Work Preference

Summary

Overview

Work History

Education

Skills

Websites

References

Awards

Publications

Work Availability

Interests

Accomplishments

Portfolio

Software

Affiliations

Timeline

Shamna Sainudeen Kaffila

Analytical Chemist

Murfreesboro,TN

Work Preference

Work Type

Full Time

Location Preference

On-Site

Important To Me

Career advancementWork-life balanceTeam Building / Company RetreatsPaid sick leaveCompany CultureHealthcare benefits

Summary

Analytical Chemist and Fermentation Science professional with over nine years of experience in advanced chemical analysis, food and beverage quality testing, and fermentation research. Skilled in operating and troubleshooting sophisticated instruments including LC-MS/MS, ICP-MS, HPTLC, HPLC, GC-MS, UV-Vis, FTIR, and discrete analyzers, with proven expertise in method development, SOP creation, calibration, and validation. Recently completed a Master of Science in Professional Science (Fermentation Science) at Middle Tennessee State University, where I conducted industry-focused research and a 250+ hour internship in analytical testing of wine, beer, and dairy products. Adept at bridging technical precision with practical applications, ensuring compliance with quality and safety standards, and delivering clear technical communication through educational demonstrations and laboratory instruction. Recognized for strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate effectively across academic, research, and industry environments. Passionate about applying scientific expertise to drive innovation in food, beverage, and fermentation industries while ensuring the highest standards of quality assurance and regulatory compliance.

Overview

years of professional experience

Work History

Graduate Research Assistant

School of Agriculture, Middle Tennessee State University

11.2023 - Current

Researching biodegradable food packaging from kefir under Dr. Keely O’Brien.
Optimizing fermentation parameters (yield, quality, viability) using Good Laboratory Practices.
Developing analytical methods for GC/HPLC to support R&D of fermented products.

Intern

Middle Tennessee State University

01.2025 - 05.2025

Streamlined third-party testing for beer, wine, and dairy, reducing client response time.
Developed novel SOP for RT-PCR equipment to advance fermentation research.
Created GC/HPLC (ThermoFisher) methods for beverage sector samples.
Performed quality analysis of beer/wine, improving fermentation profiles.

Research Assistant

School of Agriculture, MTSU

11.2023 - 09.2024

Analyzed ginsenosides in fermented American Ginseng Beer using LC-MS, GC-MS, HPLC.
Enhanced product quality/safety through compound stability research.

Technical Officer

Univ. of Kerala

03.2018 - 07.2023

Operated LC-MS/MS (Shimadzu), ICP-MS (ThermoFisher), HPTLC (CAMAG); trained researchers.
Developed/validated analytical methods for chromatographic analysis.

Technical Assistant

Univ. of Kerala

10.2013 - 03.2018

Conducted water/geochemical analysis via AAS, UV Spectrophotometry.

Education

Master of Science in Professional Science - Fermentation Science

Middle Tennessee State University

TN, USA

08.2025

Master of Science - Chemistry

Alagappa University

India

01.2011

Bachelor of Science - Chemistry & Industrial Chemistry

University of Kerala

India

01.2009

Skills

Analytical Chemistry & Instrumentation

LC-MS/MS (Shimadzu), ICP-MS (ThermoFisher), HPTLC (CAMAG), HPLC (ThermoFisher Ultra 2000), GC-MS
UV-Vis Spectroscopy, FTIR, AAS, XRD, XRF, Discrete Analyzers (Gallery BeerMaster), Automatic Titrators
Method development, SOP creation, calibration, validation, and troubleshooting

Fermentation Science & Food Quality

Beer, wine, dairy, and distilled spirits quality analysis (SO₂, malic acid, ABV, microbial testing)
Fermentation profiling, nutraceutical product research, and probiotic/functional food applications
Laboratory safety, GLP/GMP compliance, and QC/QA practices

Data Analysis & Research Tools

Statistical analysis: Stat Crunch, advanced Excel (pivot tables, data visualization)

Research design, literature review, and technical/scientific writing (APA/AMA formatting)

Software & Professional Tools

Shimadzu LabSolutions, Thermo Qtegra, Chromeleon, ChemStation/OpenLab, CAMAG winCATS
Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Canva (infographics, posters)
EndNote/Mendeley/Zotero for reference management

Professional Strengths

Strong problem-solving, detail orientation, and time management
Technical communication and educational demonstration (YouTube technical videos on LC-MS/MS, HPTLC, ICP-MS)
Collaborative teamwork, mentoring, and networking in academic and industry settings

Websites

References

Keely, O’Brien, Asst. Prof., Agriculture, keely.obrien@mtsu.edu, 423-488-1892, MTSU
Lindsay, Rogerson, Lab Mgr/Adj. Prof., lrogerson@mtsu.edu, 865-209-9639, MTSU

Awards

Graduate Teaching Assistantship (MTSU, 2024), 2nd Prize: CBAS Graduate Poster (MTSU, 2024), International Access Scholarship (MTSU, 2023), YouTube Technical Demonstrator (Univ. Kerala): HPTLC | LC-MS/MS

Publications

Book Chapter:

Shamna, S. K., S. Ananda Babu, and H. Gurumallesh Prabu. "Mentha arvensisAssisted Synthesis of Silver from Silver Nitrate." Chemistry of Phytopotentials: Health, Energy and Environmental Perspectives. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2012. 353-355.

Journal papers:

1. Raveendran, P., Shaji E. and Shamna, S.K. 2017 Characterization of Groundwater Quality in the Hard Rock Aquifers of Trivandrum District, Kerala, India. Pollution Research, 36(4), 839-842.

2. Namitha L. H. Kamarudeenkunju M., Suhara Beevy S. and Shamna S. K. 2019 Phytochemical characterization of fruits of the Tirunelveli Redwood Tree (Gluta travancorica Bedd.) using LC/MS with XCMS Data Analysis, International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews, 6, 507-510

Work Availability

monday

tuesday

wednesday

thursday

friday

saturday

sunday

morning

afternoon

evening

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Interests

Making wine

Reading

Playing Badminton

Curious about Quantum Mechanics

Accomplishments

During an Internship at Fermentation Science Analytical Laboratory, Improved experiment efficiency by 50% by introducing a revamped protocol and Standard Operating Procedures.

Portfolio

Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry | LC-MS-MS| Shimadzu LC MS 8045 | CLIF| University of Kerala

High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography | CLIF | University of Kerala| KU Padasala

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP - MS) | CLIF | University of Kerala

Software

Analytical & Scientific Software Shimadzu LabSolutions – LC-MS/MS operation, data processing, and method validation Thermo Scientific Qtegra – ICP-MS control, calibration, and quantitation Thermo Scientific Chromeleon / HPLC Software – chromatographic analysis, peak integration, and reporting Agilent ChemStation / OpenLab – HPLC/GC data acquisition and processing CAMAG winCATS – HPTLC method development and image/data analysis Gallery BeerMaster Discrete Analyzer Software – wine/beer quality testing (SO₂, malic acid, ABV) RT-PCR Software Platforms – method setup, thermal cycle programming, and data interpretation

Affiliations

Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) – Graduate Teaching Assistant & Intern, Fermentation Science Analytical Laboratory
University of Kerala – Technical Demonstrator, Educational Video Series (LC-MS/MS, HPTLC, ICP-MS)

Timeline