Please Welcome Our New Assistant Biological Safety Officer
Hello, I am Amanda Snyder. I am originally from Southwest Michigan. I received my Bachelor of Art in Biology with a concentration in Environmental Sciences from Albion College in Albion, MI. While attending Albion College, I participated in a NSF-REU summer internship with Western Michigan University. I was also involved with a directed study research project at Albion College involving Drosophila.
After I graduated from Albion College, I went straight on to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor for my Master of Public Health. I received my MPH in Environmental Health Sciences-Toxicology. While attending U of M, I worked part time in a pulmonary immunology molecular cell biology lab at the School of Public Health. I also participated in a summer internship in the same lab. My internship research project looked at the role of oxidative stress in cigarette smoke extract (CSE) impairment of alveolar macrophages. I experimented to see if CSE decreased TNF-α production and phagocytosis and if the addition of certain antioxidants could restore those levels. When I was not working on my project, I was helping others in the lab with intertracheal injections of S. pneumoniae in mice and exposing mice to cigarette smoke for further studies.
Upon graduation from U of M, I accepted a job at the Indiana State Department of Health Laboratories which brought me to Indiana. I was a Microbiologist II for just under 2 years. I was a member of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Division and in the Virology section of that division. While at ISDH, I worked in the Virology, Rabies, and Bioterrorism/Molecular labs. This work gave me experience with human cell lines, human pathogens, and BSL2 and BSL3 laboratories. I also assisted with writing and amending protocols, training coworkers in lab practices and protocols, and writing a portion of the select agent training for the lab.
When I am not working, I enjoy landscaping and working on my “fixer-upper” house with my husband, Dave. I have a 3 year old lab/ German Short Hair mix named Snickers. Snickers and I go for a lot of walks and bike rides. He's the only reason I ride a bike. I also enjoy fishing, whether it's in our pond, on Lake Huron, or in the ocean. I grew up with horses, most notably a half-Arabian named Hajji. I participated in 4-H and the high school equestrian team (MIHA). Back in Michigan I gave riding lessons and was the Middle School equestrian team coach for my former school. Someday I hope to move Hajji to Indiana once I have more space for him.
I am really excited to be part of the IUPUI community. I brought with me knowledge from a number of experiences that will assist me as the Assistant Biological Safety Officer. I look forward to the new experiences I will gain here that will help me to learn and grow as a professional.