Meet Michele Pataia designing protocols for lab automatization
The Italian synthetic biologist not only lived in half a dozen of different countries but also gathered experiences in both, academia and the private sector (including at Astrazeneca and Novartis, his first touch-down in Basel). The cosmopolitan now started his position as Research Assistant in the Synthetic Immunology lab of Sai Reddy.
What did you know about D-BSSE before you came here, and what was your motivation to come to ETH Zurich?
As a Master student I was looking for an internship in antibody engineering. I learned about D-BSSE during the interview I had for a possible position within the Reddy Lab. I was given a nice introduction about the research done by the group and an idea of the friendly and diverse environment I would find at D-BSSE. This opportunity allowed me to learn more about the team and I started building my interest and motivation to join the ETH Zurich. After moving to Basel for a first experience as a consultant in Quality Control at Novartis I met with the deepCDR team, a spinoff company originating from the Reddy Lab, and learned about the amazing work they are doing in antibody engineering. We also talked about the research done in the different groups and how they were able to launch their start-up, building on the work done during their years at ETH Zurich. These exchanges really pushed me to apply at D-BSSE and I was happy to join the department just recently as a Research Assistant.
What were your expectations, and were your expectations met since you arrived in Basel?
When thinking of joining D-BSSE and the ETH Zurich I was expecting a creative and fun work environment and my expectations were definitely met. The work environment in my opinion also reflects the diversity of this city and vibrant biotech hub that Basel is famous for.
What were your first impressions?
I had a great first impression arriving at the department because I found a friendly group that is passionate and fun to work with. Despite the special circumstances during ‘COVID-19 times’ it was very easy to become part of the group and I really look forward to the end of the pandemic to enjoy my time with the other members (and groups) at the department even more and have great fun!
Which research will you pursue at D-BSSE?
During my time here I will be working as a Research Assistant, with a primary emphasis on COVID-19-related projects, which include profiling antibodies and their specificity to SARS-CoV-2 and novel variants of concern. This is in collaboration with the ETH Spinoff company, deepCDR Biologics, which are working on developing broadly neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2. I am also working to establish automated workflows related antibody sequencing and engineering, including integration with the Opentrons system.
Which hobby do you hope to pursue in Switzerland?
During my time in Switzerland, I plan on taking full advantage of the proximity to the mountains both in winter for skiing and in summer for hiking. Football was always a big part of my life and I intend to continue playing with friends and colleagues here in Basel. I also really enjoy going on roadtrips over the weekend and Switzerland certainly offers great landscapes and roads.
Thank you, Michele, sounds like you had a good start at D-BSSE! All the best for your many plans, be it in the labs or the Swiss mountains!
Born in Italy, Michele grew up in Rome, Frankfurt (Germany) and Paris (France). At the age of 18, he moved to Philadelphia (USA), where he attended Drexel University and obtained a Bachelor Degree in Biological Sciences. He moved back to France for his Master’s degree in Synthetic Biology at the University of Strasbourg.
As a Master student, Michele did a 9-months internship at MedImmune-Astrazeneca in antibody research and engineering. During his time in Cambridge (UK), MedImmune launched a lead isolation campaign aimed at delivering a bispecific agonist antibody as a novel treatment for heart failure. He used their phage display platform and a phenotypic screening approach in a single cell mammalian expression system to isolate agonist scFvs (single-chain antibody fragments) against the target receptor.
During his time at Novartis as consultant in Quality Control, Michele enjoyed working in a different department of the pharmaceutical industry. Here he learned the importance of transparency and traceability when delivering drugs all around the world. He experienced a work environment that is “constantly under inspection and where errors can sometimes hurt the firm’s image or even cause a drop in the stock market”. This experience as an Associate Scientist in Quality Control where he performed cell-based assays to determine antibody potency, was very enriching as he also worked in close collaboration with the production and development departments, learning more about all that is required when developing pharmaceuticals.
Learn about the Laboratory of Systems and Synthetic Immunology led by Sai Reddy.