Deepti Vinodkumar

•Developed and optimized functional assays to characterize the biological activity of therapeutic monospecific antibodies targeting specific pathways. •Designed and executed in vitro assays to characterize the ADC activity in both monospecific as well as bispecific formats. •Collaborated with cross functional teams including protein engineering, bioanalytical and pharmacology groups to advance ADC candidates from early discovery to pre-clinical stages. •Conducted high throughput screening of a large subset of Monospecific and bispecific ADC antibodies made inhouse to nominate a lead candidate to guide downstream drug development.

•Pioneered the implementation of a cutting-edge system such as using 3D in vitro models to better understand the safety of the company’s drug and efficacy. Produced reproducible results in in-vitro cell-based assays – LDH, ATP, ALT and Caspase 3/7 assays. •Designed and implemented assays to evaluate the pharmacodynamic activity of the drug by detecting and quantifying chemokines/cytokines using Luminex technology, Meso Scale Discovery Systems (MSD) and protein specific ELISAs. •Tested the immune response in patients recruited in clinical trials pre and post treatment with drugs by testing the chemokine release in the patient samples •Optimized and developed cell-based assays involving different immortalized and primary cell lines (including human, mouse and non- human primates).

Team member of the In-vitro part of the R&D group tasked to generate potency assays for the mesenchymal stem cell based product “SB623” for Ischemic stroke based on the mechanism of action of the cells. • Optimized and developed potency assays that would require technical skills like sterile cell culture techniques, ELISA, qRT-PCR, Immunoprecipitation, Western blotting, FACS, histology, microscopy (fluorescent and inverted), RNA isolation and purification, siRNA/shRNA knockdown, lentiviral transduction and Immunostaining. • Actively analyzed data using software’s like Soft Max pro, LAS X, Image J and GraphPad Prism. • Worked with different cell types like Neural progenitor cells, Mesenchymal stem cells, Astrocytes, Microglial cells and Human Monocytes • Responsible for quality control testing for the cell lots prepared in house and CROs based on GLP/ GMP procedures. Strong knowledge and training on Quality assurance procedures.

Project Title: “CD34 negative non-hematopoietic human umbilical cord blood stem cell Amelioration of Ischemic Brain Injury: Mechanisms of Action” • Cell culture of CD34 negative Non- Hematopoietic human umbilical cord blood stem cells using sterile cell culture techniques ( trypsinization, counting of cells, passaging, sub-culturing, cryopreservation, and thawing of cells) • Use of molecular characterization methods: QRT-PCR, FACS, ELISA, Gel- electrophoresis and Immunohistochemistry • Animal behavior testing based on modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS): Water maze test, fore limb placement test, body swing test, stepping test and adhesive removing test • Ability to perform the Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion model (MCAO) to induce stroke in an animal model • Optimized protocols for 2-D culture of the neuronal stem cells in order to study the trophic effects in the host brains.

Project Title: “Trans-differentiation Of Skin Cells to Corneal Cells” • Cultured keratinocytes (skin stem cells) and trans-differentiated them into corneal epithelial like cells using a trans-differentiation protocol. • Characterization of the skin trans-differentiated corneal epithelial like cells using methods such as RT-PCR, Immunofluorescence, H&E staining, Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) , BRDU labeling and Calcein staining.

Project Title: “Extraction of collagen from bovine skin and characterization of proteins using SDS-PAGE”. • Prepared Acid- soluble Collagens were prepared from Bovine Skin followed by the gelation of the collagens. • Performed gel extraction and agarose gel electrophoresis • Conducted assays to check for the proteinase and Collagen activity

Project Title: “Basic Techniques Of mammalian cell culture, Ocular stem cells” • Maintenance of Cells in culture without contamination was the main objective of the internship. • Hands-on training in handling NTERA-2 cell line • Used sterile cell culture techniques ( preparation of media, trypsinization, counting, passaging, sub-culturing, cryopreservation, and thawing of cells) to culture the ocular stem cells.