Lateral Flow Workshop

Andre Alfaro earned his B.S. in Human Biology and B.A. in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, San Diego, where he spent several years characterizing surface markers on cancer stem cells for potential use as targets for nanoparticle delivery systems of cancer vaccines. He then joined Astute Medical in 2008 where he began a career developing and commercializing dozens of In-Vitro Diagnostics tests on both the lateral flow and ELISA platforms for multiple disease indications. His work on the identification of acute kidney biomarkers led to a successful de novo 510(K) submission and CE mark of the Nephro Check test. In 2018, he joined the nanoComposix (Now part of Fortis Life Sciences) team to bring his 10+ years of development, quality, and regulatory training to the lateral flow group.

Dr. Claude Nogues has been working on the development of Kimialys’ patented technology for the past 10 years, as a CNRS researcher at the ENS Paris-Saclay. She is an expert in physical-chemistry, and biophysics, as well as surface and colloid chemistry. Claude is the author of 35+ peer-reviewed scientific papers, and she has held several post-doctoral positions at the Weizmann Institute.

From a background in crop sciences at the University of Nottingham and then an industry-funded R&D organization, Paul found his way into diagnostics some 20 years ago. His first encounter was through lateral flow products for agri-food targets, where he led the business development activity for Forsite Diagnostics. In 2018, Paul raised funding for a spin-out company taking a rapid diagnostic technology from Bristol University through development, but the pandemic had a fatal impact on generating the investment required. On the positive side of the pandemic, Paul was invited to join Mologic (now GADx) to help with the covid-related workload. He now manages several projects and focuses on the transition from prototype to product, working in the exciting space between what customers desire and what is practically possible.

Sarah Zachmann has worked with Cytiva for five years and is currently working as a Senior Diagnostic Scientist on immune and molecular diagnostic applications. She has a master’s degree in Infection Biology and Microbiology.

Virginia obtained a Science bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and a PhD in Science from Zaragoza University in Spain. She joined OPERON S.A. as a Project Manager at the Lateral Flow (LF) R&D Department in 2010. She was in charge of the design and development of rapid tests. Since 2015, she has worked as LF Product Specialist at the Sales & Marketing Department designing product specifications, providing technical support, and managing contract manufacturing accounts.

Candice has over 12 years of experience working in regulated environments, including metallurgical analysis, and environmental and medical devices. Candice has a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry and Analytical Science, and is proficient in the implementation and maintenance of quality management systems for ISO 9001, ISO 13485, and ISO 14001 along with managing global registrations of medical devices.

Nina has over 22 years of experience in lateral flow research and development and has held a number of senior technical roles throughout her career at some of the big-name global diagnostics firms in the market. Nina joined Abingdon in 2019 and was appointed R&D Director in 2020, overseeing all proof of concept and new product development projects. Nina’s specialty is leading R&D development teams to successful project completion and commercialization of products.

Dr. Aart van Amerongen studied Medical Biology at the University of Utrecht. His primary courses were in Immunology, Neuro-Endocrinology, and Biochemistry. He received his PhD from the same university on a nonspecific cholesterol and phospholipid transfer protein from human and bovine liver. As a postdoc, he was involved in antibody epitope mapping by synthetic peptides (PEPSCAN technology; Wageningen BioVeterinary Research; WBVR). Since 1990, he is heading the group BioSensing & Diagnostics (BSD) at a sister-institute of WBVR, the not-for-profit contract research Institute Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, part of Wageningen University & Research. The group focuses on the development of rapid, multi-analyte diagnostic platforms and applications, often in close collaboration with and/or on behalf of companies. Dr. Van Amerongen is one of the founders and organizers of the conference series Rapid Methods Europe (2004 onwards) of which the 15th event will take place in Amsterdam from 6 to 8 November 2023.

Neil Polwart has worked at the interface of chemistry, physics, biology, and software throughout his PhD and subsequent career, and has nearly 20 years of experience working with Lateral Flow technology. He founded Novarum DX Ltd, in 2012, and continues to lead this business unit within BBI since its acquisition in 2016, helping clients from a wider range of industries transition their lateral flow tests to mobile read solutions.

Alison has over 25 years of experience working across the One Health Spectrum in both academia and industry. The focus of her work has been on the development and application of molecular and immunological systems to inform decision-making on the ground. From writing and securing grant funding, to taking a project from concept through to product delivery in the marketplace, the main focus of her work has been to support uptake and market adoption. Areas of expertise include bio-aerosol monitoring for allergens and inoculum-associated disease transmission events. Working at GADx, is focused to work across the company to shape and build the One Health offer, supporting innovation and translating to products that support animal health and welfare, food production systems (field to fork), the environment, and ultimately human health. Her mission is to make diagnostics accessible, available, and affordable to those that need them most.

Dr. Barbara Cvak has worked on Lateral Flow devices at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, since 2007, cooperating closely with Romer Labs from the very beginning.

After two years she moved to the company’s headquarters in 2010, and has been working on the development of highly sensitive and quantitative Lateral Flow tests for the food and feed business since then. Beyond her function as Research Team Leader at Romer Labs she is also responsible for product transfers from development to production, as well as product conformity with external validation processes.

Barbara graduated from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna in Food Science and Biotechnology followed by a Doctorate degree.

Melanie Bader is an accomplished researcher with more than 13 years of experience in the biotechnology and In-Vitro Diagnostics industries. Her extensive skill set includes cell culture, assay development, drug discovery, cell biology, and molecular biology. She serves as a Research Scientist II and Training Specialist at DCN Dx, where she solves complex lateral flow development challenges and teaches the Basic Lateral Flow Training Course. Melanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from the University of California, Riverside.

Kevin Land is the head of the innovative Research and Development (iR&D) group at Global Access Diagnostics (GADx) and former director of the Centre for Advanced Rapid Diagnostics (CARD) at Mologic, UK, and an extraordinary professor at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He has been actively involved with microsystems technology for the last 20 years and works in the areas of microfluidics, microsystems engineering, medical diagnostics, and low-cost diagnostic technologies for low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

He established and led the microsystems and microfluidics technology capabilities at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa. He has worked extensively on micromanufacturing applications with laser technology.

Kevin has a passion to develop equipment free or minimally instrumented low-cost diagnostics solutions utilizing printed functionality, paper (or low-cost) substrates and new and novel manufacturing technologies - particularly for developing countries where such solutions would have a massively transformative impact and have the opportunity to reach billions of people. These are criteria encompassed by the REASSURED criteria.

Michael has worked in the biotech industry and held various positions in business development, product management, and sales for over 20 years. Michael started his commercial career with Whatman (now part of Cytiva) where he was responsible for the OEM sales of materials for lateral flow test strips. After that, he worked as a business development consultant in various companies, mainly in the field of lateral flow tests. During this time he also supported ESE GmbH (now DIALUNOX) in creating a marketing strategy for their newly developed lateral flow reader. Currently, he holds the position of managing director of DIALUNOX GmbH, a subsidiary of QIAGEN - a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for optical measurement instruments, mainly for point of need/point of care applications.

Anthony Leembruggen, 1960, Beirut, Lebanon. Education: Social Sciences, Business Economics, MBA in Industrial Marketing and Management, University of Amsterdam. Over 25of years of experience in supplying Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Manufacturers. Specialized with Medical Grade adhesives (Transdermal, Wound care, Bio Sensors). Main focus: In Vitro Diagnostics and Lateral Flow Immunoassays. Founded KENOSHA in 1997 to become a specialized supplier of adhesive and laminate materials to the biotech industry with a strong focus on In Vitro Diagnostics. Main materials for IVD Manufacturing: Backing Cards, Cover Tapes, and custom die-cuts.

A leading expert in the development of lateral flow diagnostic tests and associated technology with over 25 years of IVD industry experience. Extensive experience in contract development of lateral flow tests in all market areas including human clinical, toxicology, veterinary, defense, environmental, and agriculture/aquaculture. Founder and Managing Director of Lateral Dx Ltd, who offers Contract Development, Consultancy, and Manufacture of lateral flow tests.

A leading expert in the development of lateral flow diagnostic tests. Absolute Biotech unites multiple antibody-centric brands into a single organization specializing in antibody reagents, kits, and services. Our antibody sequencing, antibody engineering, and recombinant expression services help diagnostic developers ensure a secure supply chain and high-quality assay results for the entire lifespan of a diagnostic. Our catalog includes many clinically relevant reagents, including infectious disease antibodies, research-grade biosimilars, and isotype controls. Alex Scott is our UK Business Development Manager, with a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Bath and prior scientific roles in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery.

Dr. Ahmed Jehanli graduated from Essex University in 1976 with a B.Sc. Honors degree in Biological Chemistry followed by M.Sc. in Immunology and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Birmingham and Bath Universities, respectively. This was followed by 18 years of working in academia. In 1998, he moved to work in industry and joined Cozart Bioscience/Concateno/Alere Toxicology as a research and development manager where he spent 11 years developing laboratory-based enzyme immunoassays and lateral flow tests for drugs of abuse in saliva. In 2009, he joined Ipro Interactive and then Soma Bioscience, where he developed quantitative lateral flow tests in saliva and other matrices. Dr. Ahmed carries out contract research development of lateral flow tests.

Mark has a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Cardiff and has worked for over 18 years in the Lateral Flow arena. Mark’s roles have spanned R&D, Project Management, Technology Transfer, Validation, Operations, and PMO functions and he has been involved in the development, transfer, and ongoing manufacture of numerous lateral flow tests in the market. After 15 years with BBI, Mark joined Abingdon Health in 2020 and in his role as COO, he oversees the technical transfer, manufacturing, technical support, supply chain, quality control, and project management functions.

Noan got a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry in 2008 from the University of Namur in Belgium. After, he joined the Belgian diagnostic company Unisensor as part of the R&D staff before he became an R&D Manager in 2010. During ten years, Noan was accountable for the development and production of haptens and protein conjugates, gold nanoparticles, and antibody gold conjugates. He also developed fluorescent and colloidal gold quantitative and qualitative lateral flow immunoassays and microfluidic Point-of-care tests for antibiotics and mycotoxins. In 2020, he moved to a Business Development Leader position where he evaluated new business opportunities for Unisensor. In 2021, Noan was appointed Managing Director of Nano Flow and is today driving all research, operational, and commercial activities.

Darren Rowles is the Head of Diagnostics at Sona Nanotech. With 20 years of experience in the Lateral Flow diagnostics industry, he has taken Sona from an academic laboratory to being a publicly listed company in Canada with interests in both the diagnostics field and cancer therapies. He has expertise in all areas of LFA (Lateral Flow Application) development, from particle creation, conjugation techniques, and assay development to clinical study design, execution, and product launch. With a keen interest in product innovation and sustainability, he is a champion of industry collaboration to generate simpler and better diagnostic testing solutions that benefit everyone and minimize the impact on the planet.

Eva Angeli is a biologist who works as a research associate at Prognosis Biotech, a company that develops and manufactures lateral flow tests for clinical and food science applications based in Greece. She has a strong background in this field, with seven years of experience in both research and development and production supervision. She has been involved in the creation and validation of several lateral flow tests for different diseases, including COVID-19 and Flu. She has also overseen the production process of more than 30 million tests during the pandemic, ensuring fast and accurate results for healthcare professionals and individuals when needed.

Dr. Klaus Hochleitner is cell and molecular biologist and has worked on immune and molecular diagnostic applications for more than 30 years. He has presented on lateral flow diagnostics and materials used therein at workshops and scientific conferences since 1997, and also holds a couple of patents in this field. His current role is Global Lead Technical Product Specialist Diagnostics for Cytiva.

Simon Thacker is responsible for BioDot’s operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In his 16 years at BioDot, he has also headed up Support and Applications in the above territories. Not afraid to roll up his sleeves, Simon is still an active part of the support team. Backed up with over 20 years' experience in Pharma R&D, his aim is to enable and inspire diagnostic practitioners’ ideas from R&D to commercialized products.

Judith Witte is an Application Specialist at Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH. Born and raised in Berlin, Germany she graduated from TU Berlin with a Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2021. She has extensive experience in the field of polymer chemistry. During her research, she stayed at the Bio interfaces Institute at the University of Michigan, Judith was able to expand her knowledge from a purely chemical perspective into the realm of Biochemistry. Judith joined Sartorius in December 2020 where she had the opportunity to work with nitrocellulose membranes all the way from the casting process to microbiological and diagnostic applications. In her free time, Judith likes to bake, study Spanish, and play board games with her friends.

Robert is a pioneer in rapid In-vitro Diagnostics and the founder & CEO of RAPIvD. His career started in the 1980s at Unipath as a member of the team who invented the world’s first point-of-care lateral flow device, Clearblue. He studied at the University of Wales, Swansea, graduating with a BSc and MPhil in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Chemistry and Immunodiagnostics. He later worked for Unilever and the National Physical Laboratory before founding his first company in 2011 and most recently, RAPIvD in 2018. His work has been published in numerous journals and he has multiple patents to his name.

As a former international athlete, Joe’s professional background is in applied Sports Science and he has consulted with Olympic and World Champions in seven different sports, as well as consulting to national teams and soccer clubs in the Premier League and Europe. Nowadays, he is the Managing Director of Soma Bioscience, a UK-based company that develops and sells its own quantitative Lateral Flow assays and also performs contract development work for other companies. Joe has also co-presented sports shows for BBC and other radio stations covering a variety of topics.

Alan Deery is currently the Sales Manager for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Russia at BioDot Ltd. He has over 15 years of technical sales and marketing experience in the diagnostic industry. Previously, he worked for British-based manufacturers, Microgen Bioproducts and Solus Scientific Solutions, with a focus on developing business in international markets. He is also a proud father of a gorgeous daughter that does not sleep.