Our Team

Lalit Pai

Chief Executive Officer

Lalit steers NKure Therapeutics on the conviction that world-class cell therapies must be made accessible to every cancer patient in India — not just a privileged few. His deep expertise in global clinical development directly shapes NKure’s strategy of bringing off-the-shelf CAR-NK therapies to market efficiently and at scale. He brings over two decades of leadership in global clinical research organisations, most recently as Global Head of Biometrics at ICON Plc and Global Head of Data Management at Quintiles (now IQVIA), with a career spanning clinical operations, data management, biostatistics, and regulatory submissions. Prior to pharmaceuticals, he spent a decade working across primary, secondary, and advanced tertiary healthcare delivery systems in India.

Dr. Renjitha Gopurappilly

Chief Scientific Officer

Renjitha leads NKure’s scientific strategy and oversees the design and execution of the manufacturing pipeline, and evaluation of its allogeneic, off-the-shelf NK cell therapy programmes. Her expertise in NK cell biology, cryopreservation, Fc-armed NK strategies, and combinatorial immunotherapy directly underpins NKure’s goal of a safe, scalable cancer immunotherapy. She completed her PhD at the Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine (MAHE) and held a DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance Early Career Fellowship at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), where she developed patient-specific cell lines to study Parkinson’s disease. She has authored multiple publications in top-tier scientific journals focusing on pluripotent and adult stem cell biology, developmental biology, and neuroscience.

Dr. Leema George

Research Scientist

Leema drives the optimisation and scale-up of manufacturing processes for NKure’s off-the-shelf NK cell immunotherapies, ensuring product quality, consistency, and regulatory readiness. Her translational manufacturing expertise is central to NKure’s mission of producing affordable, clinic-ready cell therapies at scale. She brings a diverse background spanning academia and industry, with expertise in cell culture, flow cytometry, and preclinical models. She earned her PhD in Biomedical Science from the Vellore Institute of Technology and has contributed to several peer-reviewed publications. She brings a wealth of academic experience across roles spanning Research Associate, Research Scientist, and Assistant Professor – all in the pursuit of advancing innovative therapies and fostering impactful research.

Dr. Snigdha Bhowmick

Research Scientist

Snigdha leads NKure’s gene editing platform, driving the development of engineered NK cells to enhance the potency and precision of NKure’s immunotherapy pipeline. Her work is central to building next-generation allogeneic CAR-NK candidates with superior tumour-killing capability. She earned her PhD from CSIR-IGIB, New Delhi, investigating the role of cellular metabolic reprogramming in tumorigenesis, and subsequently completed two postdoctoral fellowships at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, USA. Prior to joining NKure, she provided scientific consulting for emerging biotech ventures across the US. Her deep expertise in cell biology and assay development makes her a pivotal force behind NKure’s cell engineering efforts.

Dr. Preeti Jindal

Research Scientist

Preeti leads the development of NKure’s induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived NK cell platform, an innovative next-generation approach to immunotherapy designed for broad applicability across multiple disease indications. Her work on scalable, donor-independent NK cell sources is critical to NKure’s long-term pipeline. She earned her PhD from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), specialising in developmental and cancer biology using mouse models and primary cell cultures. She brings over ten years of expertise in cell culture, molecular biology, and in vivo cancer models.

Dr. Barkha Singh

Research Scientist

Barkha brings her interdisciplinary expertise in nanotechnology, biomaterials, and immunotherapy to advance NKure’s NK cell programmes. She drives R&D for NK cell-based therapies aimed at neurodegenerative diseases, alongside iPSC-derived approaches for neuronal regeneration. Barkha holds an M.Tech. from IIT Roorkee and a PhD in Nanotechnology from IIT Bombay, and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Newcastle, Australia, developing hydrogel-based 3D cancer models. She is a recipient of the BIRAC Gandhian Young Technological Innovation Award 2023 and holds an Honorary Associate Lecturer position at the University of Newcastle.

Dr. Kaviya PK

Research Scientist

Kaviya contributes to process development and manufacturing at NKure, generating high-quality, reproducible data that supports the scale-up of NK cell therapies within cGMP/GLP-compliant frameworks. Her work directly advances NKure’s goal of producing consistent, regulatory-ready cell therapy products. She is skilled in mammalian cell culture, therapeutic cell expansion and characterisation, upstream processing, in-process testing, and cGMP documentation. She collaborates cross-functionally with QA, QC, and manufacturing teams to ensure batch consistency and regulatory compliance. Her doctoral research in nanoparticle drug delivery and biosensor development strengthens her translational approach to cell therapy manufacturing.

Ankita Mishra

Research Associate

Ankita contributes to the development and functional characterisation of allogeneic NK cell therapy at NKure, supporting the translation of laboratory science into clinical-grade production. Her technical expertise spans aseptic cell culture, cell-based assays, flow cytometry and gene editing, complemented by a working proficiency in CMC regulatory documentation. Prior to NKure, she trained at CSIR-CCMB, Hyderabad, investigating epigenetic regulation of pluripotent stem cell transitions, and at DRDO-DIPAS, New Delhi, where her Master’s research focused on the genetic basis of venous thromboembolism. She holds an M.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Allahabad and received the Best Poster Award at the DBR MAHE Cell Therapy Conclave 2025.

Asha Nag

Administration & Human Resources

Asha oversees the full spectrum of NKure’s administrative and human resource operations — including financial management, procurement, legal record-keeping, and HR processes — providing the organisational backbone that enables the scientific team to focus on advancing NKure’s cell therapy programmes. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Secretarial Practice, Office Management, and Computer Practice, and has been with NKure for three years. Prior to joining, she served as a Project Assistant at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bangalore, managing import and export operations across NCBS, BRIC-inStem, and C-CAMP.

Jaya Purushotham

Project Manager - Clinical Development

Jaya drives clinical trial operations and quality compliance at NKure, aligning cross-functional teams and maintaining adherence to regulatory and QA standards — ensuring NKure’s cell therapy programmes advance with precision from bench to clinic. She holds a Master’s in Biotechnology from Kannur University, Kerala, with molecular biology training at the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC). Her career spans the translational arc: at the BRIC- Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (InStem), she studied cancer evolution in early drug discovery; at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), she developed expertise in genetically engineered mouse models, cryopreservation, and IVF; and at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), she worked in protein biology. Her blend of scientific rigour and operational discipline makes her a key force in advancing NKure’s clinical ambitions.

Prathima BV

Clinical Research Associate

Prathima contributes to clinical trial operations at NKure, supporting the efficient execution and monitoring of studies in compliance with regulatory and protocol requirements. She brings expertise in site management, data accuracy, and adherence to GCP standards, ensuring the integrity and quality of clinical research activities. She collaborates effectively with cross-functional teams and investigators to facilitate smooth study progress and timely reporting. She holds an M.Sc. in Microbiology, which underpins her scientific rigour and structured approach to clinical research. Her commitment to precision and ethical standards makes her a valued member of NKure’s clinical team.