Biography
Dr. Alejandra Camacho is an accomplished professional with a robust academic background and a diverse career spanning cutting-edge roles in materials science, engineering, and business development. Graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a Ph.D. and Master's in Materials Science & Engineering and previously earning a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering from Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (Mexico), Alejandra has a unique blend of technical expertise and business acumen.
With a career marked by impactful contributions, Alejandra has excelled in diverse roles, from developing global growth plans for specialty chemicals companies, to driving pipeline growth and creating training programs for promotion of botanical products. Her tenure at multiple pharma and cosmetics companies has been marked by pioneering research efforts, including work with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical testing and profilometry, and publications in multiple industry magazines.
Dr. Camacho’s skill set extends beyond technical prowess, encompassing client relationship development, team leadership, and multilingual proficiency in Spanish and French. Her active involvement in professional organizations, such as the Materials Research Society (MRS), Microscopy Society of America (MSA) and the WIB-Chicago chapter, also underscores her commitment to industry growth and networking.
Representative Experience
- Nanomaterials
- Pharmaceutical excipients and formulations
- Personal care products
- Catalysts
- Electron Microscopy and Mechanical and Surface characterization techniques
Background & Credentials
Prior to joining Marshall, Gerstein & Borun, Alejandra advised pharmaceutical companies on excipient selection and formulation strategies. Alejandra also worked on developing innovative botanical ingredients for personal care products in North America, navigating domestic and international regulations related to the trading of natural resources (Nagoya protocol, CITES, Brazilian biodiversity law).
She has also developed testing protocols and claim substantiation methodologies for consumer care products, microelectronic packaging, and biomaterials.
Throughout her professional life, Alejandra has always sought to apply her knowledge of materials to many different areas, leading to interesting collaborations and publications in archaeological materials, foods, and sustainability among others.
Alejandra served for several years as symposium organizer for the Microscopy Society of America (MSA) and has been an invited speaker for the MSA and the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC).
Education
- University of Texas at Austin (Ph.D.)
- Materials Science & Engineering
- University of Texas at Austin (M.S.)
- Materials Science & Engineering
- Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (Mexico) (B.S.)
- Chemical Engineering
- Johns Hopkins University
- Data Science Specialization (On Coursera)
Publications and Presentations
- G. A. Camacho-Bragado, D. Gely, C. Bertram. Sustainability in Sourcing and Production of Botanical Extracts (2019). SOFW, 145|11, pp 2-6
- R. Alvarez-Ascencio, V Wallqvist, M. Kjellin, M. Rutland, A. Camacho, N. Nordgren and G. Luengo (2016). Nanomechanical properties of human skin and introduction to a novel hair indenter. JMBBM, 54, pp. 185-193
- G. A. Camacho-Bragado, G. Balooch, F. M. Dixon, C. Porter and H. Bryant (2015). Understanding breakage in curly hair. British Journal of Dermatology, 173 (Suppl. 2), pp 10-16
- G. A. Camacho-Bragado. Understanding substrate-active ingredient interactions using in-situ scanning electron microscopy (Invited talk). Presented at the Drug Discovery-Biotarget meeting in Oct 2011
- G. A. Camacho-Bragado, G. Balooch, C. Porter, F. M. Dixon and H. Bryant (2011). Fracture in Hierarchical Biomaterials: Human Hair. Microsc. Microanal., 17 (Suppl 2), 1756-1757
Community & Professional Involvement
- Microscopy Society of America session chair (2012-2014)
- WIB-Chicago Chapter, Member; Past Vice-chair, Membership Committee (2023)