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J. CHRIS LEWERS
7327 Keen Way N.
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 734-6662
[email protected]
EDUCATION
1999-2001 M.S., Master’s Program in Microbiology, Northern Arizona University
Thesis: A comparison of chemical versus bacteriological weathering in a gypsum-based
karst model.
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Gordon Southam
1998 B.S. in Microbiology, Northern Arizona University
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Seattle University
Seattle, WA
2007-Present
Microbiology Teaching Laboratory Manager and Research Associate in the
Department of Biology. Supplied guidance and organization for the operation of the
University’s Teaching Laboratories while contributing to departmental research and
discoveries.
 Contributed in design and methods for laboratory exercises that promoted
understanding of basic and advanced microbiology techniques.
 Assisted in teaching undergraduate students in the introductory microbiology
laboratories.
 Cultivated and preserved the bacterial culture collection library for the
microbiology teaching laboratories.
 Implemented the necessary paper work required to acquisition essential
supplies.
 Developed qualitative RT-PCR protocols to determine operon pairs in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
School of Medicine
Department of Neurology
2002-2006
Research Technician for an institution renowned for excellence in research. Key
member of a research team, which uses anatomical, biochemical and physiological
studies to investigate the brain processes underlying the link between a genetic defect in
purine recycling and dopamine loss.
 Designed and performed biochemical investigations of the link between
purine recycling and dopamine loss in hypoxanthine-guanine
phosphoribosyltransferase-deficient cell lines; models for Lesch-Nyhan disease.
 Served as lab manager with responsibility for equipment maintenance and
purchase of scientific reagents, tools and supplies.

Generated and analyzed data that facilitated three peer reviewed scientific
publications.
Hometest Laboratories
Waldorf, MD
2001-2002
Laboratory Manager and Head Mycological Analyst for an environmental services
laboratory. Services include high quality, certified laboratory analysis for consumers and
professionals, which have earned the distinguished accreditation of the American
Industrial Hygiene Association for Lead and Microbiology.
 Developed standard operating procedures (SOP) for methods to achieve
necessary accuracy and repeatability for mycological samples.
 Ensured high quality analysis and maintained a professional work
environment.
 Supervised 15 analysts in the normal operations of a private laboratory that
assessed air quality by determining fungal spore content.
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ
1999-2001
Graduate Student for a Master’s thesis in the Department of Biology
 Developed experiments that compared chemical and bacterial weathering in a
gypsum-based karst model.
 Analyzed and concluded that the colonization of gypsum by karst-derived
bacteria promoted the transformation of a homogeneous karst matrix into a
conduit controlled flow regime. In this model, boundary layer dissolution occurred
as nanoenvironments between the bacteria and the mineral surfaces or as
microenvironments in regions colonized by bacteria.
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ
1999-2000
Microbiology Teaching Laboratory Manager in the Department of Biology. Supplied
guidance and organization for the operation of the University’s Microbiology Teaching
Laboratories.
 Cultivated and preserved the algal, bacterial and mycological culture collection
library for the microbiology teaching laboratories.
 Assisted in design and methods for laboratory exercises that promoted
understanding of basic and advanced microbiology techniques.
 Managed three undergraduate-students in daily tasks such as media
preparation and aseptic conditions for the laboratory.
 Supervised graduate teaching assistants with lecture development and
laboratory experiment protocols.
 Implemented the necessary paper work required to acquisition essential
supplies.
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ
1999-2000
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Research Assistant associated with Northern Arizona University through a grant from
the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
 Led a team that collected, processed and analyzed backcountry water
samples from the Paria Canyon region of Utah and Arizona for coliform and
chemical composition.
 Assisted in reporting findings using the processed data to identify potential
contaminant sources and quantity that infiltrate the Colorado River basin via the
Paria Canyon tributary.
LABORATORY SKILLS
Cell Culture: Expertise in the growth, maintenance, manipulation and cryogenic
preservation of aerobic and anaerobic bacterial cultures, mammalian cell lines and
primary cells employed. Preserved and maintained the teaching laboratory algal
cultures.
Molecular Biology: Primer design for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with PCR product
analysis for genotyping specimens. Analysis of DNA through Restriction Enzyme
Cleavage and Agarose Gel Electrophoresis. Qualitative RT-PCR to determine potential
operon pairs in that co-occur on a single RNA molecule in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Biochemical Analysis: High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to separate and
quantify the small-molecule neurotransmitter content of neuronal cell cultures. Designed
and developed functional assays for cultured cells. ELISA
Bacterial Physiology: Analysis of protein antibiotic production by extreme Archaea
halophiles and biochemical characterization of unknown bacteria using selective and
differential media.
Microscopy: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) including Electron Dispersive
Spectrometry and light microscopy utilizing brightfield, phase contrast, dark field,
Nomarski, and fluorescence methods.
Animal Care: Maintenance of a high quality care and use program for transgenic and
knockout mice used in medical research studies. Responsible for a breeding program
and surgical procedures such as dosing and organ harvesting for the above mentioned
mice.
Water Quality Analysis: Biological oxygen demand (BOD), coliform analysis (including
Total, Fecal and E. coli), total suspended solids and total dissolved solids.
COMPUTER SKILLS
MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Mac and Unix environments, Microcal Origin, Adobe
PhotoShop, Adobe Illustrator and DNA Star suite.
PRESENTATIONS
 Thomas L. Shirley, J. Chris Lewers and H.A. Jinnah. 2007. HPRT-deficient human
neuroblastomas as a model for Lesch-Nyhan disease. 12th International
Symposium on Purine and Pyrimidine Metabolism in Man, Chicago, IL, USA, June
24-28.
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 J. Chris Lewers, Irene Ceballos-Picot, Thomas L. Shirley, Lionel Mockel, Kiyoshi
Egami and H. A. Jinnah. Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore MD, 21287 and Deparment of Biology, Neckar-Enfants Malades Hospital
and Faculte de Medecine Rene Descartes, Paris 5, France. 2007. HPRT-Deficient
Mouse Neuroblastoma Cells as a Model for Lesch-Nyhan Disease. 12th
International Symposium on Purine and Pyrimidine Metabolism in Man, Chicago, IL,
USA, June 24-28.
 Lewers, J.C., T.L. Shirley, E.J. Hess and H.A. Jinnah. 2006. Unknown relationship
between dopamine and intracellular purine metabolism. Society for Neuroscience
Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. November 11-16.
 Lewers, J.C., T.L. Shirley and H.A. Jinnah. 2005. Enigmatic relationship between
dopamine and intracellular purine metabolism. 9th International Congress of
Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, New Orleans, LA March 5-8.
 Neely K., J. C. Lewers, G. Southam and R. Foust Jr., 2000. Trace metal transport in
arid environments. American Chemical Society National Meeting. April 14-15.
 Lewers J. C. and G. Southam. 1999. A comparison of chemical versus
bacteriological weathering in a gypsum-based karst model. The Annual Meeting of
the Geological Society of America, Denver, CO. October 25-28.
PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH – PUBLISHED:
 J. Chris Lewers, Irene Ceballos-Picot, Thomas L. Shirley, Lionel Mockel, Kiyoshi
Egami, H. A. Jinnah. 2008. Consequences of Impaired Purine Recycling in
Dopaminergic Neurons. Neuroscience 152: 761-772.
 Thomas L. Shirley, J. Chris Lewers, Kiyoshi Egami, Alokes Majumdar, Mairead Kelly,
Irene Ceballos-Picot, Michael M. Seidman and H.A. Jinnah. 2007. A Human
Neuronal Tissue Culture Model for Lesch-Nyhan Disease. Journal of
Neurochemistry 101: 841-853.
 Kiyoshi Egami, Silaja Yitta, Suhail Kasim, J. Chris Lewers, Rosalinda C. Roberts,
Mohamed Lehar, H. A. Jinnah. 2007. Basal Ganglia Dopamine Loss Due to Defect
in Purine Recycling. Neurobiology of Disease 26: 396-407.
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