BIRAC-Board of Directors

Dr. Rajesh S Gokhale

Prof. Rajesh S. Gokhale is the Secretary at Department of Biotechnology in the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. He is presently on deputation from Indian Institute of Science Education & Research IISER Pune. Prior to this, he was at National Institute of Immunology NII and was also Director of CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology CSIR-IGIB for seven-and-half years. During his tenure he established the South Campus of CSIR-IGIB, where he led interdisciplinary initiatives in translational genomics research programs focused in delineating a variety of complex diseases.

Dr. Gokhale is trained as a chemical biologist from Indian Institute of Science IISc , Bangalore and Stanford University, USA. His significant research contributions are in discovering novel metabolites and their pathways, which dictate pathophysiology of human diseases. Recent work from his laboratory have identified two novel metabolites from infectious pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, that are crucial for initiating complex infection process. His group have also significantly contributed to the understanding of autoimmune disease Vitiligo. Studies from his group has elucidated complex interplay between metabolic reprogramming and immune system, to develop novel therapeutic strategies that can tackle the underlying causes, rather than just the symptoms. Scientific work from his laboratory has been published in prestigious journals like Nature, Nature Chemical Biology, Molecular Cell, The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences etc. He has mentored more than 200 students and about 25 students have completed PhD thesis from his group. Dr Gokhale co-founded Vyome Biosciences Pvt. Ltd. VYOME in 2010, a biopharmaceutical company developing best in class drugs for dermatology. This company is presently completing Phase IIb clinical trial for drug-resistant acne and has launched OTC products in the market. Dr. Gokhale was a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow, UK and an International HHMI Fellow, USA. He is recipient of several awards, including Infosys Prize, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, National Bioscience Award, J C Bose National Fellowship and IIT Bombay Distinguished Alumni Award. He is also Fellow of all the three Indian National Science Academies.

Dr. Alka Sharma

Dr. Alka Sharma is currently Scientist ‘H’/Senior Adviser in the Department of Biotechnology DBT , Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India

She is dealing with research and policy issues in the emerging areas of biotechnology. She has made significant contributions in med-tech innovation with national and international partnerships early and late translational research on various domain specific areas of biotechnology such as vaccine research & development diagnostics stem cells and regenerative medicine biomedical engineering biodesign setting up bioclusters across the country for innovation driven research, technology and product development. She has been instrumental in promoting and supporting public-private partnership across the country and also for commercialization of indigenous and affordable technologies for a large number of patients in urban/rural settings. Her efforts have resulted in creation of several start-ups development of functional biomedical device prototypes transfer of technologies creation of a pool of med-tech innovators in the country. She is actively involved in formulating various legislations in Biotech sector and heading the Biosafety Regulation Division including RCGM in DBT. She is the Coordinator for Management of COVID-19 related activities in DBT/BIRAC and also contributing towards AtmaNirbhar Bharat through National Biotech Resource Indigenization Consortium NBRIC . She is the Scientific Coordinator of four autonomous institutions of DBT and also coordinating scientific activities of ICGEB. She is proactively promoting and supporting bilateral partnerships with various countries such as USA, Sweden, Finland, France and Australia. She has received training at the Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, NIH, USA for the management of extramural programmes. She has also received “CSIR Technology Award for Innovation” for her translational work.

Shri Vishvajit Sahay

Shri Vishvajit Sahay belongs to the 1990 batch of the Indian Defence Accounts Service. An alumnus of St. Stephen’s College Delhi, he has diverse experience of working in the Government of India, having earlier served as Jt. Secretary in the department of Heavy Industry and Director in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

He has held additional charge of the posts of Chairman & Managing Director, Heavy Engineering Corporation Ranchi, a Schedule ‘A’ CPSE, CEO & Project Director of National Automotive Testing Research & Development Infrastructure Project NATRIP and Director in the Directorate of Film Festivals, Delhi. Within the Defence Accounts Department, he has experience of working in the Acquisitions Wing of the Ministry of Defence as Finance Manager Land Systems , a cadre post in the MoD. He has also worked in several field and Headquarters Organizations of the Defence Accounts Department with experience of closely working with the MOD, Army and Ordnance Factories.

Dr. Subhra Ranjan Chakrabarti

Dr. Subhra Ranjan Chakrabarti is Director Operations at BIRAC. Prior to this, he was Mission Director of National Biopharma Mission, an Industry-Academia Collaborative Mission of Department of Biotechnology DBT implemented by BIRAC and co-funded by World Bank.

Dr. Subhra Ranjan Chakrabarti is Director Operations at BIRAC. Prior to this, he was Mission Director of National Biopharma Mission, an Industry-Academia Collaborative Mission of Department of Biotechnology DBT implemented by BIRAC and co-funded by World Bank. Before moving to BIRAC, he was Associate Vice President with Sanofi Healthcare India Private Limited Previously Shantha Biotechnics , Hyderabad. He has eight years of research experience in the academic environment and concurrent twenty years in a leading Biotechnology Company in the area of vaccines, Monoclonal Antibodies, Recombinant therapeutics, and cancer research. He obtained his PhD in Biophysics and Molecular Biology from University of Calcutta. He completed his post-doctoral research at the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, LUMC, Illinois, USA. He has several publications to his credit.

FCA Nidhi Shrivastava

Nidhi is a Fellow Member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and possesses a degree in Law from Delhi University. She has also graduated in Environmental Sciences from Ramjas College, North Campus, Delhi University.

Nidhi is a Fellow Member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and possesses a degree in Law from Delhi University. She has also graduated in Environmental Sciences from Ramjas College, North Campus, Delhi University. As an astute professional, Nidhi has over 20 years of diverse experience in various aspects of Finance & Accounts with thematic expertise in Financial Planning, Budgeting , Taxation, Audit and Fund Management. Nidhi has played an instrumental role at several noteworthy companies which include NTC Ltd., Nafed, Deloitte and Ernst & Young.

Dr. Rajesh S Gokhale

Dr. Alka Sharma

Shri Vishvajit Sahay

Dr. Subhra Ranjan Chakrabarti

FCA Nidhi Shrivastava

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