Dr. Kanwar earned his PhD from Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India. In 1997 he joined as Research Fellow in The University of Auckland, Newzealand. In 2002 he joined as Senior Scientist/Senior Research Fellow in The University of Auckland. Currently he is Associate Professor of Immunology & Cell Biology in Institute of Technology Research and Innovation, Deakin University, Australia. Kanwar's research work generated in total of 8 patent/PCTs with two provisionals in preparation. Five of these patents have been licensed for commercialization to biotech companies Antisoma, NeuronZ, Neuren Pharmaceuticals and Fonterra.

Kanwar research aims are to discover treatments for multiple sclerosis as well as cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases, in particular asthma and inflammatory bowel disease. He is working on nanotechnology based peptide, siRNA and miRNA delivery for targeting survivin (currently most attractive cancer target), HIF-1α and apoptotic cell signalling molecules expression in the cancers and inflammations. For commercial funded grants his research group carries out research in the areas of bioactives as immunomodulators, their role in bone, muscle development and osteoarthritis.