Allison Pereira, PhD

Experience

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  University of Arkansas

  Aug 2008 - May 2012

  Undergraduate Student & Researcher

  Studied for a B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a minor in mathematics. I was a member of the University of Arkansas Honors College and worked to recruit new students through several recruiting events. Throughout my tenure at the UofA working toward my B.S., I performed research under Dr. Jamie Hestekin. I worked with native algae strains found in northwest Arkansas on a raceway platform with the implementation of hollow fiber membranes. I was co-advised by Dr. Bob Beitle.During my time as an undergraduate at the UofA, I traveled to Dangriga, Belize, in Central America to serve on the engineering team that was a part of a university sponsored service learning project during the summer of 2009. Our team designed, built, and instructed local villagers in the operation of water filtration systems in the jungles there.Additionally, in the spring semester of 2010, I spent a semester abroad at the University of Newcastle in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Here, I took a chemical engineering class, an inorganic chemistry class, and two social studies electives (world religions and Aboriginal studies) to fulfill degree requirements at the UofA.During the month of August 2010, upon my return to the UofA, I accompanied my research PI at the time, Dr. Jamie Hestekin, to the National University of Singapore to present our work as well as learn from graduate students in Dr. Neil Chung's laboratory how to properly design a hollow fiber membrane spinning device and how to operate it once I had it built.I served on the executive boards and as a member of many University organizations including, but not limited to, AIChE (member and president), Tau Beta Pi (member and secretary), Alpha Phi Omega, and University of Arkansas Ambassador (tours to prospective incoming freshman and their families weekly as well as worked at recruitment events). Show less

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  Michigan State University

  Jan 2010 - Jan 2010

  Visiting Undergraduate Student Researcher

  I worked under Dr. Beronda Montgomery to investigate the role of regulatory proteins in the regulation of light-dependent pigmentation in the filamentous cyanobacterium, Fremyella diplosiphon using spectrophotometer analysis and absorbance-based spectrophotometric analysis methods.

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  US EPA

  May 2011 - Aug 2011

  GRO Intern

  As an intern at the Corvallis, Oregon, US EPA site, I worked alongside EPA scientists on multiple projects including photosynthetic plants, seeds, fungi and bacteria. Specifically, I worked to measure photosynthetic rates of native plant species versus that of biofuel crops that had been genetically modified. I worked in several outdoor experimental conditions set up for this purpose. I worked with biochar to determine the effects it had on the growth of fungi and bacteria qualities as well as seed germination. I was also responsible for developing a seed surface sterilization technique for use in the seed germination in the presence of biochar assays. Show less

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  OLDE TYME TUTORS, LLC

  Aug 2011 - May 2012

  Tutor

  I tutored elementary school math, reading, and study skills as well as AP Chemistry and AP Calculus.

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  Vanderbilt University

  Aug 2012 - Dec 2018

  Dissertation title: 13C Metabolic Flux Analysis of industrial Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell culturesSupervisor: Dr. Jamey YoungMetabolic engineering of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells for improved production of recombinant monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), which comprise the most expensive class of drug molecules to develop and produce. Applied isotope tracer studies and metabolic flux analysis to quantitatively assess metabolic phenotypes of host cell lines provided by industrial collaborators. The results of these studies are used to identify metabolic pathway manipulations that increase mAb production and host cell growth by improving metabolic efficiency. These novel metabolic engineering strategies are enabling the development of next generation CHO hosts that reduce the cost of pharmaceutical drug development and manufacturing. Show less

  • PhD Candidate and Research Assistant

    Aug 2012 - Dec 2018

  • Graduate Teaching Assistant

    Aug 2012 - May 2013
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  Pfizer

  Jan 2019 - Feb 2024

  Upstream process development technical lead for AAV gene therapy program.-Responsible for experiment design and execution at small scale (1L - 10L brx).-Support technology transfer to pilot plant and clinical manufacturing facility including electronic batch record review and technology transfer documents.-Support pilot scale runs (50L - 250L brx), including the scale up of the process.-Manage development timeline and forecasting.-Author development reports, memos, and regulatory filing documents.-Provide PIP (person in plant) support for GMP clinical manufacturing runs (500L scale).IND Amendment leaflet authoring-Collaborate with commercial manufacturing teamSupport BLA authoringData verification experienceLed investigation into AAV drug substance potencySupport colleague development efforts-Participate in and support mentor program that serves business lineMember of Equity Recruiting Council-Facilitate Pfizer's sponsorship of FOSSI scholarships to STEM scholars at HBCUs in collaboration with the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)-Support the Pfizer-sponsored FOSSI scholars through regular interaction and mentorship-Supported the establishment of DEI summer internship program within my business line-Attend college career fairs on behalf of Pfizer Show less

  • Principal Scientist, Bioprocess Research and Development

    May 2023 - Feb 2024

  • Senior Scientist, Bioprocess Research and Development

    Jan 2019 - May 2023
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  Vanderbilt University

  Aug 2024 - now

  Assistant Professor of the Practice of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering