Rita Barcia

Rita Barcia has a wealth of experience in process development and operations, research and development, and R&D management. Rita is currently the Vice President of Process Development and Operations at SIRPant Immunotherapeutics. Prior to this, they were the Vice President of Research and Development and Executive Director of R&D at Sentien Biotechnologies, Inc. from 2016 to 2021. From 2010 to 2016, they were the Head of R&D at ECBio, S.A., where they managed multiple ongoing projects, liaised with academic and industrial partners, and oversaw the R&D lab work and GMP manufacturing. From 2007 to 2010, they were a consultant and project manager at Pharmis Biofarmacêutica, lda, where they headed the Biotechnology R&D efforts and led the development of a monoclonal antibody for the treatment of cancer. From 2003 to 2007, they were a Senior Post-Doctoral Fellow and Post-Doctoral Fellow at Harvard Medical School, Schepens Eye Research Institute, where they studied the role of soluble Fas-L in glaucoma, retinal burns, cornea wounding and corneal transplantation, as well as the role of CD36 in wound healing and bacterial keratitis.

Rita Barcia began their educational journey in 1995 when they attended the University of the West of England and obtained a BSc (Honours) in Biomedical Sciences. Rita then continued their studies at the same university, graduating with a PhD in Biomedical Sciences (Immunology) in 2002.