Shefali Kakar is an accomplished pharmaceutical industry leader with over 20 years of experience in drug discovery and development. Currently serving as Vice President and Global Head of Oncology PK Sciences at Novartis Pharmaceuticals, she has been instrumental in the discovery and development of more than 40 pharmaceutical products throughout her career.
At Novartis, Shefali leads a team of 50 associates directly and influences over 100 professionals indirectly while managing all aspects of PK Sciences for more than 100 projects in the oncology portfolio. As a core member of discovery and development decision boards, she has established strong relationships with over 50 senior oncology leaders across multiple divisions. Her leadership journey at Novartis spans multiple roles since 2007, including Executive Director positions overseeing Respiratory therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology.
Before joining Novartis, Shefali worked at Pfizer, Inc. from 2002 to 2007, progressing from Senior Scientist to Project Team Leader in Oncology. There, she represented Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism in over 15 small molecule and biologics projects across multiple therapeutic areas, contributing to four IND filings.
Shefali represents an invaluable resource for DiscoverSTEM students. Her journey from chemistry student to global pharmaceutical executive provides a powerful roadmap for young DiscoverSTEM students.
Shefali also contributes her expertise as a pro-bono scientific advisor for TB Alliance, a not-for-profit organization focused on tuberculosis drug discovery and development. Her industry influence extends to co-founding the Biosimilar Focus Group within the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, which grew from 100 to over 800 members under her leadership.
Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Mount Holyoke College. She briefly served as an Adjunct Professor at Brown University Medical School.
Throughout her career, Shefali has received numerous research opportunities and professional awards, including recognition for coaching, mentoring, and team excellence. She maintains an active presence in the scientific community with over 40 invited presentations, 15 scientific publications, and 11 scientific abstracts.
With her extensive industry experience, proven research leadership abilities, and passion for mentoring, Shefali represents an invaluable resource for DiscoverSTEM students. Her journey from chemistry student to global pharmaceutical executive provides a powerful roadmap for young DiscoverSTEM students. They will benefit tremendously from her real-world insights into drug development processes, career navigation strategies, and the critical skills needed to thrive in today’s competitive scientific landscape.
As a Research Mentor at DiscoverSTEM, Shefali Kakar would:
- Suggest cutting-edge research topics in pharmacology and drug development, or refine student-proposed ideas
- Guide students through a 15-minute kickoff call to establish research frameworks, methodologies, and resource identification
- Provide strategic guidance through email or brief check-in calls, scheduled according to her availability
- Review manuscripts with her expert eye, offering critical feedback to enhance scientific quality
- Connect students with appropriate journals, conferences, and industry contacts for publication opportunities
- Foster scientific integrity and research ethics, preparing students for careers in pharmaceutical sciences
