Sonja Mihailovic, PhD

Establish iPSC reprogramming methods to generate hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for clinical use to extend human lifespan.

• Planned and led a multidisciplinary team project to improve iPSC-derived organoid differentiation in hematopoietic, neural, endothelial, lung, immune and cardiac lineages. Increased homogeneity and creation yield by 30-60% to provide more viable homogeneous organoids for downstream applications. • Independently developed a scalable alternative for micro-cardiac organoids to quantify post-chemotherapeutic effects of Doxorubicin on heart failure by increasing screening potential by 20-fold and reducing reagent use by 90%. • Created pipeline for CRISPR gene editing in cell cultures (neuroblastoma, cardiomyocytes, iPSC, primary, mammalian) involving disease knock-outs and live fluorescence reporter knock-ins to increase integration efficiency and stability. Generated viable clones 60% faster than traditional methods. • Contributed to a disease modeling project for neurodegenerative diseases using patient iPSC-derived neural organoids coupled with cell-based assay quantification, microscopy analysis, and downstream CRISPR gene editing for potential corrective therapy. • Collaborated with scientists in academic, industry, and clinical settings to evaluate potential disease modeling projects and collect/analyze necessary data for grant proposals, funding opportunities, and academic paper publications. •Developed written scientific materials tailored to audiences of varying scientific background including data presentations to key opinion leaders, layperson scientific articles, marketing campaigns, technical notes, grant proposals, and scientific posters. • Generated experimental plans in independent and collaborative team settings while maintaining organized datasets, well-documented timelines, and established novel protocols in a fast-paced environment.

•Created and executed research plan involving organoid development, reprogramming, and multi-lineage iPSC differentiation utilizing CRISPR/Cas system edited cell lines. Developed cross-functional expertise in diseases and cellular therapeutic applications. • Led cross-functional group to process large-scale data analysis and visualization of real-time iPSC gastrulation and trilineage differentiation with Python on tracked single-cell and organoid confocal microscopy. • Designed drug screening to generate iPSCs from patient-derived cells which resulted in successful hit compound for Nucleate Venture Program. Communicated with key opinion leaders to translate potential research discovery to clinical settings with assessment on regulatory strategies, drug safety requirements, and clinical design. • Created full business plan from hit compound discovery including technology commercialization and cost analysis, competitor landscaping, and professional pitching to private investors. Resulted in Nucleate’s Alnylam best scientific pitch award. • Assisted in characterizing triple negative breast cancer patient tumor samples with cell cycle-related markers to evaluate subpopulations in tumor microenvironment. • Identified epigenetic SNPs related to ANCA vasculitis patient remission that resulted in 80% remission prediction accuracy. Received HIPAA certification to manage patient data and presented research findings to clinicans, staff scientists, and laboratory members.

Managed and directed senior undergraduate students in a cancer genetics course project involving current literature review on novel oncogenes and organized potential experimental designs in-person and remotely.

• Led a business-oriented team to pursue a potential biotech start-up from current experimental discoveries with novel alternative small molecule reprogramming product for hiPSC generation. • Implemented translatable business skills associated with bio entrepreneurship including polished pitching, understanding regulatory strategies, and assessing technical and market risks with the Nucleate Activator program.

• Investigated tumor formation in transitional tissue environments through large-scale mutation screening in Drosophila cancer models and increased tumor detection and quantification accuracy by 35%. • Evaluated neuronal developmental effects of X inactivation by generating knockdown human cell lines using CRISPR/Cas gene editing and assay development for RNA localization.