Sandeep Kumar Email & Phone Number

London, England, United Kingdom

Barnsley, England, United Kingdom

I am working as a Cell Therapy Advanced Specialist leading on the NHSBT contribution to the Northern Alliance Advanced Therapy Treatment Centre (NA-ATTC) project funded by Innovate UK. The purpose of the project is to develop systems and infrastructure required to support the delivery of cell and gene therapies with the main focus of increasing patient access to Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) on a national level. My main role within this project is to participate and deliver different work packages/objectives of NA-ATTC project in collaboration with a variety of industrial partners, NHS hospital trusts and academic organisations. In addition to the NA-ATTC project, I am also working within the GMP compliant, HTA Licensed and JACIE accredited Stem Cell Immunotherapy Laboratory. Our routine work includes receipt, quality control testing, processing, cryopreservation, storage and issue of stem cell product and ATMP starting material (e.g. peripheral blood stem cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, bone marrow, cord blood) for routine clinical use or clinical trials.

Brighton, United Kingdom

Rexgenero is a leading regenerative medicine company and developer of advanced cell-based therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases that are poorly treated with existing therapies. I was working on lead candidate REX-001, is a highly innovative autologous bone marrow-derived cell therapy that is being studied in two Phase III clinical trials in patients with Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI) with diabetes. The principal duty of my current position includes: • Strategic and technical coordination and guidance for the designing of the manufacturing process for REX-001 therapy to fully close production processes (enabling processing in lower grade cleanroom environment), increase production capacity and product quality, reduce manufacturing cost and integrate workflow management, quality IT systems and cryopreservation processes to ensure patient safety and efficient logistics. Scientific and technical expertise to critically review the current cell therapy manufacturing processes and develop potential alternatives and assist in designing, testing and validating new production systems for commercial manufacturing • Coordination of Technology Transfer of the manufacturing processes and EU GMP manufacturing certification to a refitted manufacturing facility for commercial manufacture. • Documentation and reporting of technical results, project plans and final configuration for senior management, project team partners and Innovate UK.

London, United Kingdom

My role in this project was to investigate the molecular and biological relationship between Pancreatic Cancer and Diabetes. To achieve aims and objectives of this research project I developed a human pancreatic adenocarcinoma (3D pancreatic organotypic) model, which constitute hallmark features of human pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanINs), the precursors to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. This will help to generate new strategies for early diagnosis, new biomarkers (protein and microRNAs) and interventions.• Developed 3D co-culture pancreatic organotypic models using human pancreatic adenocarcinoma primary cells and various pancreatic beta cell lines. Implementing various histology, imagining, gene expression and regulation analysis by Immunohistochemistry, live microscopy, confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, ELISA etc. • Supervise and train postgraduate students and new members of the research team. Attended and participated in academic activities such as journal club meetings, seminars, laboratory meeting and school meetings. • To develop collaborations with a range of research groups with expertise in the fields of pancreatic cancer, diabetes, and cell culture technologies to further my research.

Luxembourg

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (January 2015 to 2017)This ambitious cross-disciplinary collaborative project brings together clinical, scientific and industrial partners from six leading European centres to tackle the ongoing challenges of improving islet transplantation. • Worked with two core teams (1) Field support representative for a newly developed Rotary Cell Culture System (2) R&D team to designed and developed portable rotary micro-gravity bioreactor systems (fully GMP complained)• Provide research and technical support including advice, training and induction to new clients, staff and students. • Isolation of pancreatic beta cells from human & mouse pancreas, cell culture, phenotypic and functional analysis• Ensure all quality, cGMP, GLP and health and safety standards are adhered to• Represent the organisation during various exhibitions, conferences, workshops and other events.• Delivered stringent research milestones, on time and within budget, in compliance with EU regulatory framework that officiates publicly funded research projects.• Derived regular discussion, presentations and workflow organisation across the diverse group of project partners and multiple stakeholders. • Day to day planning, design, organisation and management of different research projects, overseeing PhD and M.Sc. research project students.• Worked remotely out of home-based (Luxembourg) office (in different labs such as Brighton University, University Geneva, ISMETT-Palermo, Italy) 50-60% travel. • Generation of 3D pancreatic organoids from primary mice islets as well as from various pancreatic beta cell lines and testing various immunosuppressant peptides. Isolation of pancreatic islets from mice, use of in vivo (mice) and in vitro (pseudo islets) models to study physiology and viability of islets. Implementing various imagining, gene expression and regulation analysis by Immunohistochemistry, live cell imaging, confocal microscopy, ELISA, RT-PCR, Q-PCR and WB.

Brighton

Senior Pharmacy Technician (2009-2015)My role was to provide technical support and training to students, new member of staff and researchers on various instruments and techniques within histology, molecular biology and image analysis unit. Day-to-day laboratory management, ordering reagents, managing stocks, ensuring good laboratory practice (GLP), safe disposal of biohazard and chemical waste. Carry out advanced troubleshooting and maintenance on all equipment and liaise with equipment service engineers regarding aspects of machine support, to be able to identify and rectify problems and ensure continuity of service. Ensure safety procedures was followed within the laboratory and all COSHH/Risk assessments were maintained and keep up to date. Preparation and implementation of standard operating procedures (SOP’s) and annual review of various class practical’s and protocols.

Ukraine

Investigated tissue specific expression of PDCD4 and HIF-1α in human pancreatic cancer tissue, using paraffin embedded tissue biopsies from pancreatic cancer patients. During this visit, I gained experience on handling of human tissues, paraffin embedding, tissue storing, tissue sectioning, immunohistochemistry and H&E staining of various cancerous tissues such as pancreas, gall bladder, intestine and stomach from patients.

Amritsar, Punjab, India

Research Project title: Liposomal entrapped tropane alkaloids delivery.During this research project, I established and implemented a number of techniques including Liposome preparation using a hand filming method, Lyophilisation, plant & mammalian cell culture, animal handling and In vivo experimentation. In addition, my responsibilities were to provide assistance and trainings to Master Students and research staff within the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory. I was solely responsible for day-to-day laboratory management, ordering reagents and managing stocks of chemicals and consumables.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Phd), Oncology And Cancer Biology

Activities and Societies: Diabetes UKDoctoral Thesis: “Expression, subcellular localization and regulation of Programmed Cell Death Gene 4.

Master'S Degree, Biomedical Sciences, General

Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK Main Subjects were Molecular and genetic basis of disease.

Master'S Degree, Biotechnology

Research Project title: Liposomal entrapped tropane alkaloids delivery. During this research project, I established and implemented.

B.Sc., Biology/Biological Sciences, General