Zachary Olmsted, Cinzia Stigliano, Abinaya Badri, Fuming Zhang, Asher Williams, Mattheos A. G. Koffas, Yubing Xie, Robert J. Linhardt, Jose Cibelli, Phillip Horner, Janet Paluh

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11. RATIONAL IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PEPTIDE LIGANDS FOR TARGETING POLYSIALIC ACID

Nature Scientific Reports (2020)

Divya G. Shastry, Flaviyan J. Irudayanathan, Asher Williams, Mattheos A. G. Koffas, Robert J. Linhardt, Shikha Nangia, Pankaj Karande

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10. METABOLIC ENGINEERING OF BACILLUS MEGATERIUM FOR HEPAROSAN BIOSYNTHESIS USING PASTEURELLA MULTOCIDA HEPAROSAN SYNTHASE, PMHS2

Microbial Cell Factories (2019)

Asher Williams, Kamil S. Gedeon, Deepika Vaidyanathan, Yanlei Yu, Cynthia Collins, Jonathan S. Dordick, Robert J. Linhardt, Mattheos A.G. Koffas

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9. INCREASED 3′‐PHOSPHOADENOSINE‐5′‐PHOSPHOSULFATE LEVELS IN ENGINEERED ESCHERICHIA COLI CELL LYSATE FACILITATE THE IN VITRO SYNTHESIS OF CHONDROITIN SULFATE A

Biotechnology Journal (2019)

Abinaya Badri, Asher Williams, Ke Xia, Robert J. Linhardt, Mattheos A.G. Koffas

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8. SPECIFICITY AND ACTION PATTERN OF HEPARANASE BP, A Β-GLUCURONIDASE FROM BURKHOLDERIA PSEUDOMALLEI

Glycobiology (2019)

Yanlei Yu, Asher Williams, Xing Zhang Li Fu, Ke Xia, Yongmei Xu, Fuming Zhang, Jian Liu, Mattheos Koffas, Robert J. Linhardt

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7. GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS COMPOSITIONAL ANALYSIS OF URODELE AXOLOTL (AMBYSTOMA MEXICANUM) AND PORCINE RETINA

Glycoconjugate Journal (2019)

So-Young Kim, Joydip Kundu, Asher Williams, Anastasiya S. Yandulskaya, James R. Monaghan, Rebecca L. Carrier, Robert J. Linhardt

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6. HEAVY HEPARIN: A STABLE ISOTOPE‐ENRICHED, CHEMOENZYMATICALLY‐SYNTHESIZED, POLY‐COMPONENT DRUG

Angewandte Chemie (2019)

Brady F. Cress, Ujjwal Bhaskar, Deepika Vaidyanathan, Asher Williams, Chao Cai, Xinyue Liu, Li Fu, Vandhana M-Chari, Fuming Zhang, Shaker A. Mousa, Jonathan S. Dordick, Mattheos A. G. Koffas, Robert J. Linhardt

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5. METABOLIC ENGINEERING OF CAPSULAR POLYSACCHARIDES

Emerging Topics in Life Sciences (2018)

Asher Williams, Robert J. Linhardt, Mattheos A.G. Koffas

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4. THE ROAD TO ANIMAL-FREE GLYCOSAMINOGLYCAN PRODUCTION: CURRENT EFFORTS AND BOTTLENECKS

Current Opinion in Biotechnology (2018)

Abinaya Badri, Asher Williams, Robert J. Linhardt, Mattheos A.G. Koffas

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3. CLONING AND EXPRESSION OF RECOMBINANT CHONDROITINASE ACII AND ITS COMPARISON TO THE ARTHROBACTER AURESCENS ENZYME

Biotechnology Journal (2017)

Asher Williams, Wenqin He, Brady F. Cress, Xinyue Liu, Jordanne Alexandria, Hiroki Yoshizawa, Kazuhiro Nishimura, Toshihiko Toida, Mattheos Koffas, Robert J. Linhardt

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2. ENGINEERED HEPARINS AS NEW ANTICOAGULANT DRUGS

Bioengineering & Translational Medicine (2016)

Deepika Vaidyanathan, Asher Williams, J. S. Dordick, M. A.G. Koffas, Robert J. Linhardt

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1. MOLECULAR DETERMINANTS FOR PROTEIN STABILIZATION BY INSERTIONAL FUSION TO A THERMOPHILIC HOST PROTEIN

ChemBioChem (2015)

Brennal Pierre, Jason W. Labonte, Tina Xiong, Edwin Aoraha, Asher Williams, Vandan Shah, Edward Chau, Kazi Yasin Helal, Jeffrey Gray, Jin Ryoun Kim

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Presentations

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Oral & Poster

BLACK IN IMMUNOLOGY WEEK: IMMUNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY PANELIST & FEATURED SPEAKER

Virtual Presentation

(Nov 2020)

Cell-Free Biosynthesis of Conjugate Vaccines (Oral)

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY (ACS) NATIONAL MEETING

Orlando, FL

(Apr 2019)

Protein Engineering and Metabolic Engineering Strategies for Animal-Free Chondroitin Sulfate Production (Oral)

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT OF BLACK CHEMISTS & CHEMICAL ENGINEERS (NOBCCHE) 45TH ANNUAL MEETING

Orlando, FL

(Sep 2018)

Cloning and Expression of Recombinant Chondroitinase AC II and its Comparison to the Arthrobacter aurescens Enzyme (Oral)

First place award for the best oral research pitch.

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS (AICHE) ANNUAL MEETING

Pittsburgh, PA

(Oct 2018)

Animal-Free Chondroitin Sulfate Production Through Protein Engineering and Metabolic Engineering Strategies (Oral)

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS (AICHE) ANNUAL MEETING

Minneapolis, MN

(Nov 2017)

Engineering Microorganisms for the Efficient Synthesis of Polysaccharides (Oral)

BASF NORTH AMERICA RESEARCH FORUM

Iselin, NJ

(Aug 2018)

Metabolic Engineering of Microorganisms for the Efficient Synthesis of Capsular Polysaccharides (Poster)

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT OF BLACK CHEMISTS & CHEMICAL ENGINEERS (NOBCCHE) 44TH ANNUAL MEETING

Minneapolis, MN

(Nov 2017)

Metabolic Engineering of Microorganisms for the Efficient Synthesis of Capsular Polysaccharides (Poster)

patent

PATENTS

Recombinant microorganisms for in vivo production of sulfated glycosaminoglycans

WO2021050634A1 WIPO (PCT)

See Patent Details

Accomplishments: Image

Awards

Vaccine Luminary, Global G7 Vaccine Confidence Summit (2021) - Learn more

1000 Inspiring Black Scientists in America, Cell Press (2020) -- Learn more

MIT Rising Star in Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2020) -- Learn more

Presidential Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Cornell University (2020) -- Learn more

Class of 2020 Changemaker, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2020) -- Learn more

ACS-BIOT Travel Grant (2019)

RPI Presidential Graduate Research Fellow, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2016 - 2018)

Howard P. Isermann Fellow, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2015 - 2016)

NOBCChE Advancing Science Conference Grant (2017 & 2018)

Women in Science Scholar, New York University College of Arts & Science (2014 - 2015) -- Learn more

Dean’s List Member & Founders' Day Honors Scholar, New York University (2011 - 2015) -- Learn more

Trinidad & Tobago National Open Scholar in Science (awarded to top 1% of students taking the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination) (2011 - 2015)

ACADEMIC HONORS & AWARDS

Professional Societies

Cornell University Society of Fellows

American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)

Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society

Omega Chi Epsilon National Honor Society for Chemical Engineering

The National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE)

National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)

American Chemical Society (ACS)

Order of the Engineer