Research and Professional Goals

Education

B.S. Biology; concentration Biotechnology, minor Chemistry Cum laude May 2004. Virginia Tech

August 2004-Current: PhD Functional Genomics, minor Biotechnology. North Carolina State University

Research Interests

Research Experience

Undergraduate Researcher

Department of Chemical Engineering, Tissue Engineering Labs¨Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Unversity, Blacksburg, VA

August 2003- May 2004¨Advisor: Dr. Aaron Goldstein

Tissue Engineering research studying the effects of bioresorbable polymer surfaces on the MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cell line and primary rat bone marrow stromal cells.

National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

Department of Chemical Engineering, Center for Bioelectronics, Biosensors and

Biochips (C3B)¨Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

Summer 2003¨Advisors: Dr. Anthony Guiseppie-Elie and Dr. Nicholas Farrell

Designed microarrays and studied the interaction of AH59, an electrostatic platinum compound

on microarray hybridization.

Post-Baccalaureate Researcher

Department of Chemical Engineering, Center for Bioelectronics, Biosensors and

Biochips (C3B)¨Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

Summer 2004¨Advisors: Dr. Anthony Guiseppie-Elie and Dr. Nicholas Farrell

Designed microarrays and studied the interaction of AH59, an electrostatic platinum compound

on microarray hybridization.

Graduate Student Research Assistant

Department of Plant Pathology, Center for Integrated Fungal Research (CIFR) ¨North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.

January 2005- current¨Advisor: Dr. Gary Payne

Study the mechanisms behind aflatoxin biosynthesis as well human and plant pathogenesis related to the filamentous fungus Aspergillus flavus.

Awards

Eagle Scout- 1998 Troop 103 Williamsburg, VA

Virginia Tech Pamplin Leadership Award- 2000; $1000 Scholarship

North Carolina State University Functional Genomics Fellowship-Aug 2004, 6 months graduate support

NIH/NCSU Molecular Biotechnology Traineeship-2006; 2 years graduate support

Presentations

August 2003 NSF REU VCU Summer Seminar. Richmond, VA.

DNA Hybridization in the Presence of AH59: A Microarray Study. Ryan Georgianna^1,2, Scott Taylor¹, Nicholas Farrell^*2, and Anthony Guiseppi-Elie.^{*1 1}Department of Chemical Engineering and Center for Bioelectronics, Biosensors and Biochips (C3B), ²Department of Chemistry. Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 843038, Richmond, Virginia 23284, USA.

April 2004 Virginia Tech Undergraduate Research Symposium. Blacksburg, VA.

Osteoblastic Cell Proliferation and Differentiation: A Study on the Effects of Polymer pH in PAH/Heparin Films. Ryan Georgianna^1,2, Aaron Goldstein.^1* ¹Department of Chemical Engineering, ²Department of Biology Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.

September 2005 Plant Molecular Biology Retreat. Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Rho-Signaling in Aspergillus flavus: A link between growth, development, and secondary metabolism. D. Ryan Georgianna^1,2, Michael S. Price^1,3, and Gary A. Payne.^1,2

¹North Carolina State University, Center for Integrated Fungal Research and Department of Plant Pathology, Box 7567, Raleigh, NC 27695-7567. ²North Carolina State University, Functional Genomics Program, Raleigh, NC 27695. ³Duke University Medical Center, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Durham, NC 27710.

October 2005 Aflatoxin Elimination Workshop. Raleigh, NC.

A Link between Rho-Signaling and Aflatoxin Biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus.

D. Ryan Georgianna^1,2, Michael S. Price³, and Gary A. Payne.^1,2¹North Carolina State University, Center for Integrated Fungal Research and Department of Plant Pathology, Box 7567, Raleigh, NC 27695-7567. ²North Carolina State University, Functional Genomics Program. ³Duke University Medical Center, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Durham, NC 27710.

October 2005 NCSU Functional Genomics Symposium. Raleigh, NC.

The Aspergillus flavus Rho-guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor regulates metabolic pathways through a putative link between Rho and Ras GTPases. D. Ryan Georgianna^1,2, Michael S. Price³, and Gary A. Payne.^1,2¹North Carolina State University, Center for Integrated Fungal Research and Department of Plant Pathology, Box 7567, Raleigh, NC 27695-7567. ²North Carolina State University, Functional Genomics Program. ³Duke University Medical Center, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Durham, NC 27710.