Akanksha Singh, PhD
Lead Cell Biologist
Akanksha earned her Ph.D. in Computational Biochemistry from Arizona State University, where she worked on interdisciplinary projects involving interactions in proteins that guide their biological functions. During her thesis, her research primarily focused on using machine learning algorithms to develop a sequence-function relationship that guides molecular recognition of monoclonal antibodies to their respective target, the long-term application of which can contribute to antibody-based research, and therapeutics and diagnostics.
She is very excited to be a part of the cell biology team at Prellis, where she works with highly motivated research professionals to develop Prellis’ EXIS platform for rapid human antibody discovery. Other than science, she loves doing yoga, hiking, traveling, and exploring local restaurants and cafeterias.
INSPIRED BY PRELLIS INTERVIEW
When you first learned about Prellis Biologics and the vision of the company, what were some of your initial thoughts?
"When I was applying to the position at Prellis, I was very intrigued by the cutting-edge technology that Prellis does, which is not only product-oriented, but also scientifically very innovative. As a scientist, I was very excited that it would be a great platform for me to dive deep into some of the challenging problems in immunology."
When you reflect on your team at Prellis, does anything stand out to you as being really unique?
"My team at Prellis has really smart, collaborative, and supportive peers. I always feel that we learn a lot from each other, irrespective of the hierarchy. Additionally, Prellis has people from diverse scientific backgrounds which is really encouraging. Our well-being is always given a priority here."
What excites you most about the company’s future?
"Prellis’s antibody discovery platform has a great future in antibody-based therapeutics. To be directly involved in the EXIS™ technology that has the potential to help millions of people suffering from chronic diseases is extremely motivating. It makes all the hard work worthwhile."