Dhesh Govender

SPECIAL CONSULTANT

Prior to San Rocco Therapeutics (SRT), Dhesh was SVP at Rocket Pharmaceuticals (a public cell and gene therapy rare disease company), where he was responsible for Business Operations and Strategy including all licenses, Intellectual Property and academic/industry alliances. Dhesh also was special situation advisor to the Founders and Board of Directors at Asklepios Biopharma for their $230M series A investment from TPG and Vida Ventures. Prior, Dhesh was Partner at the Hoffman Family Trust Fund, a Family office enterprise dedicated to Life Science investing. Prior to joining the Family office, Dhesh was head of Biotechnology and Life Sciences at Kingsbrook Partners, a long/short equity hedge fund which spun out of Highbridge Capital in 2009.  Dhesh has worked as a publishing research analyst covering biotechnology & medical technology and has over 15 years of direct investment experience on Wall St. and private sector within biotechnology and life sciences.

Dhesh, as the former Founder and CEO of Tara Immuno-Oncology has successfully licensed 3 sets of IP estates (novel CAR-T constructs, vaccines & nucleic acids targeting IDO) and formed 2 companies (Tara Immuno-oncology and Curative Biotherapeutics) to develop them.

Dhesh’s graduate work in biophysics and molecular biology converged into a new field within nanotechnology called biomolecular electronics. He completed his graduate work in Biophysics and Chemistry with Distinction from the WM Keck Center for Molecular Electronics at Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY). Dhesh is an inventor and has worked with NASA – Jet Propulsion Lab & Stanford University to develop his technology platform for biomolecular optical devices. Dhesh crafted new methodologies to manufacture nano fabricated optical devices and has supervised numerous experiments flown on 3 space shuttle missions.  Dhesh has published numerous scientific papers and chapters in biomolecular electronics in various high impact scientific journals.  Dhesh received his undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University. 

Dhesh is married and has 2 children and resides in the Albany, NY area.

Highlights of Dhesh Govender CV:

• Inventor, US Patent 5,253,198
• National Science Foundation and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Fellowships
• National Aeronautical Space Administration (NASA) space shuttle missions; STS-51, 52, 54 & 55
• Wesleyan University, BA in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Academic, Athletic and Music leadership. Served on BoD, Wesleyan University. Howard Hughes fellow.  
• Syracuse University;  National Science Foundation fellow. Chemistry, Biophysics. MS.
• Lead publishing Biotechnology Analyst, series 7,63,86,87; numerous guest appearances on Live Bloomberg TV
• Successfully licensed technology from prominent academic/medical institutions, financed and formed companies to drive R&D
• Gene Therapy Industry experience as a Senior executive at Gene Therapy company; AAV and ex-vivo Lenti.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150106006018/en/QR-Pharma-Announces-the-Appointment-of-New-Chairman-and-New-Board-Member

https://vista.today/2015/01/fresh-funding-brings-berwyns-qr-pharma-well-connected-board-chairman/

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151103005563/en/Tara-Immuno-Oncology-Acquires-Exclusive-City-of-Hope-Licenses-to-Develop-Clinical-Stage-p53MVA-Oncology-Vaccine-and-Salmonella-Based-Therapy-shIDO-ST