Can you describe your current role and what your typical day looks like?
As a postdoctoral fellow working on ocular infections caused by RNA viruses, my role involves a blend of experimental research, data analysis, and collaboration. My role requires a mix of technical skills, critical thinking, and effective communication, all aimed at advancing understanding of how RNA virus interacts with the host and affects ocular health. Apart from benchwork, I also take care of the lab funds and ordering reagents for the lab members, writing grants with the supervisor for intramural as well as extramural funding. Once I get to the office, I start with planning the day. I execute the experiments as per my expected timeline, attend meetings, look after the PDA office paperwork, and collect data for analysis.
What is your educational background and experience, and how did it prepare you for your future career?
I completed my school with a major in biology from a college in India. With a major interest in medical science, I completed my bachelor’s degree in microbiology with honors and master’s degree in applied microbiology. While earning my master’s degree, I gained interest in studying RNA viruses as there are very few with known vaccines and they cause outbreaks/epidemics every year with huge loss of lives. I later completed my PhD on dengue virus-induced vascular leakage at Kerala University, India. The research training acquired during this phase, prepare me to decide to stay in academia and focus on RNA viruses. After completion of my Ph.D., I joined Dr. Ashok Kumar’s lab working on ocular infection to study the interaction of RNA viruses with the eye to add another expertise to my domain.
What is your proudest achievement so far?
My proudest achievement so far has been successfully submitting my NIH K99/R00 grant application in 2023 with a highly promising score, as well as securing the KEI-TRIG grant in 2022, shortly after my postpartum journey.
This year’s theme is “From Dreams to Reality: Dynamic Women in STEM.” Is this your dream career? If not, how do you plan to turn your dreams into reality?
My dream career has always been to work in STEM, researching while being in academia. To turn this dream into reality, my first step is the NIH K99/R00 application which I submitted last year and has scored well. Securing this grant will support my transition to a tenure-track faculty position at a university. Once in this role, I plan to build a strong research team, focus on advancing my research interests, and work diligently to establish a robust record of publications and contribute to the university as well as the student community.
How do you think your work will impact the broader community or the world?
My work has the potential to significantly impact both the broader community and the world in several ways including, expanding scientific knowledge, addressing public health challenges, and therapeutic advancement against infectious diseases. During the COVID-19 outbreak, we played a major role in screening corneal tissues from the Eversight eye bank for SARS-CoV-2 to decide if the corneal tissues could be used for transplant surgeries safely. Furthermore, during my PhD we screened patient samples under urgent conditions to determine the presence of dengue virus and chikungunya virus by PCR.
What are some strategies you use to maintain resilience and persistence in the face of obstacles?
I push myself to stay resilient and persistent in my career by breaking down the big goals into smaller milestones and celebrating every win to mark my progress. I try to keep a positive mindset and practice gratitude towards all my lab colleagues, collaborators, and family. I am building a strong mentor group for myself to stay motivated, seeking advice and alternate perspectives on different situations. I try to stay organized with calendars and time sheets, while trying to be flexible to changes in day-to-day activities. Most importantly, I am staying focused on the bigger picture which pushes me to keep making progress after any setback.
What are the emerging trends or technologies in your field that excite you?
In the field of virology, the emerging trends that excite me are single-cell sequencing and spatial transcriptomics, CRISPR/Cas9 and gene editing, nanotechnology, advanced animal models, and in vivo imaging
What advice do you have for other women or nonbinary individuals considering this field?
My advice for any woman or anyone in the field of STEM would be to follow our interests and stay curious. We have to find a good support group of mentors to provide us with guidance and support and build a strong network. We should aim to gain hands-on experience and advocate for ourselves. Most importantly, we should strive to maintain a healthy work-life balance, have confidence, be resilient and persistent for long-term productivity and satisfaction.