Nick Wechter is interested in the intersection of life sciences, biotechnology, and healthcare. He is currently a Masters student in Healthcare Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). Prior to joining CMU, Nick worked at Whitman College as a research assistant studying protein crystallography, and at the University of Pittsburgh as a laboratory technician assisting on a molecular assay development project in collaboration with the Drug Discovery Institute. Nick also enjoys volunteering his time at the Sarah Heinz House Boys and Girls Club and the United Way Middle School Mentorship Program.
Education
BA, Biophysics and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Whitman College, 2016
MS, Healthcare Policy and Management, Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon University, expected in 2021Research Experience
Worked in protein crystallography to study crystal stability and to model hypotonic soaking induced fracture.
Assisted in development of a high throughput screen assaying for novel molecular inhibitors of a DNA replicative helicase. Research resulted in a publication of methodologies used to characterize and standardize yeast growth metrics within the assay.
Marilyn Ngo, Nick Wechter, Emily Tsai, Tong Ying Shun, Albert Gough, Mark E. Schurdak, Anthony Schwacha, Andreas Vogt - A High-Throughput Assay for DNA Replication Inhibitors Based upon Multivariate Analysis of Yeast Growth Kinetics, SLAS Disc. 2019, Vol24, Issue 6.
Commercial Translation Experience
Assisted in the specification and optimization of a custom humidifier that is designed to increase protein crystal stability during mechanical manipulation. This work ultimately resulted in Whitman College's first issued patent.
Designed and built preliminary prototype of the humidifier now licensed to MiteGen Watershed.