Imperial alumnus Dr Bakul Gupta receives prestigious Purple Plaque

Imperial alumnus Dr Bakul Gupta has received a Purple Plaque award in recognition of her achievements in biotechnology.

Purple plaques are awarded by Innovate UK as part of their work to inspire more girls to get into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. The initiative aims to highlight the winners of Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation awards with plaques displayed in public spaces.

“It is an absolute honour to receive this award from Innovate UK, and to have it placed at my alma-mater; Imperial College London." Dr Bakul Gupta CEO and co-founder of Deliver Biosciences

The plaque for Dr Gupta, who is the CEO and co-founder of Deliver Biosciences, was unveiled at Imperial's Department of Materials at a ceremony with Professor Mary Ryan, Imperial’s Vice Provost (Research and Enterprise), and Professor Dame Molly Stevens.

Dr Gupta has been praised for her work on a ground-breaking nanoparticle-based platform technology which could revolutionise treatments by using genetically modifying cells within patients to deliver innovative therapies.

Her company, Deliver Biosciences, is developing a nanoparticle-based delivery system which allows for precise gene delivery to target cells of choice inside patients. This in-patient gene delivery allows them to modify cells and create therapies to fight diseases such as cancer, autoimmune and infectious diseases.

Dr Gupta said: “It is an absolute honour to receive this award from Innovate UK, and to have it placed at my alma-mater; Imperial College London.

“Our goal at Deliver Bio from the very beginning has been to develop scalable and affordable therapies so that we can ensure access to every patient in need. Similarly, I hope we are able to inspire every individual who aspires to translate their skills and knowledge into helping mankind.”

Professor Ryan said: “We are delighted to join Dr Bakul Gupta to celebrate her remarkable achievements. The prestigious Purple Plaque rightfully recognises not only her extraordinary contributions to the field of biotechnology, but also her inspiring journey as a woman in innovation.”  

Dr Gupta is an alumnus of UNSW Australia and holds a PhD and BSc in Nanotechnology and Chemistry. She completed postdoctoral training at Imperial under the guidance of Prof Dame Stevens, from our Department of Materials, before becoming an entrepreneur.

Innovate UK launched its Women in Innovation Award in 2016 to empower women entrepreneurs and drive economic growth, as part of its efforts to encourage a vibrant innovation ecosystem that supports businesses in developing life-changing technologies.

Inspiring women entrepreneurs

The plaque unveiling comes ahead of this year’s WE Innovate final on 19 June – Imperial's flagship entrepreneurship programme designed to inspire and accelerate the progress of women-led startups.

Over the past 10 years, more than 500 women have been supported by WE Innovate, with 60 startups incorporated and more than £37.5 million in funding raised by teams from the programme.

This year, WE Innovate is also opening its doors to new sponsors who are keen to support the programme as it aims to expand on a national scale, launching in further regions across the UK.

Find out more about how to sponsor WE Innovate here: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/Stories/we-innovate-sponsorship/