Matt Heidtman, Phd Email & Phone Number

Saint Paul, Mn, Us

Saint Paul, Mn, Us

Minneapolis, Minnesota, Us

Summary: At Bio-Techne, I am an R & D manager/senior scientist working in the antibody development and innovation group. I am leveraging molecular biology and cell line engineering technology to develop new products, improve existing products, and facilitate in-house discovery and innovation. Currently leading cell line development and antibody engineering projects to develop scalable recombinant antibody production for applications in the cell and gene therapy space.Specific accomplishments:• Leads mammalian cell line development campaigns for commercial-scale production of recombinant antibodies. Engineers cells for robust, stable antibody production using cutting edge genome modification technologies (CRISPR, non-viral transposon systems)• Designs, engineers and constructs expression vectors for efficient production of target molecules (both stable and transient expression platforms)• Conceives screening strategies to identify high-producing cell lines• Engineers antibodies for specific applications, including humanization, isotype swapping, affinity tagging and Fc region engineering• Manages small teams of research associates to accomplish project goals. • Cross functional interactions with other groups to achieve project milestones, including cell culture process development and bioassay teams• Establishes SOPs for cell line generation under GMP/animal-free conditions• Scouts new technologies to improve workflows and develop strategies for new product development/improvement. Incorporates high-throughput instrumentation. Interacts with legal group to assess intellectual property concerns, freedom-to-operate.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, Us

Minneapolis, Minnesota, Us

Summary: Successfully engineered bacteria, fungi, and mammalian cells for the efficient production of bioactive human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) utilizing pathway engineering, molecular biology and genetic techniques. Developed in vitro cell-based assays to discover/validate HMO function/targets. HMOs are found naturally in human breast milk and have potential as prebiotic, anti-infective, and anti-inflammatory molecules, particularly in the context of diseases arising from a dysbiosis of the human gut microbiome (e.g. Crohn’s disease, IBD). Specific accomplishments: • Engineered microbial hosts (bacteria, fungi) for commercial-scale production of HMOs via fermentation using both plasmid-based and genome engineering strategies• Engineered CHO cells and fungi to stably produce specific cell-surface glycoproteins• Identified, cloned, and characterized novel, proprietary glycosyltransferases for production of HMOs in microbial hosts • Demonstrated robust large-scale production of oligosaccharide products (g/L titers) via bioreactor experiments in close collaboration with fermentation engineer (2L and 10L bioreactors)• Successfully developed and implemented in vitro cell-based assays to assess HMO targets/function (bacterial/host-cell binding assays)• Major contributor to company IP (lead or co-authorship on 4 issued patents)• Collaborates with industrial partners to achieve project goals and develop long term strategies for innovation

Medford, Massachusetts, Us

Summary: Investigated molecular mechanisms underlying the ability of the human bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila to subvert host cell innate immunity. Discovered a novel group of L. pneumophila virulence proteins that manipulate macrophage membrane trafficking and signalling pathways to establish infection.Specific accomplishments: • Identified novel secreted virulence proteins produced by Legionella pneumophila using a large scale yeast expression strategy (over 100 heterologous proteins successfully expressed)• Expressed heterologous proteins in mammalian cell lines by transient transfection; analyzed localization by immunofluorescence microscopy and subcellular fractionation• Developed and utilized biochemical assays to identify binding partners/targets of virulence proteins• Used cell-based assays and infection models to show virulence proteins manipulate host cell vesicle trafficking/signaling pathways by distinct molecular mechanisms• Supervised/directed research projects of one summer student and three graduate students; trained and mentored technical staff• Awarded 3 year NIH post-doctoral fellowship to support research program• Findings resulted in 1 first author publication and 1 publication as contributing author

Hanover, Nh, Us

Summary: Investigated molecular mechanisms underlying vesicle traffic/protein transport between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi complex. Discovered an essential role for the highly conserved integral membrane protein Yip1p in transport vesicle formation from the ER. Specific accomplishments: • Developed and implemented cell-based assays to show a critical role for Yip1p in transport vesicle formation from the ER• Developed biochemical assays showing that Yip1p forms a complex with a second highly conserved integral membrane protein termed Yos1p• Provided evidence that Yos1p is efficiently incorporated into ER-derived transport vesicles• Developed assays for the analysis of Yip1p function in early secretory traffic; optimized reconstituted transport assays to measure ER-to-Golgi transport in vitro• Successfully identified amino acids critical for the function of the Yos1p in ER-to-Golgi transport using targeted mutagenesis• Performed large-scale protein purifications from yeast and bacteria for use in cell-free transport assays• Findings resulted in 2 first author publications and 4 publications as contributing author

New Haven, Ct, Us

• Investigated subcellular localization of the yeast (S. cerevisiae) proteome using transposon mutagenesis and immunofluorescence microscopy

Boston, Ma, Us

• Investigated molecular mechanisms/signalling pathways underlying lung inflammation.

Ph.D., Molecular And Cellular Biology

B.A., Biology