Apurva holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology in India and a Doctorate in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her doctoral thesis centered on a noninvasive screening tool for cell fate determination using Raman spectroscopy and machine learning in tissue engineering and microbiology applications.

Currently at Merck, her role focuses on applying PAT to support the large-molecule pipeline by partnering with key stakeholder groups across the network to identify opportunities to implement PAT during process development. She also serves as a liaison to transfer technology from small-scale process development to larger-scale GMP facilities.

Prior to joining Merck, Apurva worked as a research and engineering expert within the science and technology division of PPG, wherein she leveraged PAT methodologies to support manufacturing, formulation, and synthesis teams.

Apurva is an avid reader and loves to play the piano and runs her own blog!