Hira Nisar Akhtar Email & Phone Number

Abingdon, England, United Kingdom

• Manage and collaborate with a team of 14 scientists and technical project leaders within the Early Formulation Group, managing multiple projects, optimizing resources, developing & retaining talent• Support business development through client discovery calls and writing tailor-made scientific proposals writing to capture requirements and project parameters• Track and deliver budgetary revenue targets• Manage technical and financial aspects of all projects within Early Formulation Group• Liaise closely with the Finance team to perform revenue recognition and ensure accurate forecasting.KEY ACHIEVEMENTS• Delivered revenue of $3.5MM in FY-21 through rigorous focus on client acquisition & management and efficient project delivery• Reduced staff turnover by 33% through organizational restructuring and job specifications alignment• Slashed scientific queries by 25% over a 3-month period by creating and implementing a virtual assistance log for all scientists

Abingdon, England, United Kingdom

• Managed multiple standalone and integrated projects, providing both technical expertise and thought leadership to scientists• Wrote technical proposals and reports, and produced in-depth client presentations to provide timely updates• Planned and designed experiments to develop formulations suitable for oral, parenteral and ocular routes of administration• Coached, developed, and managed 4 Research Scientists and ensured laboratory practices were effectively followed• Prepared, reviewed, and updated IOPs/SOPs related to technical equipment• Supported the transfer of formulation processes to other company departments as projects progressed through the drug development lifecycle• Provided clients with holistic technical view of projects including in-vivo data interpretation and advice on potential formulation strategies and identification of drug candidatesKEY ACHIEVEMENTS• Participated actively in an INDiGO ® Project, overseeing a drug go from discovery to first-in-humans within a span of 4 years • Won the company’s most prestigious “Evo Recognition Award” three years in a row from 2017 – 2019 for outstanding performance• Improved bioavailability of poorly soluble compounds by developing bio-enhanced formulations (i.e. amorphous solid dispersions and nano-suspensions)

Abingdon, England, United Kingdom

• Performing and interpreting preformulation activities, including solubility screening in biorelevant media (FaSSGF, FeSSGF, FaSSIF, FaSSIF-V2 and FeSSIF) and physicochemical characterization: mDSC, TGA, XRPD, DVS, SEM and Particle size distribution measurements to support early phase development of lead candidate. • Developed and applied expertise in the following formulation approaches o Amorphous solid dispersions (spray drying and hot melt extrusion)o Particle size reduction (nanosuspension and micronisation using wet bead milling)o Lipid based formulation (SMEDD and SNEDD development)o Liquid formulations (solutions and suspensions) suitable for parenteral and non-parenteral routes (oral, ocular and intravitreal)o Cyclodextrin based formulation using different complexation techniqueso Controlled release technologies such as microparticles and PLGA based implants

Master'S Degree, Drug Delivery, Distinction

Bachelor'S Degree, Medical Biochemistry