Cellenkos Inc. founder joins the College of Medicine

Simrit Parmar, MD, MSCI, joined the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology at the Texas A&M University College of Medicine as an associate professor on Oct. 1. As a cancer researcher and expert in translating scientific findings into clinical application, Parmar will help the college bring new treatments into the clinic for diseases and illnesses that currently have no cure. 

“Dr. Parmar’s appointment reflects Texas A&M University’s commitment to life sciences as we continue to drive growth in research and development,” said Amy Waer, MD, FACS, Jean and Tom McMullin endowed dean of the College of Medicine. “Her qualifications and experience align perfectly with our strategic goals and growth opportunities. We welcome Dr. Parmar to our institution and look forward to working with her.”   

Parmar comes to Texas A&M from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where she has been on the faculty in the Department of Lymphoma & Myeloma and Experimental Therapeutics since 2009. Prior to that, she was at the UT Southwestern Medical Center and Dallas Veterans Administration Medical Center.   

Parmar developed an allogeneic cord blood-derived regulatory T cell therapy platform that was translated into trials for the prevention of graft versus host disease, a fatal complication of stem cell transplant. In 2016, this proprietary technology was licensed to the biotech start-up company Cellenkos Inc., that funded Parmar’s laboratories through a sponsored research agreement. Since then, Cellenkos has developed a robust pipeline, with four clinical products that have treated more than 75 patients with autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders such as aplastic anemia, myelofibrosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. 

“We are delighted to have Dr. Parmar join our team and bring her invaluable experience in taking science from bench to bedside. As Texas A&M strives to be at the cutting edge of life science development, we believe that Dr. Parmar will serve as a catalyst for bringing such innovations to fruition. Her vast experience in navigating the cell and gene therapy development and commercialization is outstanding and exemplary. We are fortunate to have Dr. Parmar help our faculty and students advance their ideas and research into clinical trials,” said James Samuel, PhD, Regents Professor, Wofford Cain Endowed Chair in Infectious Diseases and head of the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology.  

“This is a tremendous honor. I am deeply grateful to Texas A&M University for the opportunity to bring my experience in translating basic science research into commercial products,” Parmar said. “My goal is to foster entrepreneurship, create pathways for faculty and students to see their research and technology progress into clinical applications and be part of that journey. By offering ownership opportunities and bringing various stakeholders to the table, we can collectively shape the next step in medicine and life sciences. This will lay the foundation for future successes.” 

While at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Parmar was among the inaugural recipients of the R. Lee Clark Fellowship award for junior faculty members who are expected to become some of America’s future cancer leaders. She has received funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.  

Parmar is a founding member of the Asia Pacific Hematology Consortium, which focuses on advancing the field of hematology and oncology through education, collaboration and fostering innovations. In addition, she has served on the board of the Global Affairs Committee for the Foundation for Accreditation of Cellular Therapy. 

Parmar is a graduate of Dayanand Medical College in Punjab, India, and received hematology/oncology fellowship training at Northwestern University. She completed a residency in internal medicine at Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago and a bone marrow transplant fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center.