Alita Miller Email & Phone Number

Chapel Hill, Nc, Us

Chapel Hill, Nc, Us

Division of Pharmacoengineering & Molecular Pharmaceutics (drug delivery) | Dr. Juliane Nguyen• Proposed Thesis: Development of a novel multi-functional yeast probiotic co-delivery platform to treat IBD o Utilizing yeast surface chemistry and bioconjugation to tether polymer nanocarriers o Enabling clinical use and long-term viability of eLBPs through freeze-drying • Managing laboratory chores and routine cleanouts • Serving as a liaison for graduate student wellness and department Chair goals• Mentoring 2 undergraduate students and multiple perspective students • Led 2 and participated in 3 outreach events teaching science to the local community

Rahway, New Jersey, Us

• Independently initiated, designed, and executed experiments to impact the formulation development strategy of multiple pipeline programs against target product profiles and critical quality attributes • Responsible and accountable for formulation development and Phase I clinical supply as the Formulation Lead for an oncology program, including leading cross-functional experiment design, data analysis, and meeting series • Led the development of 3 amorphous solid dispersions to improve the processability and bioavailability of a weak-base poorly soluble compound (BCS Class II): o Screened various solvent systems and secondary drying conditions of Spray Dried Intermediates (SDI) o Generated lab-scale extrudates for various polymer systems using Hot Melt Extrusion (HME) o Leveraged defined formulations to assess tablets compacted with novel Co-precipitated Amorphous Dispersion (cPAD) material• Authored 2 formulation development and 2 clinical manufacture reports for knowledge management • Completed risk assessments for early- and late-stage pipeline programs to inform on development goals• Revamped the safety culture while serving as the department Safety Representative: o Trained new employees on lab, office, waste, equipment, potent compounds, and material transport safety o Created a digital dashboard to track compliant events and reward staff members for good safety acts o Conducted monthly lab inspections and collaborated with 4 departments to set remediation actions and owners o Reviewed multiple Business Technical Documents (i.e., protocols) for non-GMP pilot plant operations • Supervised a summer intern that successfully implemented objectives from my accepted written proposal • Mentored additional interns and junior scientists on professional development and personal branding

Rahway, New Jersey, Us

• Quickly upskilled in oral drug product development, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and critical reading of regulatory documents for early- and late-stage pipeline programs• Supported formulation and process development to advance solid oral drug products through Phase I clinical trials: o Evaluated various disintegrants, surfactants, and filler ratios within the formulation blend o Assessed compaction profiles of various active pharmaceutical ingredient morphologies o Utilized bulk and tapped density to understand flow behavior • Evaluated various pediatric minitablet administration methods to inform on Merck’s infant liquid dosing strategy • Prepared and reviewed GMP clinical manufacture documentation while serving as a process engineer for internal and external vendor batches • Authored and independently reviewed multiple Investigational New Drug (IND) filings and WELIREGTM (belzutifan) New Drug Application (NDA)

West Lafayette, In, Us

• Thesis: Identifying Extracellular Matrix Protein Dynamics in Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy for Regenerative Therapies o Established a murine model to induce hypertrophy through surgical intervention o Managed the breeding, harvesting, and surgery of mouse colonies utilized for tissue collection o Mastered murine tissue manipulation and characterization, data analysis, technical writing, and communication skills• Patented a novel method for directing cell adhesion and growth using ultrathin striped molecular films • Completed statistical analyses, including ANOVA and t-tests, to accurately portray data in graphs and tables• Improved lab-wide productivity by coding a MATLAB executable for efficient proteomic data analysis • Delivered oral and poster presentations for internal forums and external conferences

West Lafayette, In, Us

• Enhanced basic lab techniques (with an emphasis on cell culture) while developing key data capture, time management, and collaboration skills• Maintained a mammalian cell culture line to enable click chemistry studies • Performed quantitative and qualitative lab experiments: azide-alkyne click chemistry, protein quantification, cryosectioning, immunohistochemistry, gel electrophoresis, western blot• Designed protocols for chemical labeling in collaboration with undergraduate/graduate students and professors

Evansville, In, Us

• Worked alongside biomedical technicians in teams to analyze and solve problems• Learned and applied safety and maintenance regulations pertinent to medical devices• Performed preventative maintenance on basic hospital equipment to ensure patient safety • Repaired broken equipment by replacing circuit boards, power cords, etc.• Completed a work order document for every piece of equipment that was handledThis was an unpaid summer internship where I got to experience what it is like to work in a hospital.

Master Of Science - Ms, Biomedical Engineering

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Biomedical Engineering