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Melissa Meaney Phillips (Fed)

Research Chemist

Melissa's interests are in the development of new analytical methods for the determination of marker compounds, vitamins, and contaminants in dietary supplements and foods, as well as improving the measurement capabilities of the dietary supplement and food communities. Melissa's employment at NIST began as a postdoctoral associate with the measurement of organic acids, anthocyanidins, and flavonols in a suite of Vaccinium berry SRMs (cranberry, blueberry, and bilberry). Melissa has also been heavily involved in the development of methods and measurement of water-soluble vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, choline, and carnitine) in numerous food SRMs.  Melissa was a co-coordinator for the former Dietary Supplement Laboratory Quality Assurance Program (DSQAP) from 2009 to 2017.  She is currently a co-coordinator of the Health Assessment Measurements Quality Assurance Program (HAMQAP), the Cannabis Quality Assurance Program (CannaQAP), and the food and nutrition SRM program.  From November 2016 through June 2017, Melissa was detailed to the Office of Reference Materials.  In 2018, Melissa began formulation of evolving efforts into a grassroots Food Safety Program within the Chemical Sciences Division, and chaired the NIST Food Safety Workshop in October 2019.

Professional Memberships

  • American Chemical Society (ACS), 2004 - present
    - ACS Analytical Chemistry Division, 2009 - present
    - ACS Agricultural & Food Chemistry Division, 2017 - present
  • AOAC International, 2008 - present
    - AOAC International Technical Division on Reference Materials, 2011 - present
    AOAC International Technical Division on Laboratory Management, 2011 - present
  • ASTM International, 2019 - present
  • Washington Chromatography Discussion Group, 2008 - present

Professional Activities

  • Chair, NIST Food Safety Workshop, 2019
  • AOAC International Official Methods Board, 2016 - present
    Chair-Elect, 2020 - present
  • AOAC Technical Programming Council, 2016 - present
    Vice-Chair, 2019 - present
  • AOAC International Editorial Board, 2014 - present
  • AOAC International Stakeholder Panel on Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals (SPIFAN), 2010 - present
  • AOAC International Stakeholder Panel on Strategic Food Analytical Methods, 2014 - 2018
    - Chair, Expert Review Panel for Bisphenol A (BPA) Methods, 2017 - present
  • AOAC International Cannabis Analytical Sciences Program (CASP), 2018-present
    Chair, Expert Review Panel for CannabinoidsMethods, 2017 - present
  • US Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to ISO TC 34 Food Products, 2019 - present
  • Washington Chromatography Discussion Group Secretary, 2009 - 2015
  • General Chapters Chemical Analysis Expert Committee, United States Pharmacopeia, 2010 - 2015
    Subcommittee on Dietary Supplements, 2010 - 2015
    Expert Panel on Elemental Impurities, 2010 - 2015

Awards

  • Fellow of AOAC International, 2016
  • AOAC International Technical Service Award, 2019
  • NIST William Slichter Award, 2015

Publications

Certification of Standard Reference Material® 2386 Avocado Powder

Author(s)
Melissa M. Phillips, Laura Wood, Joseph Browning, George Caceres, Grace Hahm, Mahboubeh Hanaee, Abigail Lee, Karen Murphy, Rabia Oflaz, Rick L. Paul, Benjamin Place, Jeanice "Brown Thomas ", James H. Yen
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently released SRM 2386 Avocado Powder which has value assignment for over 70 analytes. This
Created October 9, 2019, Updated December 8, 2022