Ujang Purnama

Ujang Purnama is a final-year PhD researcher at the Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, focusing on genetic- and environment-driven cardiac diseases.

He uses stem cell-derived engineered heart tissue for disease modeling and novel treatment development, with a keen interest in research collaboration between academia and industry.

His diverse industry experience includes fellowships, employment in multinational pharmaceutical companies, and project consulting in various private companies.

Ujang holds a Bachelor's degree in Pharmaceutical Science and Technology from Bandung Institute of Technology, where he trained as a licensed pharmacist in Indonesia.

During his undergraduate studies, he interned at Sumitomo Chemical Company in Japan, conducting research on embryonic stem cell differentiation.

He later joined the University Medical Centre Groningen in the Netherlands to study the effects of engineered human interferon gamma on vascular smooth muscle cells.

After graduation, Ujang worked as a Production Supervisor for GSK in Jakarta before commencing his PhD in 2018 at the University of Oxford.

His PhD research focuses on Engineered Heart Tissue from induced pluripotent stem cells, particularly exploring its potential for disease modeling and drug testing, leading to four published papers.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Ujang holds a Professional Degree in Pharmacy from Institut Teknologi Bandung and a Master of Business Administration from Quantic School of Business and Technology.

He has been associated with various organizations, including the Merck Innovation Center, Global Biotech Revolution's GapSummit 2020, and University of Oxford in different capacities.