Our Talent: Dr Yatish Jaganath
Hailing from Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, is Yatish Jaganath, who completed his Bachelor of Science degree in 2001, at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan (majoring in Chemistry and Microbiology). Inspired by Jan Du Preez, Professor Emeritus in Inorganic Chemistry from the same institution, Yatish continued with postgraduate studies in Chemistry, obtaining Honours, Masters and Ph.D. qualifications – all cum laude. His postgraduate research into the synthesis of platinum anti-cancer drug candidates was well received at several international conferences. This also afforded Yatish and his research colleagues the opportunity to relocate to George in the Western Cape in 2008, to further their research in this field, for an American Biopharmaceutical firm.
Yatish returned to Port Elizabeth in 2011 to assume a newly created role of Stability Scientist at a major South African Pharmaceutical company. His work focused on drug stability trending and investigations. It was here that he was exposed to the processes downstream of drug development and expanded his knowledge in manufacturing, regulatory, and the analytical branches of the pharmaceutical industry. Yatish was awarded top honours in his class during an in-house management training programme in 2016 – one of his projects being to provide motivation for an additional ablution facility as a means of increasing productivity at the manufacturing site. “It was smelly work” he quipped, recalling the hours spent in the men’s bathrooms, “but when nature calls, you have no choice but to respond – in the name of research, of course. It only made sense to address the limited number of ablution facilities to cater to the needs of the expanded volume of employees on site”.
In 2017, Yatish moved to Johannesburg to take up his current role of Product Steward at Kiara Health (previously Sandoz, Novartis). His job entails monitoring and maintaining the process performance of manufactured products through a comprehensive Ongoing Process Verification programme, supporting the site with investigations of product quality, assessing the feasibility of changes in materials; and most recently, technical transfers of new products. He is assisted in this role by his peer, Loti King’ori, and together with Terri Olivier, Sally Paterson and Khumo Malongoa, they form the Manufacturing Science and Technology (MS & T) division at Kiara Health. Says Yatish: “I am fortunate to be part of a team that has such breadth of experience and knowledge and that is respectful of one’s individuality.”
Balance and authenticity are very close to Yatish’s heart. His personal and professional careers have cemented the notion that doing something that is significant and that makes a meaningful difference to the lives of others, is more important than merely striving for material success. Yatish endeavors to add value in everything that he does. Spiritual development is what drives him as a disciple of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, whose teachings aim to bring forth the human values of truth, right conduct, peace, love, and nonviolence – inherent in all. Outside of work, Yatish’s time is spent at the gym, practicing Hindustani classical singing, playing the harmonium (Eastern piano) at devotional gatherings, cultivating carnivorous plants, and reducing his carbon footprint.
Yatish Jaganath is aligned both personally and professionally with the values of Kiara Health:
- Trust – being honest with his capabilities and honouring all agreements.
- Respect for all, irrespective of their status or position.
- Accountability by accepting full responsibility for all tasks undertaken by him.
- Quality – a core value strived for in his day-to-day activities.
- Agility in adapting to change in life and work by living simply – he believes that “less luggage makes the journey more pleasurable and allows one to change direction easily”.
Kiara Health is proud to recognize Dr Yatish Jaganath as a valuable member of the team.
