Head of Research And Development

• Oct 2022 - Present

Research And Development Manager

• Jan 2020 - Present

Conidia Bioscience Ltd develops, manufactures and markets innovative tests for the detection of microbial contamination in fuels, addressing major airlines, large fuel distribution companies and maritime suppliers.In this role I managed the technical team and led research and development activities. Main responsibilities included:- Strategic development of product road map- Scoping, planning and management of research and development projects- Management of R&D team- Technical budget planning and management- Specialist support of production/manufacturing activities on technical matters, in compliance with GLP/GMP (e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 17025, UKAS)- Provision of cross-functional technical guidance to support the strategic vision of the business- Leading consultancy activities- Company representative in industrial expert groups (e.g. ASTM, Energy Institute, IATA) - Supervision of Industry-Academia collaborative projects (e.g. Innovate UK-funded projects) Show less

Senior Development Scientist

• Jul 2018 - Jan 2020

As a member of the technical team at Conidia Bioscience I engaged in R&D, as well as technical support and consultancy activities. • Building an R&D laboratory with Microbiology and Molecular Biology capabilities from scratch. • Planning and management of new product research and development projects.• Technical advice to the sales team/customers and contribution of expertise to the consultancy business.• Specialist support to manufacturers including QC and production problem solving.• Horizon scanning activities for new technologies and new research opportunities.• Support standard status for new and existing products (e.g. IP, ASTM). Show less

Visiting Researcher

• Aug 2018 - Jul 2019

Postdoctoral Researcher

• Nov 2016 - Jul 2018

My research at the University of Helsinki focused on two projects: a) Microbiology: the Missing Link in Benthic Foraminiferal Ecology, and, b) Next Generation Tool for Environmental Assessment.Planing, design and execution of scientific work, such as:• Custom amplicon NGS library preparations (MiSeq platform) from complex benthic sediment samples to target functional genes of biogeochemical processes.• NGS raw data analysis and in-depth downstream bioinformatics and statistical processing. • DNA extraction from free living and endosymbiotic bacteria of marine samples.• Development and optimization of endpoint and real-time PCR assays.• Stable isotopes applications to target microbial metabolism.• Project management and participation in field expeditions. Show less

Freelance specialist editor in Environmental Sciences

• Nov 2015 - Feb 2016

Contributing to the communication of research in the field of Environmental Sciences by helping to improve the writing style and produce coherent and clear manuscripts. • Editing scientific manuscripts so that the final text is in standard scientific English and is free of unclear or unidiomatic sentences. • Formatting manuscripts according to the target scientific journal. • Ensuring that all subject-specific conventions are followed. Contributing to the communication of research in the field of Environmental Sciences by helping to improve the writing style and produce coherent and clear manuscripts. • Editing scientific manuscripts so that the final text is in standard scientific English and is free of unclear or unidiomatic sentences. • Formatting manuscripts according to the target scientific journal. • Ensuring that all subject-specific conventions are followed.

Senior Research Officer

• Jun 2015 - Nov 2015

Study of the impact of elevated temperatures and macronutrients (N, P) on key ecosystem functions. • qPCR SYBR green assays for a suite of functional genes. • NGS MiSeq library preparations using Illumina Nextera kits. • Bioinformatics and statistical analysis (e.g. using R programming). • Stable Isotope Probing (SIP) experiments to link microbial community composition and metabolic activity. Study of the impact of elevated temperatures and macronutrients (N, P) on key ecosystem functions. • qPCR SYBR green assays for a suite of functional genes. • NGS MiSeq library preparations using Illumina Nextera kits. • Bioinformatics and statistical analysis (e.g. using R programming). • Stable Isotope Probing (SIP) experiments to link microbial community composition and metabolic activity.

Postdoctoral Researcher

• Jan 2011 - May 2015

Investigation of potent greenhouse gases (nitrous oxide and methane) cycles in marine and aquatic ecosystems. I followed a dual approach: a) chemical analysis to target the ecosystem processes, and, b) molecular analysis of the microorganisms involved in these processes. • Set-up of stable isotope experiments (15N and 13C) and application of Isotope-Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) analysis. Experiment design and implementation. Results validation and quality control using experimental and statistical approaches. • Chemical analysis of gases using Gas Chromatography (GC). Measurement of nitrous oxide (ECD) and methane/carbon dioxide (FID) concentrations in aquatic samples (e.g. high-resolution vertical profiles in marine water columns). • Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) on the LaRoche 454 and Illumina MiSeq platforms. Library preparations for key genes of the nitrogen and carbon cycles. • Optimization (e.g. DNA yield, purity) and application of DNA and RNA extraction protocols for complex environmental samples. Selection/adjustment of protocol given timeline and milestones, budget constraints, availability of commercial kits. • Targeting and quantification of functional genes via endpoint and real-time PCRs. • In-depth statistical phylogenetic and bioinformatics analysis. Chemical data sets (regression, correlation), sequencing data sets (clustering, taxonomic classification) and hybrid data sets (e.g., multivariate analysis). • Management of the logistics planning of two (45 day-long) research cruises in the Pacific. • Accountable for the planning and coordination of all on-board research activities (e.g., quality control/assurance, standards/processes, materials/supplies). Collaborating with country agencies for diplomatic clearance under national and international standards. • Responsible for the on-site coordination of research in challenging conditions and under strict timeline, resource and materials constraints. Show less