Rahul Kaushik

In 2008, I did my Master of Science in Biotechnology from Madurai Kamaraj University in India. In December 2014, I accomplished my Ph.D. in Biology (Summa Cum Laude) with a thesis on the role of different protein complexes in excitotoxic mechanisms in neurons relevant to Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and stroke from the Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany. I employed several molecular biology, biochemistry, and cell biology-related techniques such as lentivirus system, confocal microscopy, molecular cloning, western blotting, protein-protein interaction techniques, recombinant protein production, etc. In 2015, I joined the German center for neurodegenerative diseases (DZNE), Magdeburg as a postdoctoral researcher to continue my investigations on molecular mechanisms involved in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer's diseases, Epilepsy, Schizophrenia, etc. From 2017 till January 2021, I was the head of the AAV production facility and molecular biology unit in the research group Molecular Neuroplasticity at DZNE. I studied several physiological and pathological mechanisms using mice as animal models. My research interests were to understand the role of extracellular matrix proteins, astrocytes, microglia in shaping the pathology at synapses and beyond and how it affects the brain physiology and function. My main activities and accomplishments during this time are described as follows: - Supervision and management of several teams of interdisciplinary R&D researchers from 11 different nationalities (total 28 researchers) in the last 5 years, including 12 Ph.D. level researchers including 3 programmers, 7 master level students, 2 bachelor students, 2 medical students, and 2 technicians. Took part in their recruitment and, managed direct reports of 7-8 researchers. - Responsible person for more than 40 projects with diverse focus leading to the publication of 11 high-quality manuscripts, additional 7 manuscripts at different stages of publishing, and additional 7 manuscripts should be submitted this year. - Project leader and responsible person for AAV and LV technologies (designing, cloning, and production of viral vectors) for gene manipulation and editing, leading to the production of more than 150 AAVs and LVs as research tools - Established the pipeline for scalable production of AAV currently leading to the reliable production of 2 small-scale research-grade viral vector production per week (300-400ul with 10e11-13 GC/ml) - Responsible person for the Magdeburg site of DZNE for Biosafety level 2 related work under the framework of European law on Gene Technology, Biosafety, and Biosecurity (§ 15 GenTSV) - Experience in realistic and systematic planning of laboratory resources & budgets including purchasing decisions for laboratory equipments (qPCR, western blotting, ultracentrifugation, consumables, antibodies, kits, cloning materials, cell culture consumables, -80°C storage freezers) - Maintaining several interdisciplinary collaborations with world-renowned scientists such as Prof. Radu Aricescu (University of Cambridge, UK); Prof. Paul Frankland (University of Toronto, CA); Prof. Silvio O. Rizzoli (University of Göttingen) Prof. Michisuke Yuzaki (Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan) - Statistical data analysis, internal and external scientific presentations, writing publications, reports, and grants. e.g. German research foundation (DFG) and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) - Experience with searching patent databases, discussion with transfer technology officers about the patent potential of scientific discoveries, and supporting the preparation of patent applications. - Writing, proofreading, and reviewing several scientific publications and reports along with several project/poster presentations at national and international conferences Since 2021, I am a senior scientist at a highly innovative gene therapy company called Vigeneron GmBH with a mission to bring new gene therapy drug products to patients. In this role, I leverage my extensive expertise in designing novel and innovative vectors for therapeutic programs, perform and oversee research activities to generate invitro as well as invivo data for efficacy, safety, and clinical translation in proof-of-concept studies. I am actively involved in discussions with CROs/CDMOs for toxicology studies and efficacy in different animal models. My future goals are to build and lead highly efficient teams of multidisciplinary researchers to bring innovative gene therapy products to patients with neurological and ophthalmological diseases.