I am a Ph.D.-trained cell biologist with postdoctoral research experience in the fields of cell and cancer biology. As an academic scientist, I wrote original research articles published in peer-reviewed journals, scientific reviews and methods papers, and grant proposals that earned federal funding.

I have also been a staff scientific writer with a cancer genetics laboratory at the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In that position, I worked extensively with non-native English speaking scientists to draft, write, and edit scientific articles and grant proposals.

I am a graduate of Emma Hitt’s online course in freelance medical writing, and have worked as a contractor for Hitt Medical Writing (now Nascent Medical, LLC). My projects have included work for major pharmaceutical and biotech companies, as well as well-known medical education companies. I am also available for editing of academic manuscripts and grant proposals.

I am a member of the American Medical Writers Association.

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Molecular Cell Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, August 2001

B.S. Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Spring 1995

Minor, Literature and Creative Writing, University of Southern California, Spring 1995

SCIENTIFIC WRITING/EDITING EXPERIENCE

Principal at Vanessa Fogg Medical Writing, 2013–present

Provide writing and editing services for medical and scientific audiences. My projects have included:

  • Sales training materials for major pharmaceutical and biotech companies
  • Continuing medical education (CME) materials
  • Substantive editing of academic manuscripts and grant proposals

Contract Editor for ScienceDocs, 2007-2008; 2013–2021

  • Worked directly with authors to edit scientific manuscripts for publication and grant proposals for submission.

Contract Writer at Nascent Medical (formerly Hitt Medical Writing), 2013–2015

  • Worked on a variety of medical writing projects, including sales training modules, needs assessments, reviews, and editing of interview transcripts.

Staff Scientific Writer, Laboratory of Cancer Genetics, Van Andel Research Institute, 2008–2009

  • Wrote and edited scientific manuscripts.
  • Drafted, wrote, and edited grant proposals
  • Edited scientific abstracts and Powerpoint presentations.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Laboratory of Systems Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, 2010–2013

  • Investigated the function of a novel mitochondrial protein and its potential role in breast cancer

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Howard Hughes Medical Institute/University of Michigan Medical School, 2001-2006

  • Studied proteins involved in the establishment of epithelial tight junctions and polarity, with a special interest in the potential role of such proteins in tumorigenesis

Graduate thesis research, Program in Molecular Cell Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, 1995–2001

  • Studied cellular signal transduction mediated by heterotrimeric G-proteins

FELLOWSHIPS

National Institutes of Health Research Supplement to Promote Re-entry into Biomedical and Behavioral Research Careers, grant number R01CA138651S1, 2010-2013

National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Training Grant in Organogenesis 5-T32-HD07505-06, 2003–2005

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Medical Writers Association (AMWA), 2013–present

RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS

Whiteman, E.L., Fan, S., Harder, J.L., Walton, K.D., Liu, CJ., Soofi, A., Fogg, V.C., Hershenson, M.B., Dressler, G.R., Deutsch, G.H., Gumicio, D.L., and Margolis, B. (2014). Crumbs3 is essential for proper epithelial development and viability. Molecular and Cellular Biology 34: 43-56.

 Fogg, V.C., Lanning, N.J., and MacKeigan, J.P. (2011). Mitochondria in cancer: at the crossroads of life and death. Chinese Journal of Cancer 8: 526-539.

Fan, S., Fogg, V., Wang, Q., Chen, XW., Liu, CJ., and Margolis, B. (2007). A novel Crumbs3 isoform regulates cell division and ciliogenesis via importin beta interactions. Journal of Cell Biology 178: 387-398.

Shin, K., Fogg, V.C., and Margolis, B. (2006). Tight junctions and cell polarity. Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology 22: 207-235. 

 Fogg, V.C., Liu, C., and Margolis, B. (2005). Multiple regions of Crumbs3 are required for tight junction formation in MCF10A cells. Journal of Cell Science 118: 2859-2869.

Straight, S.W., Shin, K., Fogg, V.C., Fan, S., Liu, C., Roh, M., and Margolis, B. (2004). Loss of PALS1 expression leads to tight junction and polarity defects. Molecular Biology of the Cell 15: 1981-1990.

 Fogg, V.C., Azpiazu, I., Linder, M.E., Smrcka, A., Scarlata, S., and Gautam, N. (2001). Role of the gamma subunit prenyl moiety in G-protein beta-gamma complex interaction with phospholipase C-beta. Journal of Biological Chemistry 276: 41797-41802.

Hou, Y*., Chang, V.*^, Capper, A. B., Taussig, R., and Gautam, N.(2001). G protein beta subunit types differentially interact with a muscarinic receptor but not adenylyl cyclase type II or phospholipase C beta2/3. Journal of Biological Chemistry 276: 19982-8. (*Indicates that both contributed equally to this work.)

Hou, Y., Chang, V.^, and Gautam, N. (2002). Determining G protein heterotrimer formation. Methods in Enzymology 344: 505-522.

Kale, T.A., Turek, T.C., Chang, V.^, Gautam, N., and Distefano, M.D. (2002). Preparation and application of G protein gamma subunit-derived peptides incorporating a photoactive isoprenoid. Methods in Enzymology 344: 245-258.

Bi, X., Chang, V.^, Molern, E., McIlhinney, A.J., and Baudry, M. (1996). The C-terminal domain of glutamate receptor subunit 1 is a target for calpain-mediated proteolysis. Neuroscience 73, 903-906.

Bi, X., Chang, V.^, Siman, R., Tocco, G., and Baudry, M. (1996). Regional distribution and time-course of calpain activation following kainate-induced seizure activity in adult rat brain. Brain Research 726, 98-108.

^ Indicates publication under maiden name.