Karen Rae Bone
Grønnsletta
N1827 Hobøl, Norway
+47 91835301 (mob)/+47 69921193
Education
M.Sc., Biotechnology, The Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 2006
Concentration in molecular genetics and genome analysis.
Thesis: Mycotoxin Synthesis: Gene Characterization and Regulation Studies.
B.S., Biophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, 1979
Including two years of undergraduate research on differentiation and development
in D.discoideum.
Related Work Experience
Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research
2001-present
Aas, Norway
Departmental Engineer.
Primary areas of research: mycotoxin gene characterization and expression
in Fusarium spp.; distribution of phytoplasmas in poinsettia; transgenic protein
expression in potato; AFLP fingerprinting of C. acutatum on strawberry.
Responsibilities include planning and carrying out experiments (including
development of new protocols), assisting graduate students, training researchers in
experimental techniques, and daily oversight of an 8-person lab. Work with
committees to research and recommend purchase of instrumentation and to
develop lab operating procedures. Write, contribute to, and edit journal articles,
give seminars, assist with NORFA summer course for PhD students.
Depts. Of Medicine/Microbiology and Immunology
The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Hershey, PA, USA
1998-2001
Research Technician.
Primary research area: Gag and matrix proteins of Rous Sarcoma virus.
Responsibilities: Plan and perform experiments, assist graduate students,
oversight of rotating graduate and medical students. General oversight of two laboratories
including responsibility for radioisotopes and hazardous chemical waste, procurement of
supplies, maintenance of tissue culture cell lines, etc. Present poster and seminar on own
research at Cold Spring Harbor, Cornell University, Penn State University.
Dept. of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Biochemistry and Biophysics
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA, USA
Research Assistant.
Primary research area: DNA repair mechanisms of ΦX174 virus.
1979-1981
Responsibilities: Plan and perform experiments, assist graduate students,
oversee undergraduate research projects and work-study students, perform literature
searches, procurement of supplies and general oversight of two laboratories.
.
Technical Experience
Realtime PCR – Absolute and relative quantification. FAST and standard block. With
hydrolysis probes, single- and multiplex, and SYBRGreen. Can develop and optimize assays.
Gene expression techniques preparatory to realtime PCR quantification, including various
methods for isolation of mRNA, reverse transcription, DNAsing, selection and validation of
endogenous control genes for normalization, etc.
Bioinformatic techniques including multiple sequence alignments, similarity searches, data
mining for protein information, testing for secondary structure in nucleic acids, design and
in silico testing of primers and probes, various software techniques for normalization and
relative quantification of realtime PCR data.
Western Blotting – large and small format, tank and dry blot. Can develop and optimize
assays. (Also slot- and dot-blot).
PCR-Various applications and formats including nested and immuno-capture. Can optimize
assays.
DNA sequencing – Cycle and manual sequencing, ABI 310 and polyacrylamide gels, with
interpretation.
Cloning techniques, including restriction planning, primer design, data interpretation.
Confocal and fluorescent microscopy, including GFP/Flag tagging, immunofluorescent
antibody usage and fixation techniques.
ELISA testing, including DASI, competitive, lateral flow.
DNA transfection techniques. Various. Can make competent cells.
AFLP
Tissue Culture
Cell line establishment
Northern Blot
Immunoprecipitation assay
Reverse Transcriptase assay (for retroviruses)
DNA/RNA extraction/preparation. Various techniques, including CsCl, CTAB and alkaline
lysis preps, plant, fungal and phytoplasmal extractions using liquid nitrogen, bead beaters,
ABI 6100 prep system, and various kits.
Ultracentrifugation, including sucrose and CsCl gradients, viral pelleting.
Oversight and handling of radioisotopes and hazardous chemicals.
Publications
Lysøe E., Klemsdal S.S., Bone K.R., Frandsen R.J.N., Johansen T., Thrane U., Giese H.
(2006) The PKS4 Gene of Fusarium graminearum is Essential for Zearalenone Production.
Appl. Env. Microb.72(6): 3924-3932.
Garbitt R.A., Bone K.R., Parent L.P. (2004) Insertion of a Classical Nuclear Import Signal
into the Matrix Domain of the Rous Sarcoma Virus Gag Protein Interferes with Virus
Replication. J. Virol.78(24): 13534-13542.
(Three additional articles are in the process of being written and are expected to be
submitted by Sept.1, 2006).
Personal
50 years old. Excellent health. Married with three children. Enjoy learning, teaching, and
new challenges. Can speak Norwegian fluently, German reasonably well, and a little
Spanish. Hobbies include riding and training horses and riders in dressage, jumping and
eventing, playing oboe and folk harp, ballet and lyrical dance, gardening, hiking and
painting.