Mark Dickson Email & Phone Number

Madison, Wisconsin, Us

Led team to completely revamped entire IQOQ procedures and documentation for equipment for Paradigm diagnostics (acquired by Exact Sciences in March 2020) for self inspection and pending CLIA/CAP inspection.Wrote from scratch multiple automation methods and modified existing NGS workflow scripts including Library, Capture, Quantification and Normalization increasing throughput 400%.Identified quantification and normalization inaccuracies in workflow allowing for 25% more samples per flow cell without changing sequencing cost, thus reducing cost per sample.Leader to isolate and resolve variability of processes in both molecular and histology labs. Evaluation led to complete elimination of catastrophic errors in sequencing results due to inconsistencies and interpretations of SOP’s in the molecular production laboratory. Investigated and resolved multiple staining issues of controls and samples and completely eliminated staining failures due to placement of tissue in the histology production laboratory. Reviewed molecular automation workflow and recommended several key changes to improve consistency, reduce sample loss, reduce turnaround time of the molecular process by 20% including adoption of 96 well pipetting head processing and various custom peripheral modifications. Coordinated and made key recommendations for demonstration of novel xplanar plate moving automation from Beckhoff to key managment.designed several key peripherals such as testing equipment, custom seal piercer, custom temperature control block, liquid waste stations to save deck space and allow more flexible access for 8 and 96 channel access.Taught and mentored 2 engineering staff in method development, calibration, presentation of data, understanding of impact of method design on assay performance such as mass loss during bead cleanup.

Menlo Park, Ca, Us

Led design team, equipment recommendations and implementation of initial cfDNA pancancer automated assay and technology transfer from Illumina, influencing ultimate design of final automated cfDNA NGS workflow. Processes included cfDNA extraction, bisulfite conversion, library preparation, enrichment, normalization, quantification and pooling for >15,000 patient clinical trials.Collaborated with scientists to replicate manual workflows on Hamilton STAR, Labcyte Echo and other equipment for rapid development of four major product platforms: WGS, WGBS, targeted BS and targeted next generation sequencing.Recommended ultimate purchase of initial automation platforms, peripherals, laboratory setup and buildout solutions in pre and post laboratories allowing flexible set up with ceiling utility drops and moveable benches.Co-manager for developing operational qualification strategy for all equipment in a CLIA/CAP certified laboratory under compliance with 21 CFR part 820 and ISO 13485 for medical devices.Extensive analytical troubleshooting track record in quickly identifying and resolving issues encountered during development.Troubleshooting expert for all method development activities that facilitated 2 week turn-around time for process testing and release into the production environment.Established requirements, managed design and release to production of custom adapters, bulk dispensers, deck extensions, imaging cameras, unique locations for barcode reading, etc. Mentored automation, process and equipment engineers in utilizing and creating validated scripting and creation of workbook tools to assess and monitor equipment in the CLIA laboratory.Developed and deployed numerous techniques for liquid class calibration used to validate and document all in-process liquid transfers. Techniques were also used to quickly evaluate potential new equipment and vendors.

San Diego, Ca, Us

San Ramon, Ca, Us

Evalutate, suggest and implement process and assay workflow improvements of antibody on peptide arrays. Redesign slide handling cassettes with third party vendor to consolidate batch flow, minimize variability and be automation friendly. Evaluate peptide/antibody binding data in conjunction with statistics team to identify and resolve sources of variability such as mixing patterns, feature variability. Evaluate and recommend automation solutions for eventual RUO and CLIA use. Design, document and implement automated analysis to evaluate capabilities of array scanners in industry to select scanner platform with image quality flexibility suitable for company objectives.

Manage 5-member automation team to develop version controlled, scripted automated methods for processing RNA from PaxGene/blood patient samples on Hamilton STAR, Beckman, Labcyte Echo, Roche LC480, Agilent Biolanalyzer, DropSense 8000 and other instrumentation. Part of multi-department that developed and launched the Corus® CAD Test, the first gene expression test for coronary artery disease. Developed multiple automation throughput improvements and Cost of Sales reductions under version control with Statistical Process Control (SPC), IQ/OQ/PQ, and electronic documentation using ETQ. Advocated for and wrote capital acquisition for Echo sonic pipetting system from Labcyte. System replaced existing sample addition infrastructure, reducing sample addition time by five-fold and eliminated pipette tips. Advocated for DropSense96 to replace manual RNA quantification, reducing quantification from 1 hour to less than 10 minutes.Managed team to generate and maintain all laboratory equipment and monitoring infrastructure necessary for CLIA/CAP compliance with Statistical Process control (SPC). Primary contact for all lab equipment including automation for validated repair and maintenance. Key resource for troubleshooting of instruments. Wrote annual reviews and recommendations for employees.Implemented a weighing based system from Hamilton to augment and replace Artel dye based system to calibrate, validate and develop all liquid based transfers on Hamilton STAR platform. System allowed use of actual reagents to calibrate instruments rather than simulated liquids of dye based system significantly reducing calibration costs.Hazard analysis team member generating laboratory procedures and review upon implementation.Cross-functional collaboration with RA/QA, Engineering, Manufacturing/Production and Supply Chain deviations, complaints, Out of Specification Investigations, Material Review Boards, process trending, and change control.

Stanford, Ca, Us

Responsible for management of day to day DNA sequencing to support Human Genome Project as well as numerous projects to drive down costs such as sample clone "hit picking" which rearrayed clones from multiple plates into one plate for easier processing. Other projects increased throughput, reduced costs assessed new technologies such as alternative sequencing chemistries, long sequencing read alternatives and early access programs of vendors such as then Applied Biosystems, Qiagen, and Hamilton.Worked on team to write grant and obtain DOE funding for the Mammalian Genome Collection, a complete collection of genes from human, rat, mouse and other organisms to provide a repository and gene bank for researchers to order clones with completely verified, high quality sequence in different expression vectors.Managed team to help choose sequencing method comparing primer walking, transposons and deletion libraries. Responsible for overall process, editing sequence and uploading sequences to consortium. Presented status through various meeting, phone conference and presentations for Genome Center to DOE and at Marco Island meeting. Performed quality control sampling of other sequencing centers to assess sequence submission accuracy and putative contamination.Developed infrastructure, optimization and validation for using needle pipettors instead of pipette tips for PCR reactions setup for SNP detection for outside collaborator to investigate SNP's from different human populations potentially causal for heart disease. Team optimized PCR conditions and layout for pipette tip-less PCR in 384 well format.Worked with Hamilton to design custom high accuracy, long reach tungsten "PCR" needles to allow sample acquisition from 2.2ml 96 well Qiagen plasmid prep blocks and add sample to 384 well plates.Docent for tours of genome center by various vendors, schools, and individuals. Wrote annual performance evaluations.

Advocated, helped build pipeline, and eventually managed 3-shift team for in-house Sanger sequencing pipeline to full length sequence cDNA's as verification for Sequencing by Hybridization, SBH, for collaborators, research, functional genomics and intellectual property protection.Worked with IT department to develop automated DNA sequencing contig building pipeline and directory bsaed archive using Phred, Phrap, and Consed suite along with numerous quality control processes, automatic contig building and email notifications. Directly managed software engineers for custom tracking tools as well as sequence contig building tools from various sample processing techniques.Developed many processing tools such as custom center-to-center adjusatble pipetter, sequencing gel pre-runners, and other apparatus to streamline pipeline and increase throughput. Designed Laboratory with flexible equipment to allow rapid reconfiguration of equipment to accomodate rapid growth.Performed sequencing by hybridization, SBH, to experiments to screen cDNA libraries used to develop clusters to select individuals for SBH sequencing and full length Sanger sequencing.Extensive primer design and optimization for PCR, sequencing, Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RACE).Wrote annual performance evaluations and recommendations for employees.

Portes-Lès-Valence, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes , Fr

Developed and deployed several molecular markers as a single marker or in multiplex in a variety of crop species including lettuce, melons, corn, and tomatoes for marker based selection.Developed and utilized various DNA extraction techniques for use with PCR based assays including multiplex PCR.Extensive primer design, temperature, and reagent optimization from RAPD primers to work as single pairs or in multiplex to work within multiple DNA extraction methods.

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Gb

Evaluated compound-rate combinations on crop and weed species of candidate herbicides. Formulated compounds in serial dilutions were statistically evaluated for resistance in crop plants and herbicidal effectiveness in weeds including specificity for monocots and dicots.Compiled and submitted reports recommending pursuit of effective compounds and discontinuing investigation of ineffective compounds.

Master'S Degree, Crop Molecular Biology, Statistics Minor

Bachelor'S Degree, Agronomy And Crop Science