Mandi Simon Email & Phone Number

South San Francisco , Ca, Us

South San Francisco, California, Us

South San Francisco, California, Us

Contributed to the development, optimization, and validation of new applications leveraging Fluidigm’s single-cell and high-throughput qPCR platforms including:• Validation of high-throughput, extraction free method of detecting SARS-CoV-2 positive saliva samples (EUA authorized)• Prognostic high-throughput respiratory disease panel for SARS-CoV-2• Expansion of SARS-CoV-2 test for detection of additional respiratory diseases (Influenza A/B, Respiratory syncytial virus)• Novel, small footprint method of PBMC isolation from whole blood and qPCR analysis using various modalities including buoyancy cell sorting, magnetic purification, and density gradient centrifugation, Biomark HD for Department of Defense• Multiplexed quantification of proteins and transcripts in single cells on high-throughput microfluidic circuits and Illumina NGS• Composed Fluidigm user guides for developed applications. Book chapter contribution of protein-transcript single cell analysis protocol by Springer Nature (pending)• Train colleagues on various platforms, manage reports, conduct internal data reviews, liaise with collaborators

Waltham, Ma, Us

Qualification and validation of manufacturing process modifications or troubleshooting of various components integral for sequencing on the Ion Torrent NGS platform. Main platforms include One Touch 2, Ion Chef, PGM, and S5.Contributed to the qualification/validation of manufacturing process modifications and troubleshooting of various components on the Ion Torrent NGS platform.• Optimized NGS PGM reagents to improve sequencing QC results• Validated novel Ion Genestudio S5 chip manufacturing procedures• Validated dPCR as orthogonal method to NGS for determining variant allele frequency• Qualified updated glue curing process to streamline production of Ion Genestudio S5 chips by demonstrating the ability of various chip lots to consistently pass QC specifications

Waltham, Ma, Us

Contributed to the development of a multi-marker NGS clinical trial diagnostic cancer tests for FFPE samples.• Utilized Ion Torrent PGM sequencing to quantify the expression of genes of interest in lung, bladder, and head/neck cancer tumors with intent to characterize prognostic markers• Optimized PGM dNTP reduce sequencing time and expedite results• Composed technical and business documentation: SOPs, user guides, power point presentations

Waltham, Ma, Us

Contributed to the development of clinical trial diagnostic cancer tests via TaqMan® qPCR.• Planned and executed experiments in support of feasibility and development phase studies• Optimized and established nucleic acid extraction procedures for formalin fixed sampleso Nucleic extraction techniques tested: Nucleic Acid Extraction kits: Ambion, Purelink, and Qiagen phenol-chloroform/ethanol acetate extractions• Utilized qPCR to evaluate, modify, and improve upon extraction workflow• Responsible for establishing and managing cancer sample repository• Responsible for extracting all genetic testing material for team’s downstream studies• Contributed to authoring of feasibility reports

San Francisco, California, Us

Breakthrough discovery of Type 1 alveolar lung cells participation in the treatment of respiratory infection. Designed, executed, and optimized experiments on rodents to validate Type I lung cell participation in the immune response.• Animal experience: Tracheal instillation of LPS endotoxin and rat dissections• Nucleic acid: mRNA extraction, reverse transcription, Southern blots, qPCR, PCR array (lung tissue genetic profiling post-LPS treatment)• Protein work: tissue and cell line protein extractions, ELISAs, Western Blots• Tissue and cell work: primary cell isolation and culture, cell line maintenance, fluorescent labeling for flow cytometry, cryostat sectioning, slide tissue mounting, immunohisto/cytochemistry, fluorescent microscopy imaging

Prepared and assisted with pharmaceutical research studies on sponsored drugs with nonhuman primates. Animal husbandry.

Davis, California, Us

Executed radioimmunoassay experiments on ovine blood serum to measure levels of steroidal hormones: LH, FSH, estrogen, and progesterone in fasted and fed sheep

Davis, California, Us

Screened for expression of bacterial enzyme expression and activity in transgenic goats milk. Goat genomes were inserted with the human lysozyme gene for improved udder health

Animal Science, Physiology

Growth Marketing/Business Administration