Salil Hangekar
Salil Hangekar is a molecular biologist with an expertise in genetic engineering and microbiology. He earned his Integrated Masters in Biotechnology from Institute of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University. His final thesis was carried out at the Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, during which he focused on the pathogenicity of nosocomial bacteria in lung cystic fibrosis patients.
After a hiatus in the Hindi film music industry, he was drawn back to scientific research during the COVID-19 pandemic wherein he served in a molecular diagnostics setting. Soon after, he joined the Mouse Genome Engineering Facility at the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore. During his tenure there, he successfully generated CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genetically altered mouse models for labs across India that work on rare genetic disorders.
Beyond the lab, he is an accomplished Indian classical flautist and a music producer. His long term goal is to set up his own venture that brings together the work of various research labs around the world to serve the common people with genetic disorders and provide them with affordable gene therapy.