Experience

Spectra Plasmonics

• Canada
• Public Health
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Scientific Officer

  • Oct 2020 - Present

  Our team is designing Raman spectroscopy diagnostic technologies to overcome the many problems facing our communities. We've successfully deployed solutions for drug analysis at supervised-consumption sites to tackle the devastating impact of the opioid overdose crisis in Canada. In addition, we are designing strategies to identify infections involving a set of key organisms for improving AMR surveillance (antimicrobial resistance). Our team is designing Raman spectroscopy diagnostic technologies to overcome the many problems facing our communities. We've successfully deployed solutions for drug analysis at supervised-consumption sites to tackle the devastating impact of the opioid overdose crisis in Canada. In addition, we are designing strategies to identify infections involving a set of key organisms for improving AMR surveillance (antimicrobial resistance).



Voyage Labs (previously Medella Health)

• Canada
• Hospitals and Health Care
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Scientific Officer

  • Apr 2013 - Oct 2020

  ----------Developed world’s first non-enzymatic (solid-state) sensor capable of detecting glucose in neutral pH media---------- My company was in need of a technology differentiator for competitive advantage in order to kick-off our first investment round. Our plan centered around keeping the manufacturing processes of contact lenses intact to keep costs low. Contact lenses are steam sterilized before packaging, and so while competitors used biological enzymes, I focused our R&D efforts on fully artificial replacements that could survive harsh treatment. At a fraction of the cost, I managed to produce a steam-proof artificial sensor capable of sensing glucose for as long as 14 days (patent # US20160235347A1). ----------Company secures $3 million in capital---------- My company was lacking crucial resources required to develop projects such as the smart contact lens. Our plan focused on first securing non-dilutive capital using grants and pitch competitions, then achieving early technical milestones using the funds, finally following up by raising a larger seed round. Working with my CEO who led the fundraising effort, I secured several research grants, developed our technical advantage in the form of novel sensors, organized investor technical due diligence materials, and managed our patent portfolio. We were able to secure our seed round, and several grants in the healthcare sector. ----------Materials Innovation cuts cost in 1/2 and manufacturing time by a 10th---------- Materials with high effective surface area and catalytic properties have been a major focus in our company. Our first materials, proved to be useful, but made use of freeze drying and >1000 C sintering processes, which were time consuming (days) and expensive at the manufacturing level. I led a project to develop a self-assembled nanomaterial. The manufacturing process took minutes and did not require any complex equipment, keeping the upfront cost and per unit cost low. Show less



Canada Center for Inland Waters

• Research Technician

  • Jan 2013 - Apr 2013

  I returned to work at Canada Center for Inland Waters on a second environmental protection project where I quantified effects of metals on aquatic life by testing metal bio-accumulation and toxicity from contaminated sites across Canada.

• Research Technician

  • Sep 2012 - Dec 2012

  I accepted a lab position at Canada Center for Inland Waters, and worked under the supervision of two decorated scientists. The position introduced me to new organic and analytical chemistry concepts. There I isolated toxic substances found in lake water samples collected from sites surrounding the Athabasca oil sands in Alberta.