Ibrahim Shafei, M.Sc.

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

A specialist in complex chemical synthesis and advanced characterization (LC-MS/MS, ICP-OES, PXRD) with generalist insights into laboratory operations.

With over 7 years of experience in high-precision laboratory environments, I focus on the intersection of sophisticated analytical science and robust regulatory compliance. I pair deep technical expertise in materials and bioanalytical chemistry with a broad aptitude for root cause analysis (RCA), safety stewardship, and instrumental troubleshooting to drive efficient, high-integrity laboratory workflows.

Experience

Analyst—Labcorp Drug Development

(13FEB2023-Present)

• Execute complex bioanalytical methods (LC-MS/MS) on thousands of regulated samples within a rigorous GLP/CLIA environment.

• Integrate bench-side results into Watson, Veeva, and Nautilus LIMS platforms using Analyst for primary data acquisition and analysis to maintain a 100% compliant sample lifecycle and ensure end-to-end data integrity.

• Utilize IDBS e-Workbook for real-time documentation of experiments, ensuring that electronic records and audit trails meet strict 21 CFR Part 11 requirements.

• Collaborate with scientists and project managers to troubleshoot technical system issues, ensuring that digital data delivery timelines align with physical laboratory capacity.

• Serve as department safety liaison, translating safety regulations into actionable SOPs and presenting weekly "Safety-Minutes" to improve lab-wide hazard mitigation.

Research Experience

Graduate Researcher – Indiana University, Skrabalak Group 

(01JAN2020-31DEC2022)

• Led R&D efforts in inorganic synthesis, studying the formation of high-entropy alloy nanoparticles (HEA-NPs) from core@shell nanocrystals for catalytic applications.

• Utilized advanced characterization techniques including powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM/STEM, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and in-situ thermal techniques to interpret complex material data.

• Optimized HEA-NP synthesis using centrifugal separations, Schlenk techniques, and previously mentioned techniques to assess products.

• Collected data from the 11BM-B synchrotron X-ray source for in-situ heated PXRD at Argonne National Laboratory’s Advanced Photon Source.

• Operated and maintained vacuum pumps, Schlenk lines, fume hoods, and tube furnaces.

• Co-wrote scientific papers with colleagues.

• Designed figures and schematics for publication and internal use.

Graduate Materials Researcher (Contract) – OmniOxide, Metals and Additives L.L.C.

(01JUN2022-30JUL2022)

• Supported R&D of inorganic materials, developing proprietary synthetic methods for hydrodesulfurization catalysts and specialized fire-retardant materials.

• Executed end-to-end method development tasks for transfer to Quality Control (QC) departments, ensuring new products exceeded client performance and purity specifications.

• Evaluated material properties using XRD, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to drive industrial product innovation.

• Collaborated cross-functionally with Quality and Engineering teams to maintain product integrity via ICP-OES and XRD analysis during large-scale production cycles.

• Supported consultation of Plant Engineers, resolving complex chemical issues during the scaling of product lines from pilot to industrial manufacturing.

• Supported research and development chemists to develop new product lines.

Research Assistant – Indiana University, Ye Group

(05AUG2017–01AUG2019)

• Synthesized metal chalcogenide quantum dots with tunable localized surface plasmon resonances.

• Trained high school and undergraduates in conducting reactions and use of laboratory equipment.

• Conducted community outreach on behalf of the Ye lab.

Research Intern – The Mad Optimist

(12SEP2016–13JUN2017)

(Formerly: The Soapy Soap Company)

• Created metrics for quality control and evaluation of soaps and essential oils.

• Responded to customer concerns by creating marketing materials explaining the chemistry of products.

• Applied principles of physical chemistry to develop a new type of bath bomb.

• Constructed an electronic moisture measurement device to determine soap drying time.

Critical Skills

Synthetic Techniques: Centrifuge separations, colloidal nanoparticle synthesis, Schlenk techniques, post-synthetic processing of catalysts, nanoparticle annealing, and glovebox techniques.

Analytical Techniques: Powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), ICP-OES, SEM/TEM, BET Surface Area Analysis, TGA/DSC, HPLC/UPLC-MS, GC-MS.

Education

Master of Science - Chemistry (December 2022)

Thesis: Transformation by Transportation: Pathways to High Entropy Alloy Nanoparticles

Indiana University – Bloomington, Indiana

Major: Materials Chemistry

Minor: Physical Chemistry

Bachelor of Science - Chemistry (May 2018)

Indiana University – Bloomington, Indiana

Minor: Mathematics

Publications

(5) Gordon, M. N., Liu, Y., Shafei, I. H., Brown, M. K. & Skrabalak, S. E. Crystal structures of three β-halolactic acids: hydrogen bonding resulting in differing Z′. Acta Cryst. C 2022, 78, 257-264.

(4) Bueno, S. L. A.; Ashberry, H. M.; Shafei, I. H.; Skrabalak, S. E. Building Durable Multimetallic Electrocatalysts from Intermetallic Seeds. Acc. Chem. Res. 2021, 54, 1662−1672.

(3) Chen, Y., Zhan, X., Bueno, S. L. A., Shafei, I. H., Ashberry, H. M., Chatterjee, K., Xu, L., Tang, Y., Skrabalak, S. E. Synthesis of monodisperse high entropy alloy nanocatalysts from core@shell nanoparticles. Nanoscale Horiz. 2021, 6, 231–237.

(2) Liu, Z.; Zhong, Y.;  Shafei, I.;  Jeong, S.;  Wang, L.;  Nguyen, H. T.;  Sun, C.-J.;  Li, T.;  Chen, J.;  Chen, L.;  Losovyj, Y.;  Gao, X.;  Ma, W.; Ye, X., Broadband Tunable Mid-infrared Plasmon Resonances in Cadmium Oxide Nanocrystals Induced by Size-dependent Nonstoichiometry. Nano Lett. 2020, 20, 2821–2828.

(1) Liu, Z.; Zhong, Y.; Shafei, I.;  Borman, R.;  Jeong, S.;  Chen, J.;  Losovyj, Y.;  Gao, X.;  Li, N.;  Du, Y.; Sarnello, E.;  Li, T.; Su, D.; Ma, W.; Ye, X., Tuning infrared plasmon resonances in doped metal-oxide nanocrystals through cation-exchange reactions. Nat. Commun. 2019, 10, 1394.