Simon Poon Email & Phone Number

Melbourne, Vic, Au

Brunswick West, Victoria, Australia

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Melbourne, Australia

Jan 2019–Aug 2022: Team Leader of Hexima's Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) group. • Managed Hexima's internal team of CMC scientists.• Managed external CMC activities, including Drug Substance (DS) and Drug Product (DP) manufacture.• Co-authored and reviewed CMC sections of regulatory submissions to FDA.• Led Contract Manufacturing Organization selection for DS manufacture under cGMP.• Oversaw tech transfer, process implementation and scale-up. • Validated analytical methods and established stability studies as per ICH guidelines.• Provided analytical support for both Clinical (Phase I and II) and Non-Clinical (toxicological) studies.July 2015–Dec 2018: Senior Scientist • Yield optimization of Hexima's lead molecule recombinantly produced in Pichia pastoris using a wide range of molecular approaches for strain improvement.• Optimised both up- and downstream processes, substantially reducing the potential cost of goods sold (COGS).• Demonstrated efficient production of cyclic peptides in planta using transient expression (collaboration with David Craik's group at the University of Queensland).Jan 2008–Jun 2015: Team Leader of the Constructs and Plant Analysis group.• Collaborated with Pioneer-Dupont (USA) to produce fungal-resistant corn and soybean. • Collaborated with Dow Agrosciences (USA) to produce herbicide-tolerant cotton.• Responsible for DNA construct design, optimization and production as well as screening and characterization of transgenic plants. Oct 2000–Dec 2007: Scientist• Involved in all aspects of production and assessment of transgenic cotton including DNA constructs, plant transformation, transgenic plant analysis, bioassays and field trials in Queensland and New South Wales. • Conducted research on improving the efficiency of embryogenesis in elite cotton cultivars (co-funded by the Cotton and Research Development Corporation through project HEX1C).

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Botany/Plant Biology

Bachelor Of Science (Honours), Chemistry