Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany
I'm a committed scientist and project manager with 10+ years of R&D experience and a passion for solving problems at the cross-section of chemistry and biology. I'm an expert in: • Biopolymers, polymer synthesis and organic chemistry • Bioconjugation strategies (site-directed and traditional) and chemical bond stability • Purification, functionalization & analysis of polysaccharides, proteins, peptides and antibodies • Nanotechnology, drug delivery, and ophthalmology I have extended knowledge of: • Immunology & immuno-oncology • Isolation & analysis of blood cell types • Agile project management (SCRUM, Kanban) • Quality management (GMP and ISO9001) • Data analysis and Design of Experiment I have hands-on experience in instrumental analytics: Spectroscopy (NMR, FTIR, UV/vis, Fluorescence) | Chromatography (SEC/GPC, HPLC-DAD/-MS) | Light scattering (DLS, SLS) | Thermal analyses (TGA, DSC, Tycho) | Mechanical tests (DMTA, tensile tests) | Rheology (Viscosity, Gelation) | SDS-PAGE | Flow cytometry I believe that the key to good communication is understanding your audience and following a clear storyline. I'm (co)author to several research articles and conference presentations and have won 1 award for my clear and enthusiastic presentation style. I enjoy taking responsibility for projects. My strong organizational and decision-making capabilities have helped me to draw up realistic project plans and meet deadlines. I have contributed to successful projects in research institutes across Germany, Sweden and Finland, where my outgoing and open-minded personality enabled me to quickly adapt to multicultural teams and new working environments. I like to get involved with building community that supports open discussion and inclusivity, e.g. as chairwoman of a student association. I'm seeking challenges and learning opportunities to grow personally and professionally. I would like to contribute to the development of innovative treatments that cure diseases and improve people's everyday lives. I'm intrigued by topics of polymers for drug delivery and medical devices, digitalization in healthcare and pharmaceutical development, sustainability, equality and women in science. Visit my personal website → tinaborke.com ← to learn more about my research interests and to read my blog! You can also contact me on my website. Let's get in touch!
As a project manager at Kreussler, I'm spearheading an international and interdisciplinary collaboration project aimed at creating synergies for the production, distribution, and compliance management of pharmaceuticals. I'm coordinating the transfer of a medicinal product to a new manufacturing site including the necessary variations to worldwide marketing authorizations and maintaining compliance to GMP guidelines. I'm involved in strategic decisions about marketing and sales, oversee the supply chain, arrange formation of contracts, and mediate between cross-functional teams and organizations.
Completed comprehensive training in Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and quality management in the pharmaceutical industry. My graduation project was focused on Quality by Design according to the ICH Q8 guideline and its implementation in the development of biopharmaceuticals.
As a team coordinator and scientist in R&D Chemical Biology, I coordinated concurrent research efforts across 3 business segments (cell therapy, cell analysis & cell isolation). My responsibilities included the bioconjugation of antibodies, proteins, fluorochromes, and magnetic nanoparticles, as well as the development of polymer coatings for next generation "stealth" beads. In addition to my long-term experience in synthetic and polymer chemistry, I have gained hands-on experience in the purification and analysis of proteins, nanoparticles, and various blood cell types. Furthermore, I have managed collaborations with contract manufacturers, performed literature and patent searches, and counseled other groups & departments on bioconjugation and polymer questions. Some of my accomplishments were: • I spearheaded the bioconjugation development of an antibody-based drug substance until transfer to clinical production. • I redesigned the bioconjugation development of a peptide reagent for in vitro diagnostics of CAR T cells to improve sensitivity by 400 %. • I directed an agile research project for a new cell isolation reagent based on magnetic nanoparticles with a team of 5 developers. • I authored 6 development and project reports required by design control. • I coauthored 3 invention disclosures and 2 patent applications. • I presented projects in an engaging and understandable way to an interdisciplinary audience at departmental and management meetings. • I trained and mentored technical staff, students and apprentices I have been on parental leave from 6/2021 to 12/2022.
I planned and executed a research project tackling the pharmacokinetic challenges of sustained intravitreal drug delivery in collaboration with researchers from the Center for Drug Research, University of Helsinki. I designed and synthesized polymer materials based on natural (polysaccharides, i.e. hyaluronic acid) and synthetic polymers (multifunctional polyethers), and characterized the materials' structure, purity and physicochemical properties using a broad range of instrumental analytics. I introduced a novel drug delivery concept, i.e. "polymer-from-polymer" release, and devised strategies to quantify the release kinetics. During the project I gained extensive experience in the field of ophthalmology (e.g. eye physiology, eye diseases, drug delivery strategies and medical devices), as well as in bioconjugation techniques, stability of chemical bonds under physiological conditions and targeted drug delivery. I developed excellent communication skills, exchanging ideas with and reporting results to collaborators and stakeholders with different (scientific) backgrounds, as well as presenting my work at 12 international conferences and in countless seminars within the University of Helsinki. I won one oral presentation award for my clear and enthusiastic presentation style. I authored 3 peer-reviewed research articles and a PhD thesis titled "Hyaluronic acid graft copolymers as potential vehicles for intravitreal drug delivery". I supported my research and conference travel by acquiring more than 120 000 € in competitive grants. Furthermore, I practiced my management and motivational skills planning and supervising 7 student research projects, including successful Bachelor's and Master's theses. And I dedicated my time building community as chairwoman of the student association HYPPY ry (12/2014 - 12/2017).
I initiated an exchange and secured funding for my research stay at KTH. There, I devised a project plan to systematically examine the copolymerization of L-lactide and the, at the time, novel bio-based monomer ε-decalactone. Polylactide (PLA) is a biodegradable polyester made from renewable resources and is widely used in commodity plastics as well as in biomedical applications, such as drug delivery. Copolymerization is used to overcome the brittleness of PLA that limits certain uses. I synthesized different polymer architectures (random and block copolymers with 2-3 blocks) by ring-opening polymerization and investigated the (co)polymerization kinetics, polymer (micro)structures, thermal and mechanical properties. I produced PLA copolymers with 250-fold enhanced toughness and thermal stability that were, depending on the composition, transparent and/or stretchable by 1000 %. I authored a Master's thesis titled "Synthesis of Advanced Materials from Renewable Resources" and coauthored 1 peer-reviewed scientific article.