From Lab Concept to Patient Impact: Gargi Maheshwari on Translating Science into Real-World Solutions

In the biomedical engineering ecosystem, breakthroughs often begin in the lab but getting them to patients is a complex journey. That is where scientists such as Gargi Maheshwari, Vice President Biologics Science & Technology at Merck, come in.

“What I do is take a concept from a lab and translate it into making a product that then goes to the patients who need it the most,” said Maheshwari.

Her impact in Research & Development (R&D) is what earned her the Wallace H. Coulter Award for Healthcare Innovation Award at the 2025 BMES Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif.

“I was very pleasantly surprised to be recognized,” said Maheshwari. “To be recognized by my peers that the work that I’ve done in industry is meaningful was very satisfying.”

With more than 20 years of experience, Maheshwari has advanced her career by undertaking roles with increasing responsibility and complexity. She’s led teams through the R&D process and has contributed to several vaccines, cell therapies and biologics that are now in the market.

Through these experiences, Maheshwari has intentionally educated herself on the safety, speed, and risk it takes to move a concept from lab to life.

“Not all discoveries in the lab become products,” said Maheshwari. “It’s practical science which can be translated into technologies that are scalable and sustainable. That’s what wins.”

She noted that while “a quick and unsophisticated formulation” could get a patient to take eight pills three times a day, it’s less likely the patient is going to want to do that. This is why in the development stage, it’s important for understand how the drug will be administered, and how will we get it to the patients – the supply chain is critical.

She said you have to develop a product while closely considering the manufacturing process and the patient that it is going to serve. “It could be a wonderful innovation, but [if it’s] not going to be scalable or have a very complicated manufacturing process or supply chain said Maheshwari, it won’t make a great product. “Designing a drug and its manufacturing process with the end in mind is really important.”

But it’s not just one person who is part of this process. Maheshwari notes that getting drugs out to patients takes a village, shaped by different expertise and perspectives.

“Aligning on a common vision and a common purpose is really paramount,” she said. “Have respect for what each of the [development] team members bring to the table. Everyone brings a different perspective. And there is a lot of interdependency between functions. Recognize that there is a give and take.”

High performing teams are not made up solely of people who only great at science. She looks to include in the development process those who can communicate with other functions, build bridges, and also bring a high level of domain expertise.

“I’m looking for that individual who brings deep subject matter expertise, is goal focused and can work in a team,” said Maheshwari. “Having the resilience to stick with something (drug development is a long process!), to be in the labs, to do that hard work, to really develop deep understanding of your domain; I believe in that team model where you not only need to bring your deep expertise and be able to see connections, but also drive engagement with others on the team. Being able to get to a win-win outcomes”

Not only does Maheshwari know how to build teams to support the work, but she understands that keeping morale high is also an important piece in the puzzle.

“Celebrate successes together, keep positive energy in our day to day, and have clear milestones along the way that we celebrate,” she said. “Drug development process is a multiyear process, and so celebrating small wins isimportant so that you can take a step back and say, ‘Great job. We can keep doing this.’

While she is experienced at running successful teams, Maheshwari also notes what she is proud of supporting the careers of people around her. She spends a lot of energy deliberately mentoring, giving young professionals practical advice that comes from her own experiences.

“Be clear about your why” - what motivates you”, said Maheshwari. “Optimize for your passion. When you’re working on a problem that aligns with your passion, your expertise and what the overall goal is of your company, the joy you’re going to get at the end of it is going to be tremendous.”

Her passion for the work she does, from R&D to shaping teams to mentoring young professionals, shines a spotlight on the future of engineering and science and the impact it has on the world.

“We have to lead by science, translate science into products through engineering and we have to keep doing the hard work,” said Maheshwari.

Gargi Maheshwari delivered her lecture, “Translating Science into Products – Journey of Bringing Vaccines and Biologics to Life,” at the 2025 BMES Annual Meeting in October 2025. Watch the lecture here.

For more information about the Wallace H. Coulter Award for Healthcare Innovation Award, visit bmes.org/awards/coulteraward.