Rai Ajit Srivastava, Ph.D., FAHA, MBA

Dr. Srivastava is an experienced leader in research and drug discovery & development for the past three decades in multiple therapeutic areas and advancing several NCEs and biologics through preclinical and clinical testing. Dr. Srivastava served in multiple leadership positions including; head of preclinical pharmacology at TularikPharma (now Amgen), Sr. Principal Scientist at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Executive Director at Esperion Therapeutics (ESPR), and  Sr. Director at GemphireTherapeutics (GEMP, now NRBO). As an Executive Vice President at Piramal Life Sciences (India), Dr. Srivastava led the joint international drug discovery efforts with Merck and Eli Lilly.

Recently, as  a consultant, Dr Srivastava helped optimize the dendritic cell therapy to treat solid tumors, which is in phase 3 clinical trial, and coordinated preparation of pre-IND briefing book for non-replicating recombinant adeno-associated virus expressing anti-influenza antibodies.

Prior to joining the industry, Dr. Srivastava served for 10 years on the faculty of the Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine (MO) and carried out gene regulation studies that influence lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerosis. His doctoral studies was on microbial biochemistry and optimization of the fermentation process for industrial enzyme production from B. stearothermophilus and purification of the secreted enzyme. Dr. Srivastava’s postdoctoral studies revealed the presence of a processome like structure in the inner membrane of E. coli where RNA processing of rRNA, tRNA and small stable RNA take place, which may influence production of secretory proteins.  He received his  Ph.D. in Microbial Biochemistry from DDU University, India, and a Diploma in MBA from IICT, India. He has authored 90 peer-reviewed research papers, 4 book chapters, 3 patents, and 60 presentations in international conferences and symposia.