3720 Spectrum Blvd., Suite 125, Tampa, FL 33612

  Our Team  

A short introduction to our team members and why their background should inspire your confidence.
  Dr. Navdeep Jaikaria has been at the forefront of cutting-edge biotechnologies in his various professional roles and has trained at some of the finest institutions in India and the US and with leading scientists of his times. Before founding SGN, Dr. Jaikaria was Managing Director and Head of Equity Research at a leading Healthcare Investment Bank in New York, where he led a team of about 30 equity research analysts. Dr. Jaikaria successfully used his scientific acumen and expertise to consistently identify and value ground-breaking therapies and biopharma technologies as successful investment opportunities in his Wall Street career spanning almost ten years. During his career, he has successfully assembled & managed competent teams of scientific experts and business professionals in high-pressure, productivity-focused environments.

Dr. Jaikaria’s industry & investment perspectives have been widely cited in the print & broadcast media including The Wall Street Journal, Financial times, Businessweek, Forbes. He periodically appeared as a guest commentator on CNNfn, CNBC, CNN India and has provided policy input to the US senate health committee on biodefense. He was named as one of the five best stock-pickers in Biotechnology in the Wall Street Journal’s annual “Best on the Street” Analysts survey in 2007 and was consistently ranked as a top Biotech analyst on Wall Street.

Dr. Jaikaria obtained B.Sc. in Human Biology from the All India Institute of medical Sciences, New Delhi, his Ph.D. from New York Medical College and was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at The Rockefeller University, New York. He has won many academic awards throughout, including the Martha Lucas Pate, Ph.D. Memorial Award for academic excellence & leadership at the New York Medical College, the Naval Research Scholarship to conduct research at Stanford University, and was awarded the prestigious National Talent Search Scholarship – the highest scholastic award in India after high school. He was ranked #2 overall at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Over the years, Navdeep is/has been a member of Non-for-profit and Corporate Boards (both Private and Public).  
Vineet Singhal is an accomplished business leader with 23+ years of experience in the Pharmaceuticals industry. He has held key leadership positions, including Country Head of Shire/Baxalta/Takeda in India and Novartis Consumer Health India & SE Asia. With expertise in Strategic Planning, Business Development, and Leadership roles, Vineet has operated successfully in the USA, Europe, SE Asia, and India. He excels in growing businesses and building strong organizations. Vineet holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Delhi University and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management, UK.

Dr. Pranav Patel is a highly experienced scientist who leads the SGN R&D team and brings over 25 years of extensive R&D experience in the pharmaceutical industry, spanning several domains such as synthetic chemistry, formulation sciences, analytical sciences, and GMP manufacturing. He has a strong track record, leading the successful development of numerous pharmaceutical products that have obtained marketing approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Patel holds a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from the Florida Institute of Technology, under the mentorship of Dr. Joshua Rokach, a well-renowned Isoprostanes & Prostaglandins pioneer (former President, Merck & Co., who led the discovery of the asthma drug “Singulair”).

 

Dr. Patel’s contributions and achievements in pharmaceutical research and development have positioned him as a knowledgeable and respected professional in the industry. Currently, he is also a Collaborative Professor, Dept. of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida Health; Assistant Professor, Affiliate, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences,  USF college of Pharmacy and, a Committee Member, Industry Advisory Council (IAC), USF Health.  Through his expertise and dedication, Dr. Patel continues to make significant contributions to advancing healthcare and improving patient outcomes.

Dr. Shoibal Mukherjee is a highly experienced professional with over 30 years of expertise in drug development and pharmaceutical medicine. He has held leadership positions in Pfizer India, Ranbaxy Laboratories, GVK Biosciences, and Quintiles Asia, heading medical and research departments. As the founder and former President of the Indian Society for Clinical Research, Dr. Mukherjee has played a crucial role in advancing clinical research in India. Currently working as an independent consultant, he undertakes assignments in tropical disease, biologicals, vaccines, and phytopharmaceutical research. Dr. Mukherjee’s extensive experience has led to his membership on research advisory boards for private and public sector organizations, as well as guest faculty positions at prestigious medical institutions in India.

Our Board Members

Meet our long-serving board members!

Dr. Navdeep Jaikaria has been at the forefront of cutting-edge biotechnologies in his various professional roles and has trained at some of the finest institutions in India and the US and with leading scientists of his times. Before founding SGN, Dr. Jaikaria was Managing Director and Head of Equity Research at a leading Healthcare Investment Bank in New York, where he led a team of about 30 equity research analysts. Dr. Jaikaria successfully used his scientific acumen and expertise to consistently identify and value ground-breaking therapies and biopharma technologies as successful investment opportunities in his Wall Street career spanning almost ten years. During his career, he has successfully assembled & managed competent teams of scientific experts and business professionals in high-pressure, productivity-focused environments.

Dr. Jaikaria’s industry & investment perspectives have been widely cited in the print & broadcast media including The Wall Street Journal, Financial times, Businessweek, Forbes. He periodically appeared as a guest commentator on CNNfn, CNBC, CNN India and has provided policy input to the US senate health committee on biodefense. He was named as one of the five best stock-pickers in Biotechnology in the Wall Street Journal’s annual “Best on the Street” Analysts survey in 2007 and was consistently ranked as a top Biotech analyst on Wall Street.

Dr. Jaikaria obtained B.Sc. in Human Biology from the All India Institute of medical Sciences, New Delhi, his Ph.D. from New York Medical College and was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at The Rockefeller University, New York. He has won many academic awards throughout, including the Martha Lucas Pate, Ph.D. Memorial Award for academic excellence & leadership at the New York Medical College, the Naval Research Scholarship to conduct research at Stanford University, and was awarded the prestigious National Talent Search Scholarship – the highest scholastic award in India after high school. He was ranked #2 overall at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.


Over the years, Navdeep is/has been a member of Non-for-profit and Corporate Boards (both Private and Public).
Dr. Gupta is a nationally recognized retinal surgeon in the United States, renowned entrepreneur, and healthcare pioneer. He is the founder of the Retina Specialty Institute and serves as the co-founder and chief medical officer of USRetina, one of the largest associations of retina physicians in the country. Additionally, Gupta is the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Medical Officer of Intelligent Retinal Imaging Systems. With a vast range of experiences, he has participated in over 30 clinical studies and serves on the Advisory Boards of prominent pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis, Allergan, and Genentech. Gupta’s contributions to the field of retinal surgery and his entrepreneurial endeavors have solidified his reputation as an industry leader.
Dr. Hawkins is a highly experienced pharmaceutical and biotech industry veteran, boasting 40 years of service across major functional areas. She is recognized as a successful CEO and drug developer, having played a pivotal role in the development of multiple approved and marketed products in the US and Europe. Currently, Dr. Hawkins serves as the Executive Chairwoman of Thylacine Biotherapeutics & Chairwoman of Epibone, a company specializing in bone and cartilage reconstruction. She previously held the positions of President, CEO, and co-Founder of Redpin Therapeutics (Kriya Therapeutics), where she contributed to the translational development of a groundbreaking chemogenetics product for nervous system diseases. Dr. Hawkins has also held two additional CEO positions and has a remarkable track record of raising $1 billion in public and private funding.
Kiran Vepuri serves on the Board of Directors of SGN Nanopharma. He is the Managing Partner of Campus Investments Holdings (CIH), a healthcare-focused family office whose affiliates include the wholly owned generics manufacturer KVK-Tech (>$200M in revenue) and Penn Life Sciences, key mid-sized players in oral solid dose (OSD) and sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing.
 
Concurrently, Mr. Vepuri serves as Executive Vice President of Business Development and Brand Marketing at both KVK-Tech and Penn Life Sciences. In this capacity, he executed a diversification strategy to hedge against generic price erosion by establishing a dedicated brand division and driving forward-looking partnerships and internal development of de-risked New Drug Applications (NDAs).
 
Earlier in his career, he spent four years at Navigant Consulting (now part of Bain Capital), leading team engagements in valuation, market assessment, clinical trial design, launch planning, forecasting, and NPV analysis for pharmaceutical and biotech clients ranging from early-stage ventures to global majors.
 
Mr. Vepuri holds dual B.S. degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Our Advisory Board

Meet our world-renowned advisory board!


Peter K. Kaiser, MD, is a staff member of the vitreoretinal faculty at the Cole Eye Institute in the Department of Ophthalmology at Cleveland Clinic’s main campus. He was appointed in 1997. Dr. Kaiser is the founding director of the Digital Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Reading Center at the Cole Eye Institute. Dr. Kaiser received his medical degree magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass. He completed an internship in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, an ophthalmology residency at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston, and a retinal fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida.

Presently, Dr. Kaiser serves as the team ophthalmologist for the Cleveland Browns (National Football League), Cleveland Cavaliers (National Basketball Association), and the Cleveland Indians (Major League Baseball).

Actively involved in retinal clinical research, Dr. Kaiser is the study chairman of four major, multi-center, international clinical trials and is a principal investigator in multiple other trials. Complementing his research endeavors, Dr. Kaiser serves on numerous scientific advisory boards and addresses his research interests as an invited speaker at national and international conferences.

Dr. Kaiser is a major contributor to the medical literature, having authored several ophthalmology texts and more than 200 book chapters, original reports, electronic publications, and abstracts. He is an associate editor of the American Journal of Ophthalmology and serves on the editorial boards of Retina, Retina Today, Retinal Physician, and Ocular Surgery News.

Dr. Kaiser has been recognized by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Retina Specialists with Achievement and Senior Achievement Awards. He is listed in the “Best Doctors in America” list.

Dr. Miller, one of Massachusetts’s top plastic surgeons, is the founder of the Boston Center for Facial Rejuvenation. He also serves on the faculty staff of Harvard Medical School and has full operating privileges at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and New England Baptist Hospital. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Miller has developed a unique treatment style to ensure his patients achieve their desired results. His artistic sensibility, combined with a dedication to the latest and most efficient techniques, has made him highly sought after in the country.

In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Miller is actively involved in research, writing, and education. He has published numerous studies and frequently lectures on various subjects worldwide. Dr. Miller has been a pioneer in aesthetic medicine and was the first surgeon to introduce micro-needling (Percutaneous Collagen Induction Therapy) to the United States. He actively participates in clinical trials for cutting-edge injectables and contributes to the development of new cosmetic products and skincare technologies. Presently, he serves as the clinical founder of the ThermiAesthetics Skin Rejuvenation System.

Dr. Miller is an invester in SGN Nanopharma.


Dr. Choudhri is a highly regarded neurosurgeon, a member of the clinical faculty and Co-Director of the Neurosurgery Spine Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. After graduating with distinction (Alpha Omega Alpha) from the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, he completed his neurosurgery training at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center and NY Neurological Institute. He then completed additional spine fellowship training at the Barrow Neurological Institute under Dr. Sonntag, an internationally-renowned spine surgeon.

Dr. Choudhri frequently participates in educating other spine surgeons at national/international conferences. He is active in leading Neurosurgical and Spine organizations and has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves and the Joint Section on Neurotrauma. He has served on national multispecialty committees that developed and published guidelines for lumbar and cervical spine surgery.


Dr. Choudhri has been selected for inclusion in numerous “best doctor” lists including the AAPI top doctors (2023), Castle Connolly Top Doctors and NY Metro Top Doctors (2013-2023), Best Doctors in America (2007-2008), Montclair Who’s Who in Healthcare (2008-2009), and New York Super Doctors (2009).


Dr. Choudhri’s research interests focus on spinal injury, cervical spinal disorders, minimally-invasive techniques, and improving outcome from spine surgery and diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) including concussions and subconcusive injuries.


Dr. Choudhri is a collaborating consultant for Concussion Management of New York and a member of the Mount Sinai Play Safe Program, which provides multidisciplinary care to injured athletes and technical assistance, as well as education to families and school personnel.


Dr. Choudhri is an investor in SGN.

Dr. Sanchez-Ramos is a Professor of Neurology at the University of South Florida in Tampa where he holds the Helen Ellis Endowed Chair for Parkinson’s Disease Research and is Director of the HDSA Center of Excellence for Huntington’s Disease. He is also the Medical Director of the non-profit Parkinson Research Foundation based in Sarasota FL. In addition to teaching and attending to patients with Movement Disorders, he has directed basic research projects in neurodegeneration, neurotoxicology, and adult stem cell biology. Dr. Sanchez-Ramos is actively engaged in studying the role of the endocannabinoid system in brain repair following traumatic brain injury.

Dr. Sanchez-Ramos, in collaboration with SGN Nanopharma, has an actively funded research program from the State of Florida (Florida I4 HiTech Grant) entitled “Nanoformulations of Cannabinoids for Nose to Brain Delivery.” He has over 200 publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Sanchez-Ramos received a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Physiology from the University of Chicago and a medical degree (M.D.) from the University of Illinois. He trained in Neurology at the University of Chicago and as a Fellow in Movement Disorders at the University of Miami.
Dr. Rajeev Sindhwani is a highly regarded cardiologist and member of the clinical faculty at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He joined Mount Sinai in 2017 and has since established himself as one of the top cardiologists in New York. Dr. Sindhwani obtained his undergraduate medical education from the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Science in New Delhi. Following his residency in Internal Medicine at the Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center in New York, he completed two fellowships in Cardiovascular Disease at Michael Reese Hospital and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, respectively. He further pursued a fellowship in Interventional Cardiology at Winthrop University Hospital in New York. Dr. Sindhwani holds board certifications in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, specializing in various medical concerns such as hypertension, congestive heart failure, chest pains, and valve disorders. Alongside his clinical practice, he actively engages in conducting clinical research.

Dr. Sindhwani is an investor in SGN Nanopharma.

Dr. Stuart A. Newman is a leading theoretical biologist and a Professor of Cell biology & Anatomy at New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York. His early scientific training was in chemistry (A.B., Columbia, Ph.D., University of Chicago), but he moved into biology, both experimental and theoretical. He has contributed to several fields, including biophysical chemistry, embryonic morphogenesis, and evolutionary theory. His theoretical work includes a mechanism for patterning of the vertebrate limb skeleton based on the physics of self-organizing systems, and a physico-genetic framework for understanding the origination of animal body plans. His experimental work includes the characterization of the biophysical process of “matrix-driven translocation” of cells. 


Dr. Newman has also written on ethical and societal issues related to research in developmental biology and was a founding member of the Council for Responsible Genetics (Cambridge, Mass.). He is an external faculty member of the Konrad Lorenz Institute, Klosterneuburg, Austria, and editor of the institute’s journal Biological Theory. He is group leader of an international project, “Cellular Agency: Recruitment, Integration, and Reemergence in Multicellular Development and Cancer,” supported by the John Templeton Foundation’s Science of Purpose Initiative, which is integrating the work of experimental and theoretical investigators, and philosophers of science, at institutions in the U.S., India, and Mexico.

Dr. Navin Khanna is one of India’s most eminent scientific figures who has made seminal contributions to tackling indigenous unmet medical needs of not only India but of all emerging nations. As such he was bestowed with one of the highest civilian honors, the prestigious “Padma Shri” award, by the Republic of India. 



Dr. Khanna holds a Doctoral Degree in Biochemistry from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. He was an Alberta Heritage Foundation Fellow at University of Calgary, Canada. He worked as a Post-Graduate Research Biologist at the Centre for Molecular Genetics, University of California San Diego (UCSD), and later as a Research Assistant Professor at University of California Irvine (UCI). He retired as Arturo Falaschi Emeritus Scientist from the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) New Delhi, in December 2022. For over 30 years, Dr. Khanna has been working on genetically engineered bio-molecules of medical use at ICGEB, New Delhi. 

 

The “know-how” developed by his team at ICGEB has resulted in the successful commercialization of over 20 diagnostic kits, including point-of-care tests for viral infections like Dengue, HIV, HCV, and HBV. The World Health Organization purchases these highly affordable and high-performing diagnostic kits for their programs in several developing countries.

 

During his stay at ICGEB, his team’s research outcome has resulted in the signing of 2 exclusive commercial agreements between ICGEB and Sun Pharma for the clinical development of the world’s first botanical drug against dengue and a yeast-based dengue subunit vaccine candidate for global use.



Dr Khanna is a recipient of several awards and honors, including the Anjani Mashelkar innovation award, the Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers of India’s Scientist Award, the Om Prakash Bhasin Foundation Award, the Ranbaxy Research Award, the Biotech Commercialization Award of the Department of Bioecology, and VASVIK Industrial Research Award. Dr Khanna was honored with “Padma Shri” award by the Republic of India, for his successful translational efforts. 



Dr Khanna is a Fellow of all 3 Science Academies of India. He was an adjunct professor at the School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA, an adjunct faculty at Translational Health and Technology Institute, Faridabad and an adjunct professor at the Institute of Advanced Virology, Kerala, India. He has been a research council advisor to several national institutes. Dr Khanna is a member of India’s National Technical Advisory Group on Immunizations.



Dr Khanna’s current interests remain focused on the development of safe, affordable, and effective therapeutics and vaccines for emerging nations.

Our Advisory Board

Meet our world-renowned advisory board!


Peter K. Kaiser, MD, is a staff member of the vitreoretinal faculty at the Cole Eye Institute in the Department of Ophthalmology at Cleveland Clinic’s main campus. He was appointed in 1997. Dr. Kaiser is the founding director of the Digital Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Reading Center at the Cole Eye Institute. Dr. Kaiser received his medical degree magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass. He completed an internship in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, an ophthalmology residency at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston, and a retinal fellowship at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida.

Presently, Dr. Kaiser serves as the team ophthalmologist for the Cleveland Browns (National Football League), Cleveland Cavaliers (National Basketball Association), and the Cleveland Indians (Major League Baseball).

Actively involved in retinal clinical research, Dr. Kaiser is the study chairman of four major, multi-center, international clinical trials and is a principal investigator in multiple other trials. Complementing his research endeavors, Dr. Kaiser serves on numerous scientific advisory boards and addresses his research interests as an invited speaker at national and international conferences.

Dr. Kaiser is a major contributor to the medical literature, having authored several ophthalmology texts and more than 200 book chapters, original reports, electronic publications, and abstracts. He is an associate editor of the American Journal of Ophthalmology and serves on the editorial boards of Retina, Retina Today, Retinal Physician, and Ocular Surgery News.

Dr. Kaiser has been recognized by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Retina Specialists with Achievement and Senior Achievement Awards. He is listed in the “Best Doctors in America” list.

Dr. Miller, one of Massachusetts’s top plastic surgeons, is the founder of the Boston Center for Facial Rejuvenation. He also serves on the faculty staff of Harvard Medical School and has full operating privileges at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and New England Baptist Hospital. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Miller has developed a unique treatment style to ensure his patients achieve their desired results. His artistic sensibility, combined with a dedication to the latest and most efficient techniques, has made him highly sought after in the country.

In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Miller is actively involved in research, writing, and education. He has published numerous studies and frequently lectures on various subjects worldwide. Dr. Miller has been a pioneer in aesthetic medicine and was the first surgeon to introduce micro-needling (Percutaneous Collagen Induction Therapy) to the United States. He actively participates in clinical trials for cutting-edge injectables and contributes to the development of new cosmetic products and skincare technologies. Presently, he serves as the clinical founder of the ThermiAesthetics Skin Rejuvenation System.

Dr. Miller is an invester in SGN Nanopharma.


Dr. Choudhri is a highly regarded neurosurgeon, a member of the clinical faculty and Co-Director of the Neurosurgery Spine Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. After graduating with distinction (Alpha Omega Alpha) from the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, he completed his neurosurgery training at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center and NY Neurological Institute. He then completed additional spine fellowship training at the Barrow Neurological Institute under Dr. Sonntag, an internationally-renowned spine surgeon.

Dr. Choudhri frequently participates in educating other spine surgeons at national/international conferences. He is active in leading Neurosurgical and Spine organizations and has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves and the Joint Section on Neurotrauma. He has served on national multispecialty committees that developed and published guidelines for lumbar and cervical spine surgery.


Dr. Choudhri has been selected for inclusion in numerous “best doctor” lists including the AAPI top doctors (2023), Castle Connolly Top Doctors and NY Metro Top Doctors (2013-2023), Best Doctors in America (2007-2008), Montclair Who’s Who in Healthcare (2008-2009), and New York Super Doctors (2009).


Dr. Choudhri’s research interests focus on spinal injury, cervical spinal disorders, minimally-invasive techniques, and improving outcome from spine surgery and diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) including concussions and subconcusive injuries.


Dr. Choudhri is a collaborating consultant for Concussion Management of New York and a member of the Mount Sinai Play Safe Program, which provides multidisciplinary care to injured athletes and technical assistance, as well as education to families and school personnel.


Dr. Choudhri is an investor in SGN.

Dr. Rajeev Sindhwani is a highly regarded cardiologist and member of the clinical faculty at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He joined Mount Sinai in 2017 and has since established himself as one of the top cardiologists in New York. Dr. Sindhwani obtained his undergraduate medical education from the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Science in New Delhi. Following his residency in Internal Medicine at the Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center in New York, he completed two fellowships in Cardiovascular Disease at Michael Reese Hospital and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, respectively. He further pursued a fellowship in Interventional Cardiology at Winthrop University Hospital in New York. Dr. Sindhwani holds board certifications in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, specializing in various medical concerns such as hypertension, congestive heart failure, chest pains, and valve disorders. Alongside his clinical practice, he actively engages in conducting clinical research.

Dr. Sindhwani is an investor in SGN Nanopharma.
Dr. Sanchez-Ramos is a Professor of Neurology at the University of South Florida in Tampa where he holds the Helen Ellis Endowed Chair for Parkinson’s Disease Research and is Director of the HDSA Center of Excellence for Huntington’s Disease. He is also the Medical Director of the non-profit Parkinson Research Foundation based in Sarasota FL. In addition to teaching and attending to patients with Movement Disorders, he has directed basic research projects in neurodegeneration, neurotoxicology, and adult stem cell biology. Dr. Sanchez-Ramos is actively engaged in studying the role of the endocannabinoid system in brain repair following traumatic brain injury.

Dr. Sanchez-Ramos, in collaboration with SGN Nanopharma, has an actively funded research program from the State of Florida (Florida I4 HiTech Grant) entitled “Nanoformulations of Cannabinoids for Nose to Brain Delivery.” He has over 200 publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Dr. Sanchez-Ramos received a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Physiology from the University of Chicago and a medical degree (M.D.) from the University of Illinois. He trained in Neurology at the University of Chicago and as a Fellow in Movement Disorders at the University of Miami.

Dr. Stuart A. Newman is a leading theoretical biologist and a Professor of Cell biology & Anatomy at New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York. His early scientific training was in chemistry (A.B., Columbia, Ph.D., University of Chicago), but he moved into biology, both experimental and theoretical. He has contributed to several fields, including biophysical chemistry, embryonic morphogenesis, and evolutionary theory. His theoretical work includes a mechanism for patterning of the vertebrate limb skeleton based on the physics of self-organizing systems, and a physico-genetic framework for understanding the origination of animal body plans. His experimental work includes the characterization of the biophysical process of “matrix-driven translocation” of cells. 


Dr. Newman has also written on ethical and societal issues related to research in developmental biology and was a founding member of the Council for Responsible Genetics (Cambridge, Mass.). He is an external faculty member of the Konrad Lorenz Institute, Klosterneuburg, Austria, and editor of the institute’s journal Biological Theory. He is group leader of an international project, “Cellular Agency: Recruitment, Integration, and Reemergence in Multicellular Development and Cancer,” supported by the John Templeton Foundation’s Science of Purpose Initiative, which is integrating the work of experimental and theoretical investigators, and philosophers of science, at institutions in the U.S., India, and Mexico.

Dr. Navin Khanna is one of India’s most eminent scientific figures who has made seminal contributions to tackling indigenous unmet medical needs of not only India but of all emerging nations. As such he was bestowed with one of the highest civilian honors, the prestigious “Padma Shri” award, by the Republic of India. Dr. Khanna holds a Doctoral Degree in Biochemistry from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. He was an Alberta Heritage Foundation Fellow at University of Calgary, Canada. He worked as a Post-Graduate Research Biologist at the Centre for Molecular Genetics, University of California San Diego (UCSD), and later as a Research Assistant Professor at University of California Irvine (UCI). He retired as Arturo Falaschi Emeritus Scientist from the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) New Delhi, in December 2022. For over 30 years, Dr. Khanna has been working on genetically engineered bio-molecules of medical use at ICGEB, New Delhi.

The “know-how” developed by his team at ICGEB has resulted in the successful commercialization of over 20 diagnostic kits, including point-of-care tests for viral infections like Dengue, HIV, HCV, and HBV. The World Health Organization purchases these highly affordable and high-performing diagnostic kits for their programs in several developing countries.

During his stay at ICGEB, his team’s research outcome has resulted in the signing of 2 exclusive commercial agreements between ICGEB and Sun Pharma for the clinical development of the world’s first botanical drug against dengue and a yeast-based dengue subunit vaccine candidate for global use.

Dr. Khanna is a recipient of several awards and honors, including the Anjani Mashelkar innovation award, the Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers of India’s Scientist Award, the Om Prakash Bhasin Foundation Award, the Ranbaxy Research Award, the Biotech Commercialization Award of the Department of Bioecology, and VASVIK Industrial Research Award. Dr Khanna was honored with “Padma Shri” award by the Republic of India, for his successful translational efforts.

Dr Khanna is a Fellow of all 3 Science Academies of India. He was an adjunct professor at the School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, USA, an adjunct faculty at Translational Health and Technology Institute, Faridabad and an adjunct professor at the Institute of Advanced Virology, Kerala, India. He has been a research council advisor to several national institutes. Dr Khanna is a member of India’s National Technical Advisory Group on Immunizations.

Dr Khanna’s current interests remain focused on the development of safe, affordable, and effective therapeutics and vaccines for emerging nations.