Ritu Arora, Ph.D. Email & Phone Number

Gardena, California, Us

• Assist with analytical method development and validation needed for testing cannabis products.

Santa Ana, California, Us

• Responsible for setting up the following new methods, a process which involved method development, validation, and transfer to production:o Vitamin E Acetate - a LC-MS/MS method in response to the recent deaths reported due to vaping products. o Low Dose Cannabinoids - a LC-MS/MS method to accurately quantitate the potency of beverages and edibles, which can be challenging to test by UV detection. • Oversee technical training program for new personnel, and on-going technical training for lab personnel.• Responsible for optimization and validation of existing methods on additional instruments in a timely manner.• Train and manage a team of data reviewers, ensuring high quality results are being issued to customers within the expected turnaround times.• Overall responsible for normal functioning of all analytical instrumentation in a production environment and aiding in troubleshooting if normal workflow is disrupted. • Responsible for writing SOPs and related documentation for new methods developed, necessary for being ISO compliant. • Responsible for maintaining Logs for Technical Complaints and Instrument Preventative Maintenance. • Assist the Chief Scientific Officer in expanding the technical team by hiring highly skilled Scientists.

Santa Ana, California, Us

• Managed a team of lab personnel for processing samples - from sample preparation to operating instruments and performing data analysis, besides maintaining instrumentation in a ‘production ready’ state when not in use.• Developed, validated, and transferred the following methods to production in a timely manner:o Residual solvents - a GC-MS/FID method for 20 solvents which helped the company go ’live’ for concentrate compliance.o Pesticides - a LC-MS/MS method transfer and optimization from Sciex 3500 to 5500 involving 62 analytes, to produce a method with better throughput resulting in a 75% increase in throughput.o Mycotoxins - a LC-MS/MS method for 5 compounds. • Provided technical training to lab personnel:o Trained senior lab staff for processing calibration curves and doing data analysis independently with little supervision - on residual solvents, mycotoxins, and LC pesticides.o Delivered a technical presentation on “HPLC Fundamentals” for improving basics know-how of the technique. • Set up and maintained Technical Complaints Log for traceability of complaints for ISO purposes.

• Responsible for development and validation of a clinical LC-MS/MS assay for a designer panel of over 60 drugs (synthetic cannabinoids, bath salts, antipsychotics etc.) on Agilent 6460 LC-MS/MS system. The assay met customer demand based on CLIA, federal, and state guidelines. Responsible for setting up the production workflow, required documentation (SOP), and training the team to run the assay independently. • Helped in transfer and correlation of a main panel of over 60 drugs on 6 other Agilent 6460 systems. This involved analysis of patient data on individual systems and comparison to the original validated system. • Helped in writing main panel specific SOP (assay SOP) and instrument related SOPs (Quantitative Processing and Preventive Maintenance). • Trained CLSs’ on quantitative data analysis on both designer panel and main panel drugs.

• Responsible for LC-MS/MS method development and validation of drugs prescribed in pain management clinics (clinical market). Developed and validated a clinical assay for alcohol biomarkers (EtG and EtS) on Agilent 6420 LC-MS/MS system. • Experienced in sample work-up, performing high complexity urine drug testing, analysis, and reporting via LIS, of core pain panel drugs (amphetamines, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, illicit drugs, opioids etc.), alcohol biomarkers, THC, and barbiturates by Agilent 6460 and Shimadzu 8030 LC-MS/MS systems.

Santa Clara, Ca, Us

• Developed a homogenization strategy for improving quality of incoming raw material of diatomaceous earth sample prep sorbent, which upon validation, was implemented in manufacturing. This change resulted in a decrease of customer complaints by 80% and annual scrap reduction by $ 40 K.• Developed quality control methods for testing contaminants (PAHs and OPP) in raw materials using Agilent 7000 GC-MS/MS and 7890A GC, and functional tests for several sample preparation products using Agilent 1260 LC systems. Prepared detailed technical documents in the form of SOPs for QC personnel, trained them, and transferred methods to QC department. • Investigated several product performance oriented, technical customer complaints and provided recommendations for improving SPE methods, LC methods, capacity, and general wash procedures used in the manufacturing of SPE sorbents which helped close the complaints, increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, and assisted in improving the overall quality of products shipped to customers.

Santa Clara, Ca, Us

• Supported R&D and marketing by developing applications for new product introductions, focusing on launch and ramp-to-volume phase of Dried Matrix Spotting (DMS) product, a sample prep product used in bioanalysis. Prepared several application notes using Agilent 6460 LC-MS/MS and 1290 LC, and presented posters in technical conferences to support this product. • Worked on developing bioanalytical methods for key pharmaceuticals and their metabolites highlighting the strengths of many SPE and HPLC products existing in the product portfolio. • Played a key role in imparting collateral and hands-on training to the field Application Engineers and Technical helpdesk personnel on DMS.

Us

• Managed a team of applications scientists focused on developing customer-centric integrated applications (involving sample preparation, chromatography, and instrument analysis) for the pharmaceutical and food safety industries.• Designed application plans to support the launch of new HPLC/UPLC (Pursuit® “Fast LC” columns) and sample prep (Captiva NDLipids) products, coordinated development across multiple sites within the organization, and effectively translated the information generated into communication tools for the customers, i.e. application notes, technical posters, sales training, and help in marketing collateral. • Supported sales and marketing by overseeing a project focused on understanding orthogonality in reversed-phase liquid chromatography, the data generated was geared to help customers looking for easier options of column selection and method development. • Worked closely with R/D in developing a new HILIC (Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography) prototype - designed experimental plan to screen current product offerings for polar compound retention. Developed application plan on method development issues in HILIC, and got it implemented.• As a member of the HPLC business team, provided ideas on a regular basis to help improve the overall HPLC column business. • As a member of the HPLC Materials Review Board (MRB), provided regular input on quality issues occurring during release of new manufactured lots to production. • Delivered several technical seminars for customers highlighting the company’s HPLC portfolio.

Us

• Designed and developed a comprehensive applications package to support the launch of new HPLC analytical and preparative columns (Pursuit® XRs C18, C8, and DP). Ensured all application work was effectively communicated to customers through multiple channels including sales training, application notes, technical posters, and assistance in providing marketing literature.• Helped other scientists in the team in developing a complete solutions package involving HPLC, SPE, and tandem mass spectrometry for pesticides methods in Western Pacific, US, and Europe. • Increased customer satisfaction by providing technical support and resolving customer complaints.• As a member of the HPLC Materials Review Board (MRB), provided regular input on quality issues occurring during release of new manufactured lots to production.

Us

• Key player in designing and developing methods to introduce new HPLC products to the market, columns covering two product lines encompassing both polar-modified and straight chain alkyl bonded phases (Polaris® and Pursuit®). • Introduced stability tests at low and high pH for testing the lifetime of HPLC columns, which was later adopted as a check point prior to any new product launch.• Instrumental in developing quality control tests to test both reversed phase and normal phase HPLC columns.• Provided Tier 3 technical support on HPLC related issues.

Torrance, Ca, Us

• Responsible for the overall process of design and development of analytical methods / applications using HPLC. Played a key role in developing applications supporting the launch of small pore and wide pore bonded phases (Luna®, Prodigy™, and Jupiter®). Responsible for publications on analytical method development and performance of new HPLC columns. • Developed robust and rugged methods for a variety of vital pharmaceuticals as well as compounds used extensively in biotechnology, food, environmental, and petrochemical industries. • Assisted in customer support by developing analytical methods for the analysis of complex samples. • Proof read scientific literature for publications in brochures and catalogues.• Experienced in maintenance of HPLC instrumentation. • Conducted seminars on HPLC basics, HPLC method development, and instrument troubleshooting for sales personnel.

Ph.D., Chemistry

Master Of Science (Ms), Biotechnology

Master Of Science (Ms), Chemistry

Bachelor Of Science (Bs), Chemistry, Botany, Zoology