Jennifer Chlebek, PhD
About Jennifer Chlebek, PhD
Jennifer Chlebek, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, specializing in biocontainment strategies for genetically modified microorganisms. She has a strong background in microbiology and has collaborated with various research groups, both domestically and internationally.
Work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Jennifer Chlebek has been employed as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) since 2021. In this role, she focuses on developing biocontainment strategies for genetically modified microorganisms. She is part of the Systems and Synthetic Biology group, where her work contributes to advancing the understanding and safety of synthetic biology applications.
Education and Expertise
Jennifer Chlebek holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Microbiology from Indiana University Bloomington, where she studied from 2016 to 2021. Prior to that, she earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Biology from Illinois Wesleyan University, studying from 2012 to 2015. She has expertise in epi-fluorescence microscopy and has collaborated with both domestic and international research groups throughout her academic career.
Background
Jennifer Chlebek's educational journey began at Glenbard East High School, where she studied from 2008 to 2012. Following high school, she attended Illinois Wesleyan University, where she worked as an Undergraduate Research Assistant from 2014 to 2016 and also served in the Business Office as an Assistant Accounts Payable during the same period. She later transitioned to Indiana University Bloomington as a Graduate Research Assistant from 2016 to 2021.
Previous Work Experience
Before her current role at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Jennifer Chlebek gained diverse experience in various positions. She worked as a Chiropractic Assistant at Progressive Physical Medicine, S.C. from 2011 to 2012. Additionally, she interned at the International Rice Research Institute in 2015 for three months, where she gained laboratory experience.
Research Contributions
During her research career, Jennifer Chlebek has generated over 2,000 complex mutant strains in seven different bacterial species, conducting experiments under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions. This work demonstrates her ability to contribute significantly to microbiological research and her commitment to advancing the field.