Nilogen Oncosystems, a privately-held biotechnology company dedicated to increasing efficiency and reducing risk in the oncology drug development process, has announced the appointment of its Vice President of Research and Operations, Rikhia Chakraborty, Ph.D., to Chief Scientific Officer.
As Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Chakraborty will handle internal and external communication to aid in the expansion of Nilogen Oncosystems’ mission to significantly improve the rate of success for novel oncology therapies in the clinic by utilizing Nilogen’s proprietary 3D models of patients’ tumors to perform complex immuno-oncology studies.
Dr. Chakraborty has contributed to drug discovery and development initiatives in several therapeutic areas, including oncology and immunology, while holding senior academic and R&D leadership roles at various research organizations and biotech companies. Dr. Chakraborty brings her expertise in translational immunology and oncology, enhancing the expertise of Nilogen Oncosystems’ current team of talented scientists.
“Tumor microenvironments are one of the most challenging and exciting fields of cancer research,” Dr. Chakraborty said. “I am very pleased and excited to continue with Nilogen Oncosystems and help lead our accomplished team to successfully realize Nilogen’s vision of a healthier future in which our technology improves lives worldwide by offering personalized cancer treatments and more affordable and accessible medicines.”
Among the various existing 3D tumoroid platforms, Nilogen Oncosystems’ is the best-in-class functional precision medicine tool to aid clinical treatment decisions in cancer patients. Nilogen Oncosystems’ tumoroid platforms are generated from fresh patient tumor tissue, retaining the full complement of cells, including an intact tumor microenvironment (TME) and extracellular matrix (ECM), offering a more optimal representation of the diverse hallmarks of cancer.
Although patient-derived organoid (PDO) models are being used widely, it is important to note that these are not an exact mimic of a patient’s tumor. The success rate of establishing PDOs varies widely based on disease type, and they often reach clonality, compromising the heterogeneity in a short time frame.
Dr. Chakraborty’s appointment comes after the sudden passing of Dr. Soner Altiok, founder of Nilogen Oncosystems, who held the position since May 2013.
“Dr. Soner Altiok started Nilogen Oncosystems 10 years ago with a vision and dedication to improving standard-of-care practices in the field of high-risk cancer therapy, minimizing side effects and elevating the overall quality of life for cancer patients,” said Sigrid M. Volko, CEO and President of Nilogen Oncosystems. “Now, we look to Dr. Chakraborty to build on that legacy and help us continue to fulfill our vision to make treatments successful, accessible, and affordable for the patients we serve.”
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