Undergraduate Research Assistant
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Jessica Minick is an undergraduate in the Materials Science & Engineering Program at Boise State University. Jessica graduated from Centennial High School in Boise, Idaho in May 2008. During her sophomore year, in January 2010, she joined the Nanoscale Materials and Device Group at BSU. Jessica completed training in techniques for fabrication of electrical test structures in Nanoscale Materials and Device Group as part of the DNA Nanostructures Team in February 2010. She was awarded the INBRE Fellowship in summer 2010 and presented a poster at the annual INBRE conference for her work on a DNA-Based nanomachine. She also presented a poster at the 7th Annual Undergraduate Research & Scholarship Conference and at the 7th and conference on the Foundations of Nanoscience (FNANO 2010) for her work on reaction kinetics of a DNA-Based Amplifier for use in Detection of Cancer-Related miRNAs. In 2011, she presented a poster at the 8th FNANO conference for her work on the operation of a DNA-based nanomachine in human blood. Jessica is the current lead of the DNA Chemical Networks Team whose purpose is to confirm the success of a DNA-Based nanomachine (NM) in 100% human blood and provide support for the implemtation of complex DNA chemical networds in vivo. This NM is composed of supra-molecular dsDNA strands designed for performance of mechanical functions. She will complete her B.S.M.S.E in May 2012 and will pursue graduate studies in Bioengineering.
Awards and Honors
- 2012 Boise State University Top Ten Scholar
- Honorable Mention for student posters (FNANO 2011)
- Oustanding Junior in Materials Science & Engineering at BSU (2011)
- INBRE Fellowship – (Summer 2010)
- General Chemistry Student of the Year at BSU (Spring 2009)
- Dean of Engineering High Honors Award at BSU (Fall 2008, Fall/Spring 2009 & 2010, Spring 2011)
- Brown Honors Scholarship (2008—2012)
- Idaho Promise A Scholarship (2008-2012)
- Charlotte Edkins PEO Scholarship (2008)
- Robert C. Byrd Scholarship (2008-2009)
- Ruth McBirney Scholarship (Fall 2008)
- Heritage Scholarship to College of Idaho (Spring 2008)
Instruments and Techniques
Instrumentation and Characterization Techniques
- Atomic Force Microscopy
- Clean room Processing
- Photolithography
- Kyle R. See Sputterer
- Spin-Coater
- Manual Eppendorf Pipettes
- Cary Eclipse Spectrophotometer
- Auto-clave
- Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis
- Field Assisted Ion Exchange
Programming and Software Experience
- Origin Graphical, Statistical & Analytical Software
- Mathematica
- C++
- Most PC based software
- Google Gantt Chart
- EndNote
- Labview
- CES Edupack
Publications
Peer Reviewed Journal Publications
Graugnard, Elton; Goltry, Sara; Jessica Minick; Lee, Jeunghoon; Jorcyk, Cheryl; Yurke, Bernie; Hughes, William L. “Operation of a DNA Nanomachine in Human Blood and Serum.” (manuscript in preparation)
Conference Publications
None at this time.
Conference Presentations
- Reaction Kinetics of a DNA-Based Amplifier for Use in Detection of Cancer-Related miRNAs. Amber Cox, Jessica Minick, Elton Graugnard, Jeunghoon Lee, Cheryl L. Jorcyk, William L. Hughes, Bernard Yurke. Poster Presentation and Blitz at FNANO: 2010.
- Reaction Kinetics of a DNA-Based Amplifier for Use in Detection of Cancer-Related miRNAs. Amber Cox, Jessica Minick, Elton Graugnard, Jeunghoon Lee, Cheryl L. Jorcyk, William L. Hughes, Bernard Yurke.Poster Presentation at 7th Annual Undergraduate Research & Scholarship Conference: 2010
- Preliminary Operation of a DNA-Based Nanomachine in Human Blood and Serum. Jessica Minick, Elton Graugnard, Amber Cox, Bernard Yurke, William B. Knowlton, William L. Hughes. Poster Presentation at the INBRE Conference in Moscow, Idaho: 2010
- Operation of a DNA-Based Nanomachine in Human Blood. Jessica Minick, Elton Graugnard, Jeunghoon Lee, Cheryl L. Jorcyk, Bernard Yurke, and William L. Hughes. Poster Presentation and Blitz at FNANO 2011