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, Ph.D.

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. She completed her PhD and MSc at King’s College London, where her research focused on non-viral delivery systems for therapeutic applications, including the development of 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, laying the foundation for her leadership in creating the Epic-Cure™ drug design platform at Helex. As Lead Scientist at TCS Innovation Labs, Poulami led pivotal research into genetic diseases like Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), contributing to the development of several patents, building a dynamic and cross-functional team driven to solve for complex diseases. She has propelled Helex’s vision through building a highly motivated team, advisors and funding partners to support the journey in addition to fostering world-class technologies to solve for complex genetic diseases. Her leadership is defined by a steadfast commitment to improving the lives of patients and their families.

Poulami Chaudhuri, Ph.D.

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. She completed her PhD and MSc at King’s College London, where her research focused on non-viral delivery systems for therapeutic applications, including the development of 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, laying the foundation for her leadership in creating the Epic-Cure™ drug design platform at Helex. As Lead Scientist at TCS Innovation Labs, Poulami led pivotal research into genetic diseases like Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), contributing to the development of several patents, building a dynamic and cross-functional team driven to solve for complex diseases. She has propelled Helex’s vision through building a highly motivated team, advisors and funding partners to support the journey in addition to fostering world-class technologies to solve for complex genetic diseases. Her leadership is defined by a steadfast commitment to improving the lives of patients and their families.

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. Rohini has worked extensively with U.S. healthcare systems, both providers and payors, to expand the use of capitation payment models of insurance. As a previous VP of Strategy at a chronic care management company, she was responsible for 60% percent growth with two new product lines for B2B and B2G growth modalities. Prior to that, Rohini led programs to strengthen Public Private Partnerships in healthcare to improve access to services, and maintain high quality of healthcare services in developing countries funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The World Bank amongst many others.

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. Rohini has worked extensively with U.S. healthcare systems, both providers and payors, to expand the use of capitation payment models of insurance. As a previous VP of Strategy at a chronic care management company, she was responsible for 60% percent growth with two new product lines for B2B and B2G growth modalities. Prior to that, Rohini led programs to strengthen Public Private Partnerships in healthcare to improve access to services, and maintain high quality of healthcare services in developing countries funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The World Bank amongst many others.

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 established a formulations vertical from scratch for a mid-sized pharmaceutical company, growing its sales to over $15 million with a future pipeline exceeding $25 million. He has navigated regulatory approvals across the U.S. FDA, Europe’s EMA, the U.K.’s MHRA, and other agencies.

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 established a formulations vertical from scratch for a mid-sized pharmaceutical company, growing its sales to over $15 million with a future pipeline exceeding $25 million. He has navigated regulatory approvals across the U.S. FDA, Europe’s EMA, the U.K.’s MHRA, and other agencies.

Suman Alishetty, Ph.D.

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 the development of novel lipids and LNPs, optimizing formulations for preclinical and clinical applications, and guiding scale-up processes. His work aims to expand the therapeutic reach of Helex's platform beyond the liver, targeting other organs to address complex genetic diseases.

Suman Alishetty, Ph.D.

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 the development of novel lipids and LNPs, optimizing formulations for preclinical and clinical applications, and guiding scale-up processes. His work aims to expand the therapeutic reach of Helex's platform beyond the liver, targeting other organs to address complex genetic diseases.

Neha Gaur, Ph.D.

Lead Scientist, Genome Editing

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

PhD, Molecular Biology, Central Drug Research University, Lucknow, India

MSc Biochemistry, CSJM University, India

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Experience

Neha has 11 years of experience in genome editing and delivery technologies. She has a strong background in developing proprietary molecular nanomachines for intracellular genomic material delivery and leading programs from concept to preclinical studies. At Helex, she leads preclinical R&D for CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing in the lead indication and early discovery for pipeline indications.

Neha Gaur, Ph.D.

Lead Scientist, Genome Editing

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

PhD, Molecular Biology, Central Drug Research University, Lucknow, India

MSc Biochemistry, CSJM University, India

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Experience

Neha has 11 years of experience in genome editing and delivery technologies. She has a strong background in developing proprietary molecular nanomachines for intracellular genomic material delivery and leading programs from concept to preclinical studies. At Helex, she leads preclinical R&D for CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing in the lead indication and early discovery for pipeline indications.

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 drives preclinical R&D for the LNP platform, advancing formulation strategies and mechanistic understanding to enhance delivery efficiency and tissue targeting.

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 drives preclinical R&D for the LNP platform, advancing formulation strategies and mechanistic understanding to enhance delivery efficiency and tissue targeting.

Yugantak Raj Gupta, Ph.D.

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 7 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. His robust technical skills and ability to develop novel approaches have led to multiple research articles published in esteemed peer-reviewed journals. Yugantak brings passion for scientific exploration and dedication to advance the field of genome editing, making him an asset to Helex’s experimental team.

Yugantak Raj Gupta, Ph.D.

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 7 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. His robust technical skills and ability to develop novel approaches have led to multiple research articles published in esteemed peer-reviewed journals. Yugantak brings passion for scientific exploration and dedication to advance the field of genome editing, making him an asset to Helex’s experimental team.

Kanchan Parate, Ph.D.

Junior Scientist, Analytical Development

Education

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

MSc Biotechnology, Jiwaji University, India

Experience

Kanchan focuses on developing and optimizing analytical methods to evaluate LNPs, contributing to their optimization and performance in targeted drug delivery. With a strong research background in biopolymeric and chitosan nanoparticles, she brings valuable expertise in lipid design and active targeting approaches, ensuring the precision and efficacy of formulations.

Kanchan Parate, Ph.D.

Junior Scientist, Analytical Development

Education

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

MSc Biotechnology, Jiwaji University, India

Experience

Kanchan focuses on developing and optimizing analytical methods to evaluate LNPs, contributing to their optimization and performance in targeted drug delivery. With a strong research background in biopolymeric and chitosan nanoparticles, she brings valuable expertise in lipid design and active targeting approaches, ensuring the precision and efficacy of formulations.

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

Gayathri plays a pivotal role in the formulation and characterization of LNPs 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

Gayathri plays a pivotal role in the formulation and characterization of LNPs 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.

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 over 11 years of experience managing complex projects in the biotech and healthcare sectors, facilitating cross-functional collaboration to advance preclinical development and strategic initiatives. At Helex, she supports the development and execution of strategies to engage key partners and investors, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives. She also leads the creation of competitive grant applications to secure funding for critical R&D efforts, while driving program management excellence and external stakeholder engagement across scientific and business functions.

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 over 11 years of experience managing complex projects in the biotech and healthcare sectors, facilitating cross-functional collaboration to advance preclinical development and strategic initiatives. At Helex, she supports the development and execution of strategies to engage key partners and investors, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives. She also leads the creation of competitive grant applications to secure funding for critical R&D efforts, while driving program management excellence and external stakeholder engagement across scientific and business functions.

Advisory members

Dr. David Venables

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.

Rakesh Kappagantu

Rakesh brings over a decade of experience in product and process engineering, with deep expertise in AI- and ML-driven systems. He has built and scaled advanced technology platforms in the fintech sector at J.P. Morgan Chase, integrating data analytics and automation to enhance performance and reliability. At Helex, he has laid the foundation and supported the development of the Epic-Cure™ platform and continues to guide its evolution, advancing the AI and data architecture to enable intelligent target identification and therapeutic design within the drug discovery process.

Dr. Nageswara Rao Kollu

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.

Dr. Stephen Chambers

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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