Ayça Akal–Strader, Ph.D.
Scientist Resume
Ayça Akal–Strader, Ph.D.
Phone: (301) 564 – 3660
E–Mail: Ayca.AkalStrader@gmail.com
U.S. Citizen
Schedule A – Hiring Authority R
Professional Profile
Bilingual (Turkish/English) biological scientist (Biochemist, Molecular Biologist, Cell Biologist)
interested in applying strong background in biomedical scientific research and teaching (11+
years), laboratory management (3.5+ years), and people management (1 year) to Scientist,
Biologist, Technical/Scientific Writer/Editor, or Analyst (Language, Research, Media) positions in
federal government agencies to contribute to their research, administration, management, and
communication needs in the D.C./MD/VA area.
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Effective oral and written communication skills demonstrated through teaching, mentoring,
oral presentations, and publication record.
Strong teamwork and leadership skills proven by multiple manager and chair/co–chair
positions.
Excellent organizational and time management skills as demonstrated by good prioritization
and timely delivery of multiple scientific manuscript translation projects under tight deadlines
with exceptional quality and customer satisfaction.
Meticulous attention to detail as shown by detailed planning and execution of research
projects as well as editing of technical documents with excellent spelling, grammar, format,
consistency, and flow.
Professional Experience
04/2011 – 03/2012
Bethesda, MD
Scientific Manuscript Services, The Translation Team, American Journal Experts, LLC – Team
Leader: Kyongsook Kim, Ph.D.
 Started and developed a new manuscript language service for translation of scientific,
medical, engineering, and social science manuscripts from Turkish to English and translated
the company website from English to Turkish
 Increased staff size by 300% and customer base by 500% over four months with superb
customer satisfaction (25–45% repeat customer rate; no complaints), and two successful
partnerships with companies from overseas
Managing Translator, Turkish
10/2007 – 04/2011
Washington, D.C.
Department of Biology, Georgetown University – Principal Investigator: Anne G. Rosenwald,
Ph.D.
 Collaborated on multiple projects pertaining to understanding the interactions between two
proteins involved in membrane trafficking in yeast and generated several reagents for
functional analysis
 Mentored students to assist in and troubleshoot experiments, managed the laboratory
(ordered supplies, maintained equipment, updated databases), and prepared reports
(protocols, instructions, summaries, presentations)
Research Fellow/Laboratory Manager
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Ayça Akal–Strader, Ph.D.
Scientist Resume
10/2005 – 09/2007
Bethesda, MD
Center for Cancer Research, Genetics Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National
Institutes of Health (NIH) – Principal Investigator: Munira A. Basrai, Ph.D.
 Collaborated on multiple projects to understand the function of an unknown gene in cell
cycle progression in yeast and discovered a previously overlooked function of this gene
 Prepared reports, summaries/updates, presentations, and maintained databases
Research Fellow/Cancer Research Training Awardee
11/2004 – 09/2005
Knoxville, TN
Amyloid and Neurodegenerative Disease Research Laboratory, University of Tennessee
Medical Center – Principal Investigator: Ronald B. Wetzel, Ph.D.
 Collaborated on multiple projects to develop a functional assay to understand suppression of
and aggregate–prone protein by a molecular chaperone protein in the neurodegenerative
Huntington disease model and generated several reagents for functional studies
 Ordered reagents, maintained equipment, updated databases, and prepared reports
(summaries, presentations, lectures)
Research Fellow
Teaching and Mentoring
Bio–Trac II Summer/Winter Session
Recombinant DNA Methodology”
Instructor
for
the
Course
“Biotechnology:
06/2008 – Current
Bethesda, MD
 Regular team lecturer for once–yearly or twice–yearly course
 Designed lectures explaining enzymes in recombinant DNA technologies, as well as blotting
applications to study DNA, RNA, and protein samples
Laboratory Coordinator for the Course
Diseases II – Bacteriology & Mycology”
“Microbiology
for
Medicine: Infectious
09/2010 – 12/2010
Washington, D.C.
 Managed laboratory for 2nd year Georgetown University medical students
 Handled Level 2/3 microorganisms; prepared and tested reagents/media
Ad–Hoc Instructor for the Course “General Chemistry”
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08/2008 – 12/2008
Washington, D.C.
Designed slides/handouts to give lectures on important highlights of the weekly course
material and solved sample problems
Provided academic advising for 1st year DC Area Community Scholars at Georgetown
University
On–The–Job Supervisor/Mentor/Trainer for Junior/Senior Researchers 07/1995 – 04/2011
Washington, D.C./Bethesda, MD/Knoxville, TN
 Participated in daily interactions with multiple undergraduate, post-baccalaureate CRTA, and
graduate researchers at University of Tennessee, NCI–NIH, and Georgetown University
 Provided on the job instruction in biochemical, molecular biological, and genetic methods,
experimental design, and laboratory notebook maintenance
 Prepared protocols/tutorials for equipment use, data analysis, and software usage
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Ayça Akal–Strader, Ph.D.
Scientist Resume
01/1994 – 05/2000
Knoxville, TN/Ankara, Turkey
Designed slides, prepared discussion sessions, and evaluated student performance for the
courses “Nutritional Biochemistry/Physiological Chemistry” and “Biophysical Chemistry”
Directed laboratory sessions, prepared reagents/media, and evaluated student performance
for the courses “General Chemistry Laboratory” and “Biochemistry and Cellular and
Molecular Biology Laboratory”
Teaching Assistant for Undergraduate and Graduate Students
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Other Experience
08/2004 – 09/2005
Knoxville, TN
Organized social and cultural gatherings for the Turkish community in the
Knoxville/Nashville, TN area to strengthen community ties and increase awareness of the
Led monthly organizational meetings to discuss relevant social, political, and cultural topics,
recruit new members, and observe special holidays culture
Chair of Turkish Student Organization
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08/2003 – 06/2004
Knoxville, TN
Attended monthly organizational meetings and performed administrative duties, such as
preparing meeting minutes, reporting results of votes on issues, and scheduling events
calendar
Assisted in welcoming the new Turkish students to the community
Co–Chair of and Secretary/Reporter for Turkish Student Organization
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Scholarships/Fellowships
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Awarded full scholarship for the English for Heritage Language Speakers Program at
Georgetown University
01/2013 – 06/2013
Fulbright/International Institute of Education (IIE) Fellowship
08/1994 – 12/1997
Awards/Other Academic Honors
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Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA); NCI – NIH
10/2005 – 09/2007
Outstanding Scholarly Achievement (Science Alliance Award); Division of Biology, University
of Tennessee
05/2002
Subsistence & Travel Award for a National Scientific Meeting; Genetic Society of America,
Meeting Finance Committee, University of Tennessee
08/2002
Excellence in Teaching Award; Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular
Biology, University of Tennessee
05/1998
Computer Skills
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Word, Excel, PowerPoint, GraphPad Prism, Adobe Photoshop
Windows, Macintosh
PubMed, Adobe Acrobat, Reference Manager
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Ayça Akal–Strader, Ph.D.
Scientist Resume
Professional Societies
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American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
08/1998 – Current
Publications
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Strader, M. B., Hervey IV, W. J. Costantino, N., Fujigaki, S., Chen, C. Y., Akal–Strader, A.,
Ihunnah, C. A., Makusky, A. J., Court, D. L., Markey, S. P., and Kowalak, J. A. (2013) A
Coordinated Proteomic Approach for Identifying Proteins that Interact with the E. coli
Ribosomal Protein S12. Journal of Proteome Research 12 (3): 1289 – 1299.
Kim, K.–M., Lee, Y.–H., Akal–Strader, A., Uddin, M. S., Hauser, M., Naider, F., and Becker,
J. M. (2012) Multiple Regulatory Roles of the Carboxy Terminus of Ste2p, a Yeast GPCR.
Pharmacological Research 65: 31–40.
Chavez, D. R., Manlandro, C. M. A., Akal–Strader, A., Munson, A. M., and Rosenwald, A. G.
Modulation of Nucleotide Binding to Yeast Arl1: Mon2 Inhibits GTP Binding. Manuscript
submitted to FEMS Yeast Research.
Akal–Strader, A., Khare, S., Xu, D., Naider, F., and Becker, J. M. (2002) Residues in the
First Extracellular Loop of a G Protein–Coupled Receptor Play a Role in Signal Transduction.
Journal of Biological Chemistry 277: 30581–30590.
Sommers, C. M., Martin, N. P., Akal–Strader, A., Becker, J. M., Naider, F., and Dumont, M.
E. (2000) A Limited Spectrum of Mutations Causes Constitutive Activation of the Yeast –
Factor Receptor. Biochemistry 39: 6898–6909.
Serpersu, E. H., Cox, J. R., DiGiammarino, E. L., Mohler, M. L., Ekman, D. R., Akal–Strader,
A., and Owsten, M. (2000) Conformations of Antibiotics in Active Sites of Aminoglycoside–
Detoxifying Enzymes. Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics 33: 309–321.
Cox, J. R., Ekman, D. R., DiGiammarino, E. L., Akal–Strader, A., and Serpersu, E. H. (2000)
Aminoglycoside Antibiotics Bound to Aminoglycoside–Detoxifying Enzymes and RNA Adopt
Similar Conformations. Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics 33: 297–308.
Certifications
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Enrolled in the English for Heritage Language Speakers (EHLS) Certificate Program,
Georgetown University. Full–time, intensive program in English for the professional
workplace. Attending on full scholarship from the National Security Education Program
(NSEP)
01/2013 – Current (Until 08/2013)
Education
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Doctorate Degree (GPA: 3.65/4.00)
08/1998 – 10/2004 (Knoxville, TN)
University of Tennessee – Principal Investigator: Jeffrey M. Becker, Ph.D.
Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology awarded 12/2004
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Master’s Degree (GPA: 3.50/4.00)
08/1994 – 07/1998
University of Tennessee – Principal Investigator: Engin H. Serpersu, Ph.D.
M.S. degree in Biochemistry awarded 12/1997
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Bachelor’s Degree (GPA: 3.62/4.00)
Middle East Technical University
B.S. degree in Chemistry awarded 07/1993
(Knoxville, TN)
09/1989 – 07/1993 (Ankara, Turkey)
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