Celicia Brown
ARVADA,CO
Summary
Accomplished Senior Microbiologist with a robust background at the United States Food and Drug Administration and prior experience at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Expert in microbial identification and quality control procedures, complemented by exceptional communication abilities. Proven track record in enhancing laboratory accuracy and efficiency, with significant contributions to high-profile outbreak analyses and regulatory compliance.
Overview
33
33
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Microbiologist
United States Food And Drug Administration
03.2002 - Current
- Analyzes a variety of foods, drugs and cosmetics, for the presence of bacterial pathogens.
- Former SME on Filth, Animal and Insect Contamination in Foods, Prohibited Protein Materials in Animal Feeds and Salmonella Serological Identification.
- Coordinates the Antibiotic Resistance Program in Denver, including receipt of supplies and inventory, and analyzes known isolates of Salmonella for Antibiotic Resistance for resistance patterns and provides that data the the National Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring Program (NARMS).
- Responsible for a variety of quality assurance testing, monitoring and propagation of quality testing organisms and quality assurance document generation and review.
- Former member as a trained and qualified analyst of the Federal Emergency Response Network (FERN) for BSL2+ laboratories in Ricin analysis.
- Designed and executed successful validation studies for a new testing method in Prohibited Materials in Animal Feeds (BSE), ensuring regulatory compliance.
- Maintains and implements ISO standards for external audits conducted biannually for accreditation requirements.
- Creates and assists in providing training materials for continuing competency training and exams for all microbiology analysts in the Denver laboratory required for various analyses based on ISO accreditation requirements.
- Provides critical support during audits by presenting data effectively and addressing any concerns raised by auditors.
- Mentors and trains junior microbiologists, building a collaborative and high-performing team.
- Establishes rigorous quality control measures to maintain accuracy and reliability of test results.
- Plays an instrumental role in troubleshooting and resolving contamination events, minimizing downtime in the lab.
- Conducted training sessions on proper lab techniques for non-microbiology staff members, ensuring adherence to best practices throughout the organization.
- Identifies root causes of contamination incidents, implementing corrective actions to prevent future occurrences.
- Participates in numerous high profile outbreaks by analyzing complex samples with new methods and provided accurate results with short turnaround timeframes.
- Personally responsible for the creation of all assigned reports, worksheets, computer generated reports, statistical analyses and other results as required per sample or project.
- Orders laboratory equipment and supplies.
- Keeps accurate databases of specimens collected and stored in repository.
Professional Research Assistant
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
05.1991 - 03.2002
- Worked as a professional research assistant for five different research laboratories, some as a work-study program while still a student, others after graduation until finding employment with the FDA. Duties varied from:
- Washing glassware
- Collecting urine samples deposited nightly
- Media/reagent preparation
- Techniques to isolate plasmid DNA
- Bacterial cell culture
- Restriction digests
- Making riboprobes
- In-situ hybridizations
- Care of human lung cancer and breast cancer cell lines
- Western blotting
- DNA extraction and PCR
- Immunoprecipitation
- Protein isolation
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Biology
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver, CO12.1999
Skills
- Microbial Identification
- Good laboratory practices
- Cell Culture Expertise
- Biochemical Analysis
- Quality Control Procedures
- Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing
- Proficient in PCR
- Problem-Solving
- Time Management
- Attention to Detail
- Multitasking Abilities
- Written Communication
Timeline
Senior Microbiologist
United States Food And Drug Administration
03.2002 - Current
Professional Research Assistant
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
05.1991 - 03.2002
Bachelor of Arts - Biology
Metropolitan State University of Denver
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