Dr. Punit Marathe is currently the Vice President, Research, DMPK, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at Agios Pharmaceuticals. In 2020, Dr. Marathe joined the faculty of Department of Pharmaceutics at University of Washington as affiliate professor.  Dr. Marathe over her expansive career assumed executive leadership at Bristol-Myers Squibb and Syngene International.  Dr. Marathe experiences have included characterizing ADME profile of lead candidates, establishing PK-PD relationships in animal disease models; projecting human pharmacokinetic profile and efficacious doses, guiding selection of doses for FIH studies, characterizing human ADME profile and understanding drug-drug interactions liabilities. Dr. Marathe has published over 100 publications and has presented at multiple national and international conferences.

Dr. David P. Rotella is the Margaret and Herman Sokol Professor of Chemistry at Montclair State University in Montclair New Jersey where his NIH-funded laboratory is actively engaged in drug discovery research.  Prior to joining the faculty, Dr. Rotella had a twenty-year career in the pharmaceutical industry as a medicinal chemist where he led programs in CNS, cardiovascular and metabolic disease.  Dr. Rotella has fifteen years’ experience as a consultant where he plays a role in technology evaluation/due diligence and in drug discovery projects at all stages. 

Dr. Chad E. Beyer is currently CEO of Kures, Inc, a clinical-stage company focused on precision neuropsychiatry and addiction. Over 25 years of pharma drug development experience, Dr. Beyer had a successful career in discovering and developing novel, disease-modifying medications. Dr. Beyer was formerly CEO and SVP of R&D at Promentis Pharmaceuticals, and prior to joining Promentis, Dr. Beyer was SVP of R&D at a new migraine-focused company called Ariel Pharmaceuticals. During his career, Dr. Beyer participated in the submission of 34 INDs and contributed significantly to the commercialization and life-cycle management of two blockbuster medications: EffexorXR® and Pristiq®. Dr. Beyer holds a Ph.D. in Pharmacology & Toxicology from LSU Medical Center, an MBA from the Rutgers Business. Dr. Beyer has authored more than 70 manuscripts and co-edited 2 books.

Dr. Pooran Chand is a distinguished pharmaceutical research scientist with decades of experience in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. As CEO of Therachem Research Medilab in India, he has made significant contributions to developing innovative pharmaceutical treatments, with a particular focus on viral disease inhibitors.

His comprehensive expertise spans drug design, synthetic chemistry, and advanced pharmaceutical research, demonstrating a remarkable ability to translate scientific discoveries into potential medical treatments.

Dr. Srivari Chandrasekhar is a distinguished organic chemist with significant contributions to the field of chiral chemistry and the total synthesis of complex natural products. Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Chandrasekhar has made groundbreaking advances in organic chemistry, particularly in developing novel methodologies for C-C bond formation reactions involving organocatalysis and organometallic reagents. His pioneering work in developing polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a novel solvent medium has created a transformative platform for green chemistry practitioners.

A recipient of multiple honorary doctorates and fellowships, Dr. Chandrasekhar is a fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Indian National Science Academy, and National Academy of Sciences. He completed his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D. from Osmania University, with his doctoral work on total synthesis of Cyclosporin conducted at IICT. His international experience includes being an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at Goettingen and a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Texas.