Abuzar Kabir
Postdoctoral Associate
International Forensic Research Institute, Miami
USA
Biography
Dr. Abuzar Kabir, a Research Assistant Professor at the International Forensic Research Institute (IFRI), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University (FIU), Miami, Florida, USA, is a Separation Scientist and Materials Chemist. He has received his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from University of South Florida (USF), Tampa, Florida, USA with specialization in sol-gel synthesis. His cutting-edge research in the field of chromatographic separation and analytical/bioanalytical sample preparation has already made significant improvements in the current state-of-the-art. His research has earned international reputation for the synthesis, characterization and applications of a large number of novel sol-gel derived advanced material systems in the form of chromatographic stationary phases, surface coatings of high-efficiency microextraction sorbents, nanoparticles, microporous and mesoporous functionalized sorbents, sol-gel based molecularly imprinted polymers, metal imprinted polymers, and particles encapsulated in sol-gel sorbent media and their applications for analyzing trace and ultra-trace level concentration of polar, medium polar, nonpolar, ionic analytes, heavy metals, and organometallic pollutants from different sample matrices. He is an ardent advocate of Green Analytical Chemistry (GAC). As a part of his commitment to Green Analytical Chemistry initiatives, he integrates green sample preparation technologies, efficient chromatographic separation methods and chemometric design of experiment (DoE) to obtain high quality analytical data in a cost-effective manner. His recent inventions, fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE), dynamic fabric phase sorptive extraction (DFPSE), capsule phase microextraction (CPME), molecular imprinting technology, superpolar sorbents, in-vial microextraction (IVME) have drawn tremendous interests among researchers and academics working in the field. He has developed and formulated more than 100 high efficiency sol-gel hybrid inorganic-organic sorbents based on Silicon, Titanium, Zirconium, Germanium and Tantalum chemistries. He has invented 16-patented technologies in the area of chromatographic separation and analytical/bioanalytical sample preparation. He has also authored/co-authored 9 book chapters, 6 review articles, 46 research articles and 89 conference papers.
Research Interest
Dr. Kabir’s research interfaces materials chemistry with analytical chemistry, separation sciences, clinical chemistry, toxicology, forensic chemistry, food science, phytochemistry, environmental chemistry, and metabolomics.
Brigitte Simons
Business Development Executive
Molecular Science Corp
Canada
Biography
Dr. Brigitte Simons is a business development executive in support of leading-edge laboratory services and data management tools for the development of safe cannabis. Bridging expertise within analytical science, pharma drug development, and environmental testing – Brigitte has a professional track record for laboratory testing instrumentation, software and sample contract design for the Canadian federal agencies, such as Canadian Food Inspection, Health Canada, Agriculture Canada, and Environment Canada. She spent over 6 years working in the Drug Toxicology and Analysis Division at Health Canada in a mass spectrometry facility testing. She completed two post-doctoral fellowships at the Clinical Sciences Hospital of the National Heart, Blood & Lung Institute within the famous NIH campus in Maryland, USA. Continuing on in lab specialities, Brigitte then joined SCIEX, a global instrumentation vendor for hardware and software for mass spectrometry. With over 15 years experience with operating mass spectrometers, Brigitte managed Canadian federal and provincial government sales for full laboratory services, covering clinical, forensics to product health and environmental safety. Prior to working abroad, Brigitte received her Ph.D. in Chemical Biology at the University of Ottawa in a joint chemistry program with drug pharmacology at Health Canada.
Research Interest
Bridging expertise within analytical science, pharma drug development, and environmental testing – Brigitte has a professional track record for laboratory testing instrumentation, software and sample contract design for the Canadian federal agencies, such as Canadian Food Inspection, Health Canada, Agriculture Canada, and Environment Canada.
Biography
I have been working in the field of analytical chemistry and chromatography for over 25 years, complete with a variety of publications, speeches, webinars, and a wide range of experience. I first earned my B.Sc. in Chemistry with two minors in engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, and then a doctorate in Physical-Organic chemistry at Northeastern University, in Boston. My first employment involved a novel semi-synthetic taxane process, for which I helped developed a chromatographic purification system earning a patent. Over the course of my current career, I have largely worked with small-molecule chromatography, with much of my more creative work involving the Corona Charged Aerosol Detector. At ESA, Dionex, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, I created application notes and posters, gave many presentations, and wrote a couple of book chapters. I also enjoyed providing some ideas for improving the detector's capabilities. I am currently employed as a Senior Scientist at a pharmaceutical CRO, Boston Analytical, in Salem, New Hampshire.
Research Interest
Method Development and Optimization for HPLC and GC methods. Qualification, and Validation, Documentation (SOP, TDR, Protocols, URS). LIMS configuration and installation. Demonstrated skills in troubleshooting and optimization.
