computer platforms, including: MacOS, Unix, MS-DOS, and all flavors of Microsoft Windows.

Publications

B. Jordan, A. Charest, J.F. Dowd, J.P. Blumenstiel, R. Yeh, A. Osman, D. E. Housman , and J. E. Landers. (2002). "Genome Complexity Reduction for SNP Genotyping Analysis." Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. In press.

Missions Accomplished

• I have successfully scanned for and removed viruses from Macs, MS-DOS PCs, Windows PCs, and Linux PCs in both stand-alone and networked environments. This has been done manually (and, without data loss) in those cases when AntiVirus software was ineffective.

• I have installed hardware and software for a NetWare 3.12 server amidst Macs in an AppleTalk LAN.

• I have assembled from component parts so many IBM-PC compatibles that the number would be more convenient to write with scientific notation, I'm sure.

• A completely successful recovery of a badly corrupted Microsoft Exchange Server.

• Upgrade of a NetWare server from 3.12 to 4.0.

• Installation of hardware and software on a wide variety of Intel based machines running diverse Operating Systems.

• I have installed Iomega Zip drives, SCSI hard drives, VRAM, RAM, and other hardware in a variety of Macs.

• As part of a four-man team, I upgraded over 50 workstations on a Novell NetWare 3.12 LAN from Windows for Workgroups 3.11 to Windows 95.

• With a partner, I moved data and users from a NetWare 3.11 server to a Windows NT 4.0 Server. Fifteen Windows for Workgroups 3.11 clients were migrated to Windows NT Workstation 4.0 and legacy DOS applications were configured and tested. Twelve Mac clients were also configured for the new server. Several printers were configured for network printing. All done within 11 hours (5PM to 4AM).

I Code Too

• I designed and coded in C (for two differing operating systems) a security system that implemented the DES cryptographic standard.

• I coded in GRASP and BASIC a drug awareness suite of programs geared for grade school children.

• For the Worcester County Sheriff's Deptartment, I designed and coded in C a program for employee work scheduling. It replaced the manual method that was in use and, it is still being used there.

• I designed and coded in Pascal a program to convert data from one "standard" database program into a readable format for another.

• I designed and coded in Pascal a Logo interpreter.

I've Coded

Assembler (8086 & IBM-370), BASIC, C/C++, Clipper, COBOL, dBase III Plus, Fortran, GRASP, Java (and JavaScript), Pascal, Perl, TCL/Tk, ...and more.

Operating System Experience