Kayla McKaveney

Experience

• 

  UPMC

  Jun 2010 - Aug 2010

  Student Researcher

  • Maintained mouse colonies through weaning, tagging, and general care• Induced de novo gliomas via a transposon/ transposase system and monitored tumor through in vivo luminescence imaging • Isolated splenocytes for phenotypic and genetic analysis following necropsy• Extracted DNA and RNA from murine brain and spleen tissue samples

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  University of Wisconsin-Madison

  Sept 2010 - May 2014

  Research Assistant

  • Purified protein and assessed in vitro protein binding via column co-purification and western blot• Assessed enzyme activity through a single-turnover assay of radiolabeled substrate• Successfully introduced site-specific mutations in target gene mutagenesis PCR and yeast transformation • Created a gene deletion in an existing yeast two-hybrid strain through homologous recombination• Optimized nutritional requirements to study phenotypes in strains containing mutant proteins of interest Show less

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  UPMC

  May 2011 - Aug 2011

  Research Technician

  • Optimized transfection and intracellular staining protocol in mammalian cells• Performed analytical flow cytometry to characterize the prevalence of an immune cell population• Mentored high school student in mammalian cell culture technique, transfection, bacterial plasmid expansion, and staining for flow cytometry

• 

  University of Cambridge

  Jul 2012 - Aug 2012

  Research Intern

  • Crossed C. elegans strains to create a novel knock-out strain with labeled intestinal cells• Assessed relative health of 13 lines of C. elegans at multiple temperatures via egg viability assay• Created genomic libraries for deep sequencing used in SNP comparisons

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  PPD

  Jun 2013 - now

  • Oversee method feasibility, transfer, and validation projects • Develop technical skills within operations team including validation study design, results communication, troubleshooting, and delivering solutions compliant with ICH guidelines and best practices. • Drive efficiencies in client partnerships to align with their needs and risk tolerance. • Lead method feasibility and validation projects from a technical perspective including study design, ensuring quality, and driving contracted deliverables. • Collaborate with clients to align with their needs and proactively identify strategies to improve existing relationships. • Drive projects from conception and study design through execution, completion of QC/QA records, and delivery of stability and method qualification reports• Direct and schedule analysts within workgroup for study execution and coordinate with project managers across departments to complete studies • Execute and compile data for biopharmaceutical method validations according to internal SOPs and ICH guidelines• Train incoming analysts in various methods including western blot and amino acid analysis• Perform method development and communicate progress both internally and with clients • Coordinate the launch and stability testing of early stage biopharmaceutical products for multiple clients• Develop and perform analytical methods for biopharmaceutical products according to cGMP and internal SOPs• Assess feasibility of analytical methods for transfer and qualification • Performed analytical methods for biopharmaceutical products according to cGMP and internal SOPs• Trained new analysts on specific methods• Communicated data and troubleshooting details with client • Performed analytical comparisons among follow-on biological compounds (biosimilars)• Assembled data that exhibits company laboratory capabilities to future customers• Assisted in the development of new methods and assessments of their feasibility

  • Research Scientist

    Apr 2022 - now

  • Associate Research Scientist

    Apr 2021 - now

  • Senior Scientist

    Apr 2018 - Mar 2021

  • Scientist

    Apr 2016 - Mar 2018

  • Associate Scientist

    Apr 2015 - Mar 2016

  • Assistant Scientist

    Jun 2014 - Mar 2015

  • Biopharmaceuticals Intern

    Jun 2013 - May 2014