Sarah Olmstead, PhD

• Director of preclinical studies for lead drug candidate (regulatory T cell enhancing peptide) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). • Lead translational clinical T cell biomarker program in ALS; overseeing timeline adherence, biomarker measurement (flow cytometry), and data analysis/interpretation. • Scientific support for business development meetings with venture capital groups and external stakeholders. • Coordinated and executed two external collaborative projects involving biomarker identification in Alzheimer’s disease and biomarker validation in asthma.

• Developed strategy for preclinical and clinical biomarker study in ALS. • Optimized and validated prospective biomarkers (via multi-color flow cytometry) as well as ex vivo functional assays. • Lead data analysis using traditional (logistic regression, ANOVA) statistical techniques in addition to machine learning (CART) and AI (SOM) techniques to bring together multi-parameter datasets in biomarker discovery for Parkinson’s disease. Defined a model with the ability to identify patients with 90% accuracy using a small dataset. • Prepared and presented data for internal meetings. • Acting as scientific support by preparing and reviewing presentations for external partners. • Mentored junior lab technicians. • Authored 4 grant applications in a variety of neurodegenerative topics, leveraging previously collected samples for genetic analysis.

• Executed clinical biomarker study in Parkinson’s disease (multi-color flow cytometry, LC/MS, ELISA). • Performed enzymatic assays. • Prepared and presented data for internal meetings. • Awarded a grant from the Department of Defense for investigation of lead compound in ALS. • Authored or assisted in authoring 3 additional grant applications.

• Initiated research and development for sleep fragmentation in neonates. • Lead a cross-departmental team investigating a lead drug candidate in protecting against cognitive decline following cardiac arrest. • Collaborated within the department to begin investigating sleep disturbances in Rett syndrome, ischemia, and traumatic brain injury. • Prepared and presented data for internal meetings, five society meetings and two local meetings. • Trained and supervised three undergraduate students.

• Designed, conducted, and completed research on motivational dysregulation in HIV-1. • Moved a compound from in vitro cell culture to in vivo testing demonstrating the therapeutic potential of a naturally occurring isoflavone compound in mitigating synaptic and behavioral dysfunction. • Dissertation work contributed to an NIH grant examining the neurobiological mechanisms of apathy in HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). • Teaching Assistant or Instructor of Record for 7 semesters.