Pranay Agarwal
Fremont,CA
Summary
Scientific leader with expertise spanning advanced 3D cell culture, tissue engineering, functional genomics, and translational drug discovery. Built a career developing scalable research platforms and applying them to increasingly complex biological questions—from regenerative medicine and mechanobiology to genome-wide CRISPR screening and oncology target discovery. Currently lead functional genomics strategy, strategic pharmaceutical collaborations, and multidisciplinary discovery programs supporting oncology pipeline development.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Functional Genomics
Medic Life Sciences
Palo Alto, California
06.2022 - Current
- Lead the company's functional genomics strategy supporting oncology target discovery across multiple solid tumor programs.
- Serve as scientific lead for strategic research partnerships with Bristol Myers Squibb, Exelixis, and Hanmi Pharmaceuticals, aligning discovery objectives with program milestones.
- Directed biomarker discovery efforts that supported advancement of a CDK7 inhibitor into clinical development.
- Designed genome-wide CRISPR screening campaigns across 60+ cancer cell lines using 2D and advanced 3D models.
- Built a scalable microfluidic 3D screening platform capable of processing >1.5 billion cells.
- Integrated CRISPR screening with single-cell RNA-seq, bulk RNA-seq, and spatial proteomics to identify novel therapeutic vulnerabilities.
- Mentor and lead a multidisciplinary team while driving collaboration across biology, computational sciences, and translational medicine.
Postdoctoral Fellow at the laboratory of Professor Nidhi Bhutani
Stanford University Medical Center, Orthopedic Surgery
03.2017 - 05.2022
- Co-led research that identified 15-PGDH inhibition as a regenerative strategy for osteoarthritis, culminating in a publication in Science (2026).
- Elucidated novel TRPV4-GSK3β mediated mechano-transduction pathway in healthy and OA-derived human chondrocytes cultured in 3D viscoelastic hydrogels, enhancing understanding of cartilage response to mechanical stimuli.
- Investigated viscoelasticity and adhesion signaling roles in morphogenesis of human iPSCs in 3D culture, contributing to advancements in stem cell research and tissue engineering applications.
- Developed and optimized multiplexed CODEX fluorescence imaging and spatial proteomics techniques for simultaneous detection of 30+ marker proteins on mouse knee joints, facilitating the evaluation of disease and aging progression.
Doctoral Researcher at the laboratory of Professor Xiaoming He
The Ohio State University, Department of Biomedical Engineering
09.2011 - 12.2016
- Developed biomimetic 3D vascularized breast tumor model, streamlining high-throughput drug screening workflows for improved research efficiency.
- Created multiscale biomaterials for controlled, long-term delivery of proteins and cells in in vivo systems, enhancing experimental reliability.
- Developed novel microfluidic technique for high-throughput encapsulation and culture of embryonic stem cells and cancer cells, forming spheroids in 3D biomimetic microcapsules of natural biomaterials.
Staff Associate at the laboratory of Professor Samuel K. Sia
Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Engineering
01.2011 - 08.2011
- Developed methodology for fabricating micron-scale 3D hydrogel systems that mimic in vivo cellular microenvironments, enhancing research on cellular behavior.
- Investigated vascular morphogenesis of human endothelial cells in micron-scale channels within hydrogels, contributing to the understanding of endothelial function.
- Managed laboratory inventory, ensuring availability of essential supplies and equipment.
Research Associate at the laboratory of Professor Cheul H. Cho
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Department of Biomedical Engineering
09.2009 - 01.2011
- Enhanced technical protocols for patterning embryonic stem cells in 2D and 3D gel systems, improving reproducibility.
- Investigated metabolic effects of glucose concentration on differentiation and proliferation of patterned cells, contributing to understanding of stem cell behavior.
Education
Ph.D. - Biomedical Engineering
The Ohio State University
Columbus, OH01-2017
Master of Science - Biomedical Engineering
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, NJ01-2011
Bachelor of Technology - Biotechnology
Vellore Institute of Technology
Vellore, India06-2008
Skills
- Functional Genomics Genome-wide CRISPR Screening Synthetic Lethality Oncology Drug Discovery
- Translational Biology Biomarker Discovery Multi-omics Integration scRNA-seq Spatial Proteomics
- 3D Tumor Models Laboratory Automation High-throughput Screening
- Strategic Partnerships Cross-functional Leadership Team Development
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (complete list at Google Scholar, *equal contribution)
- Singla, M.*, Wang, Y.X.*, Elena, M., Bedi, Y., Agarwal, P., et al., Blau, H.M., Bhutani, N. "Regeneration of articular cartilage in Osteoarthritis and aging." Science, 2026.
- Agarwal, P.*, Lee, H.P.*, Smeriglio, P., Grandi, F., Goodman, S., Chaudhuri, O., Bhutani, N. "A dysfunctional TRPV4-GSK3β pathway prevents osteoarthritic chondrocytes from sensing changes in extracellular matrix viscoelasticity." Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2021.
- Indana, D., Agarwal, P., Bhutani, N., Chaudhuri, O. "Viscoelasticity and adhesion signaling in biomaterials control human pluripotent stem cell morphogenesis in 3D culture." Advanced Materials, 2021.
- Agarwal, P., Wang, H.*, Sun, M., Xu, J., Zhao, S., Liu, Z., Gooch, K.J., Zhao, Y., Lu, X., and He, X. "Microfluidics-enabled bottom-up engineering of 3D microvascularized human tumor for drug discovery." ACS Nano, 2017.
- Agarwal, P., Zhao, S., Bielecki, P., Rao, W., Choi, J.K., Zhao, Y., Yu, J., Zhang, W., and He, X. "One-step microfluidic generation of pre-hatching embryo-like core-shell microcapsules for miniaturized 3D culture of pluripotent stem cells." Lab on a Chip, 2013.
Timeline
Director of Functional Genomics
Medic Life Sciences
06.2022 - Current
Postdoctoral Fellow at the laboratory of Professor Nidhi Bhutani
Stanford University Medical Center, Orthopedic Surgery
03.2017 - 05.2022
Doctoral Researcher at the laboratory of Professor Xiaoming He
The Ohio State University, Department of Biomedical Engineering
09.2011 - 12.2016
Staff Associate at the laboratory of Professor Samuel K. Sia
Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Engineering
01.2011 - 08.2011
Research Associate at the laboratory of Professor Cheul H. Cho
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Department of Biomedical Engineering
09.2009 - 01.2011
Ph.D. - Biomedical Engineering
The Ohio State University
Master of Science - Biomedical Engineering
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Technology - Biotechnology
Vellore Institute of Technology