Samantha Hitchin

Experience

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  Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute

  Dec 2011 - Apr 2018

  Bioscientist 2

  The Drug Discovery Unit integrates medicinal, computational and synthetic chemistry with in vitro and cellular biology to investigate novel drug discovery targets in an attempt to provide new chemical entities for the treatment of unmet clinical needs in cancer patients.Overview of responsibilities:• Development and implementation of biochemical enzyme and cell based assays and screening cascades• Regular screening and profiling of small molecules to support drug discovery programs• Characterisation of enzyme kinetics and determination of mechanism of inhibition studies for different target classes• Delivery of high quality data to support the ‘design, make, test’ cycle in medicinal chemistry • Expertise in a variety of assay technologies, including TR-FRET, fluorescence intensity, fluorescence polarisation and luminescence• Analysis of enzymatic screening data including primary screening data, IC50 dose-response data and assay robustness QC data • Scale-up and adaptation of biochemical assays for medium throughput screening campaigns• Working knowledge of automation and liquid handling platforms, including Labcyte Echo, Labycte Access, Formulatrix Mantis and BMG Pherastar FS systems • Experience of training others in the use of laboratory equipment• Cell culture and molecular biology techniques• Preparation and review of standard operating procedures• Lead biweekly bioscience meetings• Preparation and presentation of biweekly project reports at project meetings• Preparation and presentation of posters at conferences • Founding member of epigenetics focus group; established a network of epigenetic experts working in industry and academia to identify novel target opportunities, develop strategic relationships with potential collaborators and present research strategy• Supervision and training of lab aides • Compound management including inventory control of in house compounds and managing compound screening libraries Show less

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  Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

  Apr 2018 - Dec 2018

  Clincal Trials Research Practitioner

  Member of the Nottingham Breast Institute Oncoplastic Research Team. The Nottingham Breast Institute provides all outpatient services for those requiring diagnosis or receiving treatment in the Nottingham area. Overview of responsibilities:• Identification and recruitment of eligible study participants for multiple oncoplastic research trials • Obtain informed consent from patients• Collection of trial data• Ensure that recruitment targets are kept on schedule • Establish timelines and systems to monitor recruitment and all aspects of protocol compliance • Preparation of clinical trial documentation including trial protocols and participant information sheets• Organise audit data collection and input in to databases• Ensure trial site file documentation is accurate and up to date• Comprehensive knowledge of GCP/ICH regulatory guidelines • Knowledge of clinical trial set up Show less

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  Sygnature Discovery

  Dec 2018 - Apr 2022

  Senior Scientist

  Specialist High Throughput Screening (HTS) scientist. Integrated Sygnature’s state-of-the-art HTS system combining Titian Mosaic sample management technology with an automation platform from HighRes Biosolutions and data analysis by Genedata Screener. Technical expertise in HTS and liquid handling and automation. Key responsibilities:• Use state-of-the art automation (including acoustic dispensers and automated liquid handling platforms with robotics) to deliver multiple HTS campaigns for clients.o Create orders and maintain compound management using Titian Mosaic softwareo Write automation protocols for HighRes Biosolutions A-cell robotics using Cellario softwareo Analysis of HTS data output using Genedata Screener• Develop and optimise biochemical and cell-based assays across a broad range of diseases and assay technologies, as well as managing the subsequent scale up for use on HTS• Manage HTS timelines; monitor and record screening run progress and potential delays• Design tailored and robust screening cascades to deliver high quality, reliable data and identify hit matter for early drug discovery projects• Establish new protocols, as well as transferring and validating new assays into HTS projects• Use data analysis software (Prism, Dotmatics, Genedata Screener) to generate primary screening data, assay performance statistics and compound dose-response curves for large datasets• Produce a thorough quality control procedure to ensure robust, high quality data• Troubleshoot automation robotics and software errors, document problems and resolutions ensuring that program timelines remain on-track for anticipated data-delivery• Train new members of the HTS team in the use of Mosaic, Cellario and Genedata and provide comprehensive training documents with troubleshooting ideas Show less

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  Titian Software

  Apr 2022 - now

  Business Application Consultant

  Managing small and large projects for customers around the world, focussing on business requirements analysis and project management. Business Analysis• Work with customers to analyse their sample management processes and workflows; understand and interpret requirements; elaborate new requirements; document the recommended configuration and plan the implementation of that configuration• Assess existing laboratory workflows and processes to identify opportunities for optimisation and improvement. Recommend and implement solutions to streamline operations and enhance efficiency. • Primary customer contact during the analysis, installation, and acceptance testing of a project, work closely with the technical team during the configuration, deployment and UAT phases• Create comprehensive business requirement documents to guide the implementation process. • Mosaic SampleBank and FreezerManagement subject matter expert Testing and Quality Assurance • Develop and execute internal test plans to ensure the system functions as expected and meets business requirements • Work closely with customers to develop a robust User Acceptance Testing plan, document all exceptions/failures and co-ordinate a resolution plan • Integration testing and troubleshooting with hardware (liquid handlers, barcode printers, automated stores, etc.)Training • Develop and deliver customer training materials and sessions (on-site and remote) for end users • Conduct consultations with customers to develop bespoke training plans • Provide on-going support for system users once initial training has been rolled out Project Management• Monitor project scope, progress and identify and mitigate potential risks and issues• Coordinate and oversee the daily operations of the project team members • Track project milestones and produce regular status reports for management Show less