Haidy Delgado

A lifelong Chicagoan, Haidy earned an Associate in Science from Malcolm X College and a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago. While at UIC, she contributed to a wastewater microbiology surveillance project researching COVID-19 outbreaks and community trends in Chicago through wastewater-based epidemiology, which was in collaboration with researchers from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

She later took the role as a Microbiologist at a contract pharmaceutical company, where she focused on environmental monitoring and microbiological analysis within pharmaceutical cleanroom environments. In this role she also supported process improvement through laboratory investigations, deviations, and change controls, revised and authored controlled documents like SOPs and logbooks.

Currently, she serves as the Senior Manager of Lab Operations, where she oversees the daily operations that keep the lab running. From managing equipment, troubleshooting and maintenance scheduling, and ensuring safety, all in an effort to support Portal’s diverse community of biotech startups working to advance scientific innovation.

Outside the lab, she enjoys going to punk and hardcore shows, reading, and spending time with her two cats, Pokey and Beanie.