Maria Baron Email & Phone Number

Seattle, Wa, Us

Washington, District Of Columbia, Us

Design, development and optimization loop mediated isothermal assays for rapid detection of monkeypox clades Ia, Ib, IIa and IIb, and swinepox viruses for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA NACA 58-3022-3-030 grant). Design, development and optimization of loop mediated isothermal amplification assays for two species of pacific salmon for eDNA population monitoring applications. Perform root cause analysis to identify and analyze factors contributing to delays in PCR assay efficiency.Serve as a liaison between outside institutions and the molecular innovations team for sample acquisition, demos, and collaborations.Author policies and procedures, assay design history files, manuals, protocols, and results summaries.

Lawrence Township, Nj, Us

Managed molecular assays (replication competence, vector persistence, vector integration) used for long term follow up monitoring of autologous Car T-cell therapies. This effort required regular communication with the CROs, coordination of sample shipment and tracking, results analysis and interpretation, and authoring summary safety reports across nineteen gene therapy early and late-stage clinical trials.Created Spotfire dashboards and tables that fed real time safety metrics data from 19 gene therapy clinical trials. This dashboard allowed for fast retrieval of visualizations and summary metrics of a single trial or across trials.Led documentation and script aligning efforts alongside computational scientists for safety data consolidation into a cross- study analytics internal data platform. This effort required monthly streamlined data QC, coordination of monthly check-in meetings, and creation of a Smartsheet dashboard to track pending tasks and turnaround time.As a genetics and genomics SME, I explored and evaluated genomic methodologies (STR assays, chimerism assays, long read sequencing, optical genome mapping) that could be implemented in the assessment of the long-term safety profiles of novel gene therapy products. Collaborated in experimental design for third party assay verification and validation efforts. Identified and acquired biological samples, processed and submitted samples for assay validation, evaluated and presented results at team meetings.Authored review reports for third-party assay validations, which involved examining validation protocols, reports, and associated data. Provided recommendations for improvements and outlined next steps.Designed and optimized ddPCR assays for quantitation of genomic variants in cancer cell lines.

Lawrence Township, Nj, Us

Seattle, Wa, Us

Conducted feasibility assessment and development studies for a new tissue gDNA extraction method.Designed experiments, authored protocols, and executed assay automation studies focused on reducing sample processing times and operator error while adhering to CLIA/CAP/GLP guidelines.Served as a subject matter expert on automated sample transfer process development, identifying key characteristics of biological samples that could lead to automation errors and impact processing times.Provided onboarding material and led training for new personnel on performance qualification activities. Coordinated performance qualification activities between molecular laboratory personnel.Developed Tableau workbooks that extracted performance qualification data in a csv format, reducing performance qualification turnaround times and operator errors

Seattle, Wa, Us

Lead investigator for the development and validation of a new automated denature and dilute sequencing library process that increased sequencing throughput, reduced potential chain of custody errors, and provided comparable sequencing results to the manual method.Served as a subject matter expert on automated sample transfer process development, identifying key characteristics of biological samples that could lead to automation errors and impact processing times.Designed, authored, and reviewed scaling studies and performance qualification protocols. Executed scaling studies and performance qualification assessments, analyzed data, and authored reports. Adhered to CLIA/CAP/GLP guidelines when planning and executing scaling studies and PQ assessments.

Seattle, Wa, Us

Collaborated in the planning, experimental design and protocol writing of robustness studies for Immunoseq DX.Executed approved robustness experiments focused on the PCR steps of the Immunoseq DX platform. Analyzed robustness results and collaborated in the report writing process with other Assay Development personnel. These robustness studies provided essential information for lab operations to establish safe stopping points within the assay, proper storage conditions of amplified material and acceptable temperature ranges for pre and post PCR steps.Identified issues with R and Python scripts used for deriving data for Development, V&V, and QC for clonoSEQ and immunoSEQ projects and worked with the Biostatistics group to revise scripts errors and tailor them to user’s needs.

Seattle, Wa, Us

Tasked with modifying in-house extraction protocols to increase DNA yield and decrease sample re-queue. Rigorously evaluated automated DNA extraction methods as potential candidates for implementation in the production environment.Identified, developed, and optimized automated and semiautomated extraction methods for blood, bone marrow aspirate, and cell pellets that increased DNA yield and were compatible with both Immunoseq and ClonoSEQ assay chemistries and were successfully validated.Executed ClonoSEQ validation experiments following CLSI guidelines. Trained research assistants in the developed DNA extraction methods.

New York, Ny, Us

Tasked with developing the DNA/RNA nucleic acid extraction lab within the center for biospecimen research and development, dedicated to processing human samples for clinical trials. This task involved identification and evaluation of column based and magnetic bead-based extraction kits, automated extraction platforms, and automated gDNA quantitation platforms.Developed and optimized protocols for DNA and RNA extraction from FFPE blocks, formalin preserved tissue, blood, bone marrow, blood spots, cerebrospinal fluid, and saliva.Responsible for the day-to-day activities of the DNA/RNA lab including ordering supplies, keeping track of instrument usage, and coordinating training and repairs for all instruments.Performed manual and automated DNA and RNA extractions from different sample types for clinical studies.Carried daily interactions with cancer center personnel, including pathologists, surgeons, nurses, and oncologists, to procure clinical trial specimens. Adhered to clinical trial laboratory manuals for processing these specimens.

New York, Ny, Us

Tasked with operating the Inveon microPET/CT scanner and Inveon imaging software, writing instrument SOPs, training and supervision of imaging operators.Developed positron emission tomography (PET) imaging protocols for evaluation of Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F) labeled compounds.Developed CT imaging protocols for bone density assessment in rodents. Executed multisession MEMRI imaging protocol for antibody therapy evaluation on neuronal transport in mice with Tau pathology. Analyzed imaging data, coauthored reported findings, and presented results at lab meetings and seminars.Responsible for the daily operation of the Small Animal Imaging Core including ordering supplies, keeping track of instrument usage, revenue and expenses, coordinating maintenance and training with imaging instrument reps.

New York, Ny, Us

• Responsible for experimental planning, experimental execution, data analysis and data reporting in support of the low dose antibiotic effect on estrogen receptor signaling in C57B6 mice study.• Performed gDNA extraction, amplification, and sequencing of murine fecal samples for the identification of fecal microbiota exposed to low dose antibiotics.• Performed RNA extraction and ESR1 microarrays of female mice reproductive organs for gene expression profiling.• Developed a highly sensitive Beta-glucuronidase enzyme activity assay for murine fecal samples.

New York, Ny, Us

Health worker responsible for engaging the community and acquiring health metadata for the Washington Heights/Inwood Informatics Infrastructure for Community-Centered Comparative Effectiveness Research (WICER) study. This effort included developing study brochures, recruitment flyers and presentations in English and Spanish, translating protocols and questionaries from English to Spanish, organizing recruitment events and study visits.Recruited candidates for the WICER study, Reviewed informed consent with participants, performed in person interviews, collected vitals, blood pressure and BMI measurements, and transcribed all collected data to the internal database system.