OUR TEAM
Mihir Pershad
CEO
Mihir Pershad is Founder & CEO of Umami Bioworks, where he is building a team developing delicious, affordable, sustainable cultivated seafood that is better for our health, our oceans, and our future.
Mihir has an academic background in protein biochemistry and has spent his career working to commercialize deep tech innovations to address humanity's grand challenges. At Early Charm Ventures, he led the commercialization of university spinouts at the intersection of biotechnology and aquaculture.
Mihir is also author of Cultivated Abundance, a book that outlines a framework for entrepreneurs to leverage transformative technologies to build an inspiring, abundant future for humanity.
In his free time, Mihir enjoys climbing mountains, scuba diving, and exploring the remote and wild corners of the world.
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Dr. Dhiraj Singh
Head of Research and Development
Dhiraj is Lead Scientist on the media development team at Umami Bioworks, where he leads development and optimization of serum-free media for the various stages of our process.
Prior to joining Umami Bioworks, he led the cell biology team at TurtleTree. Dhiraj was a postdoctoral fellow in NUS, where he led translational research projects from establishing in vitro models to investigate the effect of gestational diabetes on fetal brain development. Dhiraj earned his PhD degree in Cell & Molecular Biology at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
Apart from scientific interests, he spends his leisure time playing for various professional cricket clubs and also practices yoga. -
Dr. Lim Choon Kiat
Group Leader - Cell Line Development
Choon Kiat is a Scientist on the cell line development team at Umami Bioworks, where he focuses on developing cell lines and directing cell differentiation.
Prior to joining Umami Bioworks, Choon Kiat was awarded with a PhD scholarship from the NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering (NGS Scholarship), and subsequently did his post-doc fellowship in Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS).
A cell biologist by training, Choon Kiat has extensive experience in the field of epigenetics and cardiovascular disease. He spent most of his research career studying direct reprogramming of fibroblasts to cardiomyocytes, and his work was published in the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology (JMCC) as Editor’s Choice. -
Dr. Parameswaran Vijayakumar
Senior Scientist - Cell Line Development
Parameswaran is a Senior Scientist leading cell line isolation and development at Umami Bioworks.
Parameswaran’s expertise is in fish cell line development. He began working in developing fish cell lines 2003 and he developed the first marine fish cell line in India in 2006 as part of his Doctoral research. Parameswaran completed his Post-Doctorate at the Centre of Marine Sciences in University of Algarve, where he worked to establish some of the first fish bone-derived cells and fish embryonic stem (ES) cells. During his journey in the field for the past 18+ years, he has developed more than 20 fish cell lines from various fish species and lineages.
Parameswaran believes the future of seafood lies in cultivated seafood and wishes to contribute his expertise to making this technology feasible. -
Nien Ping Toh
Research Associate - Media Development
Nien Ping is a Research Associate on the media development team, where she focuses on high-throughput screening of potential media components to develop an efficient in-house serum free media for the cell lines.
Nien Ping was a Senior Technical Executive with NTU after graduating with a bachelor’s in chemical engineering from NUS. She continued to pursue her interest in the food industry by taking up a part time master’s degree with NUS, specializing in food science and human nutrition.
Her research was aimed at the fabrication of edible microcarriers suitable for 3D cell cultures where she focused on the cultivation of porcine cells on various plant protein coated microcarriers. -
Kaushik Rangarajan
Senior Research Associate - Bioprocess Engineering
Kaushik Rangarajan is a Senior Research Associate at Umami Bioworks whose primary focus is on the bioprocess engineering of cultured meat.
Kaushik’s doctoral thesis at Monash University, Australia was on understanding the influence of substrate properties on stem cell fate and lineage commitment. He holds a Master’s in Biotechnology (Process technology) from Wageningen University, the Netherlands. During his masters, he was awarded the Climate-KIC Master label by EIT.
Kaushik believes cultured meat is not only a healthy and cruelty free option, but essential for rewilding the oceans and lands. -
Shu Xuan Tan
Senior Research Assistant
Shu Xuan is part of the cell-line development team at Umami Bioworks. She works alongside the team to isolate cells from different species of fish and ensure cellular immortalization and differentiation.
Shu Xuan previously worked as a research assistant for the National University of Singapore before moving over Umami. She graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor degree in Biomedical Science with High Distinction. At Monash, she was part of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute. She also has experience in hospitals, working in the Serology Department at the National University Hospital in Singapore. -
Cara Wong
Research Assistant
Cara is a research assistant within the bioprocess and media development team at Umami Bioworks. Her focus is on microcarriers and media screening.
Her academic journey culminated in the attainment of a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science with a Second Major in Food Science and Technology from NTU. In her final year project, she directed an exploration into the cultivation of porcine myoblast within an alginate scaffold, with the aim of creating a steak-like structure. -
James Tan
Researcher & Food Technologist
James plays a cross-functional role as a food technologist and a research assistant on the team. At Umami, he assisted in the development and optimization of one of our first ever cultivated food product developments - fish ball laksa!
After receiving his Diploma in Food Science and Nutrition, he worked in a flavor house as an R&D and Quality Control executive. He furthered his studies in the University of Queensland, receiving his Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Nutrition. He also has advanced allergen training from Compass group, as well as a sensory evaluation certification from the Food Innovation and Resource Center in Singapore Polytechnic.
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Mihir Pershad
CEO
Mihir Pershad is Founder & CEO of Umami Bioworks, where he is building a team developing delicious, affordable, sustainable cultivated seafood that is better for our health, our oceans, and our future.
Mihir has an academic background in protein biochemistry and has spent his career working to commercialize deep tech innovations to address humanity's grand challenges. At Early Charm Ventures, he led the commercialization of university spinouts at the intersection of biotechnology and aquaculture.
Mihir is also author of Cultivated Abundance, a book that outlines a framework for entrepreneurs to leverage transformative technologies to build an inspiring, abundant future for humanity.
In his free time, Mihir enjoys climbing mountains, scuba diving, and exploring the remote and wild corners of the world. -
Dr. Dhiraj Singh
Head of Research and Development
Dhiraj is Lead Scientist on the media development team at Umami Bioworks, where he leads development and optimization of serum-free media for the various stages of our process.
Prior to joining Umami Bioworks, he led the cell biology team at TurtleTree. Dhiraj was a postdoctoral fellow in NUS, where he led translational research projects from establishing in vitro models to investigate the effect of gestational diabetes on fetal brain development. Dhiraj earned his PhD degree in Cell & Molecular Biology at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
Apart from scientific interests, he spends his leisure time playing for various professional cricket clubs and also practices yoga. -
Dr. Lim Choon Kiat
Group Leader - Cell Line Development
Choon Kiat is a Scientist on the cell line development team at Umami Bioworks, where he focuses on developing cell lines and directing cell differentiation.
Prior to joining Umami Bioworks, Choon Kiat was awarded with a PhD scholarship from the NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering (NGS Scholarship), and subsequently did his post-doc fellowship in Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS).
A cell biologist by training, Choon Kiat has extensive experience in the field of epigenetics and cardiovascular disease. He spent most of his research career studying direct reprogramming of fibroblasts to cardiomyocytes, and his work was published in the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology (JMCC) as Editor’s Choice. -
Dr. Parameswaran Vijayakumar
Senior Scientist - Cell Line Development
Parameswaran is a Senior Scientist leading cell line isolation and development at Umami Bioworks.
Parameswaran’s expertise is in fish cell line development. He began working in developing fish cell lines 2003 and he developed the first marine fish cell line in India in 2006 as part of his Doctoral research. Parameswaran completed his Post-Doctorate at the Centre of Marine Sciences in University of Algarve, where he worked to establish some of the first fish bone-derived cells and fish embryonic stem (ES) cells. During his journey in the field for the past 18+ years, he has developed more than 20 fish cell lines from various fish species and lineages.
Parameswaran believes the future of seafood lies in cultivated seafood and wishes to contribute his expertise to making this technology feasible. -
Nien Ping Toh
Research Associate - Media Development
Nien Ping is a Research Associate on the media development team, where she focuses on high-throughput screening of potential media components to develop an efficient in-house serum free media for the cell lines.
Nien Ping was a Senior Technical Executive with NTU after graduating with a bachelor’s in chemical engineering from NUS. She continued to pursue her interest in the food industry by taking up a part time master’s degree with NUS, specializing in food science and human nutrition.
Her research was aimed at the fabrication of edible microcarriers suitable for 3D cell cultures where she focused on the cultivation of porcine cells on various plant protein coated microcarriers. -
Kaushik Rangarajan
Senior Research Associate - Bioprocess Engineering
Kaushik Rangarajan is a Senior Research Associate at Umami Bioworks whose primary focus is on the bioprocess engineering of cultured meat.
Kaushik’s doctoral thesis at Monash University, Australia was on understanding the influence of substrate properties on stem cell fate and lineage commitment. He holds a Master’s in Biotechnology (Process technology) from Wageningen University, the Netherlands. During his masters, he was awarded the Climate-KIC Master label by EIT.
Kaushik believes cultured meat is not only a healthy and cruelty free option, but essential for rewilding the oceans and lands. -
Shu Xuan Tan
Senior Research Assistant
Shu Xuan is part of the cell-line development team at Umami Bioworks. She works alongside the team to isolate cells from different species of fish and ensure cellular immortalization and differentiation.
Shu Xuan previously worked as a research assistant for the National University of Singapore before moving over Umami. She graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor degree in Biomedical Science with High Distinction. At Monash, she was part of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute. She also has experience in hospitals, working in the Serology Department at the National University Hospital in Singapore. -
Cara Wong
Research Assistant
Cara is a research assistant within the bioprocess and media development team at Umami Bioworks. Her focus is on microcarriers and media screening.
Her academic journey culminated in the attainment of a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Science with a Second Major in Food Science and Technology from NTU. In her final year project, she directed an exploration into the cultivation of porcine myoblast within an alginate scaffold, with the aim of creating a steak-like structure. -
James Tan
Researcher & Food Technologist
James plays a cross-functional role as a food technologist and a research assistant on the team. At Umami, he assisted in the development and optimization of one of our first ever cultivated food product developments - fish ball laksa!
After receiving his Diploma in Food Science and Nutrition, he worked in a flavor house as an R&D and Quality Control executive. He furthered his studies in the University of Queensland, receiving his Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Nutrition. He also has advanced allergen training from Compass group, as well as a sensory evaluation certification from the Food Innovation and Resource Center in Singapore Polytechnic.
Christopher Buntel
Intellectual Property Expert
Chris has over 20 years of experience in corporations, deep tech start-ups and law firms. He has led diverse teams in delivering innovative IP protection solutions.
His experience will help guide Umami to create a robust IP protection infrastructure to protect our proprietary technology and licensing.
OUR
ADVISORS
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Shahrukh Marfatia
Director & Senior Global Advisor
Shahrukh has held top leadership positions in various global and family companies, as well as in advisory roles in a career spanning for over 40 years.
His rich experience in strategy, organization, talent and people management will help guide us in our global expansion as we scale-up our offerings worldwide. -
Kenji Narushima
Investor & Strategist
Kenji has over 16 years of experience working in private equity investments and venture capital in Japan.
His deep knowledge of Japan’s financial industry will allow us to establish long-term partners in the Japanese eco-system.
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Christopher Buntel
Intellectual Property Expert
Chris has over 20 years of experience in corporations, deep tech start-ups and law firms. He has led diverse teams in delivering innovative IP protection solutions.
His experience will help guide Umami to create a robust IP protection infrastructure to protect our proprietary technology and licensing. -
Shahrukh Marfatia
Director & Senior Global Advisor
Shahrukh has held top leadership positions in various global and family companies, as well as in advisory roles in a career spanning for over 40 years.
His rich experience in strategy, organization, talent and people management will help guide us in our global expansion as we scale-up our offerings worldwide. -
Kenji Narushima
Investor & Strategist
Kenji has over 16 years of experience working in private equity investments and venture capital in Japan.
His deep knowledge of Japan’s financial industry will allow us to establish long-term partners in the Japanese eco-system.
-
Christopher Buntel
Intellectual Property Expert
Chris has over 20 years of experience in corporations, deep tech start-ups and law firms. He has led diverse teams in delivering innovative IP protection solutions.
His experience will help guide Umami to create a robust IP protection infrastructure to protect our proprietary technology and licensing.
-
Shahrukh Marfatia
Director & Senior Global Advisor
Shahrukh has held top leadership positions in various global and family companies, as well as in advisory roles in a career spanning for over 40 years.
His rich experience in strategy, organization, talent and people management will help guide us in our global expansion as we scale-up our offerings worldwide.
-
Kenji Narushima
Investor & Strategist
Kenji has over 16 years of experience working in private equity investments and venture capital in Japan.
His deep knowledge of Japan’s financial industry will allow us to establish long-term partners in the Japanese eco-system.
