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Zikria Saif arrived at 91��Ƭ�� from Islamabad, Pakistan, with a scientist’s curiosity and a deep desire to make a difference. Now, as he graduates with a degree in materials science and engineering, he leaves not only with academic distinction, but with a biotech startup already in motion—and a mission to redefine how medicine approaches chronic wounds.

Saif credits Drexel’s co-op program as the experience that shaped him most. “Co-ops don't just prepare you for the real world—they allow you to grow in proportion to the effort you invest,” he said. For him, that growth was exponential. Working in lab environments on defining research projects, he learned how to break down complex problems and build practical solutions from the ground up. It was a process, he says, that turned him into a scientist.

That mindset led to Valfard Therapeutics, the company Saif founded as an undergraduate and his senior design project. Focused on diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs)—a condition he calls “one of the most devastating and overlooked” in medicine—Valfard is developing an enzyme-responsive injectable therapy designed to promote tissue regeneration at the wound site. The therapy delivers a sustained release of transforming growth factor beta, or TGF-β—a naturally occurring protein that plays a key role in tissue repair and immune function. By targeting this molecule directly to wounds, Valfard aims not just to manage symptoms but to enable real healing.

Saif’s work is rooted in both personal conviction and years of experience. He began working with biomaterials at age 14 and has since contributed to over four pending patents on novel, previously unexplored research. He sees engineering not just as problem-solving, but as a way to serve. “I am a firm believer that research is the biggest form of philanthropy,” he said. “Most of my joy comes from being in service to others, and delivering meaningful biotech solutions is my way of doing it.”

At Drexel, he found both the rigor and support to turn that philosophy into action. He gives special thanks to Professor Zahed Subhan at the Close School of Entrepreneurship, who guided him behind the scenes as he built Valfard from idea to preclinical-stage company. Now part of HiveBio, a highly selective startup accelerator, Valfard is preparing for in-vivo trials and assembling a scientific advisory team to help scale the platform.

After graduation, Saif will continue leading the company full time, with goals to secure clinical data, enter early-phase trials, and ultimately partner with major biopharma to bring Valfard’s first-in-class therapy to market. Long-term, he envisions adapting the platform to treat a range of chronic wounds and expanding the company’s impact beyond diabetic ulcers.

“I hope to provide a solution for the generations to come, with setting the standard of disrupting the norm,” Saif said. “As much as I respect conventional wisdom, it is not always right. One holds the power to make significant change—it only draws down to how willing you are.”