Core Leadership Team

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Dr. Ravi Kumar Muttineni is a Ph.D. graduate in Computational Biology, bringing forth over 24+ years of dedicated experience in drug discovery utilizing computational methods. As a passionate and innovative research scientist, Dr. Ravi initially contributed to GVK Bio (Now Aragen) before joining Schrödinger, a world-class provider of computational chemistry and related software solutions for drug discovery. During his nearly decade-long tenure at Schrödinger, he honed his expertise in the field.

Driven by his enthusiasm for advancing drug discovery, Dr. Ravi founded PozeSCAF. The primary goal of PozeSCAF is to assist organizations in accelerating their drug discovery and development projects, aiming to become the most trusted Contract Research Organization (CRO) service partner.

Dr. Ravi Kumar has an impressive academic record, with approximately 72 publications, over half of which are featured on ResearchGate, showcasing his extensive contributions to the field of computational chemistry.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

An accomplished serial entrepreneur with diverse business and creative ventures spanning the realms of pharmaceuticals, technology, beauty, and film industries.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Dr. Kranthi Raj holds a Ph.D. in Computational Chemistry from Acharya Nagarjuna University and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Delhi. He began his industry career as a Scientist at GVKBIO (now Aragen Life Sciences) and is currently the Co-founder & Chief Scientific Officer at PozeSCAF, where he leads end-to-end, AI and CADD enabled small-molecule and biologics design from target identification through IND. A hands-on architect of discovery pipelines, he has worked with about 50+ targets in different programs with multiple assets progressing to clinical trials—bringing together rapid triage of large molecule libraries, realistic fit-testing on the biological target, motion-aware stability checks with physics-guided ranking to surface the best candidates and synthesis-aware lead optimization.  

In parallel, he closely works with machine and deep learning teams that develop models to anticipate ADMET, selectivity, off target effects and uses generative design to expand high-value chemical space. His target experience spans kinases, GPCRs, DNA-repair proteins, ion channels, transporters, peptides/antibodies/protein therapeutics and membrane proteins—work that naturally maps to disease areas including oncology, immunology, inflammation, CNS/neuroscience, metabolic disorders and infectious disease. He is an expert in designing next-generation modalities—PROTACs, molecular glues, protein–protein interaction (PPI) modulators, peptide–drug conjugates (PDCs) and antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs).

He is known for cross-functional leadership across AI, computational, medicinal chemistry, biology and preclinical teams and maintains a strong scholarly record with 26 publications and patents across therapeutic domains.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Bhanukishore is a passionate advocate for innovation, particularly in the realm of smart technology solutions. With a focus on diverse sectors such as healthcare, banking, insurance, and customer support, he has accumulated over 10 years of expertise in Machine Learning. Bhanukishore has successfully developed a variety of applications leveraging statistical models, Natural Language Processing, and computer vision. His skill set includes strong analytical and statistical abilities, making him a valuable asset in crafting and implementing innovative solutions.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Dr. Ramesh Babu Reddigunta completed his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, in March 2010, under the mentorship of Prof. A. Srikrishna. His research focused on the Total Synthesis of eight terpene natural products, including α-, β-, epi α-, and epi β-Acorenols, β-Chamigrene, Laurencenone C, Laurokamurene B, and Lagopodin A. After his Ph.D., Dr. Reddigunta expanded his expertise as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) in Taiwan from 2011 to 2012, where he focused on developing EGFR kinase inhibitors for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

With over 15 years of experience in drug discovery, Dr. Reddigunta brings a wealth of expertise from his collaborations with top Contract Research Organizations (CROs), including Syngene, Aragen Life Sciences, Jubilant Chemsys, and Aurigene Discovery. His work spans drug discovery in small molecules and PROTACs, successfully managing integrated drug discovery programs for multinational collaborators across India, the USA, and China. Prior to joining PozeSCAF Discovery Solutions, he served as Director at IONOVA Biotherapeutics Co. Ltd. in China, where he contributed significantly to small molecule and PROTAC research for oncology.

Among his notable accomplishments, Dr. Reddigunta played a pivotal role in the development of BMS-986278, a next-generation LPA1 antagonist for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Now in Phase 3 clinical trials, this compound was developed through a collaboration between Biocon and Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) at BBRC.

Dr. Reddigunta has 10 publications in leading international journals and is credited as a co-author or co-inventor on 3 issued patent applications, underscoring his commitment to advancing therapeutic innovation.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Dr. Latha Paka brings more than 20 years of project management experience in biopharmaceutical R&D. As our Consulting Scientific Director, Biology, she leads and advises integrated project teams of chemists, AI, and in vitro/in vivo biologists to advance novel small-molecule drug candidates. Her expertise spans the full drug discovery continuum, including target identification and validation, development of in vitro and in vivo models, demonstration of efficacy in disease-relevant animal studies, and collaborations with CRO partners.

She has extensive therapeutic experience across inflammatory and fibrotic diseases of the kidney, liver, lung, pancreas, colon, and skin.

During her tenure at Angion, Dr. Paka served as a Principal Investigator and received nine NIH research grant awards supporting multiple translational programs. These programs contributed to the identification of several lead molecules and IND-track candidates, and her scientific leadership supported the advancement of two drug discovery programs into Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical development.

At Angion, she directed and analyzed biomarker-driven in vivo studies evaluating the efficacy of small-molecule therapeutics across acute and chronic organ injury models. She authored study aims and hypotheses, designed study protocols, and produced comprehensive in vivo study reports.

Dr. Paka has a distinguished track record in nonclinical R&D, guiding programs from early discovery through IND-enabling studies, FDA interactions, and clinical trial support. Her contributions were instrumental in the growth of a start-up biotechnology company into a publicly traded organization.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Sasirekha Sivakumar (Sasi) is a strategic scientific leader with over 23 years of experience across the biotech industry and academic research, specializing in oncology drug discovery and translational biology. Her most impactful work was at Aurigene Oncology, where she progressed from bench scientist to scientific leader and contributed as technical lead on multiple discovery programs from target validation through IND-enabling studies. Her efforts contributed to several assets, including four that advanced into clinical trials through partnerships with biotech companies in the U.S. and Europe.

She earned her Ph.D. through an industry-academic collaboration during her time at Aurigene, reflecting her deep commitment to scientific excellence and innovation. Her work spans a range of oncology targets—such as epigenetic regulators, kinases, nuclear hormone receptors, receptor tyrosine kinases, cytokine signaling pathways, and lipid-binding proteins—with a strong focus on mechanism-of-action studies, assay development, and biomarker strategy.

Sasi’s research experience spans India, Singapore, and the U.S. At UMass Medical School, she engineered a novel yeast strain capable of external nucleotide uptake, enabling precise in vivo DNA labeling—a foundational tool that continues to advance replication studies. She also authored a widely adopted methodology for labeling fission yeast DNA, significantly contributing to the field of DNA replication research. Her recent postdoctoral fellowship at UMass Chan Medical School involved applying single-molecule technologies to study DNA replication dynamics and genome organization in human cells.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

With over 16 years of industry experience in synthetic chemistry, I have successfully served global clients, establishing a proven track record in delivering synthetic projects on time and with excellence.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Anitha Bethamcherla holds an MSc in Molecular Biology from the University of Sydney and gained laboratory experience at Tesco, UK, before joining PozeSCAF. She brings a blend of scientific expertise and business acumen to her role in business development. Anitha is instrumental in identifying collaborations and driving growth initiatives for PozeSCAF. Her dedication to advancing cancer therapeutics aligns with the company’s mission.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Naveen is a highly accomplished Indo-American pharmaceutical business leader, effectively overseeing a successful pharmaceutical retail chain in the US and managing a manufacturing plant in India known as Assurgen. Recently, he has formed a strategic partnership with the Austria-based pharmaceutical giant, G L Pharma GmbH.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Murali boasts vast experience and exposure in the pharmaceutical sector. Currently, he not only oversees a chain of pharmaceutical retail stores and manages two technology companies in the United States but has also recently contributed to the St. Martinus University Faculty of Medicine as Chancellor.

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Advisory Board

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Dr. Srinivas Kasibhatla brings nearly 30 years of drug discovery experience across multinational pharmaceuticals and biotech companies. With a proven track record spanning multiple therapeutic areas, he has been instrumental in discovering 11 clinical candidates and has contributed significantly to the advancement of novel therapeutics. Dr. Kasibhatla is also a prolific author, with over 50 scientific publications, and a lead or co-inventor on more than 30 issued and published patents.

Dr. Kasibhatla holds a Master’s and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Hyderabad, followed by postdoctoral training at Harvard University. His career includes senior leadership roles, such as Vice President of Chemistry at Beta Cat Pharmaceuticals and Xetrios Therapeutics, and head of discovery chemistry at Bristol-Myers Squibb. His impact has also been felt at Biogen Idec and Conforma Therapeutics, where he led innovative programs in medicinal chemistry.

With extensive experience in drug discovery project management, intellectual property strategy, and medicinal chemistry, Dr. Kasibhatla is a recognized leader in his field, bringing unparalleled insight and expertise to advance the CRO’s mission of delivering cutting-edge solutions in drug discovery.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Dr. Malathy Kilaru is an expert in Hematology, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, and Medical Oncology, practicing at Henry Ford Health System in Michigan.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Dr. Ananth is a dynamic and enthusiastic data scientist employed at Lloyds in the UK. With a dual background in science and technology, he brings a rich and diverse skill set to his role.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Professor Rambabu Gundla has been serving as the Head of the Department of Chemistry at GITAM University, Hyderabad since 2014. Prior to his academic role, he worked as a research scientist at GVK Biosciences Private Limited in Hyderabad, India. Following his postdoctoral research fellowship, he rejoined GVK BIO as a Principal Scientist. Prof. Gundla specializes in small-molecule drug design and development, with a substantial portfolio that includes over 60 publications and three patents in medicinal chemistry and computer-aided drug design studies. His expertise spans areas such as SAR and QSAR, scaffold hopping, ADME, pharmacophore generation, molecular dynamics, docking simulations, and virtual library screening.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Chaitanya, also known as Chai, is an avid innovation enthusiast with a technologist’s heart and an entrepreneur’s execution mindset. With a diverse background, he has contributed to a range of companies from startups to Fortune #1 corporations. Presently serving as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Hallmark Cards USA, Chai plays a key role in shaping the technological landscape of the company and steering advancements in the world of interconnected commerce. His previous experiences include leading Walmart’s first Hack Day and spearheading the development of the eCommerce platform for Levi’s. In his current capacity, Chai focuses on establishing lean development practices and teams, driving transformation in the delivery model with a keen emphasis on experimentation and customer testing, ultimately impacting the ROI for various projects.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Kiran Nimashakavi is a proficient figure in the realm of data, currently holding the position of Head of Data Engineering at Realogy. He plays a pivotal role in constructing their cutting-edge data platform on AWS. Kiran brings a wealth of experience from his tenure at various technology startups and major enterprise firms, including BEA (acquired by Oracle).

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

PH Rao stands as one of the most seasoned practicing chartered accountants in Hyderabad, India. With a career spanning over 40 years, he has actively engaged with numerous private and government organizations of various sizes.

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

With over 20 years of expertise in financial management, budgetary controls, and financial advisory, Srinivas Edara has established himself as a seasoned professional in the field. Beginning his career as a Finance Manager at GMR Ferro Alloys, he later relocated to the UAE in 2005.

Currently, Srinivas serves as the CFO & Advisory to the Chairman of an Abu Dhabi-based local family group involved in medical equipment trading, food trading, and educational institutions. Before this role, he held the position of Head of Finance in the private office of the UAE Finance Minister, overseeing Real Estate and Hospitality ventures.

A qualified Chartered Accountant and Fellow member of the “Institute of Chartered Accountants of India,” Srinivas Edara continues to contribute his extensive financial acumen to diverse sectors.

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