{"id":948,"date":"2019-11-06T00:33:23","date_gmt":"2019-11-06T00:33:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/ilya-raskin-lab\/?page_id=948"},"modified":"2019-11-06T01:01:59","modified_gmt":"2019-11-06T01:01:59","slug":"asha-jaja-chimedza","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.rutgers.edu\/ilya-raskin-lab\/asha-jaja-chimedza\/","title":{"rendered":"Asha Jaja-Chimedza, Postdoctoral Associate"},"content":{"rendered":"

Education<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n
Ph. D.<\/strong><\/td>\nAugust 2014<\/strong><\/td>\nChemistry, Florida International University, Miami, Florida.<\/p>\n
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  • Dissertation<\/strong>: ‘Contribution of Lipophilic Bioactive Metabolites to the Toxicity of Strains of Freshwater Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms, Identified Using the Zebrafish (Danio rerio<\/i>) Embryo as a Model for Vertebrate Development’.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
M. Sc.<\/strong><\/td>\nAugust 2009<\/strong><\/td>\nChemistry, Florida International University, Miami, Florida. <\/p>\n
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  • Thesis<\/strong>: ‘Effects of Cyanobacterial Lipopolysaccharides on Various Detoxifying Enzymes and Metal Toxicity in Zebrafish (Danio rerio<\/i>) Embryos’.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
B. Sc.<\/strong><\/td>\nAugust 2005<\/strong><\/td>\nChemistry (Magna Cum Laude<\/i>), Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, Florida.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

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Research & Teaching Experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n
2015-Present<\/strong><\/td>\nNIH T-32 Postdoctoral Fellow<\/strong>: Botanical approaches to combat metabolic syndrome. SEBS, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.<\/p>\n
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  • Isolation and characterization of phytoactives with potential health benefits associated with metabolic syndrome.<\/li>\n
  • Optimization of extraction methods towards the commercialization of bioactive products.<\/li>\n
  • Use of in vitro<\/i> and in vivo<\/i> models for the analysis of phytochemicals associated with metabolic syndrome.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2009-2014<\/strong><\/td>\nGraduate Research Assistant<\/strong>: Natural Products Chemistry. Florida International University, Miami, Florida. <\/p>\n
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  • Isolation of bioactive compounds in freshwater cyanobacteria using various chromatographic methods including column chromatography, flash chromatography, preparative thin-layer chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography.<\/li>\n
  • Implementation of zebrafish embryos as a model for vertebrate development in the bioassay-guided purification of the bioactive compounds from the freshwater cyanobacteria.<\/li>\n
  • Chemical characterization of bioactive compounds from freshwater cyanobacteria, using mass spectrometric analysis (HRESIMS, LCMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis (1<\/sup>H, 13<\/sup>C, DEPT-135, COSY, HMQC, HMBC).<\/li>\n
  • Development of analytical methods for the identification and quantitation of known phycotoxins and mycotoxins as well as the new isolated bioactive compounds using LC-MS.<\/li>\n
  • Training students in the use of laboratory instruments and maintenance of the laboratory instruments.<\/li>\n
  • Toxicological analysis of the bioactive compounds from the freshwater cyanobacteria in the zebrafish embryos.<\/li>\n
  • Maintenance and breeding of adult zebrafish for bioassays as well as raising zebrafish embryos.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2007-2009<\/strong><\/td>\nGraduate Research Assistant<\/strong>: Biochemistry and Toxicology. Florida International University, Miami, Florida. <\/p>\n
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  • Evaluation of the effects of lipopolysaccharides on the detoxifying enzymes in zebrafish embryos using various enzyme-based assays (GST, GR, GSH, SOD, CAT).<\/li>\n
  • Use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the analysis of microcystin, cylindrospermopsin, and saxitoxin in cyanobacterial extracts, fish extracts, and water samples.<\/li>\n
  • Evaluation of the effects of lipopolysaccharides on metal toxicity in zebrafish embryos.<\/li>\n
  • Maintenance and breeding of zebrafish for bioassays.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2007-2014<\/strong><\/td>\nTeaching Assistant<\/strong>. Florida International University, Miami, Florida. <\/p>\n