Dr Mark Perkins Joins the Anatune Team

Applications Laboratory, Benzocaine, Electrochemistry, Headspace GC-NPD, Mark Perkins, Metered Dose Inhalers, PAHs, Phthalate, pMDIs, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, RAM, Ray Perkins, REACH, Residual Acrylonitrile Monomer, Rubber, SIFT-MS, staff, SVHC, team,

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Anatune is pleased to welcome Dr Mark Perkins, who will be working alongside a really great team in the Applications Laboratory, on the Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry (SIFT-MS). 

Please let us introduce him to you:

Mark has over 12 years’ experience working in the Materials Characterisation Unit of the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre (TARRC) in Hertford. Prior to this, he worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Assistant at the University of Southampton. Mark joined TARRC as a Senior Analyst, running the gas and liquid chromatography section. He was appointed Deputy Unit Head in 2004 and Unit Head in 2013, managing a team of 14 analysts who worked on a range of contracts, from very short-term industrial troubleshooting to longer pharmaceutical stability programs. These required a wide range of analytical techniques including chromatography, spectroscopy, NMR and microscopy.

TARRC’s primary focus is the rubber and related polymers industries and the bulk of Mark’s work came through the company’s consultancy unit, analysing a wide variety of samples for a diverse range of clients. These included a number of global pharmaceutical companies, where Mark developed and validated a number of test methods looking at a range of low level extractable and leachable compounds in a variety of drug delivery devices. Test methods include Residual Acrylonitrile Monomer (RAM) analysis at parts-per-billion (ppb) levels in rubbers, pressurised Metered Dose Inhalers (pMDIs) and aqueous nasal sprays using Headspace GC-NPD. He also developed GC-MS methods to look at Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in rubbers, carbon blacks and oils, pMDIs and aqueous nasal sprays. Other analyses developed by him included phthalate analysis, benzocaine quantification in medicated condoms and REACH and SVHC advice. The nature of the samples also required Mark to develop one-off analytical methods at short notice.

Mark was also a member of TARRC’s Information Technology (IT) committee and was heavily involved in the development of a new database system for the consultancy and wider applications within the company, as well as sitting on the consultancy management committee. He also designed a number of laboratories as part of a rolling refurbishment programme, including a new 200 sq. metre main analytical laboratory.

Mark studied for a BSc (Hons) degree in Chemistry at the University of Southampton and followed this with a PhD in electrochemistry at the same institution. His final thesis title was “Novel Carbon-based Negative Electrode Materials for Lithium-ion Batteries”. He also worked for a number of years as a Post Doctoral Research Assistant, again at the University of Southampton. His work focused on novel liquid crystal templating methods to produce a range of nano-structured materials for a wide range of applications, including battery electrode materials – for which a patent application was submitted.

On a more personal note, Mark enjoys swimming – both pool and open water – and has been a member of various swimming clubs since childhood. At present, he is Club Secretary of the masters swimming club he currently swims with.

Mark joined us at the beginning of April and has been a customer of Anatune for many years.  He has already made a great contribution to the company.