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PhD-qualified Biotechnologist with 10+ years of experience developing, optimising and scaling human pluripotent stem cell workflows. Specialist in hPSC/iPSC culture, neural and glial differentiation, upstream process characterisation, cell banking and quantitative cell analysis.
Demonstrated success improving differentiation efficiency, establishing reproducible patient-derived cell resources and translating mechanistic findings into controlled experimental processes.
Experienced in flow cytometry, high-content imaging, confocal microscopy, qRT-PCR, molecular cloning and reporter-based monitoring.
Collaborative and methodical scientist motivated by the development of safe, effective cell-based therapies.
In Vivo Research:
Mouse Handling, Transgenic Colony Management, Tissue Collection, Brain Processing, Genotyping, and Histological Analysis
Upstream Process Development:
Workflow Optimisation, Critical Parameter Identification, Reporter-Based Process Monitoring
Stem Cell Platforms:
hPSC/iPSC Culture, Directed Differentiation (Sensory, Neural, Glial Lineages), Aseptic Technique
Cell Characterisation:
Immunofluorescence & Confocal Microscopy, High Content Imaging, Flow Cytometry (FACS), Quantitative RT-PCR
Molecular Tools:
Molecular Cloning, Lentiviral Vector Production, Transfection Optimisation
Scale-Up & Cell Banking:
Cell Expansion & Cryopreservation, Cross-Batch Reproducibility, Identity Assay Validation
Scientific Documentation:
Technical Writing, LabArchives Electronic Notebook, Cross-Functional Coordination
Protocol Development:
Developed a first-in-field hPSC differentiation protocol generating ~20% olfactory sensory neurons and ~40% GnRH neurons, resulting in a first-author cover paper in Stem Cells and Development.
Production-Level Scale:
Scaled production of 24 patient-derived astrocyte progenitor cell lines at ~20M cells per line from Parkinson's disease hPSCs, establishing a standardised resource for in vivo translational studies.
Process Optimisation:
Optimised hPSC-derived dopaminergic neuron differentiation by ~15% through targeted growth factor and signalling pathway tuning, improving culture homogeneity and reproducibility.
UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY | Sydney, Australia
Senior Scientist Oct 2023 – Dec 2024
Led upstream process optimisation and analytical characterisation of hPSC-derived neural and glial progenitors for translational Parkinson's disease studies.
• Optimised ventral midbrain dopamine neuron differentiation using a hPSC reporter line with enhanced WNT signalling, increasing differentiation efficiency by ~15% for transplantation studies.
• Scaled production of 24 patient-derived astrocyte progenitor lines using cortical and ventral midbrain differentiation protocols, cryobanking ~20M cells per line to enable in vivo disease comparison studies.
• Established parallel live-cell imaging and luminescence readouts for a hPSC differentiation reporter line, identifying day 12 and day 35 expression peaks to anchor downstream data collection.
• Resolved a recurring lab-wide ICC staining artifact by isolating harsh detergent exposure as the root cause and standardising a revised protocol, improving image data consistency across team members.
• Coordinated upstream cell production timelines with downstream transplantation and in vivo validation teams across three independent batches, sustaining reproducibility across all production runs.
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER | San Antonio, TX USA
Scientist Aug 2014 – Aug 2021
Led development of hPSC differentiation platforms generating sensory and neural lineages for early-stage cell therapy applications.
• Engineered hPSC differentiation workflows for sensory precursors and downstream neurons via systematic developmental signalling pathway modulation, achieving ~20% olfactory sensory neurons and ~40% GnRH neurons.
• Identified temporal signalling timing as the rate-limiting factor for early sensory organ precursor differentiation via on-off pathway experiments, defining mechanistic constraints on lineage commitment.
• Applied marker-based cell sorting strategies to isolate and enrich rudimentary lens and olfactory progenitor populations from hPSC differentiations, enabling downstream lineage commitment studies.
• Led the olfactory differentiation project from concept through first-author publication in Stem Cells and Development (journal cover feature), owning experimental design, troubleshooting, and statistical consulting.
• Secured competitive translational research funding including an NIH NRSA Pre-Doctoral Fellowship and two Douglas Foundation Fellowships, supporting three years of independent stem cell research.
CINCINNATI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER | Cincinnati, OH USA
Senior Research Assistant Sep 2012 – Jun 2014
Owned lab operations and experimental support in a newly established lab studying macrophage metabolism and host defense against mycobacterial infection.
• Developed standardised workflows for primary murine macrophage isolation and Mycobacterium bovis BCG infection assays, generating data contributing to two peer-reviewed publications on antimicrobial metabolic pathways.
• Identified combinatorial L-arginine and L-citrulline supplementation conditions that enhanced macrophage antimicrobial activity, demonstrating data-driven optimisation of culture inputs to improve functional output.
• Authored standardised protocols for macrophage isolation, culture, and infection assays in a newly established lab, training 2 incoming team members and supporting reproducible knowledge transfer.
WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY | Dayton, OH USA
Research Assistant Sep 2009 – Aug 2012
Conducted molecular cloning, cell-based assays, and process verification for caspase inhibitor characterisation
and apoptosis pathway research.
• Cloned and validated podocin cDNA constructs into pcDNA3.1 backbone and generated functional
lentiviral vectors via co-transfection assays, optimising lipid-to-DNA ratio for ~40% transfection efficiency.
• Validated Q-VE-OPh as a mechanism-matched negative control for caspase inhibitor studies via DNA
ladder, Western blot, and viability assays, supporting peer-reviewed publication on inhibitor specificity.
• Conducted weekly lot qualification testing of Q-VD-OPh caspase inhibitor compounds via apoptosis and
viability assays, generating consistent compound performance data over ~30 production rounds.
PhD, Cell Biology, Genetics, and Molecular Medicine
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (San Antonio, TX)
MS, Microbiology and Immunology
Wright State University (Dayton, OH)
BS, Biological Sciences
Wright State University (Dayton, OH)
National Library of Medicine
National Center for Biotechnology Information
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