201 Marvista Ct, Cary, NC 27518
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919-600-3931
 yksp123@gmail.com
 https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasvanth
I am a passionate student and professional seeking a Graduate Research Assistantship for Fall 2015.
Currently I was a Graduate Research Assistant in the Spring enrolled in Georgia Tech’s Professional
Science Master’s program in Bioinformatics with good academic standing. Along with an interest in the life sciences and computer science, I possess a strong scientific background: I am a 2013 ECU
Graduate who double majored in Biology/Chemistry with 6 months of lab experience in a Genomics lab at ECU and Industry lab experience through BASF. I also possess industry level bioinformatics experience through Booz Allen Hamilton and the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. Currently I am a member of the Vannberg genomics lab working with diagnostic primer design, data visualization and k-mer based implementations at the Georgia Institute of Technology. My academic background includes intensive research-oriented study and hands on experience. I have a deep interest in computer programming and have acquired coding experience through my coursework, various research endeavors with the Vannberg lab and projects. I hope to have the opportunity to earn a GRA for the Fall 2015 Semester so that I may continue to grow and develop my skills and knowledge toward the benefit of both myself and the Georgia Tech Bioinformatics
Program.
Georgia Institute of Technology Aug 2014 –Present
 Currently pursuing Professional Science Master’s Degree in Bioinformatics at Georgia Tech
(3.5 GPA)
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Coursework completed in the Fall includes: Computer Science for Bioinformatics,
Programming for Bioinformatics, Genomics and Applied Bioinformatics, Special Problems in
Biology: Vannberg Lab
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Courses I am enrolled Semester include: Introduction to Database Systems, Computational
Genomics, Probability and Statistics
East Carolina University 2009 – 2013
 I graduated in Spring 2013 and hold both a Biology B.S. and Chemistry B.A degree. I completing advanced placement coursework
Graduate Research Assistantship Award/Georgia Tech Jan 2015 –Present
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Award presented to Students based on success in Academics and Coursework as well as involvement in Research, Lab Work and Projects
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Project must be proposed to and reviewed by a GRA board from the Georgia Tech Department of Biology who will then approve or deny the application
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Diagnostic Primer Design project which I proposed was accepted completed my both majors in 4 years.
 My freshman year I was on the Honor Roll and considered to have good academic standing and made the Dean’s list my junior year
 I completed and received credit for Biology I, II as well as Calculus I and II in high school by

919-600-3931
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Kulasekarapandian09@students.ecu.edu
Yasvanth Kulasekarapandian
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Working Experience with: Perl, Python, R, Java, Shell scripting, HTML5, d3 and JQuery java script implementations
Experience with NGS Analysis with GATK and BWA
Database Construction/Querying using SQL
Experience coding and working in *nix or Windows environments
Web-Platforms: i.e. Illumina’s BaseSpace
Interactive Javascript Data Visualizations
Constructing/Utilizing Pipelines
Diagnostic Primer Design/K-mer based solutions for highly dynamic viral genomes
Jan 2015 –Present
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Working as a member of Dr. Fredrik Vannberg’s lab team to develop a Primer Design tool for real-time PCR (written in python)
The Project’s primary focus is on highly mutagenic viral pathogens i.e. Ebola and how we can
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 develop primers that are effective not just on a single strain of such a pathogen but is well conserved across multiple strains
Conducted rtPCR to empirically test the efficacy of predicted primers and using this knowledge to improve the tool
Our aim is to develop a program that can design primers that will be effective not just for the current incarnation of a given strain but can also account for how primers will change in relation to Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP’s)
CDC Meningitis Strain/Serogrouping/Serotyping Project
Jan 2014 –Present
 Working through Georgia Tech’s Bioinformatics program in collaboration with the CDC and
Booz Allen Hamilton to develop a strain typing tool
 Tool development process involves developing a pipeline that performs: Genome Assembly,
Gene Prediction, Functional Annotation and Comparative Genomics
 The tool is meant to utilize Whole Genome Sequences provided by the CDC to develop and maintain a tool that can be used for Species Delineation, Serogroup and Serotype
Determination and Molecular Characterization of Phenotype and Genotype from an unidentified prokaryotic sequence
Genetic K-mer Distance Matrix d3 Visualization Project
Aug 2014 –Jan 2015
 Developed a d3 visualization method (JavaScript/html) and helped implement a pipeline on the
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 online platform BaseSpace using an alignment free K-mer method developed by the Vannberg lab that utilizes a minimal XOR function (written in R) to calculate distances between species.
( www.prism.gatech.edu/~yasvanth3/def_thresh.html
)
Data from distance matrix was converted to json format using my code (written in Java)
Tested with sequences from different strains of Ebola as well to observe clustering even between genetically similar strains of pathogens

919-600-3931

Kulasekarapandian09@students.ecu.edu
Yasvanth Kulasekarapandian
My Completed Coursework of Relevance to the position
Course Number Course Name
CS 4400
CS 4710
BIOL 7210
BIOL 6150
BIOL 8803
Introduction to Database Systems
Computer Science for Bioinformatics
Computational Genomics
Genomics and Applied Bioinformatics
Programming for Bioinformatics
BIOL 8901
MATH 3215
Special Problems : Vannberg Lab
Probability and Statistics
Coursera MOOC – University of Toronto Learn to Program: The Fundamentals
Bios 1500
Biol 4240
Introduction to Biostatistics
Genome Evolution
Biol 4800
Biol 4504
Engl 3820
Biol 2300
Biol 3220
Biol 3311
Chem 2760
Biol 5800
Chem 2250
Chem 3450
Chem 3850
Booz Allen Hamilton in Atlanta, GA
Microbial Pathogenesis
Research Problems in Biology
Scientific Writing (WI)
Genetics
Microbiology
Cellular Physiology
Organic Chemistry II
Principles of Biochemistry
Quantitative/ Analytical Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
Bioinformatics Consultant Intern
5/2015-8/2015
Job Duties: I worked through Booz Allen Hamilton as a consultant for the PDL (Pertussis and
Diphtheria Lab) a branch of NCIRD (National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease) at the CDC. I worked mainly with Bordetella species, performing various services for the lab including
Genome Assembly, Variant Calling/SNP Analysis as well as pipeline development for automated
Genome Analysis using GATK and others. With respect to programming, I worked primarily with
Java and shell scripting. As a result, I was able to help publish novel Bordetella hinzii Genome
Sequences to NCBI in a joint collaborative effort between the PDL and a lab at the University of
Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

919-600-3931

Kulasekarapandian09@students.ecu.edu
Yasvanth Kulasekarapandian
BASF in RTP, NC
Plant-Phenotyping Team: Greenhouse/Lab Assistant
6/2014-8/2014
Job Duties: I assisted a crop phenotyping team in charge of designing and running screens on transgenic and founder lines of corn, soy and arabidopsis with the intent of finding potentially beneficial genes in relation to disease resistance and yield. My job duties included but weren’t limited to: transplanting seeds, processing phenotypic assays, organizing and storing transgenic/nontransgenic plant materials, harvesting/collecting plant samples from fully developed plants as well as how to use imaging software to collect and quantify data from legions on plants carrying infection.
Eva H. Perry Public Library in Apex, NC
Youth/Young Adult Book Organizer (Volunteer)
8/2007 - 5/2009
Job Duties: Stocking books accurately and efficiently in accordance with Library Policies. Assisting and directing Library Visitors find books or media
Kiwanis International in Raleigh, NC
Volunteer/Group Member
8/2006 - 5/2008
Job Duties: Volunteering at all sorts of events. From registering runners at 2nd Empire 5k runs to assisting archery events at the Renaissance Fair, running booths at the IndiaFest event, dressing up in costume for small children, and even assisting in work at a Senior's Home by providing entertainment in the form of board games.
Macedonia United Methodist Church in Cary, NC
Preschool Volunteer
8/2003 - 10/2003
Job Duties: Helped clean the classroom, spent time with the preschoolers and supervised them during play hours.
Georgia Institute of Technology: Vannberg Lab Research Assistant Atlanta, GA
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August 2014 - Present
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As a member of the Vannberg Research Team at Georgia Tech I have worked on multiple research projects, including recently Georgia Tech’s response to the Ebola epidemic and Large
Distance Matrix Visualizations working with java, jquery, html5, and d3.js
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My reserach with the Vannberg Lab also helped me earn my Graduate Research Assistantship with Georgia Tech

919-600-3931

Kulasekarapandian09@students.ecu.edu
Yasvanth Kulasekarapandian
*ECU Biology Lab Research Student Greenville, NC
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August 2012 - January 2013
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As a Biology student I enrolled in a special 6 month course known as research problems in
Biology (Genomics)
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Through this program, I was able to work under and learn from Dr.Huang of the ECU Biology
Dept and learned fundamental skills needed to conduct biological research and data analysis.
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Through this experience I learned how to use the NCBI gene database and saw how unix shell could be used to conduct phylogenetic analysis and compare genomes of different organisms (i.e a fungal plant pathogen and a bacterium) to shed light on their evolutionary relationships.
Sri Ramachandra Hospital/Medical College Surgery Dept. Intern Chennai, India
 June 2011 – July 2011
 I attended/audited courses on a daily basis with medical students
 I was assigned to a surgeon, and allowed to shadow him and observed in the surgery room as various procedures were conducted.
 I was taught some of the basic principles involved in diagnosis in the Surgery Ward and how to dress minor wounds.
ECU Chemistry Club Member Greenville, NC
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I was a member of the ECU Chemistry Club
 The club’s focus was to hold demonstrations and bring in guest speakers working in Chemistry related careers
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Enloe Biomedical Science Academy Graduate Raleigh, NC
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I was a part of this organization through the last three years of my high school career
 In order to graduate from the academy, I had to learn cpr, job shadow a doctor at Wake Med
Hospital, and attend the meetings which often included doctors as guest speakers.
 I had to complete 100+ community service hours
Enloe High school Key Club Volunteer Raleigh, NC
 I attended Enloe Key Club for two years
 Through this organization I volunteered at multiple places
 I did around 60 hours of volunteer service through this organization
Eva H. Perry Public Library Apex, NC
 August 2007 – May 2009
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Youth/Young Adult Book Organizer (Volunteer)
 I was responsible for organizing books at this library
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I did volunteer work here for two years
 I was responsible for helping people who visited the library
Enloe Science Olympiad Raleigh, NC
 I was a member of the Enloe Science Olympiad team for a year
 I competed in two events for the regional finals and achieved first place and second place medals in them

919-600-3931

Kulasekarapandian09@students.ecu.edu
Yasvanth Kulasekarapandian
ECU Gaming Administrative Officer/Coordinator Greenville, NC
 I was a member of ECU Gaming Organization’s administrative board
 I am the founding and original administrator for ECU Gaming’s League of Legends Events
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I created and administrated the associated Facebook Page
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I was responsible for designing tournaments, coordinating teams and overseeing all event related positions (events had up to 120 people during the course of the day) as well as public relations
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ECU Gaming is now one of the largest student operated groups at East Carolina with well over
500 members