Lavakumar (Kumar) Karyampudi, PhD

Lavakumar (Kumar) Karyampudi, PhD Senior Director, Cell Therapies

Dr. Lavakumar (Kumar) Karyampudi is Senior Director, Cell Therapies at Moffitt Cancer Center. He joined Moffitt Cancer Center in September of 2021. At the Moffitt Cell Therapies Facility, Kumar is responsible for the complete oversight of all technical staff activities, manufacturing, and compliance standards of approved cell therapy products.

Prior to his recruitment to Moffitt, during the last 15-plus years in both academia and biotech companies, Kumar provided successful leadership for immuno-oncology programs focused on different cancer immunotherapeutics, especially cellular therapeutics. He was a Director of translational science at Iovance Biotherapeutics, where he was responsible for leading a translational science team and he also oversaw FDA approval of investigational new drug (IND) application of an autologous cell therapy product. As a Senior Director of cell therapy at Artiva biotherapeutics, Kumar oversaw FDA approval of IND application of an unmodified allogeneic cell therapy product. With more than 15 years of experience in immuno-oncology research, particularly in the field of cellular immunotherapy and process development, Kumar brings a depth of knowledge to the Moffitt Cell Therapies Facility to develop novel and next-generation cell therapy products for the treatment of cancer patients.

Kumar earned his doctoral degree in immunology from Indiana State University. He holds a master's degree in medical microbiology and a bachelor's degree in microbiology from India. He is a member of reputed cell therapy and immuno-oncology organizations such as ASGCT, ASCO and SITC.