"Bridging high-speed computational analysis with wet-lab assays and quality control."
I am a dual-threat wet/dry lab researcher currently working as a Microbiology Technician for the Nucleus RadioPharma. My long-term focus is on Precision Oncology, and my interest is in implementing robust computational tools to advance translational cancer research and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
- Sterility Assurance (Nucleus RadioPharma): Enhanced the sterility assurance and microbiological testing program for the quality control department, directly impacting patient safety and drug efficacy.
- Proteomics Infrastructure (BYU MS Core): Architected Python data analysis pipelines (Pandas/NumPy) for the Orbitrap Astral + Eclipse Tribrid MS, reducing total QC time by 85% and scaling daily capacity by 10x.
- Drug Discovery (Halia Therapeutics): Executed high-throughput small molecule screening, modeling 150+ high-precision IC-50 curves via GraphPad Prism to drive lead compound selection for neuroinflammatory inhibitors.
- Virology Leadership (BYU): Led a 5-person functional screening team, executing high-volume plaque assays and generating high-titer viral libraries for downstream characterization.
| Domain | Tools |
|---|---|
| Computational Biology & Data Analytics: | Bioinformatics, Python (Pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib), FragPipe, DIA-NN,Ardia Platform, Git/GitLens/GitHub, GraphPad Prism, Floreada.io (Flow Cytometry Analysis), Obsidian/Notion (Project Management), AI Deep Research (Perplexity/NotebookLM), AI Agents (Copilot, Manus) |
| Drug Discovery & Cell Assays: | Cell-Based Assays, Compound Screening, Drug Discovery, Pharmaceutics, Algorithm Validation, Flow Cytometry, High-Throughput Screening (HTS), IC-50 Generation, ELISA/Immunoassays, Dose-Response Analysis, Cell Culture Maintenance (THP-1, Jurkat), Biomarker Target Analysis, Aseptic Technique |
| Mass Spectrometry & Instrumentation: | Thermo Orbitrap Astral & Eclipse Tribrid MS/MS, Vanquish Neo UHPLC, Data-Independent Acquisition (DIA), Label-Free Quantification (LFQ), Protein Characterization, Peptide Identification, CytoFLEX Flow Cytometer, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) |
| Molecular Biology: | Bacterial Transformation, PCR + Gel Electrophoresis, DNA/RNA Extraction, Phage Isolation & Purification, Viral Library Amplification, Agar Diffusion Assay, Gram Staining, Light Microscopy, BSL-2 Protocols |
| Quality Control & Documentation: | GxP Documentation, SOP Development & Optimization, Sterility Assurance, Assay Validation, Protocol Standardization |
- MS-Proteomics-Tools (Live Production Code)
- Overview: The active data analysis backbone powering the BYU Mass Spectrometry Core.
- Tech: CustomTkinter, NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib.
- Key Metrics: Reduced QC time by 85%, increase daily scaling to 10x, and ensured <7% CV validation across multi-lab studies.
- Scientific Writing & Literature Analysis
- Applied Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics for translational data
- Radiotheranostics and Tumor Immunology mechanisms
- Biostatistics and Quantitative Biology
- Organic & Biochemistry
- Translational Research: Projects bridging precision oncology with computational pipelines.
- Open-Source Bio-Engineering: Developing bioinformatics tools and data architectures that accelerate wet-lab discovery.
- High-Throughput Assays: Automating and scaling drug discovery workflows.
- Networking: Connecting with principal investigators and scientists focused on recision oncology and targeted cancer therapies.
- Strategic PhD Admissions: Advice from researchers who successfully leveraged deep industry/clinical experience into top-tier PhD programs.
- Translational Mentorship: Guidance from professionals navigating the bench-to-bedside pipeline.
I am pursuing a hybrid wet/dry lab trajectory designed to bridge the gap between bench science and clinical application.
- Phase 0 (2021-2026): Graduated at BYU with BS in Microbiology (April 2026).
- Phase 1 (2026-2027): Enter industry to solidify wet-lab mastery while strengthening scientific foundation via self-study.
- Phase 2 (2028-2029): Complete MS in Bioinformatics/Computational Biology as a working professional.
- Phase 3 (2030+): Enter a premier PhD program in Cancer Biology with unmatched dual-threat expertise.
Goal: To combine clinical/industrial operational excellence with rigorous academic research training, ensuring therapies survive the transition from bench to bedside.
- I'm intentionally building a translational-computational-research triple threat skill set to tackle complex oncological challenges.
- I'm highly passionate about receiving mentorship from professionals with non-traditional backgrounds who want have broken into translational science and computational biology.
- Outside the lab and terminal, I enjoy cooking (with or without the use of recipes), gaming, reading, writing and hiking!
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonathanto99
- Focus: Precision Oncology | Computational Biology | High-Throughput Therapeutics Discovery
"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now." - Chinese Proverb
I'm planting my tree now, and I'm excited to see it grow into a career advancing precision oncology!