Mercaptain Spotlight: Renée Kinkade

Mercaptor Discoveries is made up of some pretty amazing people – smart, passionate pros who pursue science with the goal of helping millions who suffer from neurodegenerative conditions including #ALS, #CTE, #TBI, #MS and more. We like to call these team players “Mercaptains.”

Today we highlight Renée Kinkade, Research Associate II, for our first “Mercaptain Spotlight.”

Renée has been with Mercaptor since day one in September of 2016 and Renée’s contributions to the research team go back to when she joined Raptor (where Mercaptor’s core group of scientists joined forces) in March 2014.

We asked this amazing scientist a few questions about what motivates her at Mercaptor and outside of work!

  1. What are your passions/favorite projects at work?
    I’ve been working on Calcium Influx assays for the past 2 years. It’s taken most of that time to really nail it down, but that’s what makes the successes so satisfying. I love
    the challenge.
  2. What are your passions/favorite things to do outside of work?
    I practice Kenpo 3 days per week and I love it!! Until Kenpo, I didn’t realize how much I could take or how much I could achieve. I also enjoy fitness classes like cardio kickboxing.
    I love being creative and really enjoy sketching. I’m a big fan of reading. And, of course, I love being outdoors in nature.
  3. Do you have any volunteer work or community outreach you would like to highlight?
    As part of team Mercaptor, I have participated in a Walk to Defeat ALS and Parkinson’s Moving Day. Thanks to Esme (our resident philanthropist) I will be participating in many more of these types of outreach opportunities.
  4. What do you love about working at Mercaptor?
    I love making a difference, I love the challenge of experimenting on cells and tracking down what is happening with them, most of all I love this team!
  5. Do you have a pet that you bring to work? What is his/her name?
    Occasionally I bring my English bulldog Rosie to work with me.

Read more about Renée: Renée’s Team Bio