Drew Menke

Background

About Drew Menke

Protein Biochemist- Experience in protein purification, ribosome dynamics and single molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) Molecular Biology: Genomic DNA isolation, RNA isolation, cloning, SLIC, site-directed mutagenesis, PCR, gel electrophoresis and basic molecular biology techniques. Work with mammalian cells, E. coli, Arabidopsis, and P1 Phage. Biochemistry: Protein purification and quantification (FPLC/NGC, ion exchange(IEX) affinity / hydrophobic / size exclusion chromatography), conjugation chemistry, fluorescence labeling, fluorescence spectroscopy, anisotropy, bulk FRET, smFRET, enzymatic assays, 1D page gels, western blotting, ELISA, in vitro transcription and RNA purification, in vitro translation assays, phage transduction, ribosome purification, density gradient ultracentrifugation, filter binding assays, UV/Vis spectrophotometry, use of radioactive isotopes (3H, 14C and 32P). Optical instrumentation and spectroscopy: Experience handling various optics (mirrors, lenses and dichroics), lasers (405nm, 488nm, 515nm, 532nm, 561nm, 642nm and 1064nm), acousto-optical tunable filter (1D), acousto-optical tunable deflector (2D), and helped in the design and implementation of a custom-made TIRF microscope used in the Cornish lab. Work with prism-based and objective-based Total Internal Reflection Microscopy (TIRFM), epifluorescence microscopy, spinning disk confocal microscopy, and single-molecule Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET). Programming and software: Matlab, IDL and IgorPro for custom data analysis and fitting, LabView for instrumentation control and data acquisition.