Bill Beggs, M.S.

Lab Manager / Research Scientist

Department of Genetics
School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
430 Clinical Research Building
415 Curie Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6145
Lab 215-746-2683
wbeggs@mail.med.upenn.edu

Professional Experience

Research Specialist / Lab Manager - University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (05/08-Present)

Responsibilities: Lab Manager

  • Sample Organization and Database Management
  • Supervise Lab Organization and Equipment Maintenance
  • Order Lab supplies and Manage Inventory
  • Manage Budgets and Budgets Reconciliation
  • Training of Students and Volunteers

Research Assistant - Coriell Institute for Med. Research, Camden, NJ (09/1996-05/2008)

Identity testing using the AB AmpFlSTR Identifiler Kit and inhouse set of micro satellite markers.  Ran TECAN Freedom EVO for all liquid handling needs. Oversaw and performed all general maintenance to keep ABI 3730 running.  Work included writing approved SOPs & lab protocols as needed.  Transduction of human lymphoblast and fibroblast cell lines with hTERT to increase the cultures life span potential. Characterize these new cell lines by assaying for telomerase activity, immunofluorescence hTERT localization, and microarray experiments for changes in gene expression.  Isolation and quality control of RNA / DNA samples for use in research studies. To establish lymphoblast cell lines from peripheral blood.  To expand lymphoblast cell cultures by subculturing.  Responsible for ordering laboratory supplies as needed and allocating costs to the appropriate contracts

Education

M.S.  Bioscience and Biotechnology (2001) Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

B.S.  Biology (1996) Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA

Publications

  • Laura B Scheinfeldt, Sameer Soi, Simon Thompson, Alessia Ranciaro, Dawit Wolde Meskel, William Beggs, Charla Lambert, Joseph P Jarvis, Dawit Abate, Gurja Belay, Sarah A Tishkoff. (2012) Genetic adaptation to high altitude in the Ethiopian highlands. Genome Biology 13:R1.
  • Robledo R, Piras I, Beggs W, Calò C (2009) Analysis of 31 STR loci in the genetic isolate of Carloforte (Sardinia, Italy). Genet Mol Biol 32:462-465.
  • Kriete, A., K. L. Mayo, Yalamanchili, N., Beggs, W., Bender, P., Kari, C., Rodeck, U. (2008) Cell autonomous expression of inflammatory genes in biologically aged fibroblasts associated with elevated NF-kappaB activity. Immunity & Ageing 5:5.
  • Robledo, R. Beggs, W., Bender, P. (2003) A simple and cost-effective method for rapid genotyping of insertion/deletion polymorphisms. Genomics 82:580-582.
  • Heath, S.C., Robledo, R., Beggs, W., G. Feola, C. Parodo, A. Rinaldi, L. Contu, M. Siniscalco. (2001) A novel approach to search for Identity By Descent in small samplings of patients and controls from the same Mendelian Breeding Unit. A pilot study on myopia. Human Heredity 52:183-190.  

Book Chapters

Robledo, R. Beggs, W.R., Bender, P.K. (2005)  TaqMan genotyping of insertion/deletion polymorphisms. Methods in Molecular Biology, Pharmacogenomics: Methods and Protocols 311:165-176.

Abstracts/Posters

  • Beggs, W., Hanner, R., Beck, J., Bender, P. (2005)  RNA stability after long-term storage. Cell Preservation Technology. Vol. 3, No. 2, 2005. (ISBER May 2005 Seattle, WA).
  • Bender, P., Beggs, W., Leonard, J., Coppock, D., Goldman, R., Beck, J. (2004) Telomerase immortalization of primate cell lines.  Folia Primatologica 75:357 (IPS August 2004 Torino, Italy).
  • Bender, P.K., Beggs, W.R., Maista, C., and Toji, L. (2004) Performance of liquid handling robotics in preparing plates for genetic analysis. (ISBER May 2004 New York, NY).
  • Scheinfeldt, L., Friedlaender, J., Thompson, F., Robledo, R., Merriwether, D.A., Beggs, W., Bender, P., Karafet, T., Hammer, M., Lorenz, J. (2004) Y chromosome variation in melanesian populations.  American Journal of Physical Anthropology.  123(S38):173. (AAPA April 2004 Tampa, FL).
  • Bender, P., Beggs, W., Shi, J., Lorenz, J., Rhea, S. (2003) Comparison of Taq and Phi29 DNA polymerases in mediating whole genome amplification.  Proc. Am. Assoc. Can. Res.  (AACR July 2003 Washington DC).
  • Bender, P.K., Beggs, W., Beck, J.C. (2002) Quantitative assay for the detection of streptococcus DNA in mouthwash samples. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 71:382 – 2002 Supplement  (ASHG October 2002 Baltimore, MD).
  • Lorenz, J.G., Lin, E.K., Beggs, W.R., Beck, J.C., Bender, P.K. (2002) The use of a 5” fluorogenic real time PCR assay for the specific quantitation of amounts of mtDNA in DNA extracts. Am. J. Hum. Genet.  71:385 – 2002 Supplement (ASHG October 2002 Baltimore, MD).
  • Beck, J.C., Bender, Beggs, W., John, E.M., Satariano, E., and West, D. (2002) Effect of collection conditions on DNA yield from mouthwash. Proc. Am. Assoc. Can. Res. 2002.  (AACR April 2002 San Francisco, CA).
  • Bender, P., Beggs, W., Toji, L., Beck, J., and Johnson, R. (2001) A recent duplication at the D10S526 microsatellite locus generates a bimodal distribution of allele sizes.  Am. J. Hum. Genet. 69:424, 2001 Supplement.  (ASHG October 2001 San Diego, CA).
  • Robledo, R., Beiswanger, C.M., Bender, P.K., Beggs, W., Leonard, J.C., Goldman, R.Z., Manduka, M.J., Coccia, J., Beck, J.C. (2001) A new resource of chimpanzee biomaterials: gender determination and genotyping data.  Am. J. Hum. Genet. 69:456 –2001 Supplement. (ASHG October 2001 San Diego, CA).
  • Bender, P.K., Schmidt, M., Beggs, W., Beck, J.C., and Johnson, R.T. (2001) Whole genome amplification: a means of providing DNA from limited biological sources.  Eur. J. Hum. Genet. 9:262 –2001 Supplement 1.
  • Bender, P.K., Schmidt, M., Beggs, W., Beck, J.C., and Johnson, R.T. (2000) Whole genome amplification: a means of providing DNA from limited biological sources. (Cell Biology December 2000 San Francisco, CA).
  • Heath, S.C., Robledo, R., Beggs, W., Feola, G., Parodo, C., Rinaldi, A., Contu, L., and Siniscalco, M. (2000) Combinatorial Mismatch Scanning (CMS) detects Identity by Descent (IBD) in small samples of probands and controls from the same Mendelian breeding units.  Am. J. Hum. Genet.  67:323 – 2000 Supplement 2.  (ASHG 2000 Philadelphia, PA).
  • Bender, P.K., Davies, K., Beggs, W., Beck, J.C., and Johnson, R.T. (2000) Variation in the CAG repeats in African and African American samples.  Proc. Am. Assoc. Can. Res.  (AACR April 2000 San Francisco, CA)
  • Bender, P.K., Beggs, W., Toji, L.H., Leonard, J., Beiswanger, C.M., Beck, J.C., and Johnson, R.T. (1998) Development and applications of human diversity panels.  Am. J. Hum. Genet.  63:A208 –1998 Supplement 2.  (ASHG October 1998 Denver, CO).