Team

Nivatha Balendra started the research at the heart of Dispersa at the age of 17 after being motivated to find an environmentally-friendly solution to oil contamination. She was inspired to start this work after the Lac-Megantic train crash in which millions of gallons of oil were spilled into the rural town. Nivatha collected soil samples across Montreal and began developing her research at L’Institut national de la recherche scientifique. Her work has garnered numerous scientific awards internationally and she is recognized as a sustainable leader for her work. She has also shared her work and passion for science as a keynote speaker on various stages, such as TEDx and MUSE.
Nivatha has always had one goal with her research: to develop it into a solution that can benefit society. With this in mind, she founded Dispersa in November 2018.

Shay Prajapat is a Finance graduate from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University. He has worked in corporate finance and accounting across a wide variety of industries. Shay seeks to add value to everything he contributes towards and believes in always challenging the status quo. At Dispersa, he seeks to help the company grow through incorporating strategic financial management into the company’s larger objectives.

Antoine Bonnot completed his PhD in inorganic chemistry at the University of Sherbrooke in 2016. He has since worked in various fields of the chemical industry in Quebec, ranging from the production of composite materials to the production of cleaning products. Antoine worked for more than two years as a formulator chemist at LAVO, having been involved in the development of various biodegradable cleaning products. Wishing to develop products with a low environmental impact for a long time, his personal values are in line with Dispersa’s mission. It is with joy and enthusiasm that Antoine wishes to make a difference in the surfactant industry.

Hela has graduated in 2017 from the National Institute of Applied Sciences of Toulouse (France) in Biochemical and Bioprocesses engineering. She recently obtained her PhD in Chemical Biology from the École Normale Supérieure of Paris (France) where she focused on the development of fluorescent tools by yeast-engineering technologies for bioimaging. Hela believes that finding innovative and alternative solutions to petroleum-based and synthetic surfactants will make the difference for our future and she is determined to carry out her mission by combining her two scientific Synthetic biology and Chemical biology passions.

Vinayak Pachapur has completed graduate engineering studies in Industrial Biotechnology. Vinayak completed his Ph.D in Environmental Biotechnology from INRS-ETE on Bio-hydrogen production using a co-culture system. During PhD tenure, he has published 10 articles, US and CANADA patents. His Ph.D thesis was awarded as “BEST THESIS PRIZE FOR INOVATION-2017” across three INRS centers. At “National Biodiesel Conference” in San Diego, U.S.A, he was awarded as “Next Generation Scientists”. Vinayak has nearly 8+ years of industrial and academic experience in the related field of molecular, microbiology, fermentation, analytical and proteomics platforms. Working on emerging areas of industrial biotechnology such as bio-valorization of industry wastes, bioremediation using enzymes, development of novel-green method etc., aligns with Dispersa’s vision. Vinayak is committed to driving research and providing immense value to make a bigger impact commercially with Dispersa.

Gabrielle Desaulniers developed an interest in industrial microbiology during her undergraduate studies in medical biology. In order to deepen her knowledge, she continued her studies in applied microbiology at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS). Her commitment to the environment and her passion for sustainable solutions are in perfect harmony with the values of the company. She actively supports the development and use of natural and biodegradable products in order to preserve the environment and promote a bright future.

Eisha Ahmed is a PhD candidate at McGill University in experimental medicine. She is passionate about both scientific research and design, and has previous experience as a freelance graphic designer, in web development, and in data analytics. Eisha believes that strong science should be accompanied with strong communication, and is working to ensure Dispersa’s message is as impactful as its technology.

Melissa graduated from Brock University with a Bachelor of Arts, Sociology. She brings more than 20 years of experience with a passion for implementing and maintaining operational efficiency while contributing to a greater impact. Melissa thrives working behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly. She is excited to join the Dispersa “dream” team as they move toward delivering the world’s first waste-derived biosurfactant.

Abdullah is a Fermentation Technician at Dispersa, where he applies his expertise in bioprocess development to advance sustainable fermentation processes. Passionate about sustainability, he is committed to contribute to Dispersa’s mission of creating eco-friendly products. Having graduated from the University of Ottawa with BASc in Chemical Engineering and Hons BSc in Biochemistry, Abdullah’s goal is to drive advancements in the field of biomanufacturing and sustainable technology, making a positive impact on the environment and contributing to the future of clean technologies.

Palmyra was inspired by the field of bioremediation to pursue a degree in bioengineering from McGill, where she gained hands-on synthetic biology experience. She believes that taking inspiration from nature will be key in reducing humanity’s impact on the environment, resonating deeply with Dispersa’s mission. With several experiences in laboratory work, she supports this mission as laboratory coordinator.