Wahala Wahala

About Wahala Wahala

Over the past decade at Elanco, I have driven scientific innovation and excellence across various roles, culminating in my current position as Principal Research Scientist. My contributions have significantly advanced Elanco’s biotherapeutics and therapeutic vaccine pipeline, demonstrating a commitment to scientific innovation and regulatory excellence. Through strategic leadership, technical expertise, and collaborative efforts, I have been a cornerstone in establishing robust assays to characterize hit and lead molecules, as well as developing methods for PK and ADA, supporting preclinical and clinical bioanalysis, and furthering Elanco’s mission to deliver innovative health solutions.

Experience

1. Principal Research Scientist- Functional and Bioanalytical Assay - Discovery Sciences

   Elanco

   Oct 2022 — Present · Greenfield, IN, US

   Leadership and Management: Direct a small team of scientists in developing and managing bioanalytical assays (PK/PD/ADA) to support large molecule protein therapeutics and novel vaccine projects. Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for large molecule bioanalysis needs within discovery sciences and establish satellite bioanalysis labs within the organization.• Innovation: Identify scientific gaps and implement innovative solutions to enhance project success. Apply the \"End in Mind\" concept to streamline product lifecycle development.• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure assay development adheres to FDA, ICH, VICH, and USDA guidelines, maintaining high regulatory standards throughout the process.• Collaboration: Work closely with PK/PD/ADME scientists, clinical study groups, and regulatory personnel to drive multiple projects forward. Provide guidance and technical support to harmonize assays, reduce cycle time in assay development, and establish, qualify, and validate PK and ADA assays at various stages of product development.• Strategic Partnerships: Evaluate bioanalytical CROs for strategic partnerships, overseeing assay development, qualification, and validation for GLP and non-GLP studies.

Education

• University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

  B.Sc, Botany, Microbiology

• UNC School of Medicine

  PhD, Microbiology & Immunology

  2004 — 2009

Skills

• Dna Sequencing
• Protein Purification
• Rna Isolation
• Cell Culture
• Molecular Biology
• Flow Cytometry
• Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (Rt-Pcr)
• Molecular Virology
• Immunology
• Assay Development
• Protein Chemistry
• Bacterial Culture
• Site-Directed Mutagenesis
• Virus Culture
• Tissue Culture
• Pcr
• Chromatography
• Cell Biology
• Immunofluorescence
• Microbiology
• Microscopy
• Recombinant Dna Technology
• Genetics
• Immunoprecipitation
• In Vitro
• Bacterial Identification
• Sequence Analysis
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (Pcr)
• Elisa
• Transfection
• Recombinant Dna
• Molecular Cloning
• Cell
• Qpcr
• Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Qpcr)
• Sub-Unit Vaccine Design
• Phylogenetics
• Western Blotting
• Rt-Pcr
• Confocal Microscopy