Yousef B.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Experience
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of Michigan
- Designed and synthesized custom peptide–lipid conjugates and peptide–fluorophore probes to interrogate protein–membrane interactions and phase behavior in live cells. Key findings are featured in a Nature Chemical Biology (In Press) manuscript.
- Applied these conjugates in quantitative assay development to study membrane phase transitions, protein clustering, and spatial regulation in signaling contexts.
- Developed a light-inducible CRY2-CIBN optogenetic system to modulate protein concentration at the membrane interface and monitor dose-dependent clustering effects.
- Conducted large-scale quantitative analysis across over 10,000 microscopy frames, incorporating statistical modeling to assess phase separation efficiency and domain formation.
- Co-developed tools to monitor membrane order and its influence on cellular trafficking mechanisms; co-authored a study published in Molecular Biology of the Cell (2025).
- Mentored three graduate and five undergraduate researchers in conjugation chemistry, assay execution, and data interpretation; led collaborative lab trainings to streamline project execution.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Designed and synthesized a series of DNA Zipper probes and lipid–DNA conjugates to investigate lipid membrane organization and anchoring in live-cell systems. Findings published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2022) and Nano Letters (2022).
- Developed structure–activity relationships for lipid–DNA conjugates to optimize membrane insertion, stability, and function, leading to enhanced probe performance and biocompatibility.
- Built a library of over ten lipid–DNA conjugates and fluorophore-tagged constructs using small molecule synthesis and linker optimization; characterized products using LC–MS, MALDI, DLS, NMR, and HPLC.
- Applied these molecular probes to study dynamic membrane ordering during T-cell activation, producing the first direct evidence of lipid reorganization linked to receptor stimulation.
- Contributed synthetic tools to interdisciplinary collaborations in molecular tension sensing and biophysics, resulting in multiple peer-reviewed publications in JACS (2017) and Nucleic Acids Research (2024).
- Mentored four graduate and two undergraduate researchers in organic synthesis, cell culture, and data analysis; served as lab safety officer and supported experimental design across research teams.
AI Training, STEM Content Quality & Evaluation (Contract Part-Time)
Handshake AI and Mercor
- Created high quality chemistry and biology problem sets that combined analytical rigor with instructive clarity, ensuring accurate reasoning and balanced difficulty.
- Applied structured quality rubrics to evaluate reasoning, solution validity, and content rigor, enhancing the reliability of AI generated responses.
- Provided detailed, constructive feedback to improve problem design and strengthen analytical reasoning in model training datasets.
- Performed quality assurance audits to verify alignment with academic and professional benchmarks, supporting the development of trustworthy AI training data.
Summary
Senior chemist with over eight years of experience in organic synthesis, small-molecule design, and analytical method development, complemented by specialized expertise in STEM content evaluation and AI data quality assurance. Proficient in multi-step synthesis, compound purification, and structure elucidation using NMR, LC–MS, and MALDI. Experienced in designing fluorescence-based molecular probes, peptide–lipid conjugates, and advanced bioconjugation strategies to investigate membrane dynamics and protein interactions.
With a strong academic and research background, I applied the same analytical rigor to writing, reviewing and auditing complex STEM problem sets and AI prompt response pairs, ensuring technical accuracy and clarity of reasoning. I used structured evaluation rubrics to assess solution validity, provide targeted feedback, and enhance the rigor and reliability of final outputs. Collaborated with subject matter experts to uphold academic and professional standards while supporting the development of accurate, trustworthy AI training data.
Languages
Education
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Ph.D., Chemistry · Chemistry · Amherst, United States
University of Tehran
M.Sc., Polymer Chemistry · Polymer Chemistry · Tehran, Iran, Islamic Republic of
University of Tabriz
B.Sc., Chemistry · Chemistry · Tabriz, Iran, Islamic Republic of
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