Carlos I. Vazquez
Carlos I. Vazquez headshot

Carlos Ignacio Vazquez

PhD-Trained Quantitative Biologist • Inhalation Toxicology

Ph.D.-trained quantitative biologist focused on inhalation toxicology, airway epithelial biology, mucus biophysics, calcium signaling, and exposure-driven changes in mucociliary function.

Download CV (PDF) View Publications
Email cvazquez3@ucmerced.edu
Phone (209) 424-6240
Branched glycoprotein aggregation

About

My work examines how inhaled chemical exposures and particulate stressors alter airway epithelial function, mucus biophysical properties, secretion pathways, and extracellular polymer systems relevant to respiratory health and toxicological risk.

Education

  • Ph.D. Quantitative & Systems Biology, UC Merced (2025). Dissertation: The Effect of Electronic Cigarette Solvents on Airway Epithelial Cells.
  • M.S. Quantitative & Systems Biology, UC Merced (2020)
  • B.S. Bioengineering, UC Merced (2018)

Current / Recent Roles

  • AI Reviewer Fellow, Alloy Project / Handshake (2026)
  • Graduate Researcher, Chin Lab, UC Merced (2018–2025)
  • Intern, Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley (2023)

Experience

Graduate Research — Airway Biology, Mucus Biophysics & Inhalation Toxicology

2018–2025
  • Investigated how inhalation-relevant chemical exposures, including VG and PG, alter airway epithelial signaling, mucus secretion, mucin aggregation, and mucociliary clearance.
  • Used airway epithelial models including A549, BEAS-2B, ChagoK1, and primary bovine tracheobronchial epithelial cells.
  • Performed calcium signaling experiments using Rhod-2 AM and Fluo-4 AM with pharmacological channel blockers and pathway inhibitors.
  • Assessed cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, and mitochondrial oxidative stress using CCK-8, JC-1, and MitoSOX assays.
  • Quantified mucus production, swelling kinetics, diffusivity, aggregation, and viscosity-related behavior with ELLA, video-enhanced microscopy, and quantitative image analysis.

Additional Research — Environmental Biophysics & Extracellular Polymer Systems

2018–2025
  • Studied extracellular polymeric substances, microgel formation, and biopolymer aggregation in marine and environmental systems.
  • Examined how nanoplastics, salinity changes, crude oil, and dispersants alter polymer assembly and organic matter aggregation.
  • Applied biophysical and analytical approaches across interdisciplinary exposure-response research.

Intern — Joint Genome Institute (JGI), Berkeley

2023
  • Benchmarked sequence similarity tools using minhashing algorithms.
  • Ran reproducible benchmarks on NERSC HPC using Docker; strong Unix/Linux workflows.
  • Used BioPython and shell tooling for genomic data tasks.

AI Reviewer Fellow — Alloy Project / Handshake

2026
  • Evaluated AI-generated scientific responses for accuracy, clarity, reasoning, and usefulness.
  • Applied PhD-level biology training to identify unsupported claims, terminology issues, and gaps in mechanistic explanations.
  • Provided structured feedback to improve response quality and scientific communication.

Teaching (UC Merced)

2020–2022
  • Taught Bio 02 Lab (Spring 2020, Spring 2021) and Bio 110 Discussion (Fall 2020).
  • Mentored and trained undergraduates in DLS, ELLA/ELISA, and swelling kinetics.

Lung Research • Mucus Biophysics & ENDS

Airway epithelial models and mucus biophysics focused on VG/PG e-cigarette solvents, calcium signaling, secretion, mucin aggregation, and mucociliary clearance.

Selected Work

  • Mucus swelling kinetics (video microscopy + analysis)
  • ELLA/lectin assays for mucus secretion quantification
  • Calcium signaling assays using Rhod-2 AM and Fluo-4 AM
  • Airway cell models (A549, BEAS-2B, ChagoK1, primary bovine epithelial cells)
  • Cell stress assays (CCK-8, JC-1, MitoSOX)

Publications & Manuscripts (Lung)

Lung / Airway
  1. Vazquez, C.I. (2025). The Effect of Electronic Cigarette Solvents on Airway Epithelial Cells. Dissertation.
  2. Tsai, Y.Y., Vazquez, C.I., Shiu, R.F., et al. (2021). Effects of rock dust particles on airway mucus viscosity. Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering.
Marine / Environmental

Marine & Environmental • EfOM, Microgels, Nanoplastics

Environmental chemistry/biophysics work on effluent organic matter (EfOM), microgel formation, and interactions with salts, temperature, and nanoplastics.

Selected Work

  • EfOM microgel formation under ionic strength and temperature changes
  • Nanoplastics effects on assembly and gel formation
  • Polymer/colloid behavior in aquatic systems

Selected Publications

  1. Chang, H.M., Zhang, Y., Hashimoto, C., Vazquez, C.I., et al. (2024). Sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody by a paper-based polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide sensor. Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering.
  2. Vazquez, C.I., Chang, H.M., Chin, W.C. (2024). Dissolved effluent organic matter assembly in presence of nano-plastic and NaCl. Science of the Total Environment.
  3. Chang, H.M., Vazquez, C.I., Shiu, R.F., & Chin, W.C. (2022). Temperature effects on effluent microgel formation. Polymers, 14(22), 4870.
  4. Chen, C.S., Shiu, R.F., Hsieh, Y.Y., Xu, C., Vazquez, C.I., et al. (2021). Stickiness of extracellular polymeric substances on different surfaces via magnetic tweezers. Science of the Total Environment, 757, 143766.
  5. Shiu, R.F., Vazquez, C.I., Tsai, Y.Y., et al. (2020). Nano-plastics induce aquatic particulate organic matter (microgels) formation. Science of the Total Environment, 706, 135681.
  6. Shiu, R.F., Chiu, M.H., Vazquez, C.I., et al. (2020). Protein to carbohydrate ratio changes in microbial extracellular polymeric substances induced by oil and Corexit. Marine Chemistry.

Professional Presentations

  • 20th Annual UC Systemwide Bioengineering Symposium (2019) — Effects of rock dust particles and nicotine on airway mucus rheological properties.
  • BIOE Young Investigator Symposium (2022) — Effects of electronic cigarette liquid components on mucus rheological properties.
  • Mucins in Health & Disease, 17th International Meeting (2024) — Impact of electronic cigarette liquid solvents on mucin swelling kinetics released from lung epithelium cells.

Skills, Awards & Memberships

Technical Skills

  • Cell and airway models: A549, BEAS-2B, ChagoK1, primary bovine tracheobronchial epithelial cells, air-liquid interface culture
  • Toxicology and cell stress assays: CCK-8, JC-1, MitoSOX, calcium signaling assays, pharmacological inhibitor studies
  • Mucus and secretion assays: ELLA, mucin swelling kinetics, mucin aggregation, diffusivity analysis, mucociliary transport analysis
  • Imaging and microscopy: fluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy, SEM, video-enhanced microscopy
  • Analytical and biophysical tools: FTIR, LC–MS, DLS/Brookhaven goniometer, flow cytometry
  • Computational/data analysis: Python, R, BioPython, ImageJ/Fiji, GraphPad Prism, UNIX/Linux, Docker, HPC/NERSC

Awards, Trainings & Memberships

  • Fred and Mitzie Ruiz Fellowship (Fall 2020)
  • Central Valley Graduate Fellowship (Spring 2023)
  • UC President’s Pre-Professoriate Fellowship (Fall 2023–Spring 2024)
  • SEM, Confocal microscopy, Flow cytometry
  • CITI Human Research training
  • HPC training
  • Blood Borne Pathogens, Biosafety, Radiation Safety (Machines), Flow Cytometry
  • Memberships: American Chemical Society, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Bio-Medical Engineering Society

GitHub Projects

Selected public repositories and code projects.

Contact

Best way to reach me:

  • Email: cvazquez3@ucmerced.edu
  • Phone: (209) 424-6240