Program
MS Biological & Biomedical Sciences
MS Candidate · University of Michigan-Dearborn
Renald Powell Jr.
Bioinformatics Researcher
I'm a MS Biological & Biomedical Sciences candidate at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, where I'm blending bioinformatics, clinical knowledge, and research skills to help us discover treatments that truly make a difference for patients.
Exploring the biology of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disease through data, mentorship, and patient-centered care.
GPA
3.80
Expected
December 2026
Research profile
Professional Profile
Research-minded. Clinically grounded.
Building toward a career that connects biomedical data, neurological disease research, and collaborative patient care.
Focus
Neuro research
Methods
RNA-seq, phylogenetics
Care
Epic EMR, patient support
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About
Driven by data-informed medical research and collaborative healthcare.
I am really interested in how bioinformatics and human health connect, especially when it comes to understanding neurological issues like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and schizophrenia.
My work reflects a commitment to careful scientific thinking, collaborative problem solving, and healthcare environments where research and clinical knowledge work hand in hand.
Experience
A foundation across laboratory research and patient care.
Swipe across roles
Education
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Academic training grounded in biomedical science, behavioral science, and human-centered healthcare systems.
Graduate study
Biomedical focus
Behavioral science
Current Degree
MS Biological & Biomedical Sciences
GPA 3.80 | Expected December 2026
Focused on biomedical research preparation, translational science, and the analytical foundations that support future work in neurological disease research.
Academic Foundation
BA Behavioral Sciences
Behavior, healthcare systems, and human-centered study
Built a strong base in understanding people, care environments, and the human side of healthcare delivery that now informs both research and patient-facing work.
Research Interests
Diseases, pathways, and data systems that shape human health.
Alzheimer's disease
Parkinson's disease
Schizophrenia
Neurodegeneration
Translational medicine
Collaborative healthcare
Skills
Research, analysis, and clinical systems fluency.
🧬
Bioinformatics
Research computing and analysis
R Studio
MEGA
NCBI
RNA-seq
Phylogenetics
Familiar with tools and workflows that support sequence analysis, biological interpretation, and reproducible research thinking.
🏥
Clinical
Patient-facing healthcare operations
- Epic EMR
- Patient care support
- Clinical documentation
- Workflow coordination
🤝
Collaboration
Team-based problem solving
- Interdisciplinary communication
- Patient-centered service
- Research team support
- Process reliability
Research
Presentations and scholarly work.
Research Poster Presentation
The Evolution of Proteus' Ultimate Weapon: a Bioinformatic Approach
Presented research at the University of Michigan-Dearborn Graduate Open House, highlighting a bioinformatic perspective on the evolution of Proteus defense mechanisms.
GitHub
Code projects that support real bioinformatics workflows.
Featured Repository
RenamingGeneStrains
A Python-based workflow for turning accession-number-heavy FASTA entries into cleaner strain and gene names using BLAST database descriptions.
View on GitHubAccession-heavy FASTA Header
>NZ_AP026827.1
The raw records are technically useful, but awkward to scan when you are comparing strains and genes across a larger dataset.
What It Does
This script helps rename FASTA records by matching accession numbers to BLAST database descriptions, then converting them into clearer strain plus gene labels that are easier to interpret during downstream analysis.
Input
FASTA files and a BLAST database
Process
Extracts strain names, handles duplicates, and standardizes labels
Why It Matters
Makes biological datasets cleaner and more usable for analysis
Key Features
Python
Biopython
BLAST+
FASTA processing
Strain-name extraction
Duplicate handling
🏆 Awards
Recognition for patient care, service, and academic performance.
Patient Safety (Individual Award)
Corewell Health
Issued April 2025 | Associated with Corewell Health
Traveling Star Award (Corewell Pediatrics Farmington)
Corewell Health
Issued October 2024 | Associated with Corewell Health
Recognized alongside a 95% patient satisfaction rating in the fourth quarter of 2024.
University Honors
University of Michigan
Issued May 2018, December 2018, May 2019, December 2019, and May 2020
Mentorship
Mentorship experience connected to academic medicine.
Pre-Medical Mentorship Program Mentee
Michigan Medicine | University of Michigan Medical School
Participates in a pre-medical mentorship experience designed to deepen exposure to medical education, professional development, and pathways into academic medicine.
Volunteering
Service experiences aligned with advocacy, mentorship, and community impact.
Member
Alzheimer's Association Michigan Chapter
Health
Supports efforts centered on Alzheimer's care, advocacy, and research, with a shared focus on treatment, prevention, and ultimately a cure for dementia-related disease.
Recruitment Ambassador
Eternal Light Org
Disaster and Humanitarian Relief
Contributed to outreach and recruitment efforts supporting humanitarian relief work and broader community engagement initiatives.
Wayne Youth Services Youth Assistance Program Mentor
Wayne County Michigan
Poverty Alleviation
Mentored youth through a county assistance program focused on encouragement, guidance, and practical support for young people and families.
Contact
Open to research, healthcare, and interdisciplinary opportunities.
Email: rvpowell@umich.edu
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/renaldpowell
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