A Brief Background
Dr. Kharya is an internationally renowned bone marrow transplant surgeon, known for his pioneering work in developing innovative protocols for haploidentical bone marrow transplants, specifically for sickle cell disease. With over two decades of experience, he holds the record for the highest number of successful bone marrow transplants for sickle cell disease in India. Over the past 7 years, Dr. Kharya has performed nearly 1000 transplants, with over 100 of them being for patients with sickle cell disease. His research has established haploidentical transplant as the preferred option for sickle cell disease and other haematological conditions when a 100 percent match is not available. Through his groundbreaking work, Dr. Kharya has achieved remarkable and promising results, solidifying his position as a leader in the field.
After graduating from Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Medical College in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, and completing his post-graduation (DCH in Pediatrics) from Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur, UP, he joined Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi in 2005 to pursue his DNB in Pediatrics. He then worked at Dr. B L Kapur Memorial Hospital in Delhi, where he played a crucial role in establishing pediatric hemato-oncology services and elevating the BMT program to new heights. Later, he moved to The Great North Children's Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. In the UK, Dr. Kharya quickly gained recognition as a leading expert in pediatric hemato-oncology, immunology, and BMT. He also worked with St. Mary's Hospital, and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London.
Upon returning to India in 2014, Dr. Kharya embarked on a mission to make bone marrow transplant surgery, the sole curative treatment option for children afflicted with blood disorders such as SCD, Thalassemia, and Leukemia, more affordable.
He is focused on improving the success of hematopoietic stem cell transplants, specifically those involving alternative donors such as voluntary unrelated donors and haploidentical donors. His goal is to increase the number of children with blood disorders who can be cured.
Dr. Kharya is not only an expert in blood disorders and immunological diseases, but he also has extensive experience in treating pediatric cancers, including blood cancers, solid tumors, and lymphomas. He has published several research articles on this subject. Besides, Dr. Kharya is actively involved in developing India's own cell and gene therapy products, which hold promise as innovative curative treatments for various cancers and blood disorders in the near future.
Dr. Kharya strongly advocates for investment in cutting-edge approaches such as CAR T cell therapy and gene manipulation strategies for curing hemoglobin disorders. He believes that virus-specific T cells are the future of medicine.
Currently, Dr. Gaurav Kharya serves as the Clinical Lead at the Center for Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy and as a Senior Consultant in Pediatric Hematology Oncology and Immunology at Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi. Additionally, he is the Founder and Director of Cellogen Therapeutics.