Our Team

Dr Sunita Ghimire

Chairperson and Chief Technical Officer

Sunita Ghimire Gautam is a highly skilled molecular biologist with a strong background in gene editing and Adeno Associated Virus production. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Molecular Biotechnology from Saitama University, Japan.

Currently, Sunita serves as the Research and Development Manager at Shikhar Biotech Pvt. Ltd and Chief technical officer at Novala Biotech. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing research and development activities at the company, demonstrating her leadership abilities and expertise in the field. Sunita also served as a Research Scientist at Centre for Brain Science, RIKEN, Japan. She took on the challenge of generating conditional knock-out mouse, using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology that was cutting edge at the time. Before that, she worked as a Researcher at Saitama University, where she focused on the development of drug seeds against Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr Ravindra Sapkota

Director of Scientific research and technology

Dr. Ravindra Mohan Sapkota is an accomplished scientist and executive in the field of biotechnology. He currently serves as the Executive Chairman and Scientific Director at Shikhar Biotech and Novala Biotech. He is also a co-founder of Everest Biotech Limited.

Dr. Sapkota’s academic journey began at the University of Oxford, where he pursued a Master’s degree. Following this, he obtained his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Molecular Life Sciences from the University of Zurich. His doctoral research focused on T-cell receptor expression and thymic selection of T-cells, showcasing his expertise in immunology.

Dr. Sapkota possesses extensive experience in the production and testing of polyclonal antibodies. He has honed his skills in various techniques such as Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry. His proficiency in these areas has allowed him to contribute significantly to the development of novel products.

Aside from his scientific achievements, Dr. Sapkota is well-versed in the business aspect of biotechnology. He has played a pivotal role in setting up companies and production facilities, demonstrating his entrepreneurial acumen and ability to navigate the industry.

Dr. Ravindra Mohan Sapkota’s multidisciplinary expertise, encompassing biochemistry, immunology, and business, has positioned him as a distinguished figure in the biotechnology sector. His contributions to scientific research, product development, and company establishment have made a significant impact in the field.

Kabin Maleku

Director of Operations

Kabin, a highly skilled pharmacist, obtained his Master’s degree in Pharmaceutics from BITS Pilani, a prestigious university in India. His contributions to Nepal’s pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors have been remarkable. With extensive experience in clinical research, regulatory affairs, and healthcare institution development, Kabin has played a pivotal role in planning and executing healthcare projects, developing products, and conducting market research.

Kabin has experience of research and development in Micro labs, a leading pharmaceutical company in India. Kabin was also involved in establishment and operations of Danphe care, a multinational company and worked as chief operating officer and provided healthcare services overseas and managed healthcare services, optimizes processes, and manages product development. Previously, he served as a researcher and operational in-charge at the Nepal Health Research Council, where he contributed to Phase 3 clinical trials, developed essential documents, and provided guidance for clinical research units. He also played a key role in post-vaccination surveillance protocols and conducted the surveillance study.

Kabin’s diverse experience includes leading Raskot Community Hospital development and establishment projects and serving as the Executive Director of the ASK Foundation, delivering healthcare services to remote villages. His expertise extends to statistical analysis software, laboratory management, and electronic health records.

He has been consulting various organizations and media companies and also working as a visiting lecturer. His dedication, leadership skills, and commitment to advancing healthcare services make him an invaluable asset in the industry.

Dr. Prabhat Adhikari

Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases & Critical Care (US Board Certified), Advisor, Medical and Diagnostics

Dr. Prabhat Adhikari is a physician, entrepreneur, and social activist passionate about medical IT and research. During his specialization in Infectious Diseases & Critical Care in the USA, he recognized the need to revolutionize healthcare in Third World countries with innovative technologies. He co-founded “Danphe Care,” a multinational company developing international standard medical software with integrated HMS, Telemedicine, and EMR. This marked a career turning point, leading him to return home to pursue his dream.

Dr. Adhikari is also the Founder and CEO of Nepal’s Centre for American Medical Specialists (CAMS), a super-specialty clinic providing evidence-based ethical practices. CAMS, led by American Board-certified specialists, focuses on infectious diseases, travel medicine, hematology, oncology, pediatrics, and preventive medicine. The clinic brings groundbreaking healthcare technologies, advanced laboratory services, and patient-centric precision medical care.

Additionally, Dr. Adhikari heads “Nepgen,” a Contract Research Organization (CRO) dedicated to clinical research, manpower training, and electronic database development.

Witnessing the medical crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Adhikari established “Novala Biotech Pvt Ltd” to address Nepal’s supply challenges in medical diagnostics by importing sophisticated technologies from around the world.

Bikhyat Shrestha

Biologist

Bikhyat Shrestha, holds a Master of Science in Biology from New York University, New York, USA, where he specialized in Molecular Genetics, Viral Diseases, and Biostatistics. During his academic journey, he received the prestigious Global Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship (2016-2020) and the Charles Reed Award for Excellence in Science (2019).

His research experience includes serving as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Center for Developmental Genetics at New York University, as well as an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut. At Bridgeport, he conducted research on phosphate transfer through mycorrhizal associations in Mimosa pudica.

Currently, Bikhyat is a Research Assistant at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York, USA, where he works at the Molecular Cytology Core Facility (MCCF), contributing to cutting-edge advancements in molecular biology and cytology.