Sydney Simpson Email & Phone Number

Rochester, Ny, Us

Rochester, New York, United States

• Presented insights including business case and scientific rationale behind developing a novel lyme-disease diagnostic product to all of US QuidelOrtho R&D employees following attendance of a tick-borne disease summit and engaging with HCPs, patients and other external stakeholders.• Worked with a cross-functional project management team as the R&D lead to develop novel immunodiagnostic assays. Oversaw the assay testing team, prototype optimization, designing and analyzing experiments according to ISO and CLSI guidelines and authoring documents. Key Accomplishments:• Developed and submitted a patent (US18/499,718 & PCT/US2023/078368) for a method which addressed high dose hook and retained required sensitivity in a novel immunoassay technology.• Improved infectious disease assay sensitivity 10-fold and identified the root cause behind a shift in immunoassay prototype performance as the leader of a 3 member team which was developed to investigate a sudden deviation in performance which had stalled product development.• Performed risk assessment and established a mitigation strategy for deviations in signal which were observed on some analyzers in the beginning of the week for a prototype hormone immunoassay. Led a 4 person team which determined the root cause and identified a potential risk for current on-market products.• Designed testing lab layout, posters on current status, and technology demo for key client, Creative Testing Solutions (CTS) the largest blood screening group in the US, to cement client commitment and contract.

Rochester, New York, United States

• Established relationships and consulted with two startup companies with SARS-CoV-2 related products which required BSL-3 testing capabilities, designing protocols and performing experiments according to ISO guidelines and stakeholder need.•Characterized novel mechanisms for host-restriction factors during HIV infection.

• Created protocols for isolating platelets from HIV-positive individuals and quantifying HIV-platelet interactions.• Wrote a study protocol for human subjects research, which received approval from the Institutional Review Board.• Identified how HIV-platelet interactions contribute to viral pathogenesis.• Initiated the first SARS CoV-2 research in a Biosafety Level 3 laboratory through designing protocols which were approved by the institutional biosafety committee and training graduate students.

• Served as a student leader and a bridge between students and administration• Served as a student leader working with 29 student representatives across departments and representing graduate student interests on committees and in monthly meetings with the Dean of Students.Accomplishments:• Aided in the formation of a Postdoc and Graduate Student Council which collaborated on cross campus policies, and presented the impact of the pandemic on graduate students to the Board of Trustees.• Engaged students across departments and campuses, improving department representation and engagement by 30%.• Improved access to pumping rooms for graduate women raising children, reducing time spent traveling from 15 minutes to 5 minutes. This was accomplished by gathering impacted students, identifying areas which could be converted into pumping sites, and bringing a proposal to the administration.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Virology And Immunology

Bachelor’S Degree, Microbiology And Immunology

Master Of Science - Ms, Microbiology And Immunology

Regents With Distinction