MARZENA Z.

FITZPATRICK
1423 Maple Street, San Mateo, CA 94402 Cell: 832 692 0631 mf6a6da2@westpost.n
et

Highlights of skills
Technical knowledge in microbial methodology.
Hands-on experience in microbial cultures, preparation and routine microbiologic
al laboratory techniques.
Expertise in isolation of various microorganisms from natural sources.
Skilled in heme protein synthesis and purification, including binding of nitric
oxide and exogenous ligands.
Expertise in FPLC, HPLC, UV- and Vis-Raman, IR, UV-Vis and AAS.
Good written and oral communication skills, team work.
Proficient in handling blue copper proteins, including isotopic labeling, metal
exchange and reconstitution of the active site.
Significant accomplishments
Prepared various microbial media and cultivation of microbes using standard micr
obiological methods (such as culture media and plating).
Isolated, identified and characterized microbes.
Maintained bacterial and fungal cultures.
Synthesized and purified Nitrophorin 4 protein with various heme derivatives.
Developed and improved procedure for a replacement of Cu(II) with Ni(II) ion in
native cupredoxins.
Using cryoresonance Raman Spectroscopy as a probe of structure and function in m
etalloproteins, elucidated:
a.the role of vinyl groups in heme proteins
b.the significance of Met121 amino acid in P. aeruginosa azurin
c.the role of *** noncovalent interactions in pseudoazurin mutants
d.the structure of two novel plastocyanins from green alga U. pertusa and fern D
. crassirhizoma.
e.metal active site structures of A. xylosoxidans azurins I and II.
Education
University of Houston - Houston, TX Jan 2004*Sep 200
8
Ph.D. - Chemistry
Area of Specialization - Biological Chemistry
Research Advisor - Dr. Roman S. Czernuszewicz
Thesis title: "Biological Applications of Resonance Raman Spectroscopy: Structur
al Characterization of Copper-Cysteinate Active Sites in Blue Copper Proteins"
University of Opole - Opole, Poland Sep 1997-Dec 20
02
Master of Science - Biology
Area of Specialization - Microbiology
Thesis title: Bacteriological Analysis of Flooded Hospitals, Industrial Building
s and Private Homes.
Work Experience
California Polytechnic State University, Chemistry Instructor Aug 2008-Aug
2009
Taught General Chemistry for engineers and non-science majors (110, 111, 124), a
nd Freshman Chemistry (127*129).
University of Houston, Chemistry Teaching Assistant Jan 2004-Aug 2
008
Taught and supervised Freshman Chemistry laboratory (two semesters).
Taught and prepared chemicals for Analytical (3119) and Instrumental Methods of
Analysis (4229) laboratories (seven semesters).
Prepared quizzes, graded lab reports as well as proctored their theory exams.
University of Opole, Biology Teaching Assistant Sep 2002-Oct 2002
Taught high school level biology. Prepared and graded exams for the respective c
lasses. Supervised after school activities and tutored senior high school studen
ts.
Czechowice-Dziedzice, Clinical Laboratory Internship Jun 2000-Aug 2000
Performed various microscopic, serological, hematological, and microbiological t
ests to obtain data for use in diagnosis of disease.
Examined and analyzed body fluids, and cells.
Looked for bacteria, parasites, and other microorganisms; analyzed the chemical
content of fluids.
Awards
Department of Chemistry Graduate Student Teaching Award for Outstanding Teaching
Assistant in an Upper Level Laboratory, 2006, 2008.
Department of Chemistry Graduate Student Research Award, 2007.
Presentations
Poster Presentations
"Structural Characterization of Rhodnius prolixus Nitrophorin 4 by UV and Visibl
e Resonance Raman Spectroscopy". M. B. Zaczek, A. A. Zareba, R. S. Czernuszewicz
and W. R. Montfort, Presented at International Conference of Porphyrins and Pht
halocyanins, Rome, Italy, 2006.
"Structural Characterization of Rhodnius prolixus Nitrophorin 4 by UV and Visibl
e Resonance Raman Spectroscopy". M. B. Zaczek, A. A. Zareba, R. S. Czernuszewicz
and W. R. Montfort, Presented at 62th Southwest Regional Meeting of the America
n Chemical Society, Houston, TX, 2006.
"Cryoresonance Raman Studies of P. aeruginosa Azurin and Its Met121 Unnatural Am
ino Acid Analogues". M. Zaczek Fitzpatrick, R. S. Czernuszewicz, D. Garner and Y
. Lu, Presented at The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, 2008.
"Non-covalent Interactions in Blue Copper Proteins Probed by Met16 Mutations of
Achromobacter cycloclastes Pseudoazurin". M. Zaczek Fitzpatrick, R. S. Czernusze
wicz and T. Kohzuma, Presented at The 56th Annual Western Spectroscopy Associati
on Conference, Pacific Grove, CA, 2009.
Oral Presentation
Cryoresonance Raman Studies of P. aeruginosa Azurin and Its Met121 Unnatural Ami
no Acid Analogues". M. B. Zaczek, R. S. Czernuszewicz, D. Garner and Y. Lu, Pres
ented at 63rd Southwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Lubbo
ck, TX, 2008 (invited presentation).
Publications
Czernuszewicz, R. S.; Mody, V.; Zareba, A. A.; Zaczek, M. B.; Galezowski, M.; Sa
shuk, V.; Grela, K.; Gryko, D. T. "Solvent Dependent Resonance Raman Spectra of
High-Valent Oxomolybdenum(V) Tris[3,5-bis-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]correlate", In
org. Chem. 2007, 46, 5616*5624.
Czernuszewicz, R. S.; Zaczek, M. B. "Resonce Raman Spectroscopy" in Applications
of Physical Methods to Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry, R. A. Scott and Ch
. M. Lukehart, Eds.; John Wiley & Sons, 2008.
Fitzpatrick, M. B.; Czernuszewicz, R. S. "Nickel(II)-substituted azurin I from A
lcaligenes xylosoxidans as characterized by resonance Raman spectroscopy at cryo
genic temperature", J. Biol. Inorg. Chem. 2009, Vol. 14, No. 4, 611*620.
Fitzpatrick, M. Z.; Obara, Y; Fujita, K.; Brown; D. E.; Dooley, D. M.; Kohzuma,
T.; Czernuszewicz, R. S. "Non-covalent interactions in blue copper protein probe
d by Met16 mutation and electronic and resonance Raman spectroscopy of Achromoba
cter cycloclastes pseudoazurin", J. Inorg, Biochem. (in press).
Mody, V.; Galezowski, M.; Zaczek, M. B.; Zabaneh, S. S.; Gryko, D. T.; Czernusze
wicz, R. S. "Resonance Raman Characterization of High-Valent Oxometalocorrole of
Chromium(V) and Molybdenium(V) complexes", Inorg. Chem. (in press).
Zaczek, M. B.; Czernuszewicz, R. S.; Garner, D.; Lu, Y. "Cryoresonance Raman Stu
dies of P. aeruginosa azurin and its M121 Variants" (in preparation).
Zaczek, M. B.; Czernuszewicz, R. S.; Obara, Y.; Kohzuma, T. "Spectroscopic Chara
cterization of Two Distinctive Plastocyanins from Green Alga Ulva pertusa and Fe
rn Dryopteris crassirhizoma" (in preparation).
Zaczek, M. B.; Czernuszewicz. R. S. "First Detailed Spectroscopic Analysis of Tw
o Distinctive Azurins from Alcaligenes xylosoxidans" (in preparation).