Andrea Gach

Biography

Andrea Gach, B.S., is an Assistant Specialist in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of California, Irvine, where she works under the mentorship of Alan G. Barbour. Gach received her B.S. in Occupational Therapy from Health University of Applied Sciences Tyrol in Austria in 2001. Her current research focuses on laboratory management and animal colony maintenance, particularly in support of a Genome-Wide-Association-Study (GWAS) project utilizing deermice.

In her role, Gach manages daily laboratory operations and oversees multiple mouse colonies, including an Fc gamma receptor knockout colony and the GWAS colony. She established an in-house deermouse colony with a diverse breeding scheme and is responsible for continuous maintenance and recordkeeping. Her technical expertise includes RNA and DNA extraction from blood and tissue, primer design and testing, PCR, DNA gel electrophoresis, cDNA synthesis, qPCR, and primary fibroblast isolation from tissue.

Prior to her academic position, Gach worked in warehouse logistics and management at Calisson Inc from 2018 to 2023, where she progressed from a part-time packing clerk to a full-time management role overseeing shipping, handling, receiving, and inventory control. She currently serves as the primary mentor for undergraduate students in the laboratory, guiding them through experimental design, technique execution, and data analysis.

Education

• B.S. in Occupational Therapy, Health University of Applied Sciences Tyrol, Austria, 2001