Open to opportunities

Kayla Stafford

@kaylastafford

Message

Motivated scientist specializing in immunology and analytical laboratory workflows.

United States

Message

What I'm looking for

I seek a collaborative lab role where I can apply immunology and analytical skills, contribute to compliant, high-quality research, and continue technical growth.

I am a motivated and results-driven scientist with a B.S. in Biology and hands-on experience in immunology, microbiology, and analytical laboratory techniques. At Thermo Fisher Scientific I develop and validate immunological experiments, review and analyze data for GMP/GLP compliance, train on instrumentation, manage QC/QA tasks, and communicate project status to stakeholders while coordinating supplies and shipments.

I have operated and troubleshot flow cytometers (BD FACS Canto II, BD FACSLyric, Cytek Northern Lights, Cytek Aurora), processed diverse patient samples, and contributed to published research presentations. I prioritize scientific rigor, collaborative problem-solving, and continuous professional development to drive impactful research outcomes.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Associate Scientist

Current

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Oct 2023 - Present (2 years 8 months)

Develops and validates immunological experiments, reviews and analyzes data for GLP/GMP compliance, and leads client-facing presentations to coordinate follow-up experiments and project direction.

Data Analysis Laboratory Instrumentation

Assistant Scientist

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Oct 2023 - Oct 2024 (1 year)

Performed routine sample preparation and quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical compounds, maintained laboratory documentation per SOPs and GLP, and communicated project status to project leaders.

SOPs GLP Lab Documents Stability Testing

Microbiology Specimen Processor

HCA Capital Division Laboratory

Jul 2023 - Oct 2023 (3 months)

Managed inbound/outbound clinical specimens including accessioning, preparation, and processing for in-house or third-party testing while ensuring positive patient identification and adherence to specimen handling criteria.

Specimen Accessioning Sample Tracking Plate Preparation Chain Of Custody

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

James Madison University

Bachelor of Science, Biology

Activities and societies: Undergraduate research; poster presentation at James Madison University Department of Biology

Completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology with coursework and research experience in immunology, genetics, and microbiology; presented a biochemistry poster on the retina-specific transcription factor CRX.