Tristin Alexander Schwartze
Trystyn.Alxander@gmail.com
MBSB at University of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh, PA
TAS224@pitt.edu
Recent Research

Currently, I work in Professor Hinck's Lab. He uses methods in structural biology and biophysics to investigate the TGF-β superfamily and their receptors. I primarily work on Pro-BMP-9 and Pro-BMP-10. My work ranges from the function of their pro-domains in creating context specific release to the formation of heterodimers from their monomeric forms. To investigate these proteins and their interactions I am learning protein purification, protein crystallography, and protein-protein SPR. In terms of practical relevance, many of the proteins I work on are relevant to cardiovascular development and disease. This work is expected to contribute to several publications and my thesis.
Previous Work Experience

Graduate Student Researcher at the University of Pittsburgh.

MDM2's Val93 in docking p53's Trp23: Docked p53's Trp23 into MDM2. Monitored dihedral angle of Val93. I had very little experience for this rotation project, so my contributions were ultimately insignificant, but I learned a bit. No publications were produced from this project because it was a rotation project.

Experience & Training:
  • Limited Experience with NAMD.
  • Limited Experience with Steered Molecular Dynamics (MD).
     (Third Rotation)

Pocket Conformation Progress Coordinate for WestPA: The goal of this rotation was to establish a progress coordinate representative of pocket conformation (size and shape) to allow for efficient sampling using the Weighted Ensemble path sampling algorithm via WestPA and NAMD Molecular Dynamics. Publications were eventually produced from this project; however, the contributions from my rotation were ultimately insignificant.

Experience & Training:
  • Limited Experience with NAMD.
  • Limited Experience with WESTPA.
    (Second Rotation)

Using WestPA to Characterize Foldon Monomer Folding: Characterize the Foldon Trimerization Domain's folding and unfolding processes using the Weighted Ensemble path sampling algorithm via WestPA and AMBER Molecular Dynamics. No publications were produced from this project because it was a rotation project and I was generally inexperienced.

Experience & Training:
  • Limited Experience with AMBER.
  • Limited Experience with WESTPA.
     (First Rotation)
Undergraduate Research Assistant for the Melendez Lab.

Collagen-Encapsulation Drug Delivery System: My role was to investigate whether collagen "nano-particles" could encapsulate small-molecule drugs for delivery. No publications were produced from this project because the collagen capsuls are too porous to hold small-molecules.

Experience & Training:
  • Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
  • Basic Biochemical Methods
    (Summer 2016)

High-Throughput SPR Sensors for Matrix Metalloproteinases: Surface Plasmon Resonance sensors with collagen spots to detect collagenase degradation and back-calculate collagenase concentrations. No publications were produced from this project because I was extremely underqualified and undertrained for Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR).

Experience & Training:
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR).
  • General Microfluidics.
    (Summer 2015)
Education

2017‑????Graduate Student at the University of Pittsburgh's Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology Graduate Program.
2015‑2017B.S. in NanoScience
College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE), Albany NY
2012‑2014A.S. in Science and Mathematics
Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville MO
Meetings and Publications

Publications Meetings PDB Entries
Honors, Scholarships, Etc.

Undergraduate Honors, Scholarships, Etc.
Relevant Courses Taken

Biology & Proteins Math & Programing Physics
Molecular Biophysics III Thermo. & Stat. Mechanics Biomolecular NMR
Molecular Biophysics II Analysis for Applications Advanced Phys/Chem Concepts
Molecular Biophysics I Linear Algebra Charged Particle Optics
Foundations of Biomedical Science Multi-Variable Calculus Nanoscale Electronic Devices
Organic Chemistry I Scientific Computing Nanoscale Design
Nano. Chem. and Bio. Sensors Programing I & II NanoLab I & II
Soft Matter Structure of Matter
Nanobio. for Nanotech. Apps. Advanced Circuits
Nanobiomanufacturing Quantum Origins of Mat. Prop.
Biochemistry Intro. to Quantum Theory
Microbiology
Hobbies & Interests

  • Alethiology
  • Programing
  • Statistics