Guest
Dr. Jitendra Singh
Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science and Technology & Earth Sciences, Govt. of India
Keynote Address
Resource Persons
R&D Director, Janssen (J&J) Pharmaceuticals
Dr Sanish Davis
- R&D Director, Janssen (J&J) Pharmaceuticals, India
- President, Indian Society for Clinical Research (ISCR), the nodal stakeholder organization for CR in India
- Clinical Pharmacologist (DM) by training and Fellow of ACCP, USA
- ~ 20 years of experience in Pharmaceutical Industry (Clinical Development, Clinical Pharmacology, Medical Affairs, New Product Development Strategy & Planning in both India and Emerging Markets)
- Passion – CR Educational Philanthropy, operationalizing Ethics in the context of Clinical Trials; Clinical Development for Rare Diseases.
Chief & Director of Infectious Diseases Medical Centre
Dr N Kumarasamy
Dr.N.Kumarasamy is the Chief & Director of Infectious Diseases Medical Centre at Voluntary Health Services (VHS) Hospital in Chennai and directs the clinic which provides medical care for persons with HIV, Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, COVID19 and other Infectious Diseases in Chennai, Southern India.
Dr.Kumarasamy is the Director of the Chennai Antiviral Research and Treatment (CART) Clinical Research Site which conducts multisite Therapeutics and prevention clinical trials in HIV and other Infectious Diseases. He is involved as Clinical Investigator for several on- going clinical research projects with University of California-San Diego, Brown University- Providence , Harvard University-Boston, USA and University of New South Wales/Kirby Institute -Sydney, Australia.
Professor – Marketing and Faculty in charge
Dr Aradhana Gandhi
Qualification
- PhD (Retail), Master of Management Science – Marketing and Finance
- SAP TERP10 Certified
- IIMA FDP on Research and Pedagogy
Designation
Professor – Marketing and Faculty in charge – Symbiosis Centre for Behavioral Studies.
Scientist F & Division Head, ICMR School of Public Health
Dr Tarun Bhatnagar
Education
Postgraduate Diploma in Bioethics (PGDBE), Dec 2014
Indira Gandhi National Open University, Delhi, India
Ph.D. - Epidemiology, Sep 2011
Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), California, USA
Doctor of Medicine (MD) - Preventive and Social Medicine, Jun 2003
Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, India
Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Mar 1998
Gandhi Medical College, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, MP, India
Professor & Head – Research Publications
Dr Yogesh Patil
Dr. Yogesh Patil is currently Professor and Head – Research & Publications at the Symbiosis
Centre for Research and Innovation (SCRI), Symbiosis International (Deemed University) , Pune,
India. Hel did his doctorate research work at the Division of Microbial Sciences, MACS Agharkar
Research Institute (DST Funded), Pune, India and obtained his PhD from University of Pune,
Pune. He has qualified GATE as well as UGC-NET.
Senior Scientist (Scientist-F) & Head of the Biosafety level-4 laboratory
Dr Pragya Yadav
Dr. Pragya Dhruv Yadav, M.Sc., Ph.D, FNAASc, FIVS, MNAMS, MNASc.
- Scientist 'F' and Group Leader,
- Maximum Containment Laboratory,
- Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Virology,
Expertise: Virology, Molecular biology, translational technology, novel pathogen detection, pre-clinical trials, vaccine, animal sciences, Bio-containment science
Dr. Pragya Dhruv Yadav is Senior Scientist (Scientist-F) & Head of the Biosafety level-4 laboratory, Asia’s first state of the art facility to handle high-risk pathogens at ICMR-NIV, Pune. During COVID-19 Pandemic, she was involved in timely diagnostic support and development of point-of-care assays, Anti-SARS human IgG-antibody ELISA which was used widely in the country for diagnosis and transferred to 7 companies. The first three COVID-19 cases were identified from Kerala state having a travel history from Wuhan, China and further genomic surveillance initiated. She has contributed significantly to shaping up India’s response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic by early isolation of the SARS-CoV-2 and its variants of concern and fast tracking the development of the indigenous vaccine and demonstrating the efficacy of COVAXIN™ against the different SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Besides this, she had also discovered many novel viruses and quickly provided diagnosis and helped in containment responses for Nipah, Zika, CCHF, KFD and Monkeypox virus outbreaks in the country. She has discovered many viral etiological agents such as Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever, Nipah Zika, Tioman, Oya, Malsoor, Catque, Equine encephalosis and Kundal virus for the first time in India.
She has developed many cost-effective diagnosis assays for CCHF, KFDV, Nipah virus and SARS-CoV-2, which are commercialized. Her work contributed significantly to the beginning of research on highly infectious viral pathogens that helped the prevention and control of outbreaks in India. She has led many outbreak investigations and research on CCHF, Kyasanur Forest Disease, Nipah, Zika, SARS-CoV-2 and Monkeypox. Her expertise in the field of BIorisk Management has been useful in strengthening the diagnostic laboratory network (VRDL) across the country. This has helped in preparedness against public health emergencies posed by Ebola, CCHF, Nipah, Yellow fever, SARS-CoV-2 and Monkeypox. Besides this, as a WHO consultant, she assisted in the evaluation and validation of Biosafety level-3 laboratories in Nepal and Bhutan.
She is recipient of many prestigious awards; amongst them few are Bharat Bhagya Vidhata Samman 2022, Ministry of Culture, Govt of India and ICMR awards [Major General Saheb Singh Sockey Award, Dr. T Ramchandra Rao Award], Amritsar Award, Dr Vinod Kumar Bhargava Award from (National Academy of Medical Sciences) and Dr. K.M. Bhansali Oration award, felicitated by Governor of Maharashtra , National Academy of Sciences India (NASI) as COVID warrior. She is fellow of National Academy of Agricultural sciences and member of many National and International committee including ICMR, WHO, CEPI, Wellcome trust etc.
She has published 275 research papers in national and international journals impact factor of 2630.34 and 6158 citations.
Director, School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Indi
Dr Aarti Nagarkar
Education
2001 Doctoral degree in Medical Anthropology, from University of Pune, India
Current positions
2018 : Director, School of Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, India
2019 : Director, Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health, SPPU
2009 : Assistant professor, Savitribai Phule Pune University, India
Teaching
Since 1997 Teaching at the School of Health Sciences at two Master programs; M.Sc. Health
Sciences and Master of Public Health
Curriculum development for the Public Health course
Research
Focuses on Social determinants of health, Pathways by which societal conditions affect health
outcomes especially among women in midlife, older adults and those with physical disabilities.
The focus of the research is to Understand the functional changes associated with aging and how
they might lead to increased risk of adverse health events. Identify and characterize interventions
that hold the promise of increasing functionality among elderly.
Professor and Head, Department of Survey Research and Data Analytics
Dr S K Singh
Academic Qualifications
1. Post-Doctoral Training in Demography on Modelling of HIV/AIDS in Asian Countries at East-West Centre, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2002
2. Doctoral Work on Some Migration Models and their Applications from Dept. of Statistics, Banaras Hindu University, 1990
3. PG degree: MA in Statistics with Specialization in Demography and Econometrics, Banaras Hindu University, 1986
4. Graduation degree: BA with Statistics(Hon.), Banaras Hindu University, 1984
Teaching Experience
1. Professor at International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) since January 30, 2009
2. Associate Professor at International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) since January 30, 2003
3. Lecturer at International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) since October 10, 1997
4. Lecturer (Ad-hoc) at International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) since October 10, 1993
Director Pulmocare Research and Education (PURE) Foundation, Pune
Dr Sundeep Salvi
Distinguished Professor of Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Symbiosis International University
- Founder Director, Chest Research Foundation 2002 – 2019
- Member, Board of Directors, GOLD (Global Initiative for COPD) (2017 onwards)
- Vice-President, Indian Chest Society, 2018-19, 2019-20
- International Advisory Board Member, Lancet Respiratory Medicine (2015 - 2021)
- Chair, Chronic Respiratory Diseases Section, Global Burden of Disease, India (2015 onwards)
- Member, Steering Committee on Air Pollution and Health, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India
- Ranked No. 1 Respiratory Scientist in India and No. 79 in the world out of 60,442 Respiratory Scientists by the Stanford University Ranking for 2021.
Professor (Neonatology), St. John’s Medical College Hospital Bangalore
Dr Suman Rao
Education
M. B. B. S. Degree : 1997, Bangalore Medical College
M. D. (Pediatrics) : 2001, Madras Medical College,
D. M. (Neonatology) : 2005, Seth GS Medical College & KEM Hospital, Mumbai
NNF Social Neonatology Gold Medal in 2005. on Kangaroo mother care
Dr. L.Subramanyam’s Gold Medal in Pediatric Pulmonology, 2000
Honours:
Consultant, Dept of MCA, WHO HQ, Geneva
Treasurer (2021-22), Jt Secretary (2018) IAP Neonatology Chapter
Chairperson of Committee & MILAN of National Neonatology Forum 2021
AAP Giani Scholarship by AAP in 2016
National consultant for Kangaroo Mother Care
National Faculty for Training in Neonatal Resuscitation
Dr Himmatrao Bawaskar
Dr Himmatrao Saluba Bawaskar is an internationally recognised Clinical Scientist working since more than 40 years for saving the lives of millions of poor, marginalised communities from snakebites envenomation and scorpion sting. He was born in a small village with a population of 500 in rural Maharashtra in a poor farmer family on 3rd March 1951. His childhood was marked with incessant hardships. After obtaining MBBS degree from Government Medical College, Nagpur, he joined the primary health centre Birwadi, Maharashtra in 1976 and studied in details the clinical sign and symptoms due to venomous scorpion sting and published original research article in the Lancet 1982. After completion of MD in Medicine from B J Medical College, Pune, he himself took request transfer to Rural Hospital Poladpur in Raigad district to continue the research in scorpion sting. In 1981 his doctor wife Pramodini joined his venture. In the year 1983 doctor couple tried sodium nitroprusside and then prazosin an alpha blocker to reverse the refractory pulmonary edema due to scorpion sting and case fatality rate due to scorpion sting is dropped down from 40 percent to less than 1 percent. In 1986, in his paper titled Prazosin in the management of cardiovascular manifestations of scorpion sting published in The Lancet he put forward for the first time Prazosin as a physiological antidote for scorpion stings. His pioneering research on scorpion sting was published in the Lancet, British Medical Journal, British heart Journal and many other topmost National, International journals. His work on scorpion sting attracted attention of several international scientific bodies and experts. He was invited by Ciba foundation London 1994 and Morocco government at Rabat 2009 for discussion and guidance of scorpion sting management.
Scientist E at ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune
Dr Yogesh Gurav
Dr Yogesh K. Gurav is a public health specialist and working as a Scientist E at ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. He is a group leader in Dengue and Chikungunya Group in the institute. He holds the degrees i.e., MBBS, MD(PSM), PG Diploma in Epidemiology, PD Diploma in Bioethics. He got fellowship from DHR, ICMR and IDSi I year 2017 and he completed a Master in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) (International Programme) from Mahidol University, Thailand I year 2019.
HTA research work on hepatitis A vaccination carried out during his masters study in Thailand got appreciation and he got the Medal and a cash prize in a Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) Conference at Cologne, Germany in year 2019.
He is leading the Regional Resource Center on Health Technology Assessment at ICMR-NIV, Pune. At present, he is being involved in multiple HTA studies that are being carried out for the HTA topics allotted by the Department of Health Research (HTAIn), Govt. of India. He is being involved in capacity building inn outbreak investigation research and HTA research in the country. His research interest includes infectious diseases epidemiology, public health, outbreak investigations and HTA research. He has many national and international peer-reviewed scientific journals publications to his credit.
Professor SIBM-Pune
Dr Shailesh Rastogi
Research: I have been actively involved in the research related activities for last several years.
Organizing and taking sessions in faculty development program on research methods, writing
research papers and review of research papers are my forte. SPSS, AMOS, SmartPLS and
EVIEWS have been my main tools for data analysis. This helps me in enhancing my research
acumen and assists me in imparting knowledge to others who come for my training programs.
In the capacity of member of editorial teams of different research journals, my contribution is
significantly high. As the head of the research and publication committee of the a few previous
institutes for last several years I have significantly contributed. This includes: development of
the research proposal, research projects and executing consultancy assignments etc. I
coordinated a unique platform of faculty research seminars at several previous organizations.
These seminars were conducted on regular basis which was a combined effort of internal and
external resource persons with the sole aim of deliberations and development of research.
People from different areas like agriculture, technology, architecture etc. were invited as
external guests to support the cause.
President of the Academic Board, SAP University Alliances, Asia Pacific Japan and China
Dr S V K Bharathi
Dr Vijayakumar Bharathi. S is a Post Graduate of Commerce from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, and Management from Bharathidasan University, Trichy. He earned his PhD in Computer Studies from Symbiosis International (Deemed University) (SIU), Pune, in ERP Risk Assessment for SMEs. He is an ICWA (Inter) Qualified from ICWA, India. He has over 29 years of experience, including five-plus years in the Industry at an Indo-Swiss JV manufacturing textile machinery. While at this company, in addition to his core functions of Costing & Banking, he was a part of the Task Force on Business Process Mapping and MIS Reporting as part of the ERP Initiative.
Assistant Professor
Dr Vishal Pradhan
Educational Qualification:
- Ph.D. (Management), Symbiosis International (Deemed University), 2021.
- M. Sc. (Statistics), Pune University, 1999.
- M.B.A. (International Business), Alagappa University, Karaikudi(TN).
- B. Ed. (Math & General Science), Pune University, 2002.
Academic/ Professional Experience:
1. Symbiosis Center for Information Technology (SCIT), Symbiosis International
(Deemed University), Hinjawadi, Pune 411057.
Designation: Assistant Professor- Statistics and Research methodology.
Duration: November 2013 till date.
Responsibilities: Member secretary - Institution Research Committee (SCIT),
Member - Student Council (SCIT), Mentor- Sports and Cultural committee (SCIT),
Faculty In-charge- Examination (SCIT), Institute NAAC criterion-5 head (SCIT),
Approved PhD research guide (Faculty of Management – SIU, Pune)
Professor of Anatomy
Dr Ian Paul Johnson
EDUCATION
- Ph.D. Neuroanatomy, Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London University, UK (now University College London),
- B.Sc. Anatomical Studies (Hons), Birmingham University, UK
- B.Sc. Chiropractic, Oxford Brookes University, UK
Director
Dr Vinay Rale
Prof Vinay Rale: M Sc, Ph D (Microbiology, University of Poona, Pune) , PDFs. FIIM, FIABS. First
Post-Doctoral with renowned scientists Prof Dr G Gottschalk & Prof Dr H Schlegel, Institut fur
Mikrobiologie, Georg August Universitat, Gottingen, Germany. Area of research - Intricacies in acetone-butanol continuous fermentation process using whey as a feedstock. Subsequently, many PDF stints in Germany and UK. Visiting Professorships.
Professional Journey:
- Lecturer, Department of Microbiology, Abasaheb Garware College, Pune (12 yrs).
- Reader, Head Professor & Head , Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, SPPU, Pune (10 yrs).
- Entrepreneur in Microbiology/Biotechnology & Food Sciences (27 yrs).
- Consultant in Microbiology/Biotechnology & Food Sciences (40 yrs).
- Director, Symbiosis School for Biological Sciences (SSBS), Symbiosis International University, Pune (7 yrs).
- Director, Symbiosis Centre for Research & Innovation (SCRI), Symbiosis International University, Pune (November 2021 onwards).
Rich and versatile experience spanning over 47 years in teaching, research, administration,
consultancy and entrepreneurship.
Google Scholar link: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=fPkGVN0AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
Head – Research Projects
Dr Dipak Tatpuje
Dr. Dipak Tatpuje is a Head – Research Projects in Symbiosis Centre for Research and Innovation, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India. Prof.Tatpuje has over 33 years of experience in the field of experiential education, project consulting,and research projects at national and International level by developing models for rural development through empowerment of youths. He completed more than 11 projects with international organisations like UNESCO-Bangkok, United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Commonwealth Association of Science, Technology, and Mathematics Educators (CASTME-Asia), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC-Switzerland).
He holds doctoral degree in management and master degree in management science with other professional qualifications like DBM, ADCSSAA, DEE. He is Google certified Innovator and Microsoft Innovative Educator-Trainer. He is a practicing researcher of commercializing innovative products, research projects and Ideation lab processes. He visited Oxford, Cambridge, London, Singapore, Bangkok, Washington, and California for collaborative projects with Universities. He was actively involved as a Business Incubator Manager in India Innovation Growth Program (IIGP-2014) of Stanford University, NSTEDB, DST, Govt. of India, and Indo-US Science and Technology Forum. He bagged prestigious awards like U. P. Govt. National Award of ISTE, New Delhi and Best Entrepreneurship Educator award of CSE-NITIE, Mumbai. He wrote number of bookson vocational education and columns on career planning and counselling in all leading dailies and weeklies of Maharashtra. Prof.Tatpuje developed number of technology integrated learning materials funded by International organisations with his expertisein educational technology and instructional design.Numbers of research paper publications are on his credit. His present research areas of interest are: Project Based Learning, "Experiential and activity based education", and entrepreneurial management and education.
CEO, Innovation Biologicals Pvt. Ltd.
Dr Sanjay Nene
Phone (Res): +91 20 25674439/ +919850821229
Email: sanjay.nene@gmail.com,
sanjay.nene@innovationbiologicals.com
Qualification: PhD (Tech). (Chemical Engineering), Mumbai University
M.Tech (Biochemical Engineering) IIT, Delhi
M.Sc (Applied Microbiology), Herriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
Career: Currently CEO Innovation Biologicals Pvt. Ltd., since 2015
Retired in July 2014 as Chief Scientist and Head, Biochemical
Engineering Unit, Chemical Engineering & Process Engineering Division,
National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411 008, India.
1985,Joined NCL as Scientist C
1983-1985 Technical Manager, Millipore Intertech Inc.
1981-1983 Research Associate, Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd, Pimpri
Research Interests : Production of Vaccines and Biologicals, Fermentation for production of
enzymes (CGTase, alkalineprotease, polyphenol oxidase), recombinant proteins (phytase and
lactoferrin), chemicals from renewable resources (Lactic and Pyruvic acid),
Energy/Bioremediation (Algal cultivation)
Recovery of natural products: Stevioside from Stevia leaves
Processing of fruit juices and natural beverages (Neera)
Downstream Processing: Membrane processing (Microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration
and membrane distillation), Depth filtration, chromatography, aqueous two phase extraction,
biotransformation of drug intermediates
Membership of Professional Bodies, Technical Committees, Societies, Academies
-Association of Microbiologists of India -Life member since 1985, President Pune Chapter (2004-2009)
- Indian Membrane Society (Life Member) Since 1992
-Association of the Food Scientists & Technologists of India (AFSTI), Life Member
-Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers - Life member
-B.D. Tilak Fellow1999. University Department of Chemical Technology (UDCT), Mumbai
-K.J. Somaiya Professor in Chemical Engineering (Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai) in 2013
- Member, Technical Review Committee of SBIRI (BIRAC) from 2008-2013
-Chairman, Board of Studies (Biotechnology- Engineering), University of Pune (2015-2017)
-Member, Task Force, Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, (2003-2009), Bioprocess &
Bioproduct Technology (1998-2001) and (2009-2012)
- Served as a Board of Directors of Chembond Chemicals Ltd., Mumbai (2008-2010)
- Member, Governing Body Centre for Innovative Agricultural Biotechnology, 2019-2022
-Adjunct Professor (2017-2018) AICTE, Sinhgad College of Engineering, Pune
-Member Research Council, National Chemical laboratory (2018-2020), NEIST, Jorhat 2021-23
- Visiting Faculty Symbiosis School of Biological Sciences 2017 onwards
Professor and Head, Research Programmes- Symbiosis Centre for Research and Innovation (SCRI)
Dr Sanjay Pohekar
Dr. Sanjay Pohekar is a Mechanical Engineering graduate with post graduate qualifications in Energy Management. He obtained his doctorate degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2004 from Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, India. He has 25 years of experience in teaching, research and industry, the longest being with BITS, Pilani for 16 years. He was also looking after the entire Ph.D programme of BITS, Pilani during his teure at BITS, Pilani. He has taught in various continuing education programmes of National Thermal Power Corporation, Bharat Forge, Reliance Energy, Eaton Corporation, Lupin Laboratories, Tata Autocomp, Tolani Maritime Institute etc between 1999-2015.
Dr. CG Pandit National Chair, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi
Dr Raman Gangakhedkar
Designation: Dr. CG Pandit National Chair, Indian Council of Medical Research
Former Head, Division of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases (ECD), Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi; and Director in Charge, National AIDS Research Institute, Pune.
As Head of ECD, managed research & contributed to public health response in recent outbreaks of Nipah, Zika and COVID 19. He is a member of the National Taskforce on COVID 19. And also a member of Clinical Research Group and Epidemiology & Operational Research Group for the National Taskforce on COVID 19. He is a member of the WHO’s Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO). He is a member of India- Lancet Commission on COVID 19. He is a member of Scientific Advisory Board of ICMR. He is a member of the Governing Body of the Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi and the National Institute of Tuberculosis & Respiratory Diseases, New Delhi. He is also a member of the Governing Body of the National Health Systems Resource Centre, New Delhi. He is a member, Empowered Committee Central Institute Body of the new AIIMS constituted by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India; Scheme Review Committee of NCDC; and VRDLs under Department of Health Research. He is a member of High level Inter-ministerial Steering Committee for Eco Health Initiatives in India, constituted by MoHFW. He is a member of Steering Group on HIV Resistance Network (HIVResNet) constituted by WHO, Geneva. He is a Chairman of Technical Resource Group (TRG) on Public-Private Partnership; and Expert Group on Early Infant Diagnosis guidelines constituted by the National AIDS Control Organisation. He is a member of TRGs on Antiretroviral therapy; Pediatric Antiretroviral therapy; Lab services; and Surveillance & Epidemiology constituted by the National AIDS Control Organisation. He is a member of the expert group on the National Operations Research Committee; and Expert Committee on TB vaccines & Diagnostics under the National TB Elimination Program. He is a member of Technical Resource Group on Surveillance of Viral Hepatitis constituted by the National Center for Disease Control. He has been an Expert to the Standing National Committee on Essential List of Medicines and also a member of Empowered Group 2 on COVID 19. He is a member of Research Advisory Board of the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Hyderabad; The Leprosy Mission Trust India, New Delhi; and the Research & Recognition Committee, Faculty of Health Sciences, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune and Max Healthcare Ltd and Indrayani Hospital & Cancer Insitute, Alandi. He is a member of the Institutional Scientific Advisory Committee, YRG Care, Chennai.
He has been working in the field of HIV disease for over three decades. He is an expert in HIV medicine & associated infectious diseases, epidemiology and public health. He was one of key players in advocacy since 1989 and has been involved in policy making at National level on antiretroviral therapy, management of opportunistic infections, prevention of mother-to-child transmission and Sexually Transmitted Infections in addition to other key-population specific policies. He is a popular & astute HIV medicine physician. He has been a member of many prestigious international committees on different facets of HIV disease including those constituted by AIDS Clinical Trial Group (ACTG, Naitonal Institutes of Health, USA), WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNAIDS. His efforts to empower the socially challenged populations and enhancing their treatment literacy are widely appreciated. Has published over 220 papers in various International & National Journals.
Padma Shri Awardee 2020
He was awarded ‘Doctor of Medical Science’ (D. Med. Sc) Honors Causa by the Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed to be University) in 2021.
He is a recipient of following Awards;
- Late Dr. Shankarrao Chavan Jeevan Gaurav Puraskar, 2022
- Lifetime Achievement Award, AIDS Society of India, 2022
- Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada Gaurav Puraskar, 2021
- Lifetime Achievement Award by the Army Institute of Technology, Pune on Feb 24, 2021
- “Karmayogini Vijayatai Lavate Award” by Manavya on Feb 11, 2021
- Legasis- Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) C1010 Gratitude Award on October 11, 2020
- Merit Award, HIV Congress 2016.
Dean, Bioscience and Health Research, Ashoka University, Haryana
Dr Anurag Agarwal
EDUCATION
Degree-Granting Education
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, MBBS, 1989-1995, Medicine & Surgery
• Delhi University, New Delhi, India, PhD, 2004-2007, Physiology
Postgraduate Training / Diploma
• Residency, Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA, Diplomate American Board, Internal Medicine, 1996-2000
• Clinical Investigator / Medical Research Track, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA, 1998-2000, Mentor: Burton F. Dickey MD, Molecular & Cellular Biology
• Fellowship, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA, Diplomate American Board, Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care, 2000-2003
CREDENTIALS
Board Certification
• Medical Council of India, Medicine & Surgery, 1995
• American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine, 2000
• American Board of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, 2002, recertified 2014
• American Board of Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, 2003
Licensure(s)
Active
• India, all states, MCI-13466
• USA, Texas, M5012
Inactive
USA, Indiana
EXPERIENCE / SERVICE
Academic/Professional Appointments
• Instructor in Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA, 07/2002-6/2003
• Assistant Professor of Medicine (tenure track), Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, USA, 07/2003– 02/2007
• Senior Scientist, CSIR Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), New Delhi, India, 02/2007- 02/2010
• Principal Scientist, CSIR-IGIB, 02/2010-02/2014
• Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-IGIB, 02/2014-02/2017
• Chief Scientist, CSIR-IGIB, 02/2017-10/2017
• Outstanding Scientist and Director, Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India, 10/2017-3/2022
Associate Professor & Director
Dr Anuradha Vaidya
Dr. Anuradha Vaidya began her research career after receiving a Master’s degree in Health Sciences from the University of Pune after which she got an opportunity to work at National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) in the field of Stem Cell Biology. Immediately after receiving a doctoral degree, Dr. Vaidya got affiliated with the brand “Symbiosis”. She has been associated with SSBS since its establishment in August 2011. In August 2021, Dr. Vaidya completed a decade at SSBS, and on 8th November 2021, she was appointed as the Officiating Director of SSBS.
Head of the Human Genetics Unit at the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata
Dr Saurabh Ghosh
Saurabh Ghosh is currently a Professor and the Head of the Human Genetics Unit at the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata. He received his undergraduate, masters and Ph.D. degrees in Statistics all from this Institute. After his postdoctoral tenure in the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, he joined the faculty of the Indian Statistical Institute in 2003. He carried out his doctoral research on distribution-free linkage methodologies for mapping
quantitative traits in the presence of epistasis. In addition to methodological developments, he has been involved as the statistical coordinator of multicentric Indian projects on the genetics of Type 2 Diabetes and major psychosis. He has been involved in major national outreach initiatives for the dissemination of expertise in Statistical Genetics and Genetic Epidemiology through a large number of hands-on Workshops. He is an Associate of the Indian Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the Indian Society for Medical Statistics. He is also a member of the Task Force for Big Data Sciences in Life Sciences, Government of India. His current research foci are developing methodologies for genetic association analyses of multivariate and comorbid phenotypes as well as for integration of high dimensional genomic and epigenetic data to predict disease risk.
Professor
Dr Amita Pal
(nee PATHAK) obtained a B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Statistics from Presidency College, Calcutta in 1979, a M.Sc. degree in Statistics from the University of Calcutta in 1981, and a Ph.D. degree from the Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta in 1991. She is currently working as a professor in the Interdisciplinary Statistical Research Unit of the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata. Her research interests are mainly in the areas of pattern recognition, image processing, and machine learning.
Dr Shubhash Kulkarni
• M.Sc., M.Phil. and PH. D from Dept of Statistics University of Pune
• Research interests: multivariate Data Analysis, Multivariate Quality Control, regression
• analysis, Machine learning
• Research publications; 12 in International Journals
• Nine patents on User experience awarded by US Patent office
• 3 MPhil and 2 PhD completed under my guidance
• Worked in National Institute of Nutrition Hyderabad
• Shivaji University Kolhapur (for 20 yrs)
• Worked as Professor of QT at SIBM Bangalore
• Worked as Professor of Analytics at IFIM Bangalore
• Worked in Cranes International Software Pvt ltd, Bangalores Statistical Manager)
• Scientists -Analytics at DataInfocom Pred. Decision Management Pvt. ltd Kolkata
• Distinguished Data Scientist; [24]7 Inc. Bangalore
• Analytics consultant at Dell Software, StarInfocom Bangalore
• Analytics Consultant at Technit Pune
• Consultant Data Science at Swiggy Bangalore
• Visiting Professor of Data Science/Analytics at Goa Institute of Management, Goa,
•Greatlakes Bangalore, NIIT University , Nimrana (Raj),SIS, Pune
•Visiting professor at Symbiosis Statistical Institute, SSI, Pune
Dr Analabha Basu
Education:
Ph.D. in Statistics, Indian Statistical Institute, 2003
Thesis Title: Some statistical contributions to the analysis of human genome diversity and evolution
Master of Statistics (Applied Statistics and Data Analysis), Indian Statistical Institute, 1998
Past Appointments
- Assistant Professor, November 2012 to April 2016, National Institute of BioMedical Genomics, India
- DBT-NIBMG Fellow, September 2009 to November 2012, National Institute of BioMedical Genomics, India
- Post Doctoral Employee, January 2005 to July 2009, University of California San Francisco, California, USA
- Post Doctoral Scholar, July 2004 to December 2004, Stanford University, California, USA
Awards & Honours
- Fellow of the West Bengal Association of Science and Technology, December 2016
- Young Investigator Award at the 12th International Congress of Human Genetics/ 61st American Society of Human Genetics Meeting, Montreal 2011
- Honorable Mention in USPROC 2011 Competition (Project with Sayar Karmakar and Dr Anil K Ghosh)
Director, Symbiosis Law School, Pune
Dr Shashikala Gurpur
Dr. (Mrs.) Shashikala Gurpur is a distinguished academician and orator having presented more than 325 invited lectures, workshops and seminars across India, Thailand, US, UK, Ireland, Germany, Australia, Canada and UAE. She has an outstanding career with a wide range of experience in teaching, research and industry and is continuing with Symbiosis Law School since 2007. She is a pioneer of EU Legal Studies in India.
Having received her formal schooling in Kannada medium in Gurpur, she holds degrees in science and law from Mangalore University. Dr. Gurpur received Ph.D. in International Law from Mysore University where she was also the topper and Gold medalist in LL.M (PG topper with 3 gold medals at Mysore University). In the backdrop of long years of experience in legal literacy and gender training, having worked as Co- Director in gender and human rights-based wing of an NGO for 2 years, she has also worked as HR Manager & Administration in MNC Abu Dhabi, UAE from the year 2004 to 2007. She has more than 30 years of teaching experience which includes tenures in NLSIU, Bangalore, SDM Law College, Mangalore, Manipal Institute of Communication, MAHE, Manipal and University College Cork, Ireland. Her teaching and research interests include Jurisprudence, Media Laws, International Law and Human Rights, Teaching and Research Methodology, Feminist Legal Studies, Biotechnology Law, Law and Social Transformation besides guiding more than sixty Masters and 20 Ph.D students.
Director, Centre for Ethics, Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) Mangalore Karnataka, India
Dr Vina Vaswani
Educational Qualifications:
Postgraduate:
MD (Forensic Medicine &Toxicology): 1996
M Phil, Hospital and Health Systems Management: 2006(Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Pilani, India)
Masters (MA) Erasmus Mundus Master in Bioethics: 2008
PhD (Dublin City University,Ireland): 2020
Graduate: MBBS (Government Medical College Nagpur India): 1989
Additional Qualifications:
National Counsellor in Torture Medicine:1997
PG Dip in Medical Law & Ethics:1999
PG Dip in Human Rights Law :2000
Dean, Scientist G and J C Bose Fellow
Dr Arvind Sahu
EDUCATION AND POSTGRADUATE TRAINING
- B.Sc., Microbiology, J. B. Science College, University of Nagpur, Nagpur, 1983.
- M.Sc., Microbiology, Dept. of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of Nagpur, Nagpur, 1985.
- Ph.D., Microbiology (Immunology), Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi,
1991 (Supervisor: Prof. Kunal Saha, VPCI, Delhi; Co-supervisor: Prof. Virendra N. Sehgal, MAMC,
Delhi). - Post-doctoral Research Associate, Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Health Science
Center, Tyler, Texas, USA, Dec., 1991-Sept., 1994. (Mentor: Prof. Michael K. Pangburn). - Visiting Fellow, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Pulmonary Medicine,Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA, Jan., 1994 - Feb., 1994. (Mentor: Prof. Rick Wetsel).
- Post-doctoral Research Associate, Laboratory of Protein Chemistry, Department of Pathology & Lab. Med., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, Oct., 1994-June, 1998. (Mentor:Prof. John D. Lambris)
Vice-Chancellor
Lt Gen Madhuri Kanitkar (Retd.)
Lt. Gen Madhuri Kanitkar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) has assumed the prestigious appointment of Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik. The Gen Officer was commissioned in AMC on 27 Dec 1982. She is a medical graduate of Armed Forces Medical College, Pune University and Postgraduate in MD (Paediatric) from Indian Naval Hospital Ship (INHS), Asvini. She has had the distinction of being first in Pune University in all the three phases of MBBS and was awarded the President’s Gold Medal & Kalinga Trophy for the best outgoing student of the graduate wing in academics and extra-curricular activities in 1982.
The Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor is a Paediatric Nephrologist who has done her postgraduate in Paediatric from Mumbai in 1990 and Training in Paediatric Nephrology from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, followed by Fellowships at NUH Singapore and GOS London. She has also completed the FAIMER Fellowship in Medical Education. She has been a guest speaker at various National & International conferences.
The Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor has been Professor and Head of Paediatric at AFMC and also the Dean at her Alma Mater. She has over 22 years of teaching experience and has been awarded best Teacher of MUHS in 2008. She has guided many postgraduate students and examiner of Paediatrics. She has been known to work for students welfare.
For her distinguished service Gen Kanitkar has been awarded Param Vishist Seva Medal in 2022, Ati Vishist Seva Medal in 2018, Vishist Seva Medal in 2014, Commendation by Chief of the Army Staff in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2012 (twice) and Commendation by GOC-in-C-in 2008.
Professor of Biology at IISER Pune
Dr Shashidhara
Prof. L. S. Shashidhara is Professor of Biology at IISER Pune and at Ashoka University. Prof Shashidhara is the President of the International Union of Biological Sciences and a Member of European Molecular Biology Organization.
Prof Shashidhara has facilitated training of more than 10,000 school and undergraduate teachers in adopting inquiry-based teaching methods. He is steering an international project on Climate Change Education. Prof Shashidhara is an active member of Indiabioscience through which several hundred young faculty are mentored for successful careers in India.
Co-founder and Technical Director
Mr. Ajay Sathe
Ajay was Co-founder and Technical Director at Spectrum Business
Support Ltd., where he led teams building WordMiner, an information retrieval library,
and Jurix, a law information service.
An occasional guest speaker at IIM Ahmedabad and other business schools on Data
Sciences, Analytics and Quantitative Methods; and at numerous colleges and educational
departments on careers in contemporary services businesses.
Director, Scientia Clinical Services
Dr Ravindra Ghooi
Clinical Research
In 1983, I set up a facility for BABE studies at FDC, later I set up a similar facility at Unichem Laboratories. During my career at FDC, Unichem and JK, we conducted a large number of Phase III trials, which led to the launch of Flurbiprofen, Cetirizine, Ampicillin Sulbactam for the first time in India. I also conducted extensive trials on Ribavirin, but the compound failed in the indications for which it was studied, hence we did not launch it.
At CliniRx I was responsible for bagging the contract for an NIH trial known as the STICH trial.
I have conducted a large number of Phase IV studies on many pharmaceutical products including Electral, Soyal, Theophylline, Secnidazole and Metformin.
Extra Curricular Activities
Editing - In Haffkine Institute I was responsible for editing the Bulletin of Haffkine Institute, a multidisciplinary science journal. Editor of Sulekha – an e- magazine devoted to good writing.
Education - I was closely associated with Nehru Science Centre in Bombay and we organized Science awareness programmes for school children. I have been a visiting lecturer at CU Shah College of Pharmacy, KMK College of Pharmacy, Bombay College of Pharmacy, University Department of Chemical Technology, and Dept of Biophysics, University of Poona.
Social -I am actively involved in cancer support groups that work in the area of palliative care.
Alumni – Secretary and Managing Committee Member of my School's Old Boys Association, which is known as the Georgian's Association (India) Pune.
Deputy Director, Digital & Health Innovations at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Dr Harish Iyer
Harish Iyer is Deputy Director, Digital & Health Innovations at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, working out of the India Country Office.
Harish is interested in the role of innovation, science and technology in improving public health & equitable economic development. He is a strategic partner between Indian researchers, global partners and the Foundation teams in critical R&D work including in vaccine-preventable diseases, new approaches to treating neglected diseases, life science partnerships for public health, digital health innovations for all, reducing the digital divide. Prior to his role at the Foundation, Harish was the CEO of Shantha Biotech from 2011 to 2015. He has also worked in various R&D roles in several biotech companies including as Head of R&D at Biocon, and in various technical roles at Biogen-IDEC and Genentech in the US.
Professor, Communication & Digital Platforms and Strategies Chair
Dr Manisha Pathak-Shelat
Prof. Manisha Pathak-Shelat is Professor, Communication & Digital Platforms and Strategies at MICA, Ahmedabad, India and Chairs MICA’s Centre for Development Management and Communication. She has taught and worked as a media consultant and researcher in India, Thailand, and the US. She has a Ph.D. in Mass Communication with a minor in Gender and Women’s Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA and in Education from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India. Her research interests are media and information literacy, young people’s media cultures, communication for social change, new media, gender, and transcultural citizenship. She has shared her research globally as guest speaker and through her books, journal papers in International Journal of Communication, New Media & Society, Journal of Youth Studies, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Communication Inquiry, Journal of Children and Media, Comunicar, Media Asia, Journal of Consumer Behavior and book chapters. Awards and fellowships include The Soviet Land Nehru Award, Shastri Indo-Canadian Faculty Research Award, The Salzburg Seminar Fellowship, TATA Fellowship for the Study of Contemporary India, MICA AGK Award for meritorious service, and the lifetime achievement award for contribution to media and communication education by the Global Media Education Council. She serves as the editor of the Journal of Creative Communications that MICA publishes with Sage, represents MICA at UNESCO’s Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue University Network and is an active member of National Leadership Forum for Vaccine Confidence. She has led several capacity building programs for non-profits, various state governments, corporate sector, and international organisations.
Associate Director, Academic and Government Relations (India)
Ms. Smita Jain
Key Responsibilities
Growing Science Communications business across 3 main segments – Academic Sector, Government Sector and Private Sector
- Engaging senior decision makers at organizations and introducing them to CACTUS legacy, ethos, capabilities; networking and cultivating relationships; unearthing and developing areas of opportunities in line with our service offerings.
- Making CACTUS the go to specialists for all science-based organizations who want to increase their visibility, enhance their branding and reputation, and communicating their research to global and domestic audiences.
- Working closely with the Pre-sales and delivery teams to convert opportunities into sustainable business and long-term partnerships.
Identifying and converting potential clients and projects in the above categories to deliver the annual India target along with the science communication team.
CEO, Vertiver, Co-Founder Iora Ecological Solutions
Mrs. Chhaya Banti
Chhaya Bhanti is the founder and CEO of Vertiver, a multi-disciplinary sustainability consultancy and foundation that has been leading science-based communications and behavior change for climate action and natural resource conservation since 2015. Chhaya has over 25 years of experience working across corporate and non-profit sectors in the US and in India. Under her leadership, Vertiver has developed and led various science-based communications initiatives on behalf of the Government of India. Chhaya served as the Co-PI on the Waste to Wealth Mission's Su-Dhara program on Waste Management and is currently leading behavior change communications for CIFF’s Unnat Kheti project in India, that is working to implement integrated natural farming approaches. Chhaya has served as content advisor on Project Drawdown and Regeneration, two New York Times bestsellers by environmentalist Paul Hawken.
Chhaya has extensive experience in climate change communications and she has supported many bi-lateral programs in India as a knowledge and communications partners. Some of her work includes supporting WWF under the Climate Solutions Partnership, developing knowledge products for UKAID’s Action for Climate Today program and the CRISSA program on climate change across South Asia, MOEFCC’s Forest-PLUS program. Vertiver has worked closely with the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Ministry of the Development of the North East Region, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Department of Biotechnology, World Bank and has served as the India partner to the GCRF Cambridge University program, TIGR2ESS on sustainable agriculture in India for three years, coordinating across 22 institutional partners in the country. Chhaya has also carried out forestry and agriculture research projects including creating the FCDO UK study on Nature Based Solutions in India with Iora Ecological Solutions, under which she created a framework to evaluate the co-benefits of nature-based projects and conducting research on millets in India. She has also supported in the creation of the NDC Roadmap of India for Goal 5 and is supporting Oxford University’s Sustainable Cooling program on climate and health research. Chhaya is also the co-founder of Iora Ecological Solutions, an environmental consultancy and Sanjhi, a media based NGO in Rajasthan. Chhaya holds an MBA in Sustainability from San Franciso and an MA in Communications from New York.
