I am passionate about design and application. As an application engineer I strive to meet and exceed the customers expectations of what their automation instrumentation can do for them. Focusing on reliability and performance. Specializing in being able to translate manual assays to fully or semi automated processes.

Automation and Support Engineer II @ - Provide support to the CLIA lab with troubleshoot of liquid handlers, reader, and various integrated hardware. - Developed new diagnostic methods for determining the health of standard curves in the ELISA assays - Supported the internal support group with automated log analysis of liquid handlers using VBA. From February 2015 to Present (9 months) Alameda, CAAutomation Application Engineer @ - Work with customers to create custom applications as well as supporting and upgrading existing applications. - Coordinate with engineering and manufacturing to ensure the success of custom products for customer applications. - Support engineering and manufacturing with feedback, testing, and suggestions for improvements during the role out of several new products. - Act as primary application and development resource for a new first in class product. - Help to drive the development of new software through testing and providing feature requirements. - Provided nation wide hands-on trouble shooting and service needs for customers. - Supported sales with technical expertise and applications. - Responsible for managing customer relationships vital to the company. From February 2012 to February 2015 (3 years 1 month) Automation Engineer @ -Supported the automated assays of the clinical and development groups. Helped to keep production running efficiently with day to day troubleshooting -Developed method enhancements for both cost efficiency and throughput as the clinical lab prepared to handle a ramp up in sample capacity • Hamilton Star Liquid Handlers -Responsible for good documentation practices such as IQs and OQs for new methods and instruments as well as for methods fixes and enhancements From April 2011 to August 2011 (5 months) Automation Scientist @ -Supported the production group on different customer accounts by developing custom methods with a variety of automation tools •Agilent Automation Solutions: Bravo liquid handler BenchCel microplate handler VPrep liquid handler •TecanEvo - Enabled the production group to produce serial dilution plates; method development and qualification (Bravo) and log file processing for upload into compound management database(Visual Basic embedded) -Used Visual Basic 6 to create executable programs to integrate standalone barcode scanners and automated plate labelers. -Facilitated the execution of manual weighing by developing spreadsheets with imbedded macros for automated data capture. From June 2009 to April 2011 (1 year 11 months) Research Associate @ - Responsible for maintaining, troubleshooting, and performing experiments using robotic instrumentation (BioCel (Agilent Automated Solutions ), Hamilton Star liquid handler) - Developed automation assays of additional Tier 1 and II protocols (including the use of JavaScript for the Biocel platform) • Semi-automated protocol for Plasma Protein Binding on the Hamilton Star • Fully-automated protocol for IC50 Shift (Time Dependent Inhibition) assay on the BioCel • Fully automated protocol for Plasma Protein Binding on the BioCel using the Thermo RED device -Obtained necessary automation skills to fully support the protocols used in the DMPK department through independent study (VWorks Software, Javascript, Hamilton Software,) as well as collaboration within the group (IC50 shift assay, Plasma Protein Binding). - Contributed to the metabolism team in DMPK by performing Tier I assays, metabolic stability (microsomes) and CYP inhibition experiments, and analyzed the samples by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (API QTrap4000) From September 2008 to June 2009 (10 months) South San Francisco, CAScientist @ - Worked on time sensitive projects as part of a lead optimization group that provided reliable ADME, and PK/PD data for small molecule discovery programs - Daily activities: LM half life assays and CYP P450 IC50 assays; Preparation of tumor and plasma PK/PD samples; Assay and PK/PD sample analysis by LC-MS/MS (Waters –Quattro/Micro and API 4000). - Completed Projects: QC method validation for small molecule compound by LC-MS/MS; High-throughput method development for CYP IC50 assay. Method automation for LM half life and CYP IC50 assays (Biomeck FX liquid handler). From October 2007 to June 2008 (9 months) Woburn, MAScientist 1 @ - Responsible for transfer and development of analytical methods from Research and Development to Analytical group (HPLC, LCMS, MALDI-TOF) - Trouble-shooting and method development of preparative RP-HPLC in support of PNA manufacturing (Waters 2767 sample manager with 2487 dual wavelength detector and 600E pump + controller) - Completed training on the QStar LC-MS/MS system - PNA solid phase synthesis(Expedite 8909) - Method development for MALDI-TOF MS (Voyager DE) - Developed a good understanding of Mass Lynx, Fraction Lynx, and Open Lynx software - Created operating procedures in support of site-wide transition to ISO 9001:2000 standard - Responsible for the training of contract personnel in all aspects of custom PNA manufacturing From November 2002 to November 2004 (2 years 1 month) Bedford, MA

Bachelor's degree, Organic Chemistry @ Bard College From 1998 to 2001 Michael Starace is skilled in: Microsoft Excel, Training, Visual Basic, JavaScript, C#, Customer Relations, Problem Solving, Post-sales Support, Pre-Sales Technical..., Liquid Handling