Shriarjun Shastry, PhD is a Scientist II in the Bioprocess Services group at the Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC), North Carolina State University. He earned his PhD in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from NC State under the supervision of Dr. Stefano Menegatti, with a research focus on advanced downstream bioprocessing for biologics. Dr. Shastry’s work centers on the development of innovative chromatographic platforms for the purification of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors, plasmid DNA, and mRNA. He has made notable contributions to the design of synthetic and peptide-based affinity ligands for AAV purification, enabling serotype-agnostic capture, selective enrichment of full capsids, and robust performance under industrial sanitization conditions. His research integrates mechanistic studies of molecular interactions with process-scale validation, including continuous chromatography, resin stability, and compatibility with detergent-based lysis and downstream polishing operations. His broader academic interests include continuous biomanufacturing, machine-learning-guided process optimization, and the translation of cost-effective, scalable purification technologies for clinical and commercial manufacturing. Dr. Shastry has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications, holds issued patents with commercial adoption, and actively contributes to industry training and workforce development through BTEC.