By January 2021, just over a year after the virus was first identified, there were over 100 million cases of COVID-19 reported worldwide and several viral variants in circulation. The unprecedented nature of the pandemic has magnified the need for accelerated scientific discoveries as researchers strive to bring novel therapeutics, vaccines and diagnostic solutions to market.
One of the core tenets of viral research lies in understanding how the virus interacts with biological targets and protective antibodies, and access to reliable, sensitive and automated technology is paramount to our progress.
During this session, we’ll discuss how surface plasmon resonance (SPR) has been widely adopted for label-free biomolecular characterization, and demonstrate the application of this powerful technique with a study on developing a novel COVID-19 diagnostic assay.
Senior Product Manager, Nicoya
As Senior Product Manager, Soleil supports the development of innovative surface plasmon resonance (SPR) platforms at Nicoya. Having pursued a BSc from the University of Waterloo and CFA level 1, she combines her interests in the life sciences and finance with her passion for technology adoption to drive innovation in scientific research. By leveraging her diverse background, Soleil is able to bring a comprehensive perspective as she works with leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations to understand their biggest research problems and deliver strategic solutions.
Systems Integration Manager, Nicoya
Dr. Mike Piazza is a Systems Integration Manager with proven expertise in improving R&D and decision making in the biotechnology sector. Mike acquired his PhD in chemistry from the University of Waterloo and has years of experience in leveraging SPR platforms to solve researchers’ pain points. At Nicoya, Mike identifies, confirms, and interprets performance issues related to individual assays and instrument modules.
Chief Business Officer, Sino Biological
Dr. Burgess has 25 years of experience in the Life Sciences reagents and services industry. After obtaining his doctorate from MD Anderson Cancer Center in 1995 he co-founded the gene targeting and drug discovery company Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, and has since held other positions such as Director of Scientific Sourcing and New Technologies for Serologicals Corporation, Vice President of Business Development for Stem Cell Sciences, Vice President of Business Development for RayBiotech and most recently Chief Business Officer for Sino Biological. In addition, he has published his research in major scientific journals including Nature and Science and has authored two college textbooks focused on the study of stem cells and nanotechnology.