R D Senior Scientist
Resume:
Harpreet Sidhu
Milpitas, CA
********@*****.***
PROFESSIONAL OVERVIEW
An agile-minded senior-level scientist with an expertise in cell line development across mammalian species and cell types, cell culture and molecular and cellular biology. My diverse research background interweaves neuroscience, molecular and cellular biology, histology, synthetic biology and tissue engineering both in academia and the industry.
EXPERIENCE
Scientific Biotechnology Consultant
Freelance Milpitas, CA
Jan 2025 - Present
leveraged my deep knowledge and expertise in molecular and cellular biology, drug discovery, and other relevant biotechnology fields to provide strategic direction for biotechnology companies and VCs.
Senior Scientist, Cell Line Development
Vitrolabs Inc Milpitas, CA
Jun 2023 – Oct 2024
Used gene engineering and/or synthetic biology to develop novel bovine cell lines to facilitate more efficient and cost-effective tissue formation, formulated a reduced cost media for the generated cell lines, and, assessed cell line growth and performance in 2D and 3D to promote cell lines for scale up. Performed scale up of chosen lines on 3D scaffolds in large bioreactors. Trained RAs in aseptic cell culture, scaled up media production (20L batches), western blotting & QPCR.
Head Bio R&D, Lead of Food Grade Organisms, Bioprocessing, Biomaterials Engineering & QC/QA departments
New Age Eats Berkeley, CA
Dec 2021 – Mar 2023
Oversaw all biology R&D teams and coordinated activities between divisions, reporting back to the CEO & CSO. Sourced CDMOs for recombinant protein production and scale up. Lead biomaterials team to assess novel food grade scaffolds for 3D cell cultures. Lead bioprocessing team for scale up iPSCs at spinner flasks and bioreactor levels. Oversaw QC team for internal QC procedures and large-scale media production. Produced presentations and decks for investors and spoke to investors about R&D activities.
Division lead, Porcine Cell Engineering & Food Grade Organism Bioprocessing
New Age Eats Berkeley, CA
Sept 2021 – Dec 2021
Oversaw generation of porcine cell lines and differentiated cell types, trained RAs in iPSC and MSC culturing, led media formulation efforts, oversaw QC team for internal QC procedures and media production and contributed to investor presentations and decks. Reported directly to the CSO.
Head Molecular Biology & Senior Scientist Tissue Culture
Rinati Skin LLC Los Angeles, CA
Nov 2019 – Aug 2021
Performed all isolation and banking of patient MSCs according to GMP specifications, performed and trained RAs in all cell culture R&D, scaled up hMSC and hFibroblast lines in 5L bioreactors, developed in vitro assays for testing of drug candidates, set up the molecular laboratory (western blotting, PCR, QPCR, diolistic labeling, tissue processing-histology, ICC & IHC), trained RAs in molecular biology techniques, and prepared manuscripts, white papers and patents. Reported to CSO.
Scientist Tissue Culture
Rinati Skin LLC Los Angeles, CA
Nov 2017 – Nov 2019
Performed all isolation and banking of patient MSCs according to GMP specifications, performed and trained RAs in all cell culture R&D, generated immortalized hMSC and hFibroblast lines, scaled up hMSC and hFibroblast lines in 5L bioreactors, developed in vitro assays for testing of drug candidates, and prepared manuscripts, white papers and patents.
Postdoctoral Researcher
The Scripps Research Institute La Jolla, CA
Sept 2014 – Oct 2017
Set up cell culture, molecular biology (western blotting, zymography, QPCR, single cell PCR) and increased behavioral testing repertoire in the lab. Responsible for mouse behavior testing, training interns, mouse stereotactic surgeries, cryosectioning, ISH and manuscript and grant preparation.
Postdoctoral Researcher
The University of California, Riverside Riverside, CA
Jan 2014 – Sept 2014
Trained interns and incoming graduate students, animal husbandry (in charge of all breeding and colony maintenance of all lab mice strains), performed and trained for mouse hippocampal and astrocytic cell cultures, and, human iPSC, fibroblast and immune cell cultures, responsible for and trained others in western blotting, zymography, diolistic labeling, mouse brain sectioning, IHC, histology, PCR, QPCR and genotyping. Responsible for manuscript preparation.
EDUCATION
PhD in Neuroscience
The University of California, Riverside, USA
December 2013
Thesis title: Genetic removal of matrix metalloproteinase 9 rescues the symptoms of Fragile X Syndrome in a mouse model.
Bachelor of Science (2nd upper) in Biological Sciences
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
June 2007
Thesis title: Falafel, a novel protein required for the basal localization of the Miranda complex in Drosophila neuroblasts asymmetric division.
PUBLISHED WORK
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8767-3897
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=hkXOSTUAAAAJ&scilu=&scisig=AC8hv-oAAAAAZ-71RhrFP9X4MqdlkfPQQ4avc1E&gmla=ANZ5fUP5yL1fuhDrwigRXq1uz6HugeWAcsFD2CxtjdMmEuVj6bHwsMhxI8Wat8lO1BjLngK3G8HyIWOO7NmJu_uBKClvTH9MEdcwBOFdjDQ&sciund=1431279844682787453
FELLOWSHIPS/ AWARDS/ PATENTS
●Dean’s Distinguished Fellowship, UCR, 2008
●Trainee, The Scripps Research Institute T32 ‘Neuropsychopharmacology – Multidisciplinary Training’ National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA, T32AA00745), 09/2014-08/2016
●Junior Investigator Award, Research Society on Alcoholism, 2015
●Junior Investigator Award, Research Society on Alcoholism, 2016
●Travel Award, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory course – Cellular Biology of Addiction (Cambridge, UK), 2016
●The Scripps Research Institute F32 – National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA, F32AA024952), 09/2016-10/2017
●PATENT: Newman et al. System and method for the production, formulation and use of conditioned media, cultured cells and the factors included therein. Oct 18, 2022. US11,473,117 B2.
SKILLS
●CELL CULTURE:
Bovine MSCs & fibroblasts and cell engineering, 3D bovine cell culture (on microcarriers and scaffolds, small and large scale), Serum-free media formulation (Human MSCs & fibroblasts, Porcine iPSCs, MSCs & fibroblasts, Bovine fibroblasts), Porcine cell culture and cell engineering (iPSCs, MSCs & fibroblasts), Cell culturing (293T cells, CHO cells, OP9 cells, HUVECS, Jurkat cells, Bing cells, NT3 cells, hESCs, iPSCs (human, mouse & porcine), mESCs, DCs, human fibroblasts, MEFs, neurons & astrocytes, hMSCs, endothelial cells (dermal and pulmonary), melanocytes, keratinocytes, skeletal muscle cells, porcine MSCs, porcine fibroblasts, bovine MSCs, bovine fibroblasts), Mammalian cell culture scale up (Shake flasks, Spinner flasks, Setting up and running bioreactors (500mL to 10L scale)), Isolating MSCs from adipose tissue, Generating Immortalized cells lines (hMSCs, hfibroblasts, human endothelial cells, porcine MSCs, porcine fibroblasts, bovine fibroblasts), characterization and tissue banking,
●Differentiating adipose derived MSCs into adipocytes, osteocytes and chondrocytes, Differentiating hESCs & iPSCs into neurons, Generating iPSCs from MEFs, human fibroblasts, human blood cells and porcine fetal fibroblasts, Generating dendritic cells from hESCs and iPSCs by co-culturing with OP9 cells, Generating lentiviruses from 293T cells, In vitro tube formation with HUVEC cells, In vitro wound healing, In vitro inflammation assays, In vitro tumorigenesis assays, T & B cell purification from spleen and blood, Transfecting cell cultures (Calcium-phosphate, lipofectamine, Hiperfect; DNA, RNA, siRNA, retroviral and lentiviral vectors, nucleofection), Hydrogel formation using Buchi, Hydrogel encapsulation of cells, metaphase spreads, Immunocytochemistry.
●MOLECULAR BIOLOGY:
PCR, RT-PCR, qPCR, single cell PCR, RNA and DNA extraction, electrophoresis, plasmid preps, molecular cloning, bacterial transformations, DAB staining, Cuticle preparations, In situ hybridization, In situ zymography, Western Blots, Zymography, Antibody Staining, Protein Inductions, Protein Purification, Immunoprecipitation, Antibody arrays, ELISA, Protein translation assay (puromycin), Plant transformation (agrobacterium mediated and biolistic targeting), Yeast work (Yeast transformations, Yeast 2- and 3-hybrid techniques), Flow cytometry.
●MOUSE HUSBANDRY:
Breeding, Genotyping, Weaning, Blood collection (tail vein bleeds), Intraperitoneal injections, Mouse perfusions and dissection of various organs, Mouse stereotaxic surgeries, Mouse behavior (Open field test, Social Interaction behavior, Bottle Brush Test, Barnes Maze, Novelty Suppressed Feeding, Nestlet Shredding), PTZ induced seizures (mice), Inducing audiogenic seizures (mice), Adeno-associated virus mediated neuronal expression
●HISTOLOGY:
Mouse brain sectioning (Cryosections and Vibrotome sections), Cryoprotection of tissues, Immunohistochemistry, Biolistic neuron labeling, Microscopy (Confocal, Light and Scanning Electron, Operetta).
●ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY:
Synaptic field potentials, LTP induction, LTD induction (chemical & electrical stimulation).
●FLY PUSHING:
Genetic Crosses with Drosophila Melanogaster, Dissections (Brain and Ovaries), MARCM clone generation, EMS mutagenesis screens in drosophila.
●DATA ANALYSIS:
Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, Benchling, Image J, Neurolucida 360, Imaris, Prism, DNA Star Software Suit, Jmp, Top Scan lite (behavioral analysis), Any Maze (behavioral analysis), Neuron Studio, Zeiss Zen, Geneious Prime, Snap gene, Online Bioinformatics Software: TESS, ClustalX, BLAST, Patchmaster.
LANGUAGES
Languages written and spoken: English (fluent), Malay (good), Spanish (basic), French (basic), Languages spoken: Chinese (fluent), Punjabi (fluent), Hindi (good)
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