Adrian Flierl adrianflierl@outlook.com LinkedIn

Profile Research Scientist / Biologist (PH.D.), highly skilled in design, implementation and execution of complex and innovative research projects. In depth knowledge on molecular aspects of cardiovascular and neuroscience biology in Health and Disease.

Equipped with a broad spectrum of technical and methodological tools and data analysis strategies suited to successfully plan, execute and meet goals and targets in a complex and interdisciplinary Research and Development setting.

Goal-oriented, flexible and able to work independently, lead and collaborate in highly cross-functional teams in a dynamic, challenging and fast paced work environment.

Skills Summary Molecular, Cell & Systems

Biology Biochemistry &

Electrophysiology Medium to high

Throughput/Content Analysis

Model and Assay Development

Target Discovery & Validation

Phenotypic Screening Biospecimen Analysis

Project Management Planning, Sourcing,

Scheduling, Audit & Reports Research Coordination

between diverse Stakeholders Instructor and Supervisor

Professional Experience

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Lead Researcher on projects researching neurodegenerative disease mechanisms in protein aggregopathies

(Parkinson’s Disease) in patient-derived stem cell and neuronal cell models:

Employed patient-derived reprogrammed and gene edited stem cells (iPSCs), neuronal precursor and neurons for investigation of molecular disease mechanisms, biomarkers and novel drug targets.

Showed for the first time that neural precursor cells can be employed to investigate neurodegenerative disease processes and are a suitable model to research possible new therapeutic interventive strategies.

Conceptualized and conducted multiplexed and scalable in vitro assays (biochemistry, labeled [ICC] & label-free [fluorescent markers]) for high resolution detection on a variety of medium to high content & throughput screening platforms (Plate Readers, FACS, Microscopy, Electrophysiology).

Developed screening pipelines for pathway analysis based on novel biomarker signatures, covering cellular architecture, metabolism, cell stress and apoptosis.

Optimized and validated translational research protocols and studies, preclinical sample preparation & processing in an interdisciplinary setting.

Lead researcher on projects investigating genetic modifiers of cardiovascular disease, with focus on cellular bioenergetics, biochemistry and metabolism, investigating both developmental and degenerative aspects of cell differentiation and programmed cell death.

Successfully designed, developed and conducted a gene therapy in vitro and small animal study, deploying a recombinant AAV-based gene replacement vector.

Designed, constructed and deployed a rAAV vector for a gene replacement gene therapy approach. Showed successful expression and phenotypic correction both in vitro and in a small animal model.

Conceptualized, designed and deployed a mitochondria-targeted non-viral gene therapy vector for gene replacement and antisense strategies.

Employed peptide and bioconjugate synthesis techniques and procedures (FPLC/HPLC) to synthesize and successfully target a peptide coupled oligonucleotide into mitochondria.

Verified targeting by In situ / in vitro Biochemistry Assays, Westerns, Protein/Organelle isolation and characterization.

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Adrian Flierl adrianflierl@outlook.com LinkedIn

Professional Experience, continued

Investigated genetic and environmental modifiers of cardiovascular disease, with focus on cellular bioenergetics and metabolism, researching synergies between developmental and degenerative processes involved in both differentiation and programmed cell death.

Acted as Scientific liaison to the clinical diagnostic laboratory and provided expertise and support for development of bioanalytical and diagnostic test panels.

ADMINISTRATION, NETWORK CONTRIBUTIONS & KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Contract Research and Grants Project Management:

Devised project concepts and scopes, designed schedules, conducted sourcing. Monitored budget, Institutional Compliance. Generated Presentations, Audits and Reports.

Supported Translational Research Projects and their Coordination:

Provided coordinative input and made technical contributions to enable and facilitate cooperation and test development between highly specialized and diverse partners and stakeholders (basic and clinical research).

Served as Instructor, Supervisor and Mentor:

Scientific Advisor / Mentor /Technical Supervisor to Interns, undergraduate and graduate Scholars as well as Research and Research Support Staff

Instructor and lecturer in a M.Sc. program for genetic counselors at UC Irvine.

Employment History

PARKINSON’S INSTITUE AND CLINICAL CENTER – Sunnyvale, CA STAFF SCIENTIST, 2011-2017

CENTER FOR MOLECULAR.& MITOCHONDRIAL MEDICINE & GENETICS – University of California, Irvine, CA

RESEARCH SPECIALIST, 2002 to 2010

Education EMORY UNIVERSITY, ATLANTA, GA – Center for Molecular Medicine, Director Pr. D.C. Wallace

POSTDOCTORAL SCIENTIST, 1997-2002

JULIUS MAXIMILIANS UNIVERSITY, WÜRZBURG, GERMANY – Departments of Zoology & Neurology

Dr. rer. nat.; PH.D. Equivalent 1997

JULIUS MAXIMILIANS UNIVERSITY, WÜRZBURG, GERMANY – Departments of Zoology

Dipl. Biol.; M.Sc. Equivalent 1993

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Publications Original articles in peer-reviewed journals Kokoszka JE, Waymire KG, Flierl A, Sweeney KM, Angelin A, MacGregor GR, Wallace DC. Biochim Biophys Acta (2016) Deficiency in the mouse mitochondrial adenine nucleotide translocator isoform 2 gene is associated with cardiac noncompaction. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016 Aug;1857(8):1203-12. doi: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2016.03.026. Simon M, Richard EM, Wang X, Shahzad M, Huang VH, Qaiser TA, Potluri P, Mahl SE, Davila A, Nazli S, Hancock S, Yu M, Gargus J, Chang R, Al-Sheqaih N, Newman WG, Abdenur J, Starr A, Hegde R, Dorn T, Busch A, Park E, Wu J, Schwenzer H, Flierl A, Florentz C, Sissler M, Khan SN, Li R, Guan MX, Friedman TB, Wu DK, Procaccio V, Riazuddin S, Wallace DC, Ahmed ZM, Huang T, Riazuddin S (2015). Mutations of human NARS2, encoding the mitochondrial asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase, cause nonsyndromic deafness and Leigh syndrome. PLoS Genet. 2015 Mar 25;11(3):e1005097. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005097 Flierl A, Oliveira, L, Falomir-Lockhart, L, Mak SK, Hesley J, Soldner S, Arndt-Jovin D, Jaenisch R, Langston JW, Jovin, TM, Schüle B (2014). Higher Vulnerability and Stress Sensitivity of Neuronal Precursor Cells Carrying an Alpha-Synuclein Gene Triplication. PLoS One. 2014; 9(11): e112413. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112413 Flierl A, Chen Y, Coskun P, Samulski J, Wallace DC. (2005). Adeno-Associated Virus-mediated Gene Transfer of the Mitochondrial Heart/Muscle Adenine Nucleotide Translocator (ANT) In Mouse. Gene Therapy 2005 Apr;12(7):570-8 doi: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302443 Flierl A, Jackson C, Cottrell B, Murdock D, Seibel P, Wallace DC. (2003). Targeted delivery of DNA to the mitochondrial compartment via import sequence-conjugated peptide nucleic acid. Molecular Therapy 7(4):550-7 doi: 10.1016/S1525-0016(03)00037-6 Flierl A, Reichmann H, und Seibel, P (1997). Pathophysiology of the MELAS 3243 transition mutation. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 272 (43), 27189-96. doi: 10.1074/jbc.272.43.27189 Seibel P, Flierl A, Kottlors, M und Reichmann, H (1994). A rapid and sensitive PCR screening method for point mutations associated with mitochondrial encephalomyopathies. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 200, 938-942. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.1994.1540 Book chapters

Seibel P, Schliebs M und Flierl A (1999). Strategy toward Gene Therapy of Mitochondrial DNA Disorders. In: Frontiers in Cellular Bioenergetics, Chapter 26, 665-675; edited by Sergio Papa, Ferrucio Guerrieri and Joseph M. Tager. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York ISBN: 3-350-64342-7