Marla Spain, Ph.D., is a talented attorney with an in-depth background in molecular biology and genetics.
Marla Spain, Ph.D., focuses her practice on patent prosecution support in the life sciences practices. Her technical expertise includes molecular biology, genetics, human physiology, biochemistry, biotechnology, physics, and biology.
Prior to joining the firm, Marla was a research associate at Wayne State University School of Medicine Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics where she was working to understand the molecular mechanisms of retinal degeneration and regeneration.
Marla holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Richmond School of Law and earned her Ph.D. in Biological and Biomedical Sciences from Oakland University. Her thesis focused on the basics of gene regulation, specifically understanding how chromatin remodeling factors regulate gene expression.
Outside of the office, Marla spends her time getting her children to their many activities.
Education
Ph.D., Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Oakland University
M.S., Biotechnology, Wayne State University
J.D., University of Richmond School of Law
B.S., Psychology and English Literature, The College of William & Mary
Organizations & Affiliations
Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), 2024 Pathfinder
Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM)
Speed Mentoring Table Captain, Summer Undergraduate Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. 2018.
Poster Judge, Summer Undergraduate Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. 2018.
Essay Judge, Northwest Association for Biomedical Research. 2017 & 2018.
Weintraub Awards Selection Committee, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. 2017.
Sigma Xi. 2012-2013.
Genetics Society of America. 2008-2010.
Biological Sciences Graduate Student Association (BSGSA) Student Seminar Series, 2007-2008.
Recognitions
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32), September 2017 – September 2019
Accepted into the GENETICS Peer Review Training Program, September 2018
Sigma Xi/CBR Research Festival Poster Award, 2011-2012
Departmental poster award, Biological Sciences Departmental Retreat, 2010
Graduate Teaching Award, 2008
Presentations
Co-Presenter, “ChIPs Mock Program,” ChIPs, March 2025
Co-presenter, SWI/SNF regulates transcription at multiple stages of quiescence entry. Epigenetics and Chromatin Meeting, Cold Spring Harbor, September 2018.
Co-presenter, SWI/SNF regulates transcription at multiple stages of quiescence entry, Basic Sciences Retreat, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, September 2018.
Co-presenter, Transcription regulation by SWI/SNF during quiescence. Basic Sciences Seminar, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, March 2018.
Co-presenter, Transcriptional Reprogramming During Quiescence: Overcoming hurdles with NuGEN. Seattle Sequencing Meetup, March 2018.
Co-presenter, Elucidating a role for SWI/SNF as a regulator of quiescence entry in yeast, Mechanisms of Eukaryotic Transcription Meeting, Cold Spring Harbor, August 2017.
Co-presenter, Understanding transcriptional control of quiescence regulation. Basic Sciences Retreat, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, September 2016.
Co-presenter, RSC recruitment to coding regions promotes elongation at a subset of low to moderately transcribed genes. Mechanisms of Transcription Meeting, Cold Spring Harbor, August 2013.
Co-presenter, The RSC chromatin remodeling complex is co-transcriptionally recruited to coding regions, ASBMB Transcription and Chromatin Meeting, October 2012.
Co-presenter, RSC recruitment and function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Sigma Xi/CBR Research Festival, Oakland University, April 2012.
Co-presenter, RSC recruitment and function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Summer Symposium on Transcriptional Dynamics, Evolution and Systems Biology, Michigan State University, July 2011.
Co-presenter, RSC recruitment and function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Sigma Xi/CBR Research Festival, Oakland University, April 2011.
Co-presenter, Chromatin remodeling during transcription elongation, Symposium at University of Michigan, September 2010.
Co-presenter, Analyzing Drosophila SIN3 isoform-specific complexes, Biological Sciences Graduate Student Research Day, Wayne State University, January 2010.
Co-presenter, Analyzing Drosophila SIN3 isoform-specific complexes. GSRD, Wayne State Medical School, Fall 2009.
Co-presenter, Analyzing Drosophila SIN3 isoform-specific complexes, Mechanisms of Eukaryotic Transcription, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, August 2009.
Co-presenter, Drosophila SIN3 isoforms are found in distinct protein complexes. 50th Annual Drosophila Research Conference, March 2009.
Co-presenter, Analyzing Drosophila SIN3 isoform-specific complexes. Midwest Drosophila Research Conference, October 2009.
Co-presenter, Isolation and characterization of SIN3 complexes in Drosophila. GSRD, Wayne State Medical School. Fall 2008.
Co-presenter, Isolation and characterization of SIN3 complexes in Drosophila, Midwest Drosophila Research Conference, October 2008.
Co-presenter, Isolation and characterization of SIN3 complexes in Drosophila, Summer Symposium on Transcription Regulation and Systems Biology, Michigan State University, July 2008.
Co-presenter, Isolation and characterization of SIN3 complexes in Drosophila. Biological Sciences Graduate Student Research Day, Wayne State University, Fall 2007
Publications
Co-author, SWI/SNF coordinates transcriptional activation through Rpd3-mediated histone hypoacetylation during quiescence entry. BioRxiv 426288 [Preprint] September 26, 2018. Available from: doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/426288.
Co-author, Preparation and analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae quiescent cells. 2018. Methods Mol Biol, 1686:125-135.
Co-author, The RSC Complex localizes to coding sequences to regulate Pol II and histone occupancy. 2014. Mol Cell, 56(5):653-66.
Co-author, A role for phosphorylated polII CTD in modulating transcription coupled histone dynamics. 2011. Transcription, 2(2): 78-81.
Co-author, Drosophila Sin3 isoforms interact with distinct proteins and have unique biological functions. 2010. J. Biol. Chem, 285(35): 27457-67.