Title: Biomedical Senior Research Associate and Laboratory Manager

Company: MD Anderson Cancer Center

Location: Houston, Texas

For the past 11 years, Sandra Carattini-Rivera has served the MD Anderson Cancer Center as the biomedical senior research associate and laboratory manager. Wielding 35 years of expertise in biomedical research and management, she provides the center with extensive experience in embryonic stem (ES) cells, gene targeting, mouse modeling and in the instruction, training & mentoring of world-class scientists and research support personnel. Ms. Carattini-Rivera also sets up, planned and arranged the GEMF core facility from scratch, and helps establish core facility and purchase all capital equipment, lab supplies, reagents, mice and chemicals.

As a women in today’s world, Ms. Carattini-Rivera believes it was her mother and grandmother who incluenced her professionally, as they were very supportive and always emphasized the importance of education. She went on to received a Bachelor of Science in biology and microbiology from the University of Panama, and found out how to expertly use modern technology and networking as a key to her profession. Ms. Carattini-Rivera has done public speaking and has been published as well.

Ms. Carattini-Rivera is a veteran from the United States Army and has family members from all the branches of the Military as well.