Who am I?

I was born and brought up in India, my schooling until 5th grade was in my village (Moramadugu in Krishnagiri Ditrict, Tamilnadu) and completed my secondary and higher secondary schooling in a small towns. I received my masters (integrated M.Sc) in Biotechnology and  completed my Ph.D. in Biotechnology. My Ph.D. thesis explored host-microbe interactions using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model and devloped in vivo screen to indetify novel anti-infectives which could be missed using traditional screening approach. My research received awards and fellowships from Lady Tata Memorial Trust and UGC Govt. of India. I spent 1.5 years at the University of Hyderabad to study proteome changes in catfish model against nanoparticles exposure and bacterial infections. I was awarded prestigious Dr. D.S.Kothari postdoctoral fellowship for this research work. I moved to the US in 2015 to join the Washington State University, College of Medicine to do research on neuroimmune communications in C. elegans during bacterial infections. I characterized the function of G-protein coupled receptors and their mechanism of action in regulating immunity and defense against bacterial infections. My interest in neuroscience fetched me position as a staff scientist at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, using C. elegans, primary cell cultures, and mouse models I explore the role of Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs) in enhancing Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. Following my passion of entrepreneurship in 2022 I moved  to  the Verdin lab as a Scientist to work on a projects involving academic industry colloborations. 

I enjoy doing research, I chose this career out of my passion for science. My childhood curiosity about the vast blue sky, the flying bird and swimming fish, my experience in the open field, and my interaction with nature nurtured my interests in science and the similar curiosity on a different level drives my everyday scientific activities. It is my persistence, hardwork and being honest to myself and the science I do carry me forward in my career. I am a fighter by birth and I embrace failures every day to turn every one of them as a stepping stone for my success. 

Not having good mentors in the early days of my education had a huge impact on my career. Having understood this from my own experience, I volunteer myself in several mentoring programs and NGO activities.  I virtually taught English to underprivileged students, mentored  high school and college students interested in Aging and Neuroscience. I do my best to guide aspiring Ph.D and postdocs to choose right path for thei career development. Giving back to the society fills me with satisfaction.

Outside my scientific bubble I enjoy traveling, hiking, and listening to audiobooks. I love to drive and walk in the woods with my camera to look at nature and its creation with my third eye. There no enough time to explore this earth, i do my best to experience few.