Rizwan Manzer
** *** ***** **. *******, MA, 617-***-**** ******.******@*******.***
Professional Profile
MBA Post-Doctoral 15+ Years Life Sciences Experience
Scientifically accomplished bio-process professional with a strong
strategic focus and hands-on technical expertise. Author of 12 original
research papers in peer-reviewed journals, with a track record of
significant contribution in both academics and biopharmaceutical industry
settings. Excels at aggregating and integrating scientific and marketing
data to evaluate emerging and novel clinical therapies, and successfully
balances multiple competing priorities to meet scheduling and development
goals at lab and process scale.
. Cell Culture Biology & Processes
. GMP Procedures & Documentation
. Vendor Management & Negotiations
. Drafting IND & Regulatory Submissions
. Technology Transfer & Commercialization
. Early & Clinical Development
. Research Design & Optimization
. Bioreactor Lab Systems & Scale-Up
Professional Experience
Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA 2010 - 2014
Principal Bio-Process Scientist
Reported directly to the Vice President of Process Development, led drug
development scientists and engineers in the development of mammalian cell
lines and processes for clinical and potential commercialization. Drove
integration of findings into forward thinking research design, and
collaborated across engineering groups and clinical development teams on
systems-biology driven approach to drug development in oncology
indications.
. Evaluated technology and vendors for outsourced GMP manufacturing and
spearheaded negotiations with a Contract Manufacturing Organization
(CMO) that yielded $100K savings.
. Championed development of proprietary media and new-generation
parental cell lines to achieve significant improvements in process
efficiency.
. Advised scientific and operations executives on scientific viability
of potential targets during long-range strategy sessions and Blue Sky
planning meetings.
. Applied commercialization and industry knowledge to advance scientific
progress in line with business objectives, and presented actionable
insight across multiple therapeutic indications to support future
expansion.
. Designed and documented upstream processes for robust, scalable and
economical transition to a cGMP facility in preparation for late-stage
clinical and commercialization phases.
. Drafted and edited relevant portions of IND filings for regulatory
submission.
National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 2002 - 2010
Senior Researcher
Hired and developed junior staff and collaborated with other investigators
on research and peer-reviewed publication of findings with an emphasis on
acute lung injury caused by bacterial pathogens in rodent models.
. Developed in vivo rodent model of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome to
study innate immunity in viral pathogenesis, and devised protocols for
studying sterile inflammatory response of lung epithelial cells
exposed to ozone toxicity.
. Served as the technical lead and supported facility management in
establishing/maintaining compliance with all internal governance and
SOPs.
. Coordinated communication internally and with other active research
teams. Set priorities and managed expectations throughout planning,
execution, and publication lifecycles.
. Served on Technology Transfer workgroups to advance commercialization
efforts of innovative research, and played an instrumental role in
successful licensing agreements.
The Trizetto Group (Healthcare IT Company), Greenwood Village, CO 2008
Business Planning Consultant
Advised the principals of a premier healthcare IT outsourcing firm on
effective product R&D and positioning based on broad market and competitive
analysis. Utilized and leveraged Trizetto's extensive foot print and
knowledge base to develop enterprise solutions.
. Performed technical due diligence for potential transactions. Produced
and presented business cases to senior management.
. Initiated and designed secondary market research efforts while
concurrently providing essential quality control support to primary-
market study of broker and payer perception.
. Authored recommendations and reports for strategic organic and
acquisition-driven growth, and devised frameworks for questioning,
analysis, and management of study data.
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 2000 - 2002
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Developed independent research to study the protective role of ALDH3A1
protein in corneal epithelium in response to UV-induced toxicity in vitro
and in vivo mouse models.
. Expressed ALDH3A1 and identified metabolic function of the proteins,
and developed monoclonal antibodies against purified ALDH3A1 protein
for use in human corneal detection.
. Led project to successful identification of two novel genes and gene
sequences and subsequent submission to the NIH Gene Bank.
Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India Summer 2000
Summer Research Fellow
Investigated and implemented research programs in collaboration with
leading Indian biotech, Bharat Biotech International, Ltd.
Education
University of Denver, Daniels School of Business (2006 - 2008)
Master of Business (MBA)
University of Colorado, School of Pharmacy (2000 - 2002)
Postdoctoral Fellow
Aligarh M. University, Faculty of Medicine, India (1995 - 1999)
Doctor of Medicine (MD) Biochemistry
Recent Conferences & Training
Biopharmaceutical Development & Production Week, San Diego, CA (2014)
Healthcare Conferences, Harvard Business School, Cambridge, MA (2012 -
2013)
Bio Process International Conference, Providence, RI (2012)
Bio Boot Camp: Building Life Sciences Business, Colorado Bioscience
Association, Denver, CO (2008)
"The Product Translation Pathway and Related FDA Regulation," BioMARC
Regional Training Center for Product Translation, Colorado State
University, Greeley, CO (2008)
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Funk C. F, Manzer R, Miura T.A, Groshong S.D, Ito Y, Travanty, E, Leete J,
Holmes K.V, Mason R.J. (2009) Rat respiratory coronavirus infection:
Replication in airway and alveolar epithelial cells and innate immune
response. Journal of General Virology.
Manzer R, Dinarello C.A, McConville, G and Mason R.J. (2008) Ozone exposure
of macrophages induces an alveolar epithelial chemokines response through
IL-1?. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 38(3):318-23.
Mossel E.C, Wang J, Jeffers S, Edeen K.E, Wang S, Cosgrove G.P, Funk C.J,
Manzer R, Miura T.A, Pearson L.D, Holmes K.V and Mason R.J. (2008) SARS-
CoV replicates in primary human alveolar type II cell Cultures but not in
type I-like cells. Virology. 1; 372(1):127-35.
Wang J, Edeen K, Manzer R, Chang Y, Wang S, Chen X, Funk C.J, Cosgrove G.P,
Mason R.J. (2007) Differentiated Human Alveolar Epithelial Cells and
Reversibility of their Phenotype in Vitro. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol.36
(6): pp. 661-8.
Wang J, Wang S, Manzer R, McConville G and Mason R.J. (2006) Ozone induces
Oxidative Stress in rat alveolar type II and type I-like cells. Free
Radic Biol Med., 40(11):pp.1914-28.
Manzer R, Wang J, Nishina K, McConville G and Mason R.J. (2006) Alveolar
epithelial cells secrete chemokines in response to IL-1? and
lipopolysaccharides but not to ozone. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol.,
34(2):pp.158-66.
Jeyaseelan S, Manzer R, Young S.K, Yamamoto M, Akira S, Mason R.J and
Worthen G.S. (2005) TIRAP is critical for early lung immune responses
against E.coli LPS and Viable E.coli. Journal of Immunology,
175(11):pp.7484-95.
Jeyaseelan S, Manzer R, Young S.K, Yamamoto M, Akira S, Mason R.J and
Worthen G.S. (2005) Induction of CXCL5 during inflammation in the Rodent
Lung Involves activation of alveolar epithelium. Am J Respir Cell Mol.
Biol., 32 (6):pp.531-9
Ahmad S, Ahmad A, Manzer R, Mason R.J and White C.W. (2005) Lung epithelial
cells release ATP during ozone exposure: Signaling for cell survival.
Free Radic Biol. Med., 39(2):pp.213-26.
Pappa A, Estey T, Manzer R, Brown D and Vasiliou V. (2003) Human aldehyde
dehydrogenase3A1(ALDH3A1): biochemical characterization and
immunohistochemical localization in the cornea. Biochem J., 376(Pt 3):
pp.615-23.
Manzer R, Qamar L, Estey T, Pappa A, Petersen D.R and Vasiliou V. (2003)
Molecular Cloning and baculovirus expression of the rabbit corneal
aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH1A1) cDNA. DNA Cell Biol., 22(5): pp.329-38.
Manzer R, Pappa A, Estey T, Sladek N, Carpenter J. F and Vasiliou V. (2003)
Ultraviolet radiation decreases expression and induces aggregation of
cornea ALDH3A1. Chem Biol. Interact., 143-144: pp.45-53.
Technical Skills
Project Management and Communication: Preparation and presentation of
scientific presentations, mentorship of junior scientists, tech transfer.
Tissue Culture: Mammalian adherent and non-adherent cell culture for
primary and immortalized cell lines transient and stable transfection,
preparation of protein extracts, immunoprecipitation. Cell line
development: clone selection, cell banking, batch, fed-batch,
concentrated fed-batch process development. Process Scale-up (3L
Sartorius, GE Wave with Wave POD, Thermo Fisher SUB controlled by DeltaV
mounted Finesse controller)
Molecular Biology: Bacterial transformation, mammalian cell transfection,
Genomic DNA isolation, cloning and generation of plasmid constructs,
generation and isotopic labelling of DNA probes, single and multiplexed
qPCR, RNA Isolation, RT-PCR, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA),
Flow Cytometry (FACS)
Protein Chemistry: Protein expression, protein purification, protein
assay, affinity column chromatography, HPLC, Fortibio assay, SDS-PAGE,
western blotting, ELISA, enzyme assay.
Microscopy: Immunofluorescence, H& E
Bioinformatics: Data analysis, BLAST, primer design, Microsoft office,
Prism, JMP, ChemStation.