Kanika Chawla, PhD

Kanika Chawla, PhD has extensive work experience in the field of process sciences and assay development. Kanika is currently serving as the Vice President of Process Sciences at CARGO Therapeutics since January 2022. Prior to that, they worked as the Director of Process Sciences at ArsenalBio from July 2020 to January 2022.

From February 2019 to June 2020, Kanika held the role of Senior Manager of Analytical Development at Vir Biotechnology, Inc. During their time at Vir, they led the Analytical Development Group and was responsible for managing multiple projects related to the development and optimization of analytical assays for antibodies used in the treatment of infectious diseases. Kanika also played a crucial role in the manufacture and release of antibody products for the treatment of COVID-19.

Before joining Vir, Kanika worked at Cellerant Therapeutics from August 2011 to February 2019. Kanika held positions of increasing responsibility, starting as a Scientist in Assay Development and later progressing to the roles of Scientist II and Senior Scientist in Process Sciences and Assay Development. During their time at Cellerant, Kanika played a key role in the manufacturing process of CLT-008 and collaborated on process optimization and scale-up. Kanika also managed scale-up plans and operational issues associated with the preparation of the manufacturing process for Phase 3 trials.

Kanika's early career included research positions as a Post-doctoral Fellow at the University of California, Irvine from March 2009 to June 2011, where they worked on optimizing and applying biomaterials for stem cell differentiation and tissue engineering applications. Kanika also worked as a Post-doctoral Fellow at Northwestern University from September 2006 to February 2009, where they investigated protein and peptide bioconjugation strategies for delivering biological molecules to tissue surfaces.

Additionally, Kanika has conducted research as a Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH in 2008. Their educational background includes a PhD in Bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego, where they were awarded the prestigious Whitaker Graduate Research Fellowship. During their PhD, Kanika focused on tissue engineering-based treatments for cartilage repair and made significant contributions through their research and publications.

Kanika Chawla, PhD, has a diverse education background in engineering and bioengineering. Kanika obtained their Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in Bioengineering from UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. Prior to that, they earned a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from The University of New Mexico.