Dr. Nikitha Kendyala is an Indian-born Canadian scientific entrepreneur, currently serving as the Senior Scientist, Co-founder, and CEO of Nucliq Biologics Inc., a company she co-founded in 2019.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, and Chemistry from R.B.V.R.R. Women’s College and a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University. Dr. Kendyala earned her Ph.D. in cancer biology from Memorial University of Newfoundland, where her research focused on the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on breast cancer progression. As part of her doctoral work, she developed a 3D co-culture system to study epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells influenced by adipocytes.
With over 12 years of experience in cellular and molecular cancer biology, Dr. Kendyala has contributed to eight peer-reviewed publications and a book chapter. Her scientific journey evolved toward the microbiome space, driven by a passion for understanding the molecular dialogue between the human body and its microbial communities.
In 2022, alongside co-founder Dr. Purvikalyan Pallegar, she launched *Gutcheck*, Canada’s first consumer-focused microbiome test. The test delivers personalized insights into gut health and offers food-based strategies to restore microbial balance. Today, her work is dedicated to developing microbiome-based diagnostics and therapeutics, particularly in the gut-brain axis, to improve chronic disorder management and support long-term health.