MRI Imaging Pharmaceutical Biomarkers, In-Vivo Imaging and Medical Device Expert

Expertise

Summary

• Developing imaging biomarkers for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.
• Biomedical imaging and computer sciences.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data acquisition and data analysis, image and signal processing techniques, numerical methods, multicompartmental models and linear systems.
• Development and validation of quantitative imaging (MRI) biomarkers.
• Project management and study design of scientific (R&D) projects.
• Site training and implementation of in-vivo imaging studies.
• Quality control and analysis of imaging data.
• Training in physics of MRI, acquisition protocols and analysis methods.
• Development of pre-clinical and clinical MRI data analysis methods.
• Numerical methods and mathematical modelling.
• Image and signal processing techniques.
• Algorithm development and software prototype.
• In vivo imaging techniques, animal handling and clinical trials.
• Pulse sequence programming environments (C/C&/343+) of major clinical and preclinical MRI scanners.
• MATLAB, PYTHON, JAVA, C, Image processing software (ImageJ, ITK-SNAP, PovRay, Paraview), Statistics packages (R and similar), Unix-like environments.
• Centralized and distributed version control tools (SVN, Git, Bitbucket) and IDE (PyCharm, XCode).

Experience

Undisclosed Company, Independent Consultant, Present

• Developing quantitative imaging biomarkers and data analysis methods for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.
• Manage and support scientific innovation in pipeline, from early development to commercial products or services.
• Creating partnerships; to secure funds in research and development initiatives involving universities and industry.
• Explore initiatives in emerging markets with locations in South America and U.S.A.

Bioxydyn Ltd., Imaging Physics, 2013 - 2017

Imaging Physics-Department Head, 2016 - 2017

• Established the Imaging Physics as an additional capability in the company and defined its new role within the development pipeline of products and services.
• Defined the structure, skills, capabilities and ways of working of the Imaging Physics department.
• Gained experience line managing scientific staff, providing not only technical direction, but also defining processes for performance review and career development of highly qualified personnel.
• Provided strategic input achieving company's goals, with emphasis on research and development aspects of software products and imaging services.
• Supervised and line-managed the staff of the imaging physics department, including scientific and technical direction, professional development and performance management.
• Contributed technical developments, improving portfolio of products and services, such as development of MRI pulse sequence, MRI protocols optimization and development of novel analysis methods for quantitative lung MRI.

Imaging Physicist, 2013 - 2016

• Developed a novel 3D imaging protocol for dynamic oxygen enhanced MRI, resulting in the work presented at prestigious international conferences.
• Invited speaker at 2nd Biennial Lung and Pulmonary Vascular MR Imaging.
• Developed a signal processing algorithm to analyze dynamic oxygen-enhanced MRI data.
• Designed and performed a multi-center and multi-platform study to evaluate novel imaging protocols for dynamic oxygen-enhanced MRI.
• Developed software tools to generate marketing material (3D videos) for conferences and corporative website.
• Gained familiarity with agile software development methodology.
• Developed and optimize MRI sequences to image lungs, brain and joints; develop computational methods for quantitative analysis of dynamic oxygen-enhanced MRI.
• Provided input into the design and implementation of gas delivery systems for oxygen-enhanced MRI; provide training to others in the use of imaging methods; provide technical input into the design, implementation and execution of validation studies and clinical trials involving novel imaging biomarkers; write and contribute to research papers, conferences publications, regulatory documentation, ethics applications and internal Standard Operational Procedures (SOP).
• Collaborated with academic institutions to develop novel pre-clinical and clinical MRI methods.

AstraZeneca,UK, Tissue Diagnostics Group, 2007 - 2013

Senior Research Scientist - Tissue Diagnostics, Personalized Healthcare and Biomarkers, 2012 - 2013

• Delivered patient segmentation analysis tools of histopathology data for use in clinical trials.
• Implementation of image analysis tools for developing tissue-based biomarkers and diagnostic tests, including selection, quality control and project management of validation activities.
• Developed a visualization tool to track progress of projects within the Department.
• Utilized Definiens Tissue Studio software platform.
• Gained understanding of the market landscape of digital pathology and telepathology technologies.
• Participated in a large-scale research project through a precompetitive collaborative research project funded by IMI.

Senior Research Scientist - Imaging, Personalized Healthcare and Biomarkers, 2007 - 2012

• Selected and validated biomedical imaging techniques as potential decision-making safety and efficacy biomarkers.
• Delivered software tools to acquire, analyze and report to the clinical project team, MRI and PET imaging data.
• Developed imaging biomarkers of drug-induced liver injury, resulting in presented at prestigious international conferences, a manuscript, published in a peer-reviewed journal.
• Invited speaker to workshop "Can Systems Biology Aid Personalized Medication?"
• Established two academic collaborations (PhD students).
• Developed a semi-automated quality assurance protocol to evaluate the MRI system performance minimizing down time of the systems and reduced the impact of hardware failures.
• Conducted in-vivo pre-clinical imaging studies.

Pontificia Universidad Catolic de Chile, (DICTUC S.A), Santiago, Chile, 2006 - 2007

Project Engineer - Magnetic Resonance Division

• Design and coordinate the installation of electromagnetic shielding for clinical MRI systems, from site planning to installation and testing.
• Managed a team of engineers to interact continuously with manufacturers and clinicians to ensure the MRI compliance, and met requirements of the equipment and the clinical.
• Provided training on the physics of MRI and MR safety to personnel involved in the operation of the systems.
• Customer service orientation.
• Issue resolution and problem solving with none to minimal resources and information.
• Deliver under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Coach and manage performance of team members.

Honors & Publications

Credentials

• Document markup languages (Latex, HTML).
• SQL, PHP and comfortably using WordPress.
• Microsoft Office - Word, Excel and Power Point.
• Project management software and web-based tools such as Microsoft
• Project, Basecamp, Confluence, JIRA, TeamGantt and similar.
• Machine Learning, Stanford University
• Harmonization of Good Clinical Practices (ICH-GCP) Certification, Whitehall Training Infonetica Ltd, UK
• Experimental Methods in Translational Medicine: Pharmaceutical Cancer Modules
• School of Translational Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
• Accredited Training for personnel working under the Animals, (Scientific Procedures) Act Modules 1, 2, 3, & 4, AstraZeneca, Macclesfield, UK

Languages

• Spanish-Native
• English-Fluent

Academic and Professional Affiliations

• International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine - ISMRM

Publications and Patents

• Author and Co-Author of publications in peer reviewed scientific journals, educational text, and conferences.

Education

• Ph.D. Engineering Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
• M.S. Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
• B.S. Industrial Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
• B.S. Electrical Engineering (Major), Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile