Romy Southwick
romma.southwick@gmail.com
CAREER SUMMARY
Innovative and tenacious problem-solver, with a background from R&D and Process Sciences that encompasses a broadrange of project stages, from identification of new targets through design of protocols to qualify final GMP drug products
SPECIALTIES
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Outstanding faculty in the creative design and execution of intricate functional studies with primary cells, including
monocytes, DC’s, neutrophils, T cells, B cells, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and mouse Embryonic Stem (ES) cells
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Experience maintaining safe work environment as high as BCL-2+
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Skilled in the cryopreservation, sectioning, staining, and imaging of human tissues
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Novel whole blood bioassay development, cell isolations, and cell differentiations
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Competent in proliferation, toxicity, signaling, calcium flux, mediator release, flow cytometry, and reporter assays
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Biomarkers, sample analysis by qPCR, MSD, ELISA, and (multiplex) Luminex platforms
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Tecan and BioMek automation solutions, assay miniaturization, process improvements
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Biochemistry, including BiaCore, HPLC, gel electrophoresis, Westerns, protein-ligand coupling
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Extensive experience in data analysis, data review, and minimization of statistical experimental variation
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Authored technical reports to support clinical drug programs
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MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Project, GraphPad Prism, Spotfire, SharePoint, SAP, BioBook (electronic lab
notebook), LIMS, QuickBooks, and instrumentation software proficiency
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Abbott Bioresearch Center, Worcester, MA
Scientist/Senior Scientist I, 6/2008-10/2012
• Led multi-disciplinary research team as the Project Champion of a biologics drug program for rheumatoid arthritis
• Proposed biologics drug target for asthma, and gained support of management to resource effort
• Developed and ran multiple primary, continuous, and reporter cell-based assays critical to drug screening funnels
• Presented to upper management and company advisors at project review meetings
• Developed and performed bone cell biology and mineralization studies for both small molecule and dual variable
domain (DVD) biologic programs
Romy Southwick
romma.southwick@gmail.com
Abbott Bioresearch Center, Worcester, MA
Cell Assay Lab Manager, 2/2004-6/2008
• Responsible for coordination of all aspects of the build-out, set-up, and staffing of the lab and for effectively
managing the group thereafter, to provide timely cell data to both small molecule and biologic projects
• Increased mediator-release cell assay screening capacity four-fold through automation solutions
• Shortened turn-around time of multiple cell assays through process improvements and data-directed changes that
increased robustness and minimized statistical variation of results
• Authored multiple pre-clinical and technical reports to support late-stage drug programs
Abbott Bioresearch Center/ BASF, Worcester, MA
Research Associate II, 10/1992-10/1993; Senior RA I, 10/1993-6/2000; Sr RA II, 6/2000-2/2004
• Performed primary and continuous cell culture, including mouse Embryonic Stem (ES) cell
• Developed project-critical bioassays (including whole blood, leukocyte, and granulocyte)
• Crafted methods and characterized cells by flow cytometry analysis
• Elucidated signaling pathway within cellular system using adenoviral gene delivery of mutant forms of kinases
• Established Bio-Plex (Luminex) capacities for the company and assays on the platform for multiple programs,
including a study assessing drug impact on plasma levels of cytokines/chemokines in Cynomolgus monkeys
Genetics Institute, Inc., Andover, MA
Research Associate, Mammalian Cell Culture Process Sciences Department, 12/1989-10/1992
• Adapted Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines from attached to suspension cell culture within GLP facility
• Developed various assays (IEF, 2-D gel electrophoresis, and Western) for analysis of CHO cell protein variants
Matritech, Inc., Cambridge, MA,
Research Associate, Product Development, Cancer Diagnostics, 10/1988-11/1989
• Cultured both adherent and suspension cells, as source of antigen
• Prepared and stained frozen histological sections of human tissues
• Liaison with pathology department at Children’s Hospital for interpretation of immunohistochemical staining
• Wrote Standard Operating Procedures and product package insert documents for cancer diagnostic prototypes
• Established database to be able to inventory tissues and associated information
Eye Research Institute, Boston, MA
Research Technician, Vitreo-Retinal Research Unit, 9/1986-10/1988
• Studied retinol binding protein by biochemical analysis
EDUCATION
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Simmons College, Boston, MA, Bachelor of Science in biology, awarded in 1986, Degree with Distinction and
recipient of the Catherine Jones Witton Memorial Award for scholastic achievement, 3.6/4.0 GPA
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Harvard University Extension School, Cambridge, MA, 40 graduate-level credit hours, 3.5/4.0 GPA
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Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, Project Management and Negotiation Skills, graduate-level
management courses, 4.0/4.0 GPA
Professional Development: Lean-to-Green Manufacturing Course, scheduled to start 7-23-2013