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Hire Dr. Forrest W.

United States

USD 100 /hr

PhD Bioinformatician | Multi-Omics & Spatial Transcriptomics Expert | NGS Pipeline Development

Profile Summary

I am a PhD scientist with over 9 years of combined academic and industry experience specializing in multi-omics data analysis, bioinformatics pipeline development, and spatial transcriptomics. My expertise bridges experimental biology and computational analysis, enabling me to translate complex genomic data into actionable biological insights. At AbbVie, I established and optimized next-generation sequencing workflows, built production-grade bioinformatics pipelines using Nextflow and Snakemake on HPC infrastructure, and onboarded two spatial biology platforms (NanoString CosMx and Curio Trekker). I have extensive experience analyzing bulk RNA-seq, single-cell RNA-seq, and spatial transcriptomics data, with a focus on rigorous quality control, statistical analysis, and biological interpretation. My technical skills include proficiency in Python and R for data analysis, experience with pipeline orchestration tools, containerization (Docker, Singularity), and cloud computing (AWS, Hetzner). I have worked with diverse sample types including human donor tissue, animal models, and iPSC systems, and have collaborated with external CROs and academic partners on large-scale studies. During my PhD at UC Irvine, I developed custom bioinformatics approaches combining transcriptomics, proteomics, and phylogenetics to study neurodevelopment. I have authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and have experience communicating complex technical results to both specialist and non-specialist audiences. I currently volunteer as a bioinformatician for the Open Insulin Foundation, applying computational biology to support community health initiatives. I can help with RNA-seq analysis (bulk and single-cell), spatial transcriptomics data processing, pipeline development, multi-omics integration, variant calling, proteomics analysis, and custom bioinformatics solutions tailored to your research needs.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ☆ Biostatistics
• ☆ Molecular Biology
• ☆ Biomarkers
• ☆ Genetics
• ☆ Omics
• ☆ Transcriptomics
• ☆ Comparative Genomics
• ☆ Proteomics
• ☆ Genomics
• ☆ Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)
• ☆ DNA Sequencing
• ☆ Gene Expression Analysis
• ☆ Genome Sequencing
• ☆ RNA Sequencing
• ☆ Neuroscience
• ☆ Molecular Neuroscience
• ☆ Neurobiology
• ☆ Bioinformatics
• ☆ Gene & Protein Expression Analysis
• ☆ Systems Biology
• ☆ Phylogenetics
• ☆ Python
• ☆ R

Services

• Writing
• Research
• Consulting

Writing Technical Writing, General Proofreading & Editing

Research Scientific and Technical Research

Consulting Scientific and Technical Consulting

Work Experience

Senior Scientist I

AbbVie

March 2024 - November 2025

Postdoctoral Fellow

AbbVie

July 2023 - March 2024

Postdoctoral Fellow

University of California, Irvine

November 2022 - July 2023

Education

PhD in Neurobiology and Behavior

University of California, Irvine

July 2016 - October 2022

BS in Neuroscience and Behavior

University of Notre Dame

August 2012 - May 2016

Certifications

• Certification details not provided.

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Forrest Weghorst, Martí Torres Marcén, Garrison Faridi, Yuh Chwen G. Lee, Karina S. Cramer (2024). Deep Conservation and Unexpected Evolutionary History of Neighboring lncRNAs MALAT1 and NEAT1 . Journal of Molecular Evolution.

Forrest Weghorst, Yeva Mirzakhanyan, Kiersten L. Hernandez, Paul D. Gershon, Karina S. Cramer (2022). Non-Apoptotic Caspase Activity Preferentially Targets a Novel Consensus Sequence Associated With Cytoskeletal Proteins in the Developing Auditory Brainstem . Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology.

Forrest Weghorst, Yeva Mirzakhanyan, Kian Samimi, Mehron Dhillon, Melanie Barzik, Lisa L. Cunningham, Paul D. Gershon, Karina S. Cramer (2020). Caspase-3 Cleaves Extracellular Vesicle Proteins During Auditory Brainstem Development . Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience.

Forrest P Weghorst, Karina S Cramer(2019). The evolution of hearing and balance . eLife. 8. {eLife} Sciences Publications, Ltd

Kirk L. Mecklenburg, Forrest P. Weghorst, Stephanie A. Freed, Joseph E. O’Tousa (2018). Discordant Responses to MAPK Pathway Stimulation Include Axonal Growths in Adult Drosophila Photoreceptors . Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience.