Vera Alexandra Ladislau Benavente

On top of previous responsibilities:

• Train new lab staff members on good laboratory practices and safety
• Research point of contact for Electronic Lab Notebook and Registry/Inventory development and improvements
• Research point of contact Quality Assurance lab-related topics
• Research point of contact for finance questions, legal questions related to orders and purchasing platforms
• Established safety protocol and safeguarding policy to prevent personnel harm and reduce lab incidents.
• Improved laboratory efficiency by streamlining workflows and implementing process improvements.
• Oversaw sourcing and procurement of various lab equipment
• Fostered a positive working environment by promoting open communication among team members and addressing any conflicts promptly.
• Coordinated services for facility daily upkeep and long-term preventive maintenance.
• Implemented robust health and safety processes for minimized workplace risk.

• Educate and support technical and scientific group members from Research and non-Clinical
• Develop and mantain collaborations with support functions (IT, SC, Facilities, BSO, QA)
• Coordination and consultation of key stakeholders for the work conducted in the labs
• Initiate and write reports and SOP's, WI and Templates (like logbooks)
• Cost allocation of lab supplies
• Ensuring compliance with internal and external regulations for all lab activities (HSE and GLP)
• Ensure up to date files, procedures and manuals in the appropriated systems
• Identify and propose new areas of development and improvement

• Supported 2 practical courses, Microbiology and Genetics (first year bachelor courses).
• OJT tp new internship students and colleagues on usage of machines and techniques and lab safety.
• Ensuring GMO compliance- review GMO and non-GMO organisms are up to date in a database. Working closely with the bio-safety officer (BVF/BSO) to ensure our permits are up to date and Nagoya obligations have the proper documentation.
• Participated actively in regular meetings with fellow researchers to discuss project updates, challenges faced, and lessons learned during ongoing activities.
• Organized research materials, maintaining a well-ordered workspace conducive to productivity.
• Managed laboratory equipment and resources, ensuring proper maintenance and optimal functionality (several plate readers, HPLC, GCMSMS, etc)
• Participated in lab meetings and project presentations.
• Assisted scientists by collecting and organizing laboratory data.
• Troubleshot and resolved equipment and process issues.

In this position I am responsible to order consumables, and making sure the labs are clean and proper. Get an overview of the -80 stocks and if the lists are up to date. I am the HPLC expert, ensuring it's function, calibration is up to date, troubleshooting, performing small maintenance and help scientist with their data. For the time I was in this position I worked with prolonged cultivations in chemostats and pH-auxostats with L. lactis. Have extensive knowledge of molecular microbiology and microbe cultivation acquired from my studies, internships and as a guest researcher.

• The aim goal of the project was to create a knock-out system in Lactococcus lactis
• Design plasmids to get high copy number to transform in L. lactis and finnally knock-out the genes
• Assisted in the preparation and practicals in molecular biology course

• I've started as a costumer care assistant and then I was promoted Team Leader
• As team leader I had to be sure my assistants were motivated, gfive them coaching about new information, make sure they keep good work, manage scales, contracts, check salarie recits when any doubt was asked, cirsis management and secure quality
• Travessa do pinheir, 26, 1200-764, Lisbon, Portugal

• Testing blood samples for HIV
• Extracting RNA
• Synthesizing cDNA via rt-PCR
• Amplifying specific parts of HIV genome, with self designed primers (normal, nested and hemi-nested PCR)
• Analyze the results in agarose gel
• Analyze the sequences obtained to classify the samples
• Polyacrylamide gel
• Testin a purifying plasmids via DNA kit

• During my last high school year and during my graduating years I've worked as a telemarketing assistant, host in congress meetings, and done consumer satisfaction questionnaires
• After my graduation in marine biology, I've worked at a post-sales department of a big retail sale store for one year