Zane Jaafar
About Zane Jaafar
Zane Jaafar is a Senior Scientist at Watchmaker Genomics in Boulder, Colorado, where he has worked since 2019. He holds a doctorate in molecular biology and nucleotide biochemistry from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and has a background in medical microbiology and bacteriology.
Work at Watchmaker Genomics
Zane Jaafar has served as a Senior Scientist at Watchmaker Genomics since 2019. In this role, he has contributed to the development of innovative genomic technologies. Notably, he led the team responsible for creating the Watchmaker DNA Library Prep Kit with Fragmentation. His work focuses on enhancing genomic library preparation processes, which are critical for accurate sequencing and analysis in genomic research.
Education and Expertise
Zane Jaafar holds a doctorate in molecular biology and nucleotide biochemistry from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, where he studied from 2010 to 2016. He also earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology from The University of Kansas, completing his studies there from 2005 to 2009. His educational background provides a strong foundation in biochemistry and molecular biology, equipping him with the expertise necessary for his research and development work.
Background
Prior to his current position, Zane Jaafar gained extensive research experience in various academic institutions. He worked as a Research Technician at The University of Kansas from 2007 to 2010. He then served as a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Colorado School of Medicine from 2010 to 2017. Following this, he completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Stanford University from 2017 to 2019, where he conducted research in Dr. Onn Brandman's lab.
Research Contributions
During his postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University, Zane Jaafar investigated the biophysical and biochemical effects of chemotherapies on macromolecules in nucleoli. He has presented his findings at various conferences, including a presentation on overcoming sequencing artifacts for clinically relevant applications in October 2021 and a poster on optimized enzymatic fragmentation workflows for high-quality genome and exome libraries at AGBT 2022.