Experience

Eurofins Food, Feed & Water Benelux

• Netherlands
• Biotechnology Research
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Business Unit Manager

  • Oct 2022 - Present



Pivot Park Screening Centre

• Netherlands
• Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director High Throughput Screening

  • Aug 2021 - Oct 2022



DSM

• Netherlands
• Chemical Manufacturing
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Scientist Applied & Analytical Biochemistry - DSM Biotechnology Center

  • 2019 - 2021

  ~300 researchers. Important hub in global DSM R&D / biotechnology landscape.★Science leadership role in applied & analytical biochemistry. ★Expert in enzyme activity analysis & biochemical characterization. ★Responsible for biotech automation & analytical technology development strategy (formulation & execution). ★Manage QC controls & reference materials: equip DSM Food Specialties QC with license to operate.~Track record~★ Managing scientist QC reference materials • Responsible for analytical decisions QC reference materials (~140) used by DSM food specialties global QC release (enzymes for food industry). • Designing & leading improvement program: including data management & new monitoring tools• Managed budget (600k€)★ Lead scientist clinical analyzer development: external collaboration• Clinical analyzer for enzyme activity analysis: software development project • Build collaboration: project with multinational industrial enzyme producer & global instrument maker. • Defined & negotiated URS, project scope, FAT/SAT tests • Managed internal testing of new software & hardware. Budget: 100 k€.★ Drive R&D competence / technology development• Coordinator global DSM R&D competence Biological Property Analysis.• Develop internal & external global network of interdisciplinary R&D content experts • Identify gaps & shape DSM's needs for capabilities to analyze biological properties. Initiated corresponding actions• Achievements: automation enzyme kinetic parameter characterization★ Initiate technology development with external partners: co-authored (awarded) grant proposal • Identified DSM technology gaps• Building consortium: connecting & building trust• Securing budget from internal stakeholders• NWO TA grant proposal "High Throughput time resolved Metabolic profiling for Novel Insights" (MOONLIGHT). ★ Create business value from R&D: corresponding (last) author in International Dairy Journal: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idairyj.2019.02.020. Show less

• Scientist Applied Biochemistry / Analytical Scientist Dairy, Cheese & Bakery Enzymes

  • 2015 - 2019

  ★Responsible for analytical contributions to patent litigation proceedings. • Successfully defended a patent key to maintaining sales of DSM Food Specialties largest food enzyme. ★ Liaison role between global QC sites & R&D analysis department .• Entry point within R&D for issues arising in QC (~5 per week)• Streamlined operations• Managed budget & timelines for outsourced analyses: 75k€ ★ Responsible for analytical method development & transfer to global QC• Designed & optimized enzyme activity assays & small molecule tests suitable for QC release (>20)• Aligned with QA/QC/Product management on specification setting. • Designed method transfers. Wrote validation/transfer reports (>20)• Aligned transfer schedules, equipment needs with QC management. Trained QC staff by physical visits. ★Chairperson of enzymatic activity expert team• ‘Thought manager’ of team ~15 experts on enzymatic activity analysis: the go-to team for related questions• Develop internal & external network to drive competence vision• Identified gaps in expertise vital to DSM business needs and initiated corresponding actions★ Management & communication• Supervise & coach laboratory technicians & junior scientists (~5 at one time). Responsible for their scientific development. • Accountable for the scientific quality delivered by laboratory technicians & junior scientists (~5 at one time). ★Responsible for analytical sciences in biotech-related R&D projects (Responsible Scientist Analysis). • Growth to larger portfolio (greater number and more complex projects).• Management of all analytical aspects of R&D projects: scientific approach, budget, quality, execution & reporting• Focus area: Bakery (lipases, asparaginases, amylases, xylanases, etc), Dairy & Cheese enzymes (lactase, chymosin, protease, esterase, etc) • Average analytical budget managed: 100k€ per project Show less

• Associate Scientist Applied Biochemistry / Scientist Dairy Enzymes & Metabolic Engineering

  • 2012 - 2015

  ★ Responsible for analytical sciences in biotech-related R&D projects (Responsible Scientist Analysis). • Management of all analytical aspects of R&D projects: scientific approach, budget, quality, execution & reporting • Focus area: Dairy & Cheese enzymes (lactase, chymosin, protease, esterase) & infant porridge fortification (amylase) projects • Scope: main product (recombinant enzyme or small molecule), fermentation matrix, impurities, etc.• Analytical techniques used: LC-MS/MS, ICP-MS, GC, NMR, various chromatographic (e.g. HPLC) separations / detections, biochemical (i.e. kinetic parameter characterization), enzymatic activity analysis, protein purification etc.• Average analytical budget managed: 75k€ per project.★ Hands-on expert in high throughput (quantitative) biochemical (enzyme) assays for metabolic engineering R&D projects. • Developed high-throughput (1k/hr) cell lysis techniques for recalcitrant microbial cells, conserving intracellular enzymatic activity • Developed 5 enzyme assays to screen and characterize yeast strains engineered to produce bio succinic acid (Biosuccinium®, DSM & Roquette collaboration) • 2 patents granted based on biochemical knowledge generated★ Hands-on expert in extracting & analyzing enzyme activity (e.g. amylase) in infant porridge fortification project. (DSM & World Food Program collaboration) • Designed & performed enzymatic stability studies • Designed & performed extraction procedures to separate amylase activity from flour matrix★ Responsible for analytical contribution to registration dossiers of food enzymes (JECFA, Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives & EFSA, European Food Safety Authority) Show less



University of Groningen

• Netherlands
• Research Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Postdoctoral Researcher

  • Feb 2011 - Apr 2012

  Achievements: -1 peer-reviewed publication -2 patents Research focus: In collaboration with Lucite International, explored the use of oxidative biocatalysts to prepare polymer building blocks is a sustainable & bio-based manner. Developing the required analytical protocols (GC, HPLC, LC-MS) to detect and quantify enzymatic conversions. Other techniques used: searching genome databases, enzyme expression and purification, quantifying enzyme kinetics, whole-cell biotransformations, exploratory bio-processing. This work was performed in the Biotechnology group of Prof. D.B. Janssen & Prof. M.W. Fraaije Achievements: -1 peer-reviewed publication -2 patents Show less



University of Groningen

• Netherlands
• Research Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Teaching Assistant Life Sciences & Technology

  • Sep 2006 - Oct 2006

  Responsible for the supervision, coaching and assessment of groups of ca. 15 first years’ students Life sciences & Technology throughout a biochemistry practical course. Key skills: chemistry education Responsible for the supervision, coaching and assessment of groups of ca. 15 first years’ students Life sciences & Technology throughout a biochemistry practical course. Key skills: chemistry education



University of Groningen

• Netherlands
• Research Services
• 700 & Above Employee

• Teaching Assistant in the “chemistry ambassador team” of the Chemistry Faculty

  • Sep 2003 - Sep 2005

  Responsible for the public relations of the chemistry faculty. I held presentations at high schools and at university open days aimed at prospective students. I visited regional high schools and conducted chemistry practicals. Participated in the organization of the 2004 European Union Science Olympiade, held in Groningen. Key skills: public relations, being representative, chemistry education Responsible for the public relations of the chemistry faculty. I held presentations at high schools and at university open days aimed at prospective students. I visited regional high schools and conducted chemistry practicals. Participated in the organization of the 2004 European Union Science Olympiade, held in Groningen. Key skills: public relations, being representative, chemistry education



Ace Couriers

• Adelaide, Australia

• Cycle courier

  • Jan 2000 - Jul 2000

  Full-time (4 days per week due to heavy nature of work) employment as cycle courier in Adelaide CBD (Central Business District). Responsibilities involved delivering (express) parcels directly to clients. Key skills: reliability, being representative Full-time (4 days per week due to heavy nature of work) employment as cycle courier in Adelaide CBD (Central Business District). Responsibilities involved delivering (express) parcels directly to clients. Key skills: reliability, being representative



Vacswim

• Adelaide, Australia

• VACSWIM South Australia

  • Dec 1999 - Jan 2000

  Swimming instructor in government funded swimming instruction program for children ages 5 and up. I gave swimming and water safety lessons to children aged 5-7. I was responsible for classes of ~10 children and imbuing on them the basics of swimming strokes and water safety. Key skills: education, water safety, swimming skills, Swimming instructor in government funded swimming instruction program for children ages 5 and up. I gave swimming and water safety lessons to children aged 5-7. I was responsible for classes of ~10 children and imbuing on them the basics of swimming strokes and water safety. Key skills: education, water safety, swimming skills,