More Information
Education
University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota Graduation: May 2015
Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry with an English Minor
Honors and Awards: Magna Cum Laude, Dean’s list: Spring 2011-Spring 2015, Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society member
Coursework included Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics, Quantitative analysis, Statistics, Calculus, Physics, Neurobiology, and Genetics. Taking Introduction to Computer Science and Programming as well as Introduction to Algorithms through MIT OpenCourseWare (Spring 2016).
Research Experience
University of St. Thomas, Research Assistant, St. Paul, MN Summer 2013, 2014
Collaborated with Dr. Justin Donato to research the mechanism of the Tri1 protein in triclosan resistance
Cloned the tri1 and mutant tri1 K244A gene into pET-28b vector
Cultured and then purified Tri1 and Tri1 K244A proteins
Ran and analyzed kinetic tests of Tri1 and mutant Tri1 K244A proteins
Publications
Fischer, T.L., White, R.J., Mares, K. F. K., Molnau, D. E., and Donato, J.D. (In Press).ucFabV requires functional reductase activity to confer reduced triclosan susceptibility in E. coli. The Journal of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology
Presentations
Molnau, D.E., Lemma, E., Anderson, K., Sophy, T., and Ditty, J. Annotation of the Cytosolic Chemotaxis and Flagellar Motor Switch Proteins in the Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 Genome. Poster presented at the University of St. Thomas Biology Department Spring Poster Session, May 2015. St. Paul, MN.
Molnau, D.E., Donato, J.J. Characterization of the Function of Non-Enoyl Reductases in Triclosan Resistance. Poster presented at the University of St. Thomas Chemistry Department summer poster session, August 2014. St. Paul, MN.
Molnau, D.E. Fischer, T.L., Mares, K. F. K., and Donato, J.D. Exploring the Function of the Novel Tri1 Enzyme in Triclosan Resistance. Poster presented at the University of St. Thomas Chemistry Department summer poster session, August 2013. St. Paul, MN.
Skills
DNA isolation, Molecular cloning, Gel electrophoresis, SDS-PAGE, Restriction digest, Ligation, Restriction Mapping, PCR, Spectrophotometry, Western Blot, Affinity chromatography, Thin Layer chromatography, Immunoprecipitation, Spectroscopy, Extractions, pH meter, Titration, Distillation, Calibration, Cell Culture, DNA sequencing, Kinetic Assays, Enzyme Activity Analysis, Hazardous chemicals use and disposal, Plasmid prep, Transforming E. coli, PCR mutagenesis, Isolating colonies, Screening, Preparing media and buffer, Autoclaving, Microsoft Windows, Igor, Bioinformatics, and Scientific Writing
Other Work Experience
Metropolitan Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, Medical Record Supervisor, Wayzata, MN May 2015-October 2015
Acted as a project supervisor to train and manage a team to copy and send medical records to desired location
Led the team in moving all active charts into long term storage as well as recording them for a closing medical practice within an extremely limited time frame.
Located, organized, and prepped patient files prior to appointments for each doctor daily
Made reminder calls to patients two days prior to appointment
University of St. Thomas: Disability services, Scribe, St. Paul, MN February 2012-December 2014
Read and recorded tests, essays, and quizzes of students with disabilities
Delivered confidential documents from Disability services directly to professors
Scanned and uploaded textbooks for students using the program Kurzweil
Teaching Experience
University of St. Thomas, Teaching assistant, St. Paul, MN February 2015- May 2015
Assisted in the teaching lab for the course CHEM109, General Chemistry for Engineers
Writing Experience
Domestic Abuse Project, Volunteer, Minneapolis, MN February 2014 -May 2014
Wrote a professional profile for the men’s supervisor of the Domestic Abuse Project (DAP)
Wrote a short inspirational story based on an interview with the men’s supervisor
University of St. Thomas, Blog Writer, St. Paul MN August 2014-May 2015
Wrote several short articles about enzymes of interest for the University of St. Thomas Biochemistry page
Volunteer Experience
N.C. Little Hospice, Floor volunteer, Edina, MN June 2014-present
Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Floor volunteer, St. Paul, MN May 2014- December 2014
Metropolitan Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, Volunteer, Wayzata, MN June 2014- August 2014
Interests
I thrive on new experiences and have recently picked up competitive sailing. As a member of a of a 3 person sailing team, we won the Wayzata yacht club’s 50th anniversary fall regatta for the MORC III fleet.
I have trained in three martial arts and acquired my black belt in an American Tae Kwon Do form in 2011.
I have a deep love of cooking and go into N.C. Little Hospice to prepare meals and bake every other Saturday morning.
In my free time, I fence, cook, draw, read, or volunteer.