About us

Excited to share about our philosophy, team members, and advisors.

Philosophy

We are building Helex with a mission to serve all patients with a high unmet need in an accessible and affordable manner. All our work is driven by our users - the patients and their families. At Helex, we wish to build more than a business, we wish to build an institution that advances science, technology, and human health.

Team members

Poulami Chaudhuri, PhD

Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow, TCS Innovation Labs, India

PhD, Molecular Biology, King’s College London

MSc Biomedical and Molecular Sciences Research, King’s College London

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Experience

Poulami brings 15 years of experience in lipid nanoparticle-based delivery, peptide based delivery, and molecular biology, specializing in the advancement of genomic medicines. During her PhD at King’s College London, her research focused on non-viral delivery systems for therapeutic applications, including peptide based vectors for siRNA delivery in cancer treatment. During her postdoctoral work at TCS Innovation Labs, she investigated the 3D genome structure and epigenetics of human cells, including work on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), laying the foundation for the Epic-Cure™ drug design platform she leads at Helex. Under her leadership, Helex has raised over $6M in venture funding and built a portfolio of four filed patents covering novel lipids and LNP delivery technology, the Epic-Cure™ drug design platform, and the therapeutic strategy for the company’s lead indication, Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). A 2023 Cartier’s Women Initiative Fellow, she represents Helex at leading conferences such as ASGCT, ASN, and the CKD Summit, and actively contributes to India’s emerging gene therapy and biotech ecosystem.

Poulami Chaudhuri, PhD

Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow, TCS Innovation Labs, India

PhD, Molecular Biology, King’s College London

MSc Biomedical and Molecular Sciences Research, King’s College London

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Experience

Poulami brings 15 years of experience in lipid nanoparticle-based delivery, peptide based delivery, and molecular biology, specializing in the advancement of genomic medicines. During her PhD at King’s College London, her research focused on non-viral delivery systems for therapeutic applications, including peptide based vectors for siRNA delivery in cancer treatment. During her postdoctoral work at TCS Innovation Labs, she investigated the 3D genome structure and epigenetics of human cells, including work on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), laying the foundation for the Epic-Cure™ drug design platform she leads at Helex. Under her leadership, Helex has raised over $6M in venture funding and built a portfolio of four filed patents covering novel lipids and LNP delivery technology, the Epic-Cure™ drug design platform, and the therapeutic strategy for the company’s lead indication, Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). A 2023 Cartier’s Women Initiative Fellow, she represents Helex at leading conferences such as ASGCT, ASN, and the CKD Summit, and actively contributes to India’s emerging gene therapy and biotech ecosystem.

Rohini Kalvakuntla

Co-founder, Chief Business Officer

Education

MSc International Management, King’s College London

MSc Social Policy & Development Studies, London School of Economics

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Experience

Rohini brings over 13 years of healthcare consulting, strategy, and business development experience to lead strategic business development at Helex. She drives the company’s fundraising strategy and investor engagement, representing Helex at forums such as the BIO Investor Conference and New York Venture Summit. She also builds biopharma and corporate VC partnerships to support preclinical development, and leads Helex’s non-dilutive financing strategy, shaping the company’s positioning to secure awards including the NIH’s Targeted Genome Editor Delivery (TARGETED) Challenge, Phases 1 through 3a, and the Xseed Award. She has worked extensively with U.S. healthcare systems, both providers and payors, expanding capitation based insurance models, and previously led Public Private Partnership programs in healthcare access funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The World Bank.

Rohini Kalvakuntla

Co-founder, Chief Business Officer

Education

MSc International Management, King’s College London

MSc Social Policy & Development Studies, London School of Economics

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Experience

Rohini brings over 13 years of healthcare consulting, strategy, and business development experience to lead strategic business development at Helex. She drives the company’s fundraising strategy and investor engagement, representing Helex at forums such as the BIO Investor Conference and New York Venture Summit. She also builds biopharma and corporate VC partnerships to support preclinical development, and leads Helex’s non-dilutive financing strategy, shaping the company’s positioning to secure awards including the NIH’s Targeted Genome Editor Delivery (TARGETED) Challenge, Phases 1 through 3a, and the Xseed Award. She has worked extensively with U.S. healthcare systems, both providers and payors, expanding capitation based insurance models, and previously led Public Private Partnership programs in healthcare access funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The World Bank.

Anirudh Nishtala

Co-founder, Chief Operating Officer

Education

Master's in Biomedical and Molecular Sciences Research, King’s College London

MBA, Indian School of Business

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Experience

With 15 years of experience in operations and sales in life sciences, Anirudh has built and scaled pharmaceutical businesses across global markets. He built a formulations vertical from scratch to over $15 million in sales, navigating regulatory approvals across agencies including the U.S. FDA, Europe’s EMA, and the U.K.’s MHRA. At Helex, he has built the company’s operational and financial backbone since its founding. He has grown the team across its India and US offices and managed finance operations through the pre-seed and seed fundraising rounds. He has also structured the CRO and CDMO partnerships that support Helex’s preclinical studies, from early discovery through ongoing and planned programs up to IND enabling studies, while scaling up the company’s overall capabilities. He is a co-inventor on the company’s filed patents covering its platform technologies and therapeutic strategy for ADPKD.

Anirudh Nishtala

Co-founder, Chief Operating Officer

Education

Master's in Biomedical and Molecular Sciences Research, King’s College London

MBA, Indian School of Business

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Experience

With 15 years of experience in operations and sales in life sciences, Anirudh has built and scaled pharmaceutical businesses across global markets. He built a formulations vertical from scratch to over $15 million in sales, navigating regulatory approvals across agencies including the U.S. FDA, Europe’s EMA, and the U.K.’s MHRA. At Helex, he has built the company’s operational and financial backbone since its founding. He has grown the team across its India and US offices and managed finance operations through the pre-seed and seed fundraising rounds. He has also structured the CRO and CDMO partnerships that support Helex’s preclinical studies, from early discovery through ongoing and planned programs up to IND enabling studies, while scaling up the company’s overall capabilities. He is a co-inventor on the company’s filed patents covering its platform technologies and therapeutic strategy for ADPKD.

Suman Alishetty, PhD

Vice President, Drug Delivery

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow, Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering, George Mason University, USA

PhD, Organic and Conducting Polymers, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

MSc Industrial Chemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, India

Experience

Suman brings over 15 years of experience in lipid nanoparticle (LNP) design, formulation, and scale-up for mRNA delivery systems. He co-founded AexeRNA Therapeutics, a company acquired by BioNTech in 2023. At George Mason University, he served as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering, focusing on lipid-based drug delivery systems. At Helex, Suman leads the drug delivery team, overseeing novel lipid and LNP development for extrahepatic delivery, including the kidney, and contributing to the platform’s IP. He also guides the team’s scale-up and procurement strategy as production capacity increases to support large animal studies and advance toward GMP-grade drug product manufacturing. Beyond execution, he shapes the LNP platform’s technical direction, translating the science toward IND-enabling studies and aligning it with the company’s regulatory strategy.

Suman Alishetty, PhD

Vice President, Drug Delivery

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow, Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering, George Mason University, USA

PhD, Organic and Conducting Polymers, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

MSc Industrial Chemistry, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, India

Experience

Suman brings over 15 years of experience in lipid nanoparticle (LNP) design, formulation, and scale-up for mRNA delivery systems. He co-founded AexeRNA Therapeutics, a company acquired by BioNTech in 2023. At George Mason University, he served as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering, focusing on lipid-based drug delivery systems. At Helex, Suman leads the drug delivery team, overseeing novel lipid and LNP development for extrahepatic delivery, including the kidney, and contributing to the platform’s IP. He also guides the team’s scale-up and procurement strategy as production capacity increases to support large animal studies and advance toward GMP-grade drug product manufacturing. Beyond execution, he shapes the LNP platform’s technical direction, translating the science toward IND-enabling studies and aligning it with the company’s regulatory strategy.

Harsha Rohira, Ph.D.

Lead Scientist, Drug Delivery

Education

PhD, Peptide-Mediated Drug Delivery, IIT Delhi, India

Master's in Biotechnology, Panjab University, India

Experience

Harsha brings an extensive background in developing and optimizing novel delivery mechanisms, particularly to achieve cellular specificity in ocular applications. With 9 years of experience across diverse cell lines and the murine models, she has deep expertise in evaluating delivery performance and therapeutic response in preclinical settings. At Helex, she leads preclinical R&D for the LNP platform, designing and executing formulation and delivery studies that advance the platform beyond the liver, including toward kidney-targeted applications for the company’s ADPKD program. She also sets the scientific direction for the LNP team, guiding formulation strategy and mentoring junior scientists as the platform moves toward IND-enabling studies.

Harsha Rohira, Ph.D.

Lead Scientist, Drug Delivery

Education

PhD, Peptide-Mediated Drug Delivery, IIT Delhi, India

Master's in Biotechnology, Panjab University, India

Experience

Harsha brings an extensive background in developing and optimizing novel delivery mechanisms, particularly to achieve cellular specificity in ocular applications. With 9 years of experience across diverse cell lines and the murine models, she has deep expertise in evaluating delivery performance and therapeutic response in preclinical settings. At Helex, she leads preclinical R&D for the LNP platform, designing and executing formulation and delivery studies that advance the platform beyond the liver, including toward kidney-targeted applications for the company’s ADPKD program. She also sets the scientific direction for the LNP team, guiding formulation strategy and mentoring junior scientists as the platform moves toward IND-enabling studies.

Kanchan Parate, PhD

Junior Scientist, Targeted LNP Delivery

Education

PhD, Biotechnology, Defense R&D Establishment DRDO, India

MSc Biotechnology, Jiwaji University, India

Experience

Kanchan brings a PhD background in biopolymeric and chitosan nanoparticle research. At Helex, she stays closely engaged with the latest science in active targeting approaches, helping shape the LNP team’s strategy and informing formulation choices suited to the disease context. She also supports external analytical method development and helps standardize the team’s SOPs for evaluating lipid nanoparticle performance.

Kanchan Parate, PhD

Junior Scientist, Targeted LNP Delivery

Education

PhD, Biotechnology, Defense R&D Establishment DRDO, India

MSc Biotechnology, Jiwaji University, India

Experience

Kanchan brings a PhD background in biopolymeric and chitosan nanoparticle research. At Helex, she stays closely engaged with the latest science in active targeting approaches, helping shape the LNP team’s strategy and informing formulation choices suited to the disease context. She also supports external analytical method development and helps standardize the team’s SOPs for evaluating lipid nanoparticle performance.

Gayathri Sembara

Junior Scientist, LNP Formulations

Education

MTech, Medical Nanotechnology, SASTRA University, India

MTech thesis carried out at University of Massachusetts, USA

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Experience

At Helex, Gayathri plays a pivotal role in the formulation and characterization of lipid nanoparticles for targeted delivery. Her work spans optimizing LNP composition for size, stability, and encapsulation efficiency, and refining processes to enhance scalability and reproducibility. She brings a strong background in nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems to the team, driving innovation in LNP development.

Gayathri Sembara

Junior Scientist, LNP Formulations

Education

MTech, Medical Nanotechnology, SASTRA University, India

MTech thesis carried out at University of Massachusetts, USA

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Experience

At Helex, Gayathri plays a pivotal role in the formulation and characterization of lipid nanoparticles for targeted delivery. Her work spans optimizing LNP composition for size, stability, and encapsulation efficiency, and refining processes to enhance scalability and reproducibility. She brings a strong background in nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems to the team, driving innovation in LNP development.

Sasvat Ramesh

Junior Scientist, LNP Formulations

Education

MTech, Medical Nanotechnology, Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology and Research Academy

Experience

Sasvat brings a background in nanomedicine and advanced drug delivery systems, with a focus on active targeting for precise and efficient therapeutic delivery. His work spans the development and optimization of lipid nanoparticles, stimuli responsive nanoformulations, and other functional nanomaterials for targeted applications. At Helex, he supports formulation design and physicochemical characterization work on the LNP platform, evaluating delivery performance to improve cellular specificity and therapeutic efficacy.

Sasvat Ramesh

Junior Scientist, LNP Formulations

Education

MTech, Medical Nanotechnology, Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology and Research Academy

Experience

Sasvat brings a background in nanomedicine and advanced drug delivery systems, with a focus on active targeting for precise and efficient therapeutic delivery. His work spans the development and optimization of lipid nanoparticles, stimuli responsive nanoformulations, and other functional nanomaterials for targeted applications. At Helex, he supports formulation design and physicochemical characterization work on the LNP platform, evaluating delivery performance to improve cellular specificity and therapeutic efficacy.

Nupur Bhargava

Scientist, Gene Editing

Education

MRes, Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, King’s College London, UK

Experience

Nupur brings a strong foundation in CRISPR gene editing, with 9 years of experience developing ex vivo gene editing therapies for hemoglobinopathies. Her expertise cuts across cell and gene therapy, CRISPR/Cas9 editing, iPSC technology, hematopoietic stem cells, and disease modeling, bridging bench science with translational research from early discovery through preclinical development. At Helex, she owns in vivo validation of the gene editing approach, in animal models, for the company's lead ADPKD program, and also supports the related in vitro studies. She plays a key role in shaping study design alongside external collaborators and drives discovery stage research on new indications

Nupur Bhargava

Scientist, Gene Editing

Education

MRes, Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, King’s College London, UK

Experience

Nupur brings a strong foundation in CRISPR gene editing, with 9 years of experience developing ex vivo gene editing therapies for hemoglobinopathies. Her expertise cuts across cell and gene therapy, CRISPR/Cas9 editing, iPSC technology, hematopoietic stem cells, and disease modeling, bridging bench science with translational research from early discovery through preclinical development. At Helex, she owns in vivo validation of the gene editing approach, in animal models, for the company's lead ADPKD program, and also supports the related in vitro studies. She plays a key role in shaping study design alongside external collaborators and drives discovery stage research on new indications

Madhuri Vangipuram

Scientist, Molecular Biology

Education

MS Biotechnology, California State University Channel Islands, USA

Experience

Madhuri is a scientist with over 10 years of experience in CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, iPSC disease modeling, and highthroughput assay development. She most recently served as a Scientist at CZ Biohub SF, where she led the development of end to-end genome editing, off-target assessment, and quality control pipelines in human iPSCs and built an iPSC-based model of Alzheimer’s disease. Prior to CZ Biohub, she developed a GMP-compatible CRISPR-based stem cell therapy for Epidermolysis Bullosa at Stanford University. At Helex, she leads the in-vitro strategy for our ADPKD therapeutic program including characterization and validation of on-target and off-target editing, while also driving molecular biology workflows and experimental planning for key dose finding studies. She also supports regulatory strategy for translating the drug product into the clinic.

Madhuri Vangipuram

Scientist, Molecular Biology

Education

MS Biotechnology, California State University Channel Islands, USA

Experience

Madhuri is a scientist with over 10 years of experience in CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, iPSC disease modeling, and highthroughput assay development. She most recently served as a Scientist at CZ Biohub SF, where she led the development of end to-end genome editing, off-target assessment, and quality control pipelines in human iPSCs and built an iPSC-based model of Alzheimer’s disease. Prior to CZ Biohub, she developed a GMP-compatible CRISPR-based stem cell therapy for Epidermolysis Bullosa at Stanford University. At Helex, she leads the in-vitro strategy for our ADPKD therapeutic program including characterization and validation of on-target and off-target editing, while also driving molecular biology workflows and experimental planning for key dose finding studies. She also supports regulatory strategy for translating the drug product into the clinic.

Yogendra Verma

Scientist, Molecular Biology

Education

MS Biotechnology, California State University Channel Islands

USA Master’s thesis research conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, USA

Experience

Yogendra brings 10 years of experience across biotech and academic labs, specializing in mammalian cell culture, CRISPR-Cas9 engineering, and cell-based functional assays. Most recently as a Senior Research Associate at Adicet Bio, he developed and executed cell-based functional assays supporting candidate selection and IND-enabling packages for the company’s CAR-T cell therapy programs. Earlier, at UC Berkeley’s Hockemeyer lab and Stanford University, he engineered CRISPR-edited stem cell and disease models and validated them through large-scale genomic and flow cytometry analysis, contributing to several peer-reviewed publications. At Helex, he develops critical assays behind the company's lead program, and is establishing QA/QC standards that make tech transfer to CRO partners reliable.

Yogendra Verma

Scientist, Molecular Biology

Education

MS Biotechnology, California State University Channel Islands

USA Master’s thesis research conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, USA

Experience

Yogendra brings 10 years of experience across biotech and academic labs, specializing in mammalian cell culture, CRISPR-Cas9 engineering, and cell-based functional assays. Most recently as a Senior Research Associate at Adicet Bio, he developed and executed cell-based functional assays supporting candidate selection and IND-enabling packages for the company’s CAR-T cell therapy programs. Earlier, at UC Berkeley’s Hockemeyer lab and Stanford University, he engineered CRISPR-edited stem cell and disease models and validated them through large-scale genomic and flow cytometry analysis, contributing to several peer-reviewed publications. At Helex, he develops critical assays behind the company's lead program, and is establishing QA/QC standards that make tech transfer to CRO partners reliable.

Yugantak Raj Gupta, PhD

Junior Scientist, Molecular Biology

Education

PhD, Molecular Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology, University of Hyderabad, India

MSc Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

Experience

Yugantak has seven years of experience in molecular biology, with a focus on identifying and characterizing differentially expressed genes. Yugantak has significant understanding of gene expression and its regulation through transient gene silencing. At Helex, he carries out gene editing experiments and in vitro studies, including cell line maintenance and passaging, in support of the company’s molecular biology programs. He also supports data analysis and troubleshooting across these experiments, contributing to the reliability of the team’s results.

Yugantak Raj Gupta, PhD

Junior Scientist, Molecular Biology

Education

PhD, Molecular Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology, University of Hyderabad, India

MSc Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India

Experience

Yugantak has seven years of experience in molecular biology, with a focus on identifying and characterizing differentially expressed genes. Yugantak has significant understanding of gene expression and its regulation through transient gene silencing. At Helex, he carries out gene editing experiments and in vitro studies, including cell line maintenance and passaging, in support of the company’s molecular biology programs. He also supports data analysis and troubleshooting across these experiments, contributing to the reliability of the team’s results.

Ankur Banerjee

Machine Learning Engineer

Education

B.Tech, Computer Science (AI & ML), Keshav Memorial Institute of Technology, Hyderabad

Experience

Ankur brings a foundation in machine learning models, data pipelines, and computational tool development from his B.Tech training in AI and ML. At Helex, he builds and maintains computational modules within the Epic-Cure™ platform that support target selection and validation, and payload design choices such as guide RNA scoring, for the company’s lead program. For the LNP platform, he develops models that screen candidate lipids from novel lipid libraries for extrahepatic applications and score ligand and conjugate options for the team’s active targeting strategies.

Ankur Banerjee

Machine Learning Engineer

Education

B.Tech, Computer Science (AI & ML), Keshav Memorial Institute of Technology, Hyderabad

Experience

Ankur brings a foundation in machine learning models, data pipelines, and computational tool development from his B.Tech training in AI and ML. At Helex, he builds and maintains computational modules within the Epic-Cure™ platform that support target selection and validation, and payload design choices such as guide RNA scoring, for the company’s lead program. For the LNP platform, he develops models that screen candidate lipids from novel lipid libraries for extrahepatic applications and score ligand and conjugate options for the team’s active targeting strategies.

Prashanthi Krishna Kumar

Manager, Strategic Projects and Partnerships

Education

MBA, Healthcare & Hospital Management, University of Hyderabad, India

MSc Biotechnology, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, India

Experience

Prashanthi brings 12 years of experience managing complex projects in the biotech and healthcare sectors. At Helex, she leads project and partnership execution, driving cross-functional program management across key company milestones. She also executes the company’s non-dilutive funding strategy, developing competitive grant applications for the U.S. Department of Defense and the NIH’s TARGETED Challenge, and securing critical funding for R&D efforts. She heads the implementation of Helex’s IP strategy, coordinating patent submissions for the company’s platform technologies and liaising with IP firms from national phase filing through prosecution.

Prashanthi Krishna Kumar

Manager, Strategic Projects and Partnerships

Education

MBA, Healthcare & Hospital Management, University of Hyderabad, India

MSc Biotechnology, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, India

Experience

Prashanthi brings 12 years of experience managing complex projects in the biotech and healthcare sectors. At Helex, she leads project and partnership execution, driving cross-functional program management across key company milestones. She also executes the company’s non-dilutive funding strategy, developing competitive grant applications for the U.S. Department of Defense and the NIH’s TARGETED Challenge, and securing critical funding for R&D efforts. She heads the implementation of Helex’s IP strategy, coordinating patent submissions for the company’s platform technologies and liaising with IP firms from national phase filing through prosecution.

Rajashekar Reddy

Finance Manager

Education

Chartered Accountant, ICAI  

B.Com (Computer Applications), Shree Uma Degree and PG College

Experience

Rajashekar brings over four years of experience in direct and international taxation, transfer pricing, FEMA, and US taxation to lead finance operations at Helex. At Helex, he manages accounting operations, MIS reporting, budgeting, and statutory compliances, while supporting fundraise-related workstreams including financial due diligence and investor reporting. He has advised startups and growth-stage companies on income-tax and transfer pricing audits, supported litigation matters before the DRP, CIT(A), and ITAT, and played a key role in fundraising transactions including valuation coordination and post-investment securities compliance.

Rajashekar Reddy

Finance Manager

Education

Chartered Accountant, ICAI  

B.Com (Computer Applications), Shree Uma Degree and PG College

Experience

Rajashekar brings over four years of experience in direct and international taxation, transfer pricing, FEMA, and US taxation to lead finance operations at Helex. At Helex, he manages accounting operations, MIS reporting, budgeting, and statutory compliances, while supporting fundraise-related workstreams including financial due diligence and investor reporting. He has advised startups and growth-stage companies on income-tax and transfer pricing audits, supported litigation matters before the DRP, CIT(A), and ITAT, and played a key role in fundraising transactions including valuation coordination and post-investment securities compliance.

Mallikharjuna Vathadi

Office Administrator

Education

B.Com, Adikavi Nannaya University (AKNU), Rajahmundry

Experience

Mallikharjun has supported Helex’s India office operations since the company’s inception. He coordinates procurement with vendors, manages shipping and logistics, and handles a range of day to day responsibilities that support the team’s operations.

Mallikharjuna Vathadi

Office Administrator

Education

B.Com, Adikavi Nannaya University (AKNU), Rajahmundry

Experience

Mallikharjun has supported Helex’s India office operations since the company’s inception. He coordinates procurement with vendors, manages shipping and logistics, and handles a range of day to day responsibilities that support the team’s operations.

Advisors

Sriram Sathyanarayanan (Sathy), PhD

Dr. Sathy serves as a non-executive director on Helex's board and is Chief Scientific Officer at AIRNA, bringing nearly two decades of leadership in translational science and preclinical drug development spanning genomic medicine, RNA editing, and oncology. At AIRNA, he leads the advancement of RNA-editing therapeutics for rare and common diseases, including AIR-001 for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a clinical-stage program. He also advises Novo Holdings and BiOrigin (Novo Seeds). His experience taking RNA-editing therapeutics from preclinical validation into the clinic informs Helex's strategy as the company advances its lead ADPKD program toward IND-enabling studies and clinical translation.

Katharina Hopp, PhD

Dr. Katharina Hopp is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Basic Research and Preclinical Core at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus PKD Research Center, which houses more than ten murine models of ADPKD. She was the principal investigator on the pivotal study establishing the Pkd1RC/RC mouse model’s translational value, results that preceded and predicted the clinical success of tolvaptan, the only FDA-approved ADPKD therapy, and this same model now underpins Helex’s preclinical efficacy studies. At Helex, Dr. Hopp advises on the use of relevant ADPKD disease mouse models and on the planning of efficacy studies. Dr. Hopp also was one of the investigators on the clinical trials for Tolvaptan for ADPKD.

Owen M. Woodward, PhD

Dr. Woodward is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where his research spans renal physiology, urate and uric acid handling, gout, and polycystic kidney disease. He earned his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Washington, and trained as a research fellow in physiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His work includes developing three dimensional in vitro tubuloid models of ADPKD cystogenesis and single-cell profiling of cellular complexity in human ADPKD, published in journals including Nature Communications. At Helex, Dr. Woodward advises on the use of 3D cyst-based cell models to determine the efficacy of Helex’s drug product in ADPKD, supporting preclinical experimental design and the planning of key studies on the path to IND.

Nageswara Rao Kollu, PhD

Dr. Kollu is a Senior Director at Apellis Pharmaceuticals, leading gene therapy strategy for rare and chronic diseases. Previously at Sanofi, he advanced viral (AAV) and non-viral (LNP) delivery platforms for neuromuscular, ocular, and metabolic indications. With broad experience spanning target identification to early clinical development, he has led global, cross-functional teams driving discovery and preclinical pipelines. At Helex, he advises on preclinical study design, nonclinical regulatory strategy, assay development, and strategic collaborations with key opinion leaders and biopharma partners.

Seerapani Gopaluni, MBBS, PhD, FRCP

Dr. Gopaluni brings over 18 years of experience in nephrology and renal transplantation, with extensive clinical and clinical-trial experience in kidney disease, including cystic kidney disease. UK-trained at Oxford with a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, he has authored more than 25 publications, led international clinical trials, and serves as a principal investigator for clinical trials in India. At Helex, Dr. Gopaluni brings a clinical and procedural perspective as the company advances its retrograde ureteral (RU) delivered LNP gene-editing platform toward the clinic, informing patient selection and clinically meaningful endpoints, as well as optimization of the catheter-based delivery procedure, including delivery site and dwell time, to maximize renal epithelial drug exposure while maintaining safety. His experience will further inform Helex’s strategy as the program advances toward IND-enabling studies and potential Phase 1/2 clinical development in India.

Christopher Sears

Christopher Sears is a CMC leader with more than 20 years of experience in pharmaceutical development and technical operations across both early-stage startups and established pharmaceutical companies. He has advanced programs through all phases of clinical development and into commercial supply, bringing three investigational products into first-in-human studies and contributing to multiple IND/CTA filings, FDA meetings, and NDA/MAA submissions. He served as VP CMC at Lyra Therapeutics and Tarveda Therapeutics, and works as an independent CMC and product development consultant. At Helex, he serves as CMC Consultant, guiding manufacturing strategy, process and analytical development, and technical operations.

David Venables, PhD

Dr. Venables is the CEO of Laverock Therapeutics and was a co-founder of Nightstar Therapeutics. He has held executive positions at multiple gene therapy companies and CROs, including President of AskBio Europe and CEO of Synpromics. With over 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, he advises Helex on corporate strategy, fundraising, business development, and clinical indication selection.

Stephen Chambers, PhD

Scientist and innovation specialist with lean startup, business modeling and hands-on company formation experience. Research career spanned biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and life-sciences authoring over 30 scientific articles published in top-tier scientific journals, including Cell and Nature. Entrepreneurial experience as founder (Bio-start), co-founder (Abpro), founding scientist (Vertex Pharmaceuticals) and mentor to multiple early-stage startups and proto-entrepreneurs. Demonstrated record of success and accomplishments in innovation leadership as CEO of the UK’s national innovation & knowledge centre for synthetic biology.
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