Kali Cottingame

Background

About Kali Cottingame

I am an analytical chemist with a passion for using science to bring life-changing medical interventions into people's lives. My career has given me the opportunity to be a part of patient care from the perspective of multiple industries—pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and device—always with a focus on good science to improve quality of life. I have also been lucky to have experience at companies of varying sizes. I have been a part of very large companies where I had the opportunity to learn from and interface with different groups and scientific disciplines, as well as at a very small company where I was able to take that knowledge and expertise and apply it toward running my own laboratory. My primary analytical tool throughout my career has been HPLC analysis, using Agilent, Thermo, Shimadzu, and Waters instruments and ChemStation, Aria, LabSolutions, and Empower software. At each of my positions I have learned numerous analytical techniques to evaluate the chemical and physical properties of biologics and small molecules, and I take pride in being eager to learn new skills and working hard to perform them with precision and accuracy. I enjoy the dynamic nature of working in research and development because it’s hard to ever get bored in such an environment—there are always interesting problems to solve and the tools for solving them are ever evolving. I also enjoy working environments that allow me to play multiple roles and collaborate with different departments. I am known for stepping outside of my comfort zone and solving problems creatively and with persistence. Among my biggest vexations is leaving a job undone or a problem unsolved, so I tend to pour a lot of resources (time, effort, research, tapping the expertise of others) into troubleshooting and finding solutions. It is often a frustrating endeavor, but I think it has been one of the single greatest contributors to my personal and professional growth.