Vips (Vibeke) Halkjaer Knudsen
About Vips (Vibeke) Halkjaer Knudsen
Vips (Vibeke) Halkjaer Knudsen is a Ph.D. and Engineering Program/Project Lead at Sandia National Laboratories, with a distinguished career in biosafety, biosecurity, and vaccine development.
Current Position at Sandia National Laboratories
Vips Halkjaer Knudsen holds the position of Ph.D, Engineering Program/Project Lead and Distinguished Member of Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories. She has been with the organization since 2011, working out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her role includes leadership and oversight of engineering programs and projects, contributing her extensive expertise to pioneering initiatives.
Previous Role at Statens Serum Institut
From 1993 to 2011, Vips Halkjaer Knudsen served as the Director of the EHS Department and Senior Biosafety & Biosecurity Officer at Statens Serum Institut in the Copenhagen Area, Denmark. During her 18-year tenure, she led the design and construction of a BSL3/GMO2/TB inhalation animal facility and developed a novel production process for an Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) without animal ingredients. Additionally, she was responsible for obtaining FDA approval for the cold chain shipment of vaccines and preparing the Raw Material Control Unit for an FDA inspection of Diphtheria and Tetanus products.
Educational Background
Vips Halkjaer Knudsen’s educational journey includes a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Chemistry from the University of Copenhagen, where she researched the synthesis of nucleotide phosphordithioates and phosphorotrithioates for antisense treatment from 1988 to 1993. She also holds a bachelor's and master's degree in Chemistry from the University of Copenhagen, earned between 1980 to 1987. Additionally, she acquired a bachelor's and master's degree in Chemistry from the Danish Technical University from 1983 to 1985. She completed her high school education at Kildegård Gymnasium, majoring in Mathematics and Physics, in 1980.
Early Career Experience
Prior to her significant roles in engineering and biosafety, Vips Halkjaer Knudsen worked in various capacities in the Copenhagen Area. From 1985 to 1990, she was a Hostess at VIP receptioner. She also served as a Student Assistant at Haldor Topsøe from 1980 to 1984.
Special Projects and Initiatives
Throughout her career, Vips Halkjaer Knudsen has led many critical projects. During her tenure at Statens Serum Institut, she was the head project responsible for the programming, building, commissioning, and validation of a new BSL3 enhanced large-scale IPV facility. She also co-supervised a Ph.D. student on bio-security and developed innovative vaccine production processes, including a new Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) production process without animal ingredients.