Paul Verma

Dr Paul Verma obtained his PhD at Adelaide University and subsequently joined BresaGen Ltd, Adelaide in 1995, working on transgenesis and nuclear transfer aimed at developing pigs with organs suitable for xenotransplantation. He later joined the Luminis-BresaGen Cell Therapy Program, where he established a research program on cell reprogramming aimed at providing alternates to therapeutic cloning.

Dr Verma moved to Melbourne in 2001 to continue his research into reprogramming somatic cells, isolation and characterization of embryonic and adult stem cells as a Senior Research Fellow at MIMR. His overarching research aim is to produce autologous (patient-specific) stem cells, using cell reprogramming techniques such as somatic cell nuclear transfer and iPS cells technology, that are clinically relevant and transplantable into humans.

He has published many scientific papers and edited a book on transgenesis, cloning and stem cells. He is principal inventor on eight granted and provisional patents in the field of cell reprogramming and stem cells.

He has recently been appointed to serve on the NHMRC Cellular Therapies Advisory Committee and is a Visiting Professor at the National Centre for Biological Science, Bangalore, India.