The ADLD Center Team

Our Team

The people and institutions driving ADLD research forward.

Core Team

Leadership

Inderpal Singh

Inderpal Singh

Founder & President · Chairman of the Board

Inderpal Singh is the Founder and President of the ADLD Center, where he leads strategy, fundraising, and overall program execution to accelerate the development of therapies for Adult-onset Autosomal Dominant Leukodystrophy (ADLD).

He brings over two decades of experience across strategy, technology, and operations, with leadership roles at Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, HSBC, and Bridgewater Associates. He has built and led businesses across consulting and technology, including founding Northshore Partners and serving as Chief Operating Officer of Zelus Analytics, where he led growth to eight-figure ARR and a successful acquisition.

His experience spans enterprise transformation, AI-driven systems, and scaling organizations from zero to exit. At the ADLD Center, he applies this background to structure a patient-driven drug development model, coordinate global stakeholders, and mobilize capital toward clinical progress.

He holds an Honors Bachelor of Mathematics in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.

Ujjal Didar Singh Sekhon

Ujjal Didar Singh Sekhon, PhD

Director, Research & Development

Ujjal leads research strategy and execution at the ADLD Center, where he has built and coordinated a global clinical and scientific consortium working toward the first treatment for adult-onset autosomal dominant leukodystrophy. The consortium spans institutions including UCSF, UCLA, and Mayo Clinic, with active programs across the first-in-human ASO trial, the shRNA gene-silencing platform, and drug repurposing.

He is also Director of R&D at Haima Therapeutics, where he oversees the company's drug development portfolio in hemostatic and coagulation therapeutics, advancing candidates from discovery toward the clinic.

Dr. Sekhon holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. His work includes building a translational drug development pipeline anchored in nanoparticle-based, enzyme-responsive drug delivery that has produced multiple inventions.

Bishen Singh

Bishen Singh

Head, Scientific & Medical Advisory Board · Board Member

Bishen Singh leads the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board for the ADLD Center, helping shape research direction, data strategy, and translational pathways.

He brings a unique combination of experience at the intersection of the life sciences, business, and technology. He's held senior roles at Microsoft, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where he's developed scientific data strategy, launched large-scale data sharing platforms, and built machine learning systems to support scientific discovery.

His background spans neuroscience, data science, and systems biology, positioning him to bridge scientific research with scalable, real-world implementation.

Governance

Board Members

Jennifer Panagoulias

Jennifer Panagoulias

Board Member

Jennifer Panagoulias is Chief Operating Officer of AS2 Bio Inc and Head of Regulatory Affairs at the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics, where she plays a central role in advancing genetic therapies from research through clinical development.

She is a leader in venture philanthropy and rare disease drug development, with deep expertise in regulatory strategy, clinical trial advancement, and policy engagement. Previously, she served as Senior Vice President of Regulatory, Compliance, and Policy at Wave Life Sciences, where she led global regulatory strategy across multiple therapeutic programs.

Her work has been instrumental in shaping patient-driven drug development models, including coordinating regulatory pathways, engaging with the FDA and policymakers, and helping build the infrastructure required to bring therapies to patients.

Her experience integrating advocacy, science, and commercialization is directly aligned with accelerating therapies in ultra-rare diseases.

Dr. Paola Leone

Dr. Paola Leone

Board Member

Dr. Paola Leone is a Professor and Director of the Cell and Gene Therapy Center at Rowan University, and a leading figure in translational neuroscience and gene therapy for white matter disorders.

She has spent decades advancing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, including Canavan disease, multiple sclerosis, and leukodystrophies. She led one of the first FDA-approved gene therapy clinical trials for a neurological disorder, establishing foundational work in AAV-based therapies targeting white matter.

Her research focuses on understanding disease mechanisms and developing therapeutic strategies to repair myelin and prevent disease progression. Her work has directly contributed to clinical translation, with programs progressing toward regulatory approval.

Dr. Leone’s expertise in gene therapy, clinical trial design, and translational medicine provides critical scientific leadership for the ADLD Center’s therapeutic strategy.

Dr. Harmeet Malhi

Dr. Harmeet Malhi

Board Member

Dr. Harmeet Malhi is a Professor of Medicine and Physiology at Mayo Clinic and a leading researcher in molecular biology and translational medicine.

She serves as Research Chair for the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and has extensive experience in cellular stress pathways, inflammation, and biomarker development. Her laboratory focuses on mechanisms of disease progression and intercellular signaling, with applications across complex and systemic disorders.

Dr. Malhi has published over 90 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals including Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. She also serves in editorial leadership roles and national research committees.

Her expertise in disease mechanisms, biomarker discovery, and translational research contributes to the ADLD Center’s understanding of underlying biology and therapeutic evaluation.

Consortium

Research Partners & Advisors

Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic

Rochester, MN

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA

University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

Dr. Quasar Padiath

University of Bologna

University of Bologna

Dr. Stefano Ratti

University of Pavia

University of Pavia

Dr. Elisa Giorgio

Massachusetts General Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital

Dr. Florian Eichler

Massachusetts General Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital

Dr. Yedda Li

Henry Ford Health

Henry Ford Health

Dr. Jaspreet Singh

United Leukodystrophy Foundation

United Leukodystrophy Foundation

Patient Advocacy Partner

Join the Fight

Interested in collaborating?

We welcome researchers, clinicians, and industry partners who want to accelerate progress on ADLD. Reach out to start a conversation.

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