Muhammad Bhatti

Experience

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  Washington State University Spokane

  Feb 1991 - Apr 1997

  Research Associate/Study Director

  Conducted small plot trials study efficacy of various pesticides to support registration of pesticides for use on minor crops (potatoes, asparagus, alfalfa, hops, grapes) for emergency use under section 24 (C) and section 18 of FIFRA. • Participated in IR-4 residue GLP studies under that involved study design, planting, spraying, plot maintenance, sampling, harvesting, completion of field notebooks and submission of final report to the regulatory agency for emergency exemption and registration of pesticide products under sections 24(C) and 18 of FIFRA. • Developed sentinel biomonitoring system for detection of off-target air-borne movement of herbicide a large geographic area in south central Washington. • Designed and managed ecological risk assessment studies on simulated herbicide drift on non target plants.• Provided diagnostic services and mitigation to the farmer clientele regarding their complaints on herbicide drift injury to non-target plants. Trained the farmer groups and WSDA employees for diagnosis of chemical injury symptoms on plants. Investigated into court cases of herbicide drift for WSDA and Insurance companies. Show less

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  Monsanto

  Apr 1998 - Aug 2014

  • Organizational Excellence: Established a new state of the art cotton pathology and nematology lab with additional set up for molecular pathology; • Product Discovery and Innovation: Discovered 3 QTLs strongly linked to Root Knot Nematode (RKN) resistance; Key contributor from discovery to commercial product launch resistant germplasm to bacterial blight and RKN (Patent). • Cross Function Partnerships: Collaborate with Biotech and chemistry teams plant health benefits of Dicamba resistant cotton - patent). • Process Improvement: Established bulk inoculum production lab with SOPs on quality and compliance; established a satellite HTP phenotyping lab. Trained employees on phenotyping for soil pathogens and nematodes.• Molecular assay development and Technological Innovation: Developed, validated, and optimized qPCR assay for detection and quantification of Reniform and RKN nematodes (Patent). • Field Research for Germplasm Characterization: Integrated Plant Health data and haplotypes for breeder use in product advancement; Implemented cotton disease monitoring network using sentinel plot system in the US; Pipeline germplasm characterization for major cotton diseases; developed soil pathogen characterization for cotton breeding and testing field sites and established disease nurseries at appropriate field locations for uniform disease pressure.• Strategic Business Partnerships: Built critical relationships with universities and organizations in collaboration with commercial teams that resulted in securing support for RKN breeding trait launch; • Mobility Tools for field diagnostics: Developed “Mobility Tools” for “Iphone and IPAD” for disease diagnostics and real time disease data collection (www.cbit.monsanto.com)• Issues management and Stewardship: Represented Monsanto as an expert in critical meetings on issues related Roundup Ready technology and crop diseases. • Product Valuation: Valuation and NPV development for cotton breeding traits Show less Managed and coordinated ecological assessment lab and field trials designed to generate data necessary to support global registration, post-commercialization monitoring and stewardship of biotechnology products (corn, soybean and cotton). Specific responsibilities included: designing field trials on the assessment of non-target organisms (NTO), writing study protocols, negotiating and contracting with field cooperators in the US and South America, managing data, statistical analysis and timelines, writing final reports. • Project Management: As a study director, designed and managed 10 study protocols on plant-insects interactions and ecological assessment biotech product on non-target organisms (NTO); analyzed data statistically and authored 8 final reports for timely inclusion in regulatory dossier for six products including insect-protected corn, insect-protected soybean, RR soybeans and elevated lysine maize (ELM). Designed and managed 15 production plans (corn, soy, and cotton) through independent field contractors under USDA/APHIS compliance and authored final reports (MSL) to support global registration of biotech products. All studies were GLP-like and required QC/QA methods and international regulatory compliance. Managed two study protocols on gene flow in soybean and cotton in Argentina and Puerto Rico, respectively. • Process Improvement: Improved quality of ecological assessment protocols by developing templates for NTO study plans, field notebooks and final reports. Authored SOPs for ecological and NTO sampling methods and developed QC check lists for field studies to enhance quality and efficiency. Achieved $100 K per product through development of first sample processing facility in Argentina and efficient transportation of frozen samples to St. Louis. Show less

  • Cotton Pathologist

    Apr 2005 - Aug 2014

  • Research Scientist, Biotecchnology Regulatory Sciences

    Apr 1998 - Apr 2005
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  BASF

  Aug 2014 - now

  Senior Scientist II

  Member of BASF Regulatory Expert Team on scientific and regulatory issues; Representative at Europa Bio work group on harmonization of EFSA Guidance document on Agronomic and Phenotypic assessment of GM products. Managing Study Directors for field GLP studies, reviewing GLP Study Protocols and Final Reports, and interfacing with Study Sponsors to assure the agronomic and phenotypic as well as environmental interactionfield studies meet the regulatory requirements.- Maintaining expertise in the current industry-standards for the scientific interpretation of the global regulatory requirements.- Leading and providing technical guidance to members of the Regulatory Science group, as well as the larger GB community on the design and conduct of regulatory GLP field studies.- Managing and providing technical oversight for any external contractor used by the Regulatory Sciences group to facilitate the conduct of the field GLP studies. Show less

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  Self-employed

  May 2023 - now

  Senior Biosafety Expert
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  Hjelle Consulting Group

  Sept 2023 - now

  Senior Consultant