Neerja Hajela MSc, PhD

Dr. Neerja Hajela has done her Ph. D in Biotechnology and has a special interest in probiotics. She is currently the Head of Science and Regulatory Affairs at Yakult Danone India Pvt. Ltd. She has over 16 years of experience and has worked in organizations like Ranbaxy Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. and Biotech Consortium India Limited (Department of Biotechnology).

She is involved in the development, planning, and implementation of scientific programs including clinical trials for the company. She handles all the regulatory issues and ensures compliance related to the category and individual product. She works closely with health care professionals and scientists to advance the science, promote evidence-based clinical use, and improve consumer understanding of probiotics. She is associated with the Asian Federation of Societies for Lactic Acid Bacteria (AFSLAB).

She is a member of the Gut Microbiota and Probiotic Science Foundation (India) that aims to establish credibility for the science of intestinal microbiota and probiotics in the country. She is a member of the scientific committee of the Probiotic Association of India. She is also a member of the Governing Council for ILSI-India Knowledge Center for Functional Foods, Gut Health, and Immunity (IKFHI). She has presented at International and National conferences and has several publications in peer-reviewed journals.