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Project Engineering

Location:
Oakland, CA
Posted:
June 12, 2015

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Resume:

VILAS B. SHUKLA, Ph.D.

***** **** *** ******* ********, San Diego, CA 92130

858-***-**** (H) 650-***-**** (C)

Email: acp659@r.postjobfree.com

US Citizen

SUMMARY:

Experienced technical leader with strong skills in upstream process development, technology transfer and scale-up from bench to commercial scale. Proven ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously with cross functional team, identify and prioritize key objectives under ambiguous environments. Demonstrates excellent skills in bioprocess to exceed key performance indicators and delivers challenging project goals under tight timelines and limited budgets. Extensive experience with biofuels but willing to learn new techniques in the pharmaceuticals, therapeutics, and cell culture optimization, scale up.

STRENGTHS:

Ability to work well within, manage multidisciplinary teams from matrix organizations, effective communication and coordination as interface for multiple sites, external contractors and vendors

Extensive process and strain development of bacterial, yeast, and fungal systems for small molecules and protein production and experienced with downstream purification unit operations, such as column chromatography, centrifugation, micro, ultrafiltration and diafiltration

Technical support for regulatory submission to USDA/BRS for GMO and MCAN. Preparation of enzyme test article for food and fodder application, assure food grade compliance with JECFA/ FCC codec and GRAS notification to FDA

Trouble-shoots process-related issues and facilitate corrective actions. Increases efficiency / effectiveness, increase process knowledge, improve staff development, reduce risk and reduce COG’s

Strong interpersonal, management, and influencing skills aimed to enhance internal and external stakeholder relationships, build consensus, and foster collaboration

Engineering skillset including mass balance development and closure, design of experiments (DOE) and statistical data analysis, technical writing and documentation (PFD, SOPs, MOCs)

Incorporated new technologies to business units to reduce variability, provide standardized improved process control, increased yield, and facilitated technology transfer

Capable of driving projects from the appraise to operate stages (CVP, TCVP) with scope identification, management of risk, communication, and balancing of triple constraint

SKILL:

Development of commercial strains, designing of bioprocesses, biotransformation processes, scale up and downstream recovery

Hands on experience with the Chemap, New Brunswick, Sartorious, DCI bioreactors, Bubble column and Internal loop reactors, disc stack continuous centrifugation, tangential flow micro filtration (Sartocon plus), ultra filtration (North Carolina STR), affinity chromatography, lyophilization (Virtis 5 tray)

Preparation of gene libraries, cloning of genes, sequencing, site-directed and random mutagenesis, over-expression, purification of recombinant enzymes, enzyme kinetics, isolation & identification of proteins,

Micro-array and proteomic analysis using ImaGene 5.5, GeneSite Light, ArrayStat, Bio-Rad Versa Doc Imaging system, ExPASY tools, ABI Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer, Statstica 10, Statplus, Aspen Plus 8.4, LIMS 6.01, Emerson Delta-V 10.3, OSI PI DataLink

EXPERIENCE:

BP Biofuels, Global Technology Center (GTC), San Diego CA

Senior Development Engineer 2010 – Present

Bioprocess optimization and scale up for production of cellulases, and cellulosic ethanol at lab, pilot and 50, 000 gallon scale demonstration plant for ethanol and 5000 gallon for enzyme production

Led broad range of technology value projects involving interdisciplinary team members for process optimization using statistical designs. Conducted trial and deployment of at-line, online, and offline analytics (NIR/MIR/Aber/different DO and pH probes) and integration into Delta- V

Led Capital Value Project worth $4.5 M for remodeling to fit for purpose Pilot Plant to improve safety, capability and efficiency. Project management of teams of 10-15 people. Interface with vendors, contractors and participate in and occasionally led contractual negotiations along with purchasing, finance, and legal team, delivered project under tight time line

Interfaced technology, licensing, and demonstration plant for technology transfer and CAPEX upgrade at demonstration plant

Single point of accountability for Transition Service project with Verenium for the process development, scale up, and execution of production of “Test Article” for submission to the regulatory stage safety and toxicity studies for food grade enzymes, delivered project within scope and time, received recognition by higher management

Identification, procurement and set up of 7L scale Bioprocess system suitable fit for fungal process appraise activity of screening and process development

Accountable for preparation of PFD, P&ID, and pressure relief calculation for the LC-ethanol, and Cellulase production at 15L, 40L, and 500L scale. HAZOP, HAZID, Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) and Pre Start-up Safety Reviews (PSSR) for high risk activities. Conducting shear wave, dye penetration test, visual & Boroscope inspection, Phase array UT for establishing pressure vessel integrity, and documentation for pressure vessel regulation according to Cal/OSHA

Verenium Corporation, San Diego CA

Staff Scientist II 2009 – 2010

Bioprocess optimization for enzyme production and Bio-industrial project, collaboration with BP, for bio-fuel

Designed and executed analysis of upstream and downstream process for production of enzymes using Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pichia pastoris, Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reesei expression system at 30 L scale and scale up of the process to 500 L scale and 90 KL vessel

Led process improvement for production of cellulosic bio-fuel ethanol by leading lab, pilot and demonstration scale

Codexis Inc., Redwood City CA

Staff Scientist I 2007 – 2009

Worked on Bio-industrial project, collaboration with Royal Dutch Shell

Cloned and expressed 250 cellulase genes from different eukaryotic and prokaryotes at shake flask level and at pilot plant scale (20 L)

Engineering of yeast and bacillus expression systems and process development to increase cellulases titer by 6X

Improvement of enzyme properties by directed evolution technology

Interface between molecular biology, analytical biochemistry, bioinformatics, enzyme chemist, and bioprocessing

Purdue University, Lilly Hall of Life Sciences, West Lafayette, IN

Postdoctoral Fellow, Advisor Prof. Louis Sherman 2005 –2007

Engineering of cyanobacterial system for production of fuels and chemicals

Engineering of Cyanothece for production of different fuels and chemicals

Writing project proposal for BP-Purdue-MIT Energy Center and Midwest Bio-energy Center

Molecular basis of Chromium (VI), resistance and bioremediation using integrated biochemical, genomics and proteomics approaches

Over expressed and purified DNA-binding response regulator and putative azoreductase, for Chromium (VI) resistance and reduction

Transcriptome and proteome analysis of the Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 under Chromium (VI) stress.

Miami University, Hughes Laboratory, Oxford, OH

Postdoctoral Fellow, Advisor Prof. John Hawes 2003 –2005

Enzyme structure – function relationship

Predicted model for pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase using bio-informatics, over expressed enzyme, site-directed mutagenesis and chemical modifications of the IMAC purified enzyme to validate the model.

Developed activity based targeted proteomic assay for detection of enzyme on 2-D protein gel.

University of Florida, Department of Microbiology & Cell Sciences Gainesville, FL

Postdoctoral Fellow, Advisor Prof. Lonnie Ingram 2001 –2003

Metabolic engineering of E.coli for fermentative production of lactic acid and ethanol.

Strain improvement of engineered ethanologenic E. coli for alcohol tolerance and ethanol production and comparison of ethanol production patterns using different pentoses and hexoses

Engineering E. coli for production of lactic acid from molasses and sucrose in complex and minimal media

Lupin Chemicals Ltd., Mumbai, India

Executive R & D 2000–2001

Managed team of six for R & D activities strain/process improvement

Applied molecular biology and genetic engineering techniques for strain improvement of Rifamycin–B production

Improved process at shake flask, lab scale fermenter (20 L), pilot (1000L) and scale up to production (50,000L) to increase 15% Rifamycin titer, saved 10% production cost by solving recurring contamination problem

Developed SOP's for different R & D and pilot plant activities and educated staff about GLP and GMP practice and working knowledge of relevant regulatory guidances

Preparation of scientific reports, monthly reports of R&D activities, submission of proposal for production of novel products at commercial scale and involvement in the commercialization of lovastatin production

Nicholas Piramal Ltd., Mumbai, India (Formerly Hoechst Research Center)

Research Scientist 1999–2000

Isolation of fungal cultures and fermentative production of novel anti-fungal antibiotic at bench and pilot scale and trouble-shooting, optimization of industrial processes and commercialization of proprietary fermentation technologies

EDUCATION:

Ph.D., Fermentation Technology, Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT) Univ of Mumbai, India 1995-1999

Studies in Microbial Biotransformation

Application of different aspects of bioprocess, biochemical engineering, process development, downstream processing, & scale up for biocatalysis of benzaldehyde to L-phenylacetylcarbinol (L-PAC) using free and immobilized yeast, conversion of L-PAC to Ephedrine and scale up of it using respiration rate

Application of different analytical techniques GLC, GC-MS, HPLC, Chiral HPLC, Polarimeter, HPTLC, UV, FT-IR, NIR, MIR and NMR, ELISA, CD, MALDI-TOF

MS, Microbiology, Dept. of Life sciences, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, India 1992-1994

BS, Microbiology, Pune University, India 1989-1992

PUBLICATIONS:

1.V.B. Shukla and J.W. Hawes. 1-Pyrroline-5’-Carboxylate Reductase is an Evolutionarily Distant Member of the B-Hydroxyacid Dehydrogenase Enzyme Family. Enzymology and Molecular Biology of Carbonyl Metabolism, Vol. 12, (Editor Henry Weiner) Purdue University Press (2005) ISBN 1-55753-384-9.

2.V.B. Shukla, S.Zhou, L.P. Yomano, K.T. Shanmugam, J.F. Preston and L.O. Ingram. Production of D -lactate from sucrose and molasses. Biotechnol. Lett.(2004) 26 (9), 689-693.

3.V.B. Shukla and P.R. Kulkarni Comparative studies on bioconversion of benzaldehyde to L-phenylacetylcarbinol (L-PAC) using calcium alginate- and barium alginate- immobilized cells of Torulospora delbrueckii. J.Chem.Technol. Biotechnol (2003) 78 (9), 949-951.

4.V.B. Shukla, V. R. Madyar, B. M. Khadilkar & P. R. Kulkarni Biotransformation of benzaldehyde into L-phenylacetylcarbinol (L-PAC) by Torulaspora delbrueckii and conversion to ephedrine by microwave radiation. J.Chem.Technol. Biotechnol. (2002), 77 (2) 137-140.

5.P. Bhattacharjee, V.B. Shukla, R.S. Singhal, and P. R. Kulkarni. Studies on fermentative production of squaline. World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol (2001), 17, 811-816.

6.V.B. Shukla, U. Parasu Veera, P.R. Kulkarni and A.B. Pandit. Scale up of biotransformation process in stirred tank Reactor using dual impeller bioreactor. Biochem. Eng. J. (2001) 8 (1), 19-29.

7.V.B. Shukla and P.R. Kulkarni Process parameters and reusability of cell mass for production of L-Phenylacetylcarbinol (L-PAC) by free cells of Torulospora delbrueckii. World J. Microbiol. Biotechnol (2001) 17(3) 301-306.

8.V.B. Shukla, & P. R. Kulkarni. Review: L-Phenyl Acetyl Carbinol (L-PAC): Biosynthesis and Industrial Applications. World J Microbiol Biotechnol (2000) 16, 499 - 506.

9.V.B. Shukla and P.R. Kulkarni. Biotransformation of Benzaldehyde to L -Phenylacetylcarbinol (L-PAC) by Free Cells of Torulaspora delbrueckii in presence of Beta – Cyclodextrin. Brazilian Archives of Biol. Technol. (2002) 45 (3), 265-268.

10.V.B. Shukla and P. R. Kulkarni. Production of Allyl phenyl carbinol (APC) by biotransformation using Rhizopus arrhizus. Brazilian Archives of Biol. Technol. (2000) 43 (3), 249-252.

11.V.B. Shukla and P.R. Kulkarni. Downstream processing of biotransformation broth for recovery and purification of L-phenyl acetyl carbinol (L-PAC). J. Scien.Ind.Res. (1999), 58 (8), 591-593.



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