Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Natalie Erica Wood

San Diego,CA

Summary

With over 25 years of medical research experience in drug discovery, I excel in managing laboratory operations, formulating drugs, conducting various assays, and performing in vivo and ex vivo experiments in small and large animal models. I have a proven track record of leading full life cycle drug development for preclinical and clinical projects, while fostering collaborative, multidisciplinary initiatives to drive pharmacological advancements.

Overview

23
23
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Senior Scientist

Ambrx, Inc.
01.2021 - Current
  • As the key point of contact for pre-clinical projects, my role includes facilitating communication between departments and CROs, providing regular updates on practices and study plans, implementing corrective actions for noncompliance, presenting study information at internal meetings, and demonstrating strong understanding of oncology target biology
  • Additionally, I deliver results in a timely manner, maintain a variety of cell lines, and possess strong multi-tasking and time-management skills
  • Highly skilled in various methods of dosing (SC, IP, IT, PO, and IV) and blood collection (RO, tail vein, and cardiac puncture) in mice primarily, but occasional rat studies
  • Strong experience in tumor measurements by caliper, body weighing, and health monitoring
  • Experienced with precise dosage calculations for in vivo efficacy studies
  • Harvesting and disaggregating tissue / tumor for subsequent ex vivo analysis – experience with multi-color FACS analysis a plus
  • Familiar with software including Graph Pad, Microsoft office etc
  • For data analysis and data summary and presentation
  • Adaptive and a quick learner, efficient in multitasking, highly organized
  • Independently conduct rodent in vivo pharmacology experiments, including but not limited to initiating, maintaining, and evaluating oncology models, including model development, dosing for PK/PD relationships and efficacy studies - with blood sampling, and tissue/tumor collection endpoint analysis for FACS analysis, IHC etc
  • Author study reports in a timely manner and assist in maintaining and organize report repository
  • Effectively present experimental data with concise results to guide drug development at organizational meetings
  • Work as part of a collaborative team to design, plan and execute experiments that support research activities
  • Assist in IACUC documentation preparation and renewal and vivarium compliance
  • Simultaneously managed several complex projects, meeting all pertinent milestones.
  • Championed interdisciplinary collaboration across departments, fostering innovation and creative problem-solving among colleagues.
  • Developed innovative solutions to complex scientific problems, enhancing the company''s intellectual property portfolio.
  • Enhanced team performance by providing expert technical training on new equipment and methodologies.
  • Established a robust safety culture within the lab, reducing incidents and maintaining compliance with regulatory standards.
  • Evaluated novel technologies for potential integration into existing workflows, streamlining operations while maintaining scientific rigor.

Self Employed Consultant
01.2018 - 01.2021
  • Review with the Principal Investigator (PI) the inclusion/exclusion criteria, overall structure, and requirements of each protocol
  • Ensure that all procedures are followed as per protocol guidelines
  • Coordinate training workshops for research personnel to update latest skills and techniques used for optimal dosing and efficient replication of data
  • Review laboratory results/notebooks and communicate abnormal values to the PI as needed
  • Maintain accurate and complete documentation including but not limited to regulatory documents, source documentation, drug/device logs, formulation logs, and study related communications

Senior Scientist, Physiology Department

aTyr Pharma
01.2015 - 01.2017
  • Led R&D drug discovery initiatives for patients suffering from rare diseases — developed methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for the investigation of physiocrines and clinical drug development
  • Analyzed data, prepared technical reports, and presented research and recommendations to senior management
  • Collaborated with pharmacology team to support preclinical and clinical projects in new formulation and process development
  • Organized program; created, documented, and revised protocols; evaluated animal use, and introduced new animal models for pharmacokinetics and physiology, while maintaining IACUC membership and compliance
  • Led a 5-person cross-functional team that evaluated safe use vehicles and reduced side effects in animals, while facilitating drug development
  • Increased efficiency and regulatory compliance of pharmacokinetic and physiology studies; increased throughput 300% in 2 years by implementing new animal use techniques, designing, and assessing caging systems and staff training
  • Produced results on several clinical analyzers and identified in vivo measures of efficacy in rodent disease and tumor models
  • Prepared formulations and developed native assays for characterization of drug target interaction — primary neuronal and non-neuronal cultures, brain slices, and stem cells
  • Evaluated chemistry analyzer vendors to procure $500K analyzer
  • Created training manual, optimized reagent ordering reports, and documented testing and validation
  • Conducted analysis of cover 100K study samples from two to eight years old, delivered data across the organization, and facilitated training on device operation
  • Achieved successful delivery of numerous, concurrent projects under tight deadlines and rapidly changing priorities
  • Published multiple articles in peer reviewed journals and presented at numerous scientific conferences

Senior Research Associate, In-Vivo Pharmacology-Pain Program Neuroscience

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
01.2009 - 01.2012
  • Led research projects and reporting on variety of pain models — inflammatory, Complete Freunds Adjuvant (CFA), UVB irradiation, bone and joint, MIA-induced osteoarthritis, CFA-induced arthritis, post-surgical, and acute and chemogenic
  • Analyzed behavioral and adverse effects with Open Field, Von-Frey, Rotarod, locomotor activity, thermal Hargreaves, and gait-analysis
  • Created SOPs, in vivo manual, and multiple preclinical protocols to ensure study quality and integrity
  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to assemble and prioritize study resources
  • Conducted sample processing — in-situ brain perfusion, necropsy, brain microdissection, blood sampling, and manual CSF collection
  • Guided dosing protocols — formulation and preparation
  • Researched stereotaxic surgeries, intrathecal cannulation, lumbar cannulation, ICP, and laparotomy
  • Designed first automated system to measure spontaneous pain in rodents — showcased the electronic Paw Elevation Tracker (ePET) device at Neuroscience Convention
  • Redesigned automated behavior data intake, management, and export processes to improve data management across multiple systems
  • Directed troubleshooting to resolve complex automation technical issues

Research Associate II, In-Vivo Modeling, Comparative Medicine

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
01.2005 - 01.2008
  • Conducted research on high-throughput screening initial peptides and performed diverse laboratory techniques and procedures — synthesized compounds, employed analytical instrumentation, and generated data reports
  • Led validation studies to replicate and verify results to meet industry-wide standards
  • Managed laboratory animals and executed various surgical procedures — implantation of telemetry probes into the peritoneal cavity, vagotomy, ovariectomy, implantation of osmotic pumps, perfusions, intravenous catheter implantation, stereotaxic surgeries, brain ventricle cannulation, and anesthesia
  • Oversaw dosing and numerous laboratory techniques — behavioral testing, drug injections, tissue collection, and histology
  • Coordinated laboratory operations — biological and chemical reagents and disposables supply management, equipment and instrumentation oversight, and quality control recordkeeping
  • Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to analyze data and produce documentation and reporting
  • Ensured laboratory operations compliance with safety guidelines, industry standards, and regulatory requirements
  • Generated research documentation and effectively presented complex scientific analysis to diverse groups of stakeholders

Research Associate II, In-Vivo Biology

Maxim Pharmaceuticals
01.2002 - 01.2004
  • Coordinated research and operations for in vivo biology laboratory — protocol interpretation, supply management, technical staff scheduling and training, surgical and recovery room preparation, and data collection and review
  • Performed specimen collection, data collection, dose verification, sterile technique, physical exams, and clinical observation documentation
  • Implemented multiple laboratory and surgical techniques — gas and injectable anesthesia administration, intubation, surgical prep and recovery, test article formulation, carotid and femoral cutdowns, and necropsy and euthanasia
  • Initiated and evaluated results of in vivo experiments, surgical procedures, and rodent data and tissue collection
  • Directed ear tag and group study animals for identification

Education

Master of Science - Biochemistry

University of Nebraska
Omaha, NE

Bachelor of Arts - Science

University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE

Skills

  • Small/Large Animal Handling
  • In Vivo Modeling
  • IACUC
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Assay Development
  • Surgical Model Development
  • Clinical Chemistry Analyzers
  • Syngeneic Models
  • Tissue Culture
  • Project Management
  • GLP Compliance
  • Behavior Studies
  • Cancer cell therapies
  • Cell Culture Techniques
  • Training and mentoring

Certification

  • Laboratory Animal Technologist, American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, 01/01/07, Present
  • AALAS Technical Certification, American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, 01/01/04, Present

Timeline

Senior Scientist

Ambrx, Inc.
01.2021 - Current

Self Employed Consultant
01.2018 - 01.2021

Senior Scientist, Physiology Department

aTyr Pharma
01.2015 - 01.2017

Senior Research Associate, In-Vivo Pharmacology-Pain Program Neuroscience

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
01.2009 - 01.2012

Research Associate II, In-Vivo Modeling, Comparative Medicine

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
01.2005 - 01.2008

Research Associate II, In-Vivo Biology

Maxim Pharmaceuticals
01.2002 - 01.2004

Bachelor of Arts - Science

University of Nebraska

Master of Science - Biochemistry

University of Nebraska

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Natalie Erica Wood