Djoshkun Shengjuler

I received my B.A. in Biochemistry (minored in Economics) and M.Sc. degree in Biomedical Sciences from Hood College in Frederick, MD. During my master’s studies I worked as a lab technician for Dr. Ricky Hirschhorn’s and Dr. Craig Laufer’s Huntington’s Disease Research Group and Advanced Biofuels Research Group, respectively. My master’s thesis work involved the “Development, Optimization, and Validation of a Group-O Specific ELISA Assay for the p24 Protein of HIV-1.” My work was supported by Cell Trends (currently Texcell – North America), a biotech company, where I used to work as a research associate. In addition to doing research at Cell Trends, I was also involved in marketing and domestic/international sales.

Currently, I am pursuing my Ph.D. degree in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology under the supervision of Dr. Craig Cameron. My research involves the function and dynamics of proteins involved in poliovirus replication, especially 3C, 3CD and 3D (RdRp). The focus is to define the multifunctional aspect of 3C through biochemical and biophysical means. My future interests lie in development of antiviral drug(s) for the attenuation of wide range viral infections via in silico and in vitro studies.