Operations Manager Laboratory
Resume:
Anthony Joseph Raffo
Ph.D, Ms, BA
Senior cellular and molecular biologist and laboratory operations manager
Education
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy (1991): University of California, Riverside
Plant Pathology, William O Dawson advisor (emphasis on molecular virology)
MS – Master of Science (1987): University of California, Riverside Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (emphasis on tissue development)
BA - Bachelor of Arts (1968): Hunter College of The City University of New York
Biological Sciences
Profile
Current Address
74 Meadow Street
Stratford, Connecticut, 06615
*********@******.***
Mobile phone:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-raffo-78006214
Professional Experience:
During the last few years (2022-2024) I have spent in my secondary career pursuit dealing with consumer food, especially my passion in renewable seafood products.
During the COviD-19 pandemic, I was a temporary consultant on laboratory operations management for start-up laboratories involved in human viral diagnostics. Personnel training and supervision for potentially Infectious human sample handling, cataloging and nuclei acid isolation, viral diagnosis and identification.
These labs included:
Corium Diagnostics, Norwalk, CT
Feb 2022 – Apr 2022
Genomic Technologist and Safety Officer.
Gregory Letts, MD supervisor.
Progressive Diagnostics, Branford, CT
Mar 2021 – May 2021
Genomic Technologist and Night Supervisor
CoPath Laboratory,
Yale University, Pathology Department, New Haven, CT
March 2021- April 2021
Genomic Technologist
Genomics Laboratory, Sema4 Therapeutics, Branford, CT
May 2020 – Jun 2020
Genomics Technologist
Primary technology was quantitative RT-PCR.
Operate high throughput liquid handling equipment.
Laboratory operations management to assure laboratory adherence to GLP and health and safety guidelines
Helped develop SARS-COV2 (COVID-19) high throughput automated genomic testing, HTP quantitative RT-PCR from Human nasal swab samples.
All procedures were done with high throughput liquid handling in Multi-well plates (96 and 384 well formats).
All operations in each of these laboratories were conducted in BSL-2 hoods with extensive PPE protection.
Pharmaceutical Experience (contract-temporary):
Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Department of Immunology and Respiration
Ridgefield, CT
April 2013 – May 2016
In Vivo Scientist
(Ernest Raymond, PhD, supervisor)
HTP liquid handling and In Vivo management, assay design and analysis. Nucleic acid and protein isolation, expression quantitation and characterization. qRT-PCR, Western blot, ELISA
Merck & Co. Clinical Development Laboratory-Genomics,
Rahway, NJ
March 2012 – April 2013
Biochemist III/Genomics Staff Scientist
(Mathew Marton, PhD, supervisor)
Drug discovery and validation in genomic mutational analysis (NGS and basic DEL technologies).
Academic Research Experience:
I spent over 15 years as a titled Associate Research Scientist in three different medical research laboratories at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC). My responsibilities in each of these labs included 1. Assay design and developmental. 2. General laboratory management 3. Student and support staff HR, training and supervision 4. Peer reviewed article and grant writing and presentation 5. Major innovative instrument recommendation and installation.
The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center New York, NY
Associate Research Scientist
08/2006 - 07/2008.
(Paul Harris, PhD, supervisor)
Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Experimental Therapeutics
177 Fort Washington Ave.
New York, NY 10032
Associate Research Scientist
09/1995 - 08/2006
(Robert Fine, MD, supervisor)
Dept of Medicine
New York, NY
Medical Resident and Graduate Student Advisor
09/1995 – 06/1997
Department of Urology
New York, NY
Associate Research Scientist
08/1992 - 09/1995
(Ralph Buttyan, Ph.D., supervisor)
Awards:
· American Association for Cancer Research- GlaxoWelcome Investigator Award 2000. Raffo, A.J., Drew, L., Kim, A.L., Brandt-Rauf, P.W., Petrylak, D.P., Do, T. and Fine, R.L. Selective Induction of fas Mediated Apoptosis by p53 Peptide in Human Cancer Cells
· American Association for Cancer Research-Intergen Young Investigator Award 1999. Raffo, A.J., Kim, A.L. and Fine, R.L. Formation of nuclear Bax/p53 complexes are associated with apoptotic DNA fragmentation.
· American Urological Association. 2003 Moderator of the Poster Discussion Session on Prostate Cancer at the 2003 A.U.A. National Meeting, Chicago
· American Association for Cancer Research 1994 Travel Award for Meritorious Abstracts. Raffo, A., Perlman, H., Day, M., Chen, M.W., and Buttyan, R. New anti-apoptosis gene identified in a prostate cancer cell line
· American Urological Association. 1995 Best Poster in Disease Staging. deVries, G., Olsson, C.A., Raffo, A.J., Cam, C., O'Toole, K., Benson, M.C., Buttyan, R. and Katz, A.E. The Molecular staging of prostate cancer using an RT-PCR assay: a study of 100 radical prostatectomy patients.
· American Urological Association. 1995 Best Poster in Disease Staging. Raffo, A.J., et al The Molecular staging of prostate cancer using an RT-PCR assay: a study of 100 radical prostatectomy patients.
· New York Blood Services 2001, Volunteer Recognition Award Anthony Raffo
· American Urological Association. 2003 Moderator of the Poster Discussion Session on Prostate Cancer at the 2003 A.U.A. National Meeting, Chicago
· American Association for Cancer Research 1994 Travel Award for Meritorious Abstracts. Raffo, A., Perlman, H., Day, M., Chen, M.W., and Buttyan, R. New anti-apoptosis gene identified in a prostate cancer cell line
· American Urological Association. 1995 Best Poster in Disease Staging. deVries, G., Olsson, C.A., Raffo, A.J., Cam, C., O'Toole, K., Benson, M.C., Buttyan, R. and Katz, A.E. The Molecular staging of prostate cancer using an RT-PCR assay: a study of 100 radical prostatectomy patients.
Additional Academic positions:
Department of Neurosurgery, Einstein School of Medicine, Medical Center, Bronx, NY Associate Research Specialist
06/2017 – 11/2017
Establish facilities to study the molecular mechanisms contributing to Alzheimer’s disease.
Yale University West Campus. Dept Cell Biology Core Facility
West Haven, CT
Associate Research Scientist. Lead Validation Scientist
07/2008 - 06/2009
Established the initial Yale University facility in the newly established West Campus
Assigned and initiated purchase of equipment and supplies for the validation sub-division laboratory of the Development of Cell Biology Core siRNA High Throughput Confocal Screening Laboratory
Installed and Validated laboratory equipment, protocols and operations
University of Southern California, Department of Orthopedics, Los Angeles, California
Laboratory Manager
08/1978-09/1983
(Paul Benya, PhD, supervisor)
Lab management and experiment overseer to examine molecular degeneration of orthopedic tissue after injury.
Career Overview
My overall career goal is to help in our understanding of the complex set of cell signaling pathways and how activation of these pathways regulate cell function, growth, differentiation, repair, disease and death. An important, critical project as part of trying to accomplish this goal is to understand and apply drug discovery and clinical trial procedures and regulations/guidelines in developing a lasting, safe protocol for improving human patient health.
Bench based Scientist with over 25 years experience in academic and industry cellular and molecular biology/ biochemistry research and clinical research laboratories
Firmly established hands-on laboratory derived personal work ethic.
Experienced in academia and industry with small chemotherapy molecule and larger biotherapeutic molecules in with bioanalytical analysis development and implementation.
Experience in Oncology, Immunology, Inflammation, Virology, cell culture, in vivo, in vitro, in situ assay design, development, problem solving and validation. All assays were conducted in compliance with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) guidelines
Laboratory operations, cell culture and vivarium facilities manager; support staff trainer and supervisor. Major equipment researcher, advisor and installer, trainer. All laboratory operations were conducted in accordance with GLP and established H&S protocols.
Experience in various cell and molecular biology techniques within Academic Research Laboratories and R&D industrial Laboratories; including DNA, RNA and protein isolation, characterization and sequencing (classic Sanger and next generation sequencing {NGS}), as well as qualitative and quantitative expression analysis.
Technical grant and article writer (editor) and poster and slide presentation preparer and presenter.
Experience with small animal husbandry, immunofluorescence, immuno-Histology, Confocal immunofluorescent microscopic imaging; immunofluorescence protein precipitation and binding partner identification. small animal husbandry, Immunofluorescence applications, data analysis, Ligand binding assay and analysis; development and macromolecular ligand protein complex binding analysis; non-evasive body imaging.
Passionate about human health issues, the concept of what is life and for the pathogens that cause human, animal and plant diseases.
Key Experience: Isolation/purification of mRNA and protein timed after therapy option (chemical or genetic) application to establish expression modulation of various specific mRNAs and their subsequent protein products to determine resultant cellular function parameters. In vitro, in Vivo and in situ assay design, development and verification.
Therapy options include direct drug application to human derived cells or small animal/human models of select disease. Drug discovery and their disease modification potential were determined and evaluated with deleterious side monitored.
siRNA design, develop and select target validation, with extensive database searching, analysis and implementation to confidently ascertain specific target manipulation Lead Validation Scientist in efforts on design, modification and optimization of siRNA experimental drug for different HTP Confocal Microscopy Screening for potential therapeutic programs.
Designed, constructed and implemented /evaluated select genetic constructs intended to overexpress select mRNA and subsequent protein products in human cell lines to determine potential efficacy as therapeutic agents.
Lead Investigator on the identification of key cell biomarkers which are indicative of cellular status and function. Cellular parameters were measured/identified by FACs analysis and subsequent western blot confirmation. Molecular bio/biomarker assay development (including flow cytometry FACS, western analysis and qRT-PCR based) were conducted in accordance with GLP guidelines and H&S protocols. Conducted numerous genetic engineering construction projects in order to determine the efficacy of gene therapies on cellular functions, notably on drug or gene sensitivity/resistance in cancer cells. These techniques demanded a mastery over not only DNA manipulation but also in removal of lipid bilayer encasement but in the lipid repackaging of the select DNA constructs for reinsertion into bacterial or especially human cell genomes. While these were research oriented experiments and not production based, the essential techniques and quality assurance procedures were followed. These procedures required the use of bio-hazardous reagents to remove or envelope nucleic acid particles, with lipid constituents.
Isolated, examined, reconstructed scores of bacterial plasmids for gene expression analysis experiments. I’ve done thousands of plasmid preparations either using manual protocols, automated liquid handling protocols and multiple “kit” type protocols.
Isolation and manipulation was a common technique in my graduate career, my CUMC career, my Yale west campus position and in my Merck position, which included basic CRISP manipulations.
Easily tens of thousands if preps and re-engineering and re-configured plasmid DNA insertion into bacterial and mammalian cells.
Key skills: mammalian cell culture (experience with BSH 2 and BSH 3 safety hoods), isolation and characterization of DNA, mRNA and protein from mammalian cells, human and small animal organs and tissues. Engineering of bacterial (numerous plasmid isolation and engineering projects) and viral genetic components as a key manipulatory expression tool controlling expression of select components in mammalian/human cell culture functions. Conducted numerous genetic engineering construction projects in order to determine the efficacy oof gene therapies on cellular functions, notably on drug or gene sensitivity/resistance in cancer cells (basic CRISP, basic DEL and NGS). These techniques demanded a mastery over not only DNA manipulation and characterization (NGS sequencing), but also in removal of lipid bilayer encasement but in the lipid repackaging of the select DNA constructs for reinsertion into bacterial or especially human cell genomes. While these were research oriented experiments and not production based, the essential techniques and quality assurance procedures were followed. These procedures required the use of bio-hazardous reagents to remove or envelope nucleic acid particles. with, lipid constituents.
Many of the positions, while at Columbia University Medical Center, Yale University West Campus, Merck & Co and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, I was responsible for Laboratory Management, Inventory Management, personnel supervision including student and support staff.
Professional Reference Contacts:
1) Ernest Raymond, PhD,
Principal Scientist for Inflammatory Bowel Disease,
Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Research and Development,
Boehringer-Ingelheim, Inc,
900 Ridgebury Rd, Ridgefield, CT 06811.
******.*******@**********.*********.***
Supervisor while at BIP-US-R I&I
2). Matthew Marton, Ph.D.,
Director of Research Sciences,
Clinical Development Laboratories- Genomics,
Merck & Co., RY50-1D-134,
126 E Lincoln Ave.,
Rahway, NJ 07065
**************@*****.***
Supervisor at Merck & Co., CDL-Genomics
3). Paul W. Brandt-Rauf. MD, Ph.D.,
Distinguished Professor and Dean,
School of Biomedical Engineering,
Science and Health Systems,
Drexel University,
3141 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, Bossone 718-A,.
*****@******.***
Prior colleague at Columbia University Medical Center, Dept. of Medicine, Experimental Therapeutics
4). Paul Benya, PhD, Research Scientist,
UCLA Orthopedic Hospital
Department of Orthopedic Surgery,
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA,
University of California, Los Angeles, CA
******@******.****.***
Prior supervisor while at USC Dept of Orthopedics
(prior to graduate education, prior supervisor )
5). Ralph Buttyan, Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist,
Vancouver Prostate Centre Professor,
Department of Urologic Sciences,
University of British Columbia Jack Bell Research Centre
mailto:********@**************.***
2660 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6
Supervisor while at Dept of Urology, Columbia University
6). Robert L Fine, MD Oncologist
specializing in Internal Medicine,
Hematology/Oncology and Medical Oncology,
Department of Medical Oncology
171 Ft. Washington Ave, New York, NY 10032
*****@********.***,
prior supervisor during several years at Columbia University Medical Center
7). William O Dawson, PhD
Citrus Research and Education Center.
Department of Plant Pathology.
University of Florida.
700 Experiment Station Rd, Lake Alfred, Florida, 33850. Theses advisor
******@****.****.***.***
Scientific Publications:
Citations for 29 scientific research articles published in peer reviewed scientific journals are available upon request
Select Publications:
· Raffo, A.J., Perlamn, H., Chen, M.W., Day, M.L., Streitman, J.S. and Buttyan, R. Overexpression of bcl-2 protects prostate cancer cells from apoptosis in vitro and confers resistance to androgen-depletion in vivo. Cancer Research 55: pp. 4438-4445, 1995.
· Raffo, A.J., Kim, A.L. and Fine, R.L. The formation of a nuclear p53/Bax complex is associated with chemotherapy induced apoptosis. Oncogene Dec 14;19(54):6216-6228, 2000
· Raffo, A.J., Lai, J.C., Stein, C.A., Miller, P., Scaringe, S., Khvornova, A. and Benimetsky, L. Antisense RNA downregulation of bcl-2 expression in DU145 prostate cancer cells does not diminish the cytostatic effects of G3139 (Oblimersen). Clinical Cancer Research, May 1, 10(9):3195-3206, 2004
· Raffo, A., Hancock, K., Polito, T., Xie, Y., Andan, G., Witkowski, P., Hardy, M., Barba, P., Ferrara, C., Maffei, A., Freeby, M., Goland, R., Leibel, R.L., Sweet, I.R., and Harris, P.E. Role of vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 in rodent insulin secretion and glucose metabolism revealed by its specific antagonist tetrabenazine. J Endocrinol. July 198(1):41-9 2008
· Fine RL, Mao Y, Dinnen R, Rosal RV, Raffo A, Hochfeld U, Senatus P, Bruce JN, Nichols G, Wang H, Li Y, Brandt-Rauf PW. C-Terminal p53 Palindromic Tetrapeptide Restores Full Apoptotic Function to Mutant p53 Cancer Cells in Vitro and in Vivo. Biomedicine. 11(1), 137 Jan 5, 2008
Reference Letter:
Matthew Marton, Ph.D., Director of Research Sciences, Clinical Development Laboratories- Genomics, Merck & Co., RY50-1D-134, 126 E Lincoln Ave., Rahway, NJ 07065. **************@*****.*** 732-***-****. Supervisor at Merck & Co., CDL-Genomics. and Companion Diagnostics at Merck & Co., Inc.
“I’ve known Anthony since 2012 and he worked in my lab for about a year or year and a half. Anthony showed above average initiative in everything he did. He assumed the role of an lab manager soon after arriving. He was critical in setting up our NGS lab in 2012 – ordering equipment, reagents, coordinating installation and training. Although this technology was new to him, he worked hard to learn what he needed to learn and was eager to be hands-on. In general, he got along very well with everyone in the lab.
Regarding his actual responsibilities, Anthony had two projects: 1) a feasibility project for an experimental medicine study and 2) validation of an assay for a Ph3 cardiovascular clinical study. For the first project, Anthony developed a methodology to perform a novel genomic assay from a macrodissected core needle biopsy specimen preserved in a formalin block. He demonstrated technical feasibility, a mini-breakthrough, which enabled a new avenue of research. Anthony worked independently, i.e., without close supervision, but also worked as a part of the clinical team responsible for the study. For the second project, Anthony developed and validated three assays to identify genomic features proposed to be associated with clinical response. The program was deprioritized before we had a chance to use the assays.
I recommend Anthony for the position.”
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