Melanie Eldridge Email & Phone Number

Deep River, Ct, Us

Deep River, Connecticut, United States

As Head of the Drug Substance and Drug Product teams, I established a regular workflow for developing client strains/consortia, leading how strains were developed overall and day-to-day, and then worked hand in hand with both tech transfer and process engineering to establish these processes in cGMP manufacturing. I built a team with everyone cross-functionally trained in nearly all of the relevant unit operations (many of my staff were also trained in GMP and would support manufacturing runs) with almost no turnover (kinda the most proud of that). I got into the weeds with clients and my team about all aspects of each strain's (or consortium's) experiments but always did so with a collaborative attitude. I interfaced with leadership both at Arranta and on the client side, being held accountable for meeting timelines and enabling clients to maintain filing deadlines.

As TPL, I helped bridge the gap between clients and the process development team at Arranta Bio, ensuring that a strain's development was clearly laid out and very focused within the confines of manufacturing capabilities.

Groton, Ct

Clinical stage microbiome-based live biotherapeutics (LBPs) targeting several different disease indications. Established methods for growth and preservation of a diverse set of anaerobic microorganisms to target multiple disease indications. Built strong cross-functional relationships with both Analytical Development and Quality Control (AD/QC) and Drug Product (full CMC group) for drug development and product characterization. Transferred processes to CDMOs for scale-up and GMP production.

New Haven, Ct

Experiential education-focused small university in which classes involve immersion of students into real-world/on-the-job experiences. Established microbiology classes and labs that taught students a foundation of methods for use in lab-based careers beyond their undergraduate education. Established a research lab with an international collaboration to study ecotoxicology of hormone and heavy-metal contamination.

University Of Campinas, Limeira Sp, Brazil

I received a Fulbright Fellowship to do research with colleagues in Brazil (and Scotland). We worked on designing a molecular assay using a marine amphipod (Parhyale hawaiensis) to examine metal-nanoparticle complexes. It is expected that nanoparticles will become more prevalent in the environment therefore developing tools to detect their presence and gauge their potential for ecotoxicity will become increasingly important. My research group continues to use this organism for ecotox-based studies, currently focused on glutathione-s-transferase regulation with QPCR.

Knoxville, Tn

I worked on genetically engineering different types of cells to detect various contaminants e.g. estrogens, androgens, arsenic, glucose, TNT/DNT, and methamphetamine. My goal was always to make strains of cells that would be useful to society. Once the bioreporters were developed, I immediately began focusing on detection of endocrine disruptors and toxic substances in areas that impact humans and wildlife. With my colleagues, we detected endocrine disruptors and toxicity in plastics, wastewater, ground water, surface waters, and in drinking water. We performed these studies for Eastman Chemical Company, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Hampton Roads Sanitation District, the State Environmental Agency of Saõ Paulo, Chinese Academy of Sciences, among others.

Knoxville, Tennessee Area

Advisor: Gary SaylerResearch Projects:➢ Genetic engineering of S. cerevisiae-based androgen-sensing bioreporters.➢ Genetic engineering of Candida albicans as a model bioluminescent organism.➢ Microbial community analysis of fresh to saline lakes in the Warner Valley, Oregon.➢ Genetic engineering of Escherichia coli-based arsenic-sensing bioreporters.➢ Use of bioluminescent S. cerevisiae to detect bioremediation of TNT-contaminated soils.➢ Examination of toxic cyanobacteria for the production of estrogenic substances.

Knoxville, Tennessee Area

Advisor: Gary McCrackenResearch Project: Development of molecular methods for the detection of genetically modified (Bt-resistant) plants in Mexican Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) feces as an indicator of predation on agricultural crop pests using QPCR.

Knoxville, Tennessee Area

Advisor: Steven WilhelmResearch Project:➢ Examination of microbial community structure changes using T-RFLP and flow cytometry in response to Fe concentrations in the equatorial Pacific, a high nutrient, low chlorophyll region. Managed large sequence data sets: PCR, cloning, sequencing, DNA alignments, and phylogenetic analysis for identification/classification of communities.

Huntsville, Alabama Area

Research Projects:➢ Developing bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries for Xenopus spp. DNA.➢ Amplification of microsatellites (short tandem repeats, STRs) from white pine DNA.

Cookeville, Tn

Advisor: John GundersonResearch Project:➢ Cloning and sequencing of bacteria found in flagellates within the termite hindgut.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Microbiology

Activities and Societies: American Society for MicrobiologyDissertation title: The effects of iron on plankton in high nutrient, low.

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Biology, Microbiology Concentration, Chemistry Minor

Activities and Societies: Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor SocietyResearch focus: Identification of a prokaryotic symbiont of the termite.