Alyssa Schami
About Alyssa Schami
Alyssa Schami is a Graduate Research Assistant at Texas Biomedical Research Institute and a Doctoral Student at UT Health San Antonio, both in San Antonio, Texas. She has a background in biochemistry and has conducted research on lipid production and Mycobacterium tuberculosis since 2019.
Work at Texas Biomedical Research Institute
Alyssa Schami has been employed as a Graduate Research Assistant at Texas Biomedical Research Institute since 2019. Her research focuses on the study of lipids in the cell envelope of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, particularly their biosynthesis and transport mechanisms. She has engaged in various projects that involve advanced techniques such as DNA and RNA extractions, qPCR and qRT-PCR analysis, and lipid analysis using thin-layer chromatography and GC-FID. Her work contributes to understanding the biochemical processes that may enhance vaccine efficacy against tuberculosis.
Education and Expertise
Alyssa Schami is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Integrated Biomedical Sciences at UT Health San Antonio, a program she has been part of since 2019. She previously earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biochemistry from the University of North Texas, where she studied from 2016 to 2019. Her academic background provides her with a strong foundation in biochemical research, which she applies in her current studies and projects.
Background
Alyssa Schami began her career in research as an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the University of North Texas from 2018 to 2019. During this time, she conducted research under Dr. Kent Chapman, focusing on increasing lipid production in plant leaf tissue. Prior to her research roles, she worked as a Summer Biology Intern at Signature Science, LLC from 2016 to 2019, where she gained practical experience in biological research. She also briefly worked as a Sales Associate at Kohl's Department Stores in 2015.
Research Contributions
Throughout her research career, Alyssa Schami has contributed to significant projects in the field of biomedical sciences. She has utilized laser scanning confocal microscopy to visualize lipid droplet increases in plant leaf tissues during her undergraduate research. Additionally, her work includes investigating the selective biochemical delipidation of BCG to improve the effectiveness of vaccines against pulmonary tuberculosis. These contributions reflect her commitment to advancing research in lipid biochemistry and infectious diseases.