Using stem cells as a research platform to innovate regenerative therapeutic options for unmet medical needs in musculoskeletal biology

Provided detailed insight and expertise into the set-up of a new private research and teaching institute in the public health domain in Kolkata, India. Provide evaluation of projects for out-licensing for public institutes across India.• Contributed actionable feedback for state-of-the-art laboratory setup to facilitate cutting edge research and diagnostic expertise • Review SOPs for different committees and submission of research proposals• Implemented a streamlined purchasing methodology based on research justification for equipment procurement• Interviewed multiple candidates for faculty positions at nationally reputed institutes• Evaluated out-licensing research projects and selected ones with high revenue drivers and scientific discovery potential • Provided valuable inputs to principal investigators to align project with commercial interest• Analyzed prospective projects for monetization potential

Senior leader in management team; made recommendations to Board of Directors on company growth and forward-looking revenue strategies.• Led Biology department of 60+ scientists consisting of PhDs and research experts• Formulated business development strategies and managed client relationships• Coordinated all drug discovery projects ranging early exploration to pre-clinical candidate selection.• Delivered 3 candidate molecules to clients• Spearheaded 2 projects in inflammation and nutraceuticals••• The inflammation project ended in selection of multiple class of small molecules••• Nutraceutical projects met objectives and delivery timeline• Composed and submitted project proposals for client evaluation• Served as a leader in a Public-Private-Partnership oncology project for biomarker discovery• Mentored department scientists regarding career development and professional opportunities

Member of the senior leadership team which interacted with therapeutic area key opinion leaders to formulate future research strategies and department deliverables.• Helped lead transition team during department reorganization• Evaluated department projects and appraised delivery timelines• Delivered of 1 clinical candidate• Led assay development team that developed multiple cell-lines for cell-based screening/potency assays for novel targets.• Served as project leader of 1 exploratory and 1 pre-clinical project. ••• Preclinical candidate was nominated as a clinical candidate••• The exploratory project was shelved during reorganization ••• A new exploratory project was initiated with a novel target• Coordinated research activities with other core teams to meet project milestones• Implemented novel and alternate routes of drug delivery for small molecules which lead to a clinical program• Coached and mentored scientists for career development

Member of the senior scientific team that evaluated department projects and their alignment with deliverables. Group leader involved in understanding the biology of novel targets.• Delivered 1 clinical candidate• Envisioned, initiated, and managed a research group in the area of mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) biology. • Utilized the MSC platform to delivered novel molecules for clinical tissue regeneration• Served as project leader in 3 exploratory projects and 1 pre-clinical project ••• The preclinical candidate was nominated as a clinical candidate••• 1st exploratory project advanced to selection of 3 major class of small molecules••• 2nd exploratory project was at the stage of going into high throughput screening ••• 3rd exploratory project was a NoGo as compound selectivity was not achieved • Coordinated research activities with various teams to meet project objectives• Led team to develop screening assays for novel targets• Implemented projects in biologics including recombinant proteins• Devised plans for delivery of biologics for clinical development• Gained experience with expression, purification and functional analysis of recombinant proteins• Coached and mentored scientists for career development

Fifth scientific member to join the startup. Team lead of the hematopoiesis and gene therapy group. • Contributed to understanding of MSC biology and therapeutic modalities• Collaborated with clinical group at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to plan pre-clinical study in canines to understand homing of MSCs in the bone marrow• Established cell-based assays using MSCs to support drug discovery• Developed novel procedure for gene transfer into adherent cells and MSCs which increased gene transfer efficiency• Analyzed MSC-based expression of recombinant proteins.• Developed immuno-selection procedure for analysis of cell-cell interaction.