Venkatesh Ponemone, PhD, MBA (he/him)

Director of Manufacturing Science and Technolog

Cell and Gene Therapy CDMO, CCRM, Toronto

Venkatesh has 16 plus years of Biopharmaceutical manufacturing and clinical development experience with extensive technical and strategic leadership for end-to-end manufacturing for early phase to commercial-scale manufacturing. Currently, serving as Director of Manufacturing Science and Technology (MSAT) at CCRM where the primary focus is to oversee and manage CDMO technical operations including technology transfer, process design and validation, and Scale-up /scale-out and manufacturing of allogeneic and autologous cell and gene therapy products.

Instrumental in building three GMP manufacturing facilities focused on early phase clinical trials to commercial scale production. In addition, vast experience in leading cell processing facilities that facilitate blood and marrow transplant programs, regenerative medicine and cord blood banking. Prior to joining CCRM, Venkatesh served as Senior Director of Cell Processing Facility and Clinical development at TotipotentRX-Cesca Therapeutics where he led and managed the processing of hematopoietic stem cell transplant program, haploidentical stem cells, established MCB/WCB, led and managed cord blood processing and banking, served as study director of 7 cell-based therapy Clinical trials including IND/IDE submissions in the field of Immuno-oncology, Orthopedics and cardiovascular indications.

Venkatesh holds a post graduation degree in Medical Microbiology and a PhD in Cancer and Radiation Biology from Manipal University, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship in Gastrointestinal Inflammation at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Venkatesh has co-authored 48 publications, several book chapters, and 4 patents. Actively involved in several professional organizations like FACT, ISCT, and AABB and serves as an editorial member and reviewer in several journals. Adjunct Professor of biomanufacturing and regenerative medicine at the University of Guelph and McMaster University.