Career Summary

Postdoctoral research associate with six years of experience in designing and developing targeted nanomedicine based drug delivery systems for cancer therapy. Extensive experience in designing novel polymer based drug delivery systems, PK/PD studies, cell culture and various animal models for cancer research.

Education

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering
Bachelor of Chemical Engineering

Research Experience

Post Doctoral Research Associate January 2010 - present
Confidential, Chapel Hill, NC

• Developed novel targeted nanoparticles for the delivery of water insoluble radiosensitizers.
• Working on improving the delivery of radiosensitizers with nanoparticles by lowering the toxicity
• Developing a multifunctional nanoparticle platform for combined cancer therapeutic and imaging applications
• Working on PRINT® (Particle Replication in Non-wetting Templates) particles for prostate brachytherapy
• Lab animal coordinator -Wrote animal protocols and provided in vivo training to new lab members.

Post Doctoral Research Associate 2009 - 2010
Graduate Research Assistant 2004 - 2009
Confidential, NY

• Developed novel pH sensitive unilamellar vesicles composed of heterogeneous lipid bilayers in gel phase. Performed physicochemical characterization of structure and functionality of these unilamellar vesicles
• Designed and evaluated in vitro antibody-labeled lipid vesicles composed of heterogeneous membranes (immunoliposomes) as drug carriers with pH-triggered release of doxorubicin.
• Conducted biodistributions and pharmacokinetics studies of immunoliposomes in mice bearing ovarian cancer solid tumors with clinical collaborators at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
• Designed and developed novel unilamellar vesicles with pH tunable binding reactivity
• Published three papers as a first author and one paper as co-author
• Mentored and trained undergraduate students in various experimental techniques

Intern at Office of Technology Development June 2010 - present
Confidential, Chapel Hill, NC

Received training in different aspects of technology transfer, Intellectual Property Basics, Patent License Anatomy and Startup Company Basics. Provide in-depth reviews to help UNC researchers analyze the commercial potential of the inventions, and OTD to prioritize technologies for corporate partners.

Summer Research Trainee (05/2002 – 08/2002)
Confidential, India.

Worked on the problem of optimization of drug delivery dose using artificial neural networks

In-plant training (05/2003 – 08/2003)
Confidential, Thane, India

Studied various processes and equipments involved in the production of pigments. Performed a careful study of mass and energy balance and various cost involved in the production processes and materials.

Teaching experience (2004 - 2008)

Teaching assistant in Chemical and Biological engineering department, Polytechnic Institute of NYU
Courses: Transport phenomena, Chemical engineering thermodynamics, Drug delivery
Graded homework and held office hours to answer student’s questions. Conducted laboratory experiments (part of curriculum) for undergraduate students to enhance their course knowledge

Technical Skills

• Lipid-vesicle and nanoparticle physical chemistry: Engineering of functionalized liposomes, PEG-PLGA based nanoparticles and their characterization with analytical techniques
• Cell Biology: expertise in cell culture, cell uptake studies, cell viability assays, clonogenic assays, western blots
• In vivo skills: extensive experience in various in vivo techniques, aseptic survival surgery technique, handling and bio-distribution studies of mice and rats. Certified by MSKCC and UNC.
• Radiation Training - Trained in performing experiments with radioisotopes
• Analytical Techniques: Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), absorption spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, ELISA, radioactivity (gamma counter), Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-Ray irradiator, Atomic force microscopy (AFM), GPC, Clean room techniques.
• Imaging Techniques: Confocal fluorescence microscopy, SEM, TEM, Cryo-TEM
• Chromatographic Techniques: Size exclusion chromatography, HPLC

Publications

• S. Karve, G. Kempegowda, S. Sofou, “Heterogeneous domains and membrane permeability in phosphatidylcholine-phosphatidic acid rigid vesicles as a function of pH and lipid chain mismatch”, Langmuir, 2008, 24, 5679-5688.
• G. Kempegowda, S. Karve, A. Bandekar, A. Adhikari, T. Khaimchayev, S. Sofou, “pH-dependent formation of lipid heterogeneities controls surface topography and binding reactivity in functionalized bilayers”, Langmuir, 2009, 25(14), 8144-8151.
• S. Karve, A. Alaouie, Y. Zhou, J. Rotolo, S. Sofou, “The use of pH-triggered leaky heterogeneities on rigid lipid bilayers to improve intracellular trafficking and therapeutic potential of targeted liposomal immunochemotherapy”, Biomaterials, 2009, 30(30), 6055-6064.
• S. Karve, A. Bandekar, Md.RAli, S. Sofou,“The pH-dependent association with cancer cells of tunable functionalized lipid vesicles with encapsulated doxorubicin for high cell-kill selectivity”, 2010,Biomaterials, 2010, 31(15), 4409-4416.
• J. Copp,M. Werner, S. Karve, R. Chen, E. Zeman, A. Cox, M. Napier, A. Wang, “Evaluation of nanoparticle formulation of docetaxel as radiosensitizer”, submitted to Intl. Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.

Patent pending

Wang Z, Werner M, Chen R, Karve S, Byrne J, Desimone J. Delivery for brachytherapy and associated methods. US Provisional No. 61/253,547

Awards and Honors

• 2002-2003 Second prize in the “Chemical Engineering Quiz” held by the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (IIChe), India
• 2004-2005 Othmer Distinguished Fellowship, Othmer Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Brooklyn, NY
• 2008-2009 Alfrey Turner Award, Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Brooklyn, NY

Conference Proceedings

• S. Karve, S. Sofou “Rigid liposomes with pH sensitive ‘raft switches’ for effective release of therapeutics”, Transactions of the Controlled release society, Vienna, Austria, 2006
• S. Karve, G. Kempegowda, S. Sofou. “Rigid Model Membranes with pH-Sensitive ‘Raft-switches’: Applications in Liposome-mediated Drug Delivery for Cancer Therapy”, Proceedings of the 3rd WSEAS International Conference on Cellular and Molecular Biology, Biophysics and Bioengineering, 147, Athens, Greece, 2007

Conference Presentations

• S. Karve, G. Kempegowda, S. Sofou, “pH-sensitive ‘raft-switches’ for Effective Release of Therapeutics from Rigid Liposomes”, Selected poster for oral presentation, Gordon Research Conference: Drug Carriers In Medicine & Biology, August 20-25, Big Sky, MT, 2006
• S. Karve, S. Sofou “Rigid pH-Sensitive Immuno-Liposomes for Targeted Drug Delivery to Solid Tumors”, AIChE annual meeting, Salt lake city, UT, 2007
• S. Karve, S. Sofou “Triggered Binding of Targeted Lipid Vesicles to Cancer Cells Mediated by Formation of pH-sensitive Heterogeneous Lipid Domains”, MRS Fall Meeting, Boston, MA, 2008
• S. Karve, S. Sofou “pH-Controlled Binding Reactivity of Functionalized Vesicles Composed of Heterogeneous Lipid Membranes”, 13th IACIS International Conference on Surface and Colloid Science and the 83rd ACS Colloid & Surface Science Symposium, Columbia University, NY, 2009
• S. Karve, G. Kempeowda, A. Bandekar, S. Sofou “pH-dependent formation of lipid heterogeneities controls surface topography and binding reactivity in functionalized bilayers”, NYAS Soft Materials: Smart Materials meeting, NY, 2009
• S. Karve, A. Alouie, S. Sofou “pH-Triggered Leaky Heterogeneities On Rigid Lipid Bilayers Accelerate Intracellular Trafficking of Doxorubicin and Improve the Therapeutic Potential of Targeted Liposomal Immunochemotherapy” , AIChE Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN, 2009
• S. Karve, G. Kempeowda, A. Bandekar, S. Sofou “pH-Dependent Formation of Lipid Heterogeneities Controls Surface Topography and Binding Reactivity in Functionalized Bilayers” AIChE Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN, 2009

Community outreach

• Mentored students from Harlem children society, School for Democracy and Leadership and the Bio-Nano Summer Program during graduate studies at Polytechnic Institute of NYU
• Certificate of appreciation from Nassau Science exploration for contribution to science literacy.
• Participated as judge in New York City Science and Engineering Fair, 2006-New York City Metro Junior Science and Humanities Symposium and various other science fairs.