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Sowmya Viswanathan

Dr. Viswanathan is a Scientist at the Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, and an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering and at the Department of Medicine of the University of Toronto. Her research interest is focused on using anti-inflammatory approaches to target inflammatory diseases including osteoarthritis (OA) using next generation, engineered mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), and ex-vivo polarized monocytes/macrophages. Dr. Viswanathan’s lab is focused on bioprocess optimization, bioanalytical techniques and translation of these cell- and gene-based therapies into clinical investigations. Dr. Viswanathan is a co-Principal Investigator of a clinical trial using autologous MSCs to treat OA patients, a North American first. Dr. Viswanathan co-chairs a Cell Therapy Stakeholder Group that engages Health Canada on cell therapy related policy issues. Dr. Viswanathan is manufacturing team lead for CellCAN, a regulatory and manufacturing advisor for OIRM, and a Canadian expert member of the International Standards Organization (ISO)’s technical committee (TC 276) on cell and gene therapies. Dr. Viswanathan is an elected formal liaison between International Society of Cellular Therapy (ISCT) and ISO.

Posts by: Sowmya

Raman spectroscopy for monitoring therapeutic cell manufacturing – Part 2

In this month’s installment of the “Bioprocess and Bioanalytics” blog, we get part II from Drs. Robin Turner and James Piret on Raman spectroscopy and how this method can be utilized to tell us new information about cell therapy products. Both are Professors in the Michael Smith Laboratories at the University of British Columbia. Dr. […]

Without new funding, key part of Canada’s stem cell research ecosystem to close

Cindi Morshead is a professor and chair of the anatomy division of the Department of Surgery with the University of Toronto, with appointments in the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering and the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. Sowmya Viswanathan is an affiliate scientist with the Krembil Research Institute through the University Health Network, and an assistant professor […]

Raman spectroscopy for monitoring therapeutic cell manufacturing – Part 1

In this month’s installment of the “Bioprocess and Bioanalytics” blog, we will hear from Drs. Robin Turner and James Piret on how an established spectroscopy method – Raman spectroscopy – can be utilized to tell us new information about cell therapy products. Both are Professors in the Michael Smith Laboratories at the University of British […]

The Facts around FACT – Part 2

Debe Griffin, MSc, ASQ CPGP, has over 20 years of experience in the cell therapy field, both in bench positions and in leadership. Her primary interests are process improvement, quality assurance and regulatory affairs. She is a consultant with FACT Consulting Services as well as Chimera TQM. She has over a decade of experience as a […]

The Facts around FACT – Part 1

Debe Griffin, MSc, ASQ CPGP, has over 20 years of experience in the cell therapy field, both in bench positions and in leadership. Her primary interests are process improvement, quality assurance and regulatory affairs. She is a consultant with FACT Consulting Services as well as Chimera TQM. She has over a decade of experience as a […]