Skill Development – Academia Plus Educational Services

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the story of Priyanka Lahiri, who is a scientist at Genentech and also a volunteer for STEMpeers, a networking community for researchers in STEM.

In this candid chat, she talks about her journey in research and how her volunteering experiences helped her to navigate her transition from academia to industry. She shares some advice on networking and emphasizes on the importance of finding mentorship and taking care of one’s mental health during research.

What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM and how did you overcome any obstacles that you may have faced?

When I started my journey with a Bachelor’s in Microbiology I was still figuring out what to do. The obvious step was to continue and do a master’s. I encountered a life changing moment in my life with the loss of my loved one which helped me think about what I wanted to do in my life in terms of my career. I wanted to help cancer patients worldwide because of personal loss in my family and I felt like this is the way forward- doing a PhD, working in a drug discovery area and so on. The motivation to do something for people who are battling cancer was an inspiration for me and that is what kept me going.

Thankfully my family has always been supportive. They have been my strength and given me the freedom to choose what I want to pursue. But I think it’s very important for anyone who is pursuing a career in STEM to have a clear goal. If you have a clear vision, then you will be able to deal with all the challenges. Other than that, keeping yourself busy, pursuing your passion and involving yourself in extracurricular activities to recharge and take some time out is very important.

Please tell us about your research experience and the challenges that you faced during your PhD.

I got into Indian Institute of Science(IISc) Bangalore through a lot of hardwork and also some luck I feel. I didn’t make it there the first time, but I always wanted to pursue my PhD from IISc. I did a 1-year research project in IISc before I transitioned to do my PhD after my masters. I was lucky to be working in a lab that gave me the exposure to work in an area that I was interested in. My guide always motivated me to work on different projects. I think two things play a role if you want to finish your PhD on time. One is your project and secondly the support of your guide.

Another thing that I realized when I spoke with my peers in IISc was – the most difficult and challenging part of a PhD was the project not being completely defined. There were students who ended up working on different projects that didn’t end up being a complete story and I know people in their third and fourth year, who started a new project because their initial project did not work. So, if the guide does not have a clear vision about the project then that is also a problem. Anyone who is interviewing for a PhD no matter which institute – whether IISc or any other institute, should have a very clear conversation with their mentor about the research project they would be pursuing in their lab.

How has having research experience helped you before doing PhD ?

During my masters I got a research fellowship where I worked at All India Institute of Medical Science(AIIMS). That was my first exposure to research during which I realized that this is something I like to do. After my masters I got selected for PhD at National Institute of Immunology(NII) but I always dreamt of going to IISc for my research. I got the opportunity to work on a research project at IISc, before I jumped into PhD. That one year research project was quite eye opening during which I realized what it takes to do a PhD. I worked alongside PhD students, I did the long hours, I wrote papers and that actually made me realize that I am okay and I am willing to do this because I liked the work that I did. These were the things that the one year research project did open my eyes to.

My suggestion to anyone wanting to pursue PhD- if you have the opportunity to do a research project or get a summer internship, do give it a chance and try and understand what it is before jumping into the boat and then realizing halfway through that this was not meant for you. Do a research project and realize what it takes to do a PhD and the path forward.

How did you decide your research interest?

The way IISc operates is that you get your GATE/NET fellowship,and based on the GATE/NET rank, one is called for an interview. The general interview process includes two stages and once passing both rounds, you get to choose a mentor. However, it is also equally important that the mentor chooses you as well, that’s how it works. When I reached out to my guide, he was equally willing to work with me. We discussed the project I was going to work with and gladly, it was related to cancer and designing peptide drugs,which got me really interested. I ended up doing my PhD in Peptide Chemical Biology and got to engineer peptide-based drugs for both cancer and infectious disease targets. Additionally, as the lab was new and I was officially the first student, it gave me a lot of exposure to get trained by my PI directly.

While doing my PhD I got exposed to different areas of research. I always wanted to join the industry because I work in drug discovery which has more opportunities in industry. I chose my postdoc in such a way that it had relevance in industry so that I could get trained in that area and move forward from there.

According to you, why is doing a Postdoc is considered as the next obvious step after PhD?

While you don’t need a PhD to join industry but to rise the ranks in an industry and be in leadership positions you may need a PhD. PhD is more mentor driven. Postdoc is mostly individualistic work where you lead a project. That is seen as an independent contribution, and therefore Postdoc is considered work experience after a PhD, by the industry. What happens in a postdoc is that you are an individual contributor and you drive your own project in different ways possible and end up working on paper. During PhD you are more focused on the one particular project you are working on and getting it done. When people opt for a postdoc, they start exploring other careers as well- like a scientist in the industry, a professor in academia, consulting, patent law, entrepreneurship etc. During PhD you are always focused on one goal, but during postdoc you work on your project and also have the time to explore other careers.

How is doing research in industry different from doing research in academia?

Industry is more target driven because that’s where the money is coming from. You solely are not responsible for one project; there is always a team you are working alongside with. In PhD and postdoc you have the chance to explore your scientific side, go to any direction you are interested in and pursue that. In industry the work is very project-oriented and specific. Any project or any idea that you are willing to explore should contribute to the final outcome of the research. Another important thing in the industry are the strict timelines, which is why there are multiple people involved on a single project. One has to deliver a project within a particular timeline as somebody else’ work might be dependent upon yours. In academia, nobody is waiting on you for your work. So, one gets more of a free hand in academia as compared to industry.

Are PhDs and postdocs too specialized for industry jobs? What advice would you like to give to people who want to join the industry?

In industry there are two mindsets I believe. One where you are told that you are too specialized in one particular area. Another is that you have good expertise and your contribution would be significantly valued. Most people join after PhD because some industries do consider PhD as experience especially when you have been in that research area. Industry is also willing to take people who are fresh out of PhD and open to learn. In industry it is very important to have an open mindset to work in any area. Being adaptive and receptive is one of the key factors.

In my case when I joined Genentech, my postdoc was considered as experience during which I worked on different techniques as compared to my PhD. So the experience during my postdoc helped me transition. If someone wants to change their area of research they use postdoc as a stepping stone so they can move into that area in industry. That was my strategy. I knew I wanted to work in that area. Also coming from India and navigating the visa challenges in the US, postdoc was an easy route that helped me gain experience and move into Industry. You have to read the job description very thoroughly, understand what you would bring to that role, and connect with the hiring managers to understand if you are the right fit for the role.

Please tell us about your experience at STEMPeers. What motivates you to contribute as a volunteer for STEMPeers and how it is helping you in your professional journey?

STEMpeers is a non-profit organization that I am very proud to be associated with, since 2018. I feel the need to stay connected with people who are working in the industry or academic lab and one of the ways to do this is to be a part of the organization who are doing this. STEMPeers was one of those communities. It was started with fellow IIScians, who were navigating the challenges in their research journey, either in academia or industry, in US. Today we are more than 25000+ members from different areas of research from different parts of the world. There is a core set of leadership groups, who outside of their regular jobs, volunteer to help people.

One of the things STEMpeers helped me with was to find a mentor who helped me with my CV and pitch myself to my prospective postdoc advisor. It also helped me navigate the challenges that one usually faces when one moves to the US for the first time. I was very lucky to find a mentor who – helped me with finding a house, understanding the visa issues, building my network, pushed me to volunteer and helped me understand how I can transition to industry. Eventually, I became an active volunteer. I started talking to people, exploring different areas. I interviewed people who are in patent law, consulting. I did a consulting casebook to understand which career is right for me. Through this platform I got connected with a huge network of people in different areas, and they were just willing to give their time to help other people. Also, STEMPeers has a very niche venture called Gurukul devoted solely to people looking to transition from academia to industry and needs help with CV building, networking, interview preparation, etc. The venture is a mentor-mentee driven program, where the mentor guides you from navigating your job searches to landing a job! However, it is important to keep in mind that a mentor will guide you, but the real work is done by the individual itself. So, if the individual is devoted, he will surely achieve his goal.

Recently I was given the opportunity to organize the STEMpeers 2023 conference, where I was the program management lead and responsible for designing the program and its panelists, along with my amazing team. This helped me network with a wide variety of panelists, who are at different levels in industry. Besides that, one gets to build a social connection and build perspective on different career paths like entrepreneurship. Being a volunteer, it not only benefited me but also made me happy that I was able to help others in the process. I feel like anyone who wants to transition or is just willing to expand their network, should be a part of STEMPeers. The motto of the organization is to “just pay it forward”. There is no monetary gain. Everyone devotes their own personal time for the benefit of other people.

What advice would you like to give to students who are considering a career in STEM?

The first advice would be that they have to be very proactive about their career. If there is a research area that you like, pursue it to your fullest capability. Don’t do anything because of peer pressure. Also understanding which environment is right for your growth is very important. If the organization does not support your growth, then it is better to leave it. I have known many of my friends who were very brave to leave the toxic environment and start their PhD again in an environment that was well supportive of their behavior.

Another advice is to be very persistent. There will be times when you will not feel motivated but it’s important to show up and keep trying. There will be a day when you will go through imposter syndrome like- Do I really know anything? I still have such thoughts at times. But at that time you need to accept that you need support. Being open to receiving help and having a peer support group will help you a lot to navigate through difficult times. Be proactive, persistent, find your own support group.

Understand that some opportunities may not bear fruit right now but will be very helpful at a later stage. Not everything can be for profit. Some things are just done to build a network and maybe that will pay off down the years.

The biggest mistake made by PhDs and Postdocs is that if they want a job, they immediately jump in and start asking for references. It doesn’t work that way. You have to invest your time in building a network. I always advise people that if you know your journey, start building a network at the earliest. It’s a long process. Being very aware of what you want is very important.

What can organizations and institutions do to create a more inclusive environment for people pursuing research?

While I was in India I wasn’t aware about other areas in which I could make a career because there was no exposure given to it. Most of the people that I had interacted with felt that academia is the way to go and anything else is not worth it. I feel organizations and institutes in India should work towards developing a career forum. Secondly for women it’s important to have an unbiased group of people where they can go and talk to. There should be a women support team to hear out their problems and take strict actions against any abuser.

In your opinion, what changes would benefit the way research is conducted today and why?

As I mentioned earlier- having a clear vision for your project. Having done research in India I have seen in my peers, the clear vision of a project is missing. In science it is very important to know if we are asking the right question. Secondly, having a mentor that will help you build an independent career. Even though I received good training during my PhD I would have loved to receive more mentorship. One of the things I feel is that in India people are very secretive about their own science and that I feel is something that needs to change. Science should be shared, as the more you share the more you learn.

Siddhi Bodke Author

Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 31

9th November 20239th November 2023 Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the story of Dr. Q. Annie Hasan who is India’s doyen and proponent of genetic counseling. On the occasion of International Genetic Counseling Awareness Day 2023, Dr. Hasan shares her journey in establishing the Board of Genetic Counselling, India (BGCI) as well as her sheer passion and drive that went into fructifying a strong desire to create awareness and ensure the government recognizes genetic counselling as a profession- which includes encouraging academic institutions to introduce genetic counseling into their curriculums. As the President of the BGCI, Dr Annie continues to push and expand the boundaries of a vital and emerging healthcare profession like genetic counselling. In this candid chat, she also shares some pearls of wisdom from her own journey of choosing genetic counseling as a career path and also provides some valuable advice for those wanting to walk down this path.

Throughout your journey, you have introduced groundbreaking initiatives like the first one-year diploma course in Medical & Genetic Counseling and Board of Genetic Counseling, India (BGCI). What inspired you to take that step, and what were the pivotal factors that helped you overcome challenges and make it a reality?

First Course in Genetic Counseling in India

In the early 1980s, I embarked on a journey into the field of genetics with a strong desire to focus on human genetics within the healthcare sector. However, I soon realized that there was a lack of genetic curriculum in the medical field in India.

I explored various educational institutions in search of genetics in undergraduate medical education (as my family was expecting me to take up Medicine). These included Osmania Medical College, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Aligarh Muslim University, etc and to my surprise, I found a very limited setup of only cytogenetics in the Anatomy department, with outdated equipment and most of the faculty unaware of the role of Genetics in disease.

Despite these challenges, I remained committed to my passion for genetics and its role in healthcare. I recognized the need for genetic testing and counseling in India, especially as genetics was getting increasingly integrated into diagnostics and patient care. In 2000, I attempted to initiate genetic counseling initiatives in India by reaching out to organizations like the Indian Society of Human Genetics (ISHG) and prominent individuals in the field. Unfortunately, people were not convinced of the need for a genetics department and genetic counseling in the hospital set up.

The turning point came in 2003 when the results of the Human Genome Project were announced, highlighting the integration of genetics into clinical practice. In 2007, when I attended the American Society of Human Genetics meeting I met Dr Maya Thangavelu and Dr Sucheta Bhatt, who shared my enthusiasm for setting up a genetic counseling program in India. We decided to establish a one-year certificate course, targeting individuals with prior knowledge of genetics and an interest to participate in patient care. Together with a colleague, Dr Pragna Rao, we developed a curriculum, received support from clinical geneticists and genetic counselors from the U.S and established clinical and lab rotations. Our first batch of students completed the Post graduate certificate course in Medical & Genetic Counseling at Kamineni Hospitals, Hyderabad. They successfully secured jobs, providing industry recognition to the profession.

Despite the industry acknowledgment, academic recognition lagged behind for Genetic Counseling profession. Role of Genetics started expanding progressively beyond pediatrics, started encompassing adult-onset diseases, oncology, infertility, Neurology, Cardiology and various other fields. Genetic tests were being introduced and carried out. Amidst all this, clinicians were facing challenges in interpreting and conveying the results to the families. This highlighted the need for genetic counselors to collect family information, interpret test results and counsel patients/ families.

Eventually, institutions such as Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) incorporated genetic counseling in M.Sc. Biomedical Sciences, in 2013, and Kasturba Medical College, Manipal started an M.Sc. in Genetic Counseling in 2015. The recognition of distinct training and job skills for clinical geneticists and genetic counselors led to the coexistence of these professions. However, challenges remained in reaching sufficient numbers of qualified professionals.

As treatment options specific to genetic conditions emerged, the roles of genetic counselors and clinical geneticists were clearly defined. Clinical geneticist is a medical practitioner who examines the patient, makes the diagnosis and prescribes medications; whereas a genetic counselor obtains family information, counsels the family for testing, facilitates testing and interprets its results and empowers them to take informed decisions about their families health. Meaning, genetic counselors recognize their limitations and do not prescribe medication. For best results, both Clinical Geneticists and Genetic Counselors need to work as a team in a clinical setting, but both have wider independent skills and responsibilities, which do not overlap.

The journey to establishing the Board of Genetic Counseling, India

In the following years, I actively participated in the Indian Society of Human Genetics (ISHG) and advocated for the need to certify and accredit professionals in genetic counseling. We had a growing number of individuals with expertise in genetics, including PhDs and master’s graduates in various aligned fields with genetics as a subject. I proposed that these individuals could be trained in essential counseling skills, ethics, psychology, and basic healthcare practices in order to become genetic counselors. Universities like Sri Ramaswami Memorial University (SRM), started incorporating genetic counseling curriculum in their MSc programmes.

Despite these efforts, ISHG and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) did not express interest in launching a certification program. I encountered similar challenges in convincing them of the imminent need for training genetic counselors. However, several like-minded professionals recognized the need for training/teaching and establishing certification criteria for this new profession. Together, we formed the Board of Genetic Counseling, India(BGCI) and registered it in 2014-15. This helped us define and document eligibility criteria such as clinical attachments, examination process for certification based on logbook evaluation and interviews, which can be found on our website.

Over the years, the certification process has evolved. An independent examination committee was introduced to ensure equity and impartiality in the certification process. Currently, there are over 300 certified genetic counselors, including 12 individuals like me who did not formally obtain a degree in genetic counseling but have extensive experience in the field. Our expertise was acknowledged by an international advisory board.

Additionally, efforts have been made to seek accreditation for the certification process itself from organizations like the American Board of Genetic Counseling. The ultimate goal is to ensure that certified genetic counselors possess the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively assist patients and clients in dealing with the complex challenges of genetics. This journey has been driven by the dedication of enthusiastic genetic counselors, who work in various settings and serve as ambassadors to promote the profession and recruit more students and practitioners.

As far as I can tell, there seems to be a lack of clarity amongst the Genetic Counselors (GC) community regarding the accreditation of genetic counseling programs and BGCI in India. It will be great if you can kindly clarify this matter, as the President.

BGCI is an organization which ensures the education and training for practicing genetic counseling and certifies them to practice as professional counselors in India. BGCI is registered as a society in Telangana as the law states that any Indian society must be registered within a state in India. It cannot be registered as a pan-India society. For example, BCCI in cricket or NABL for accrediting diagnostic laboratories, it is an autonomous organisation and doesn’t come under any specific government ministry per se. BGCI as a board operates independently, similar to genetic counseling boards in other countries. Internationally, genetic counseling boards function independently until they reach a critical mass of professionals, at which point they seek recognition from respective ministries. Like we will eventually expect recognition of the Genetic Counseling profession by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

BGCI has successfully managed to get genetic counseling recognised as a profession with a defined curriculum by Skill India in 2022, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has validated this. Skill India’s validation is based on the curriculum and program developed by BGCI and other stake holders, for this we have to acknowledge the support of Prof I C Verma, the stalwart of Paediatric Clinical Genetics.

There is a distinction between accrediting courses and certifying professionals, which exists globally, including in developed countries like the United States. However, BGCI’s preference is to have their certification process accredited rather than individual courses, to ensure fairness, pan India, since India has so many autonomous Universities with unique curriculums for Genetics and Biotechnology. Also, the New Education Policy (NEP2020) adopted by India, allows for flexibility for students to drop out during a three year course, and as a result they will receive a diploma or a certificate, rather than a degree. This may lead to inconsistencies and varying standards of graduating students. This is precisely why BGC I can play a vital role in maintaining uniformity and ensuring high-quality professionals with the required skills to practice as Genetic Counselors post certification.

Therefore, BGCI certifies genetic counselors, irrespective of where they have graduated from as long as they fullfill criteria laid out for eligibility can practice their profession. Moreover, at an international level, our certified counselors are equal to any other internationally certified counselor which is heartening.

If BGCI certified counselors wish to migrate to other countries, would they be allowed to practice there without qualifying the respective exam for that country?

We’re discussing the idea of making genetic counseling a global profession and the implications it might have. However, having a degree in healthcare, in a country, doesn’t automatically make professionals eligible to practice in other countries. For example, a doctor trained in one country may need to pass exams to practice in another. Thus, the same goes for a Genetic counselor. They have to clear the exam in the respective country they are moving to. If the certification is made internationally valid, many Indian genetic counselors might leave the country for better opportunities abroad, which could create a shortage of trained professionals in India. For example, a few students got trained for two to three months under me. Surprisingly, they got jobs in the UK as assistant genetic counselors. I was initially confused by this situation and requested an explanation. They informed me that their proficiency in languages, particularly Hindi/Urdu, proved to be a significant asset in multicultural societies like the UK, where many Indians and Pakistanis reside. Thus, people need to realised the importance of language skills in the context of genetic counseling.

Do you think BGCI certification should be mandated to practice genetic counseling in any organisation in India?

The BGCI certification exam is an entirely independent exam, assessing candidates impartially, even students passed out from my course require certification before taking up a job. The certification process developed by the board is very fair, transparent and robust – it involves written exam, evaluations by the examination committee, logbook assessments, and interviews covering diverse areas of genetic counseling. Sometimes, despite strong theoretical knowledge, candidates lack empathy or listening skills. To address this, we now request interviewers to provide an independent paragraph explaining why a candidate may not be a good fit. This added step helps to identify areas of improvement, such as empathy and communication skills. Therefore, even if students pass their course/degree but aren’t BGCI certified, I do not recommend them for jobs.

Another concern is that I see genetic counselors certified abroad, such as those with an ABGC certification, are reluctant to get certified by BGCI. If one individual is moving from India to the USA or the UK, wouldn’t they get the respective certification? It is nice when people will come up voluntarily and respect our rules and coming under one umbrella to take this profession forward together.

You have pioneered and spearheaded the establishment and growth of genetic counseling in India. Please share your insights as a woman leader-the challenges you must have faced, compared to male leaders, in establishing this profession, courses and a registered board in the country.

To be frank, genetic counseling predominantly involves women worldwide, which made my interactions relatively straightforward. In the field, the gender ratio, even in BGCI, leans toward 86% women and 14% men. Interestingly, men tend to excel in product specialist roles involving marketing new Genetic tesats, while women dominate other aspects. However, there were moments when being a male might have helped, particularly when seeking recognition from ICMR and ISHG. I used to wonder if my gender delayed the process. I experienced some amount of gender discrimination, especially in government offices/with government officials. Right now, I see that reaching my age has some advantage, as officials are more willing to listen to me.

Nevertheless, I had hoped that this year someone else would become president of BGCI, but I was unanimously chosen. I felt disappointed because I wanted the next generation to step up. Without a second line of leadership, any organization struggles to flourish as it would seem that enough people are not trained to take up leadership roles. I understand balancing a leadership position and family responsibilities is challenging for young professionals, despite their intelligence and hard work – this I think is the major hurdle of a profession with more than 70 % youngsters (Ages between 25-35 years). These young Genetic Counseling are definitely contributing to the profession but it will take some more time for them to take over the total responsibility, which has its own demands.

You mentioned challenges in finding a second-in-line person due to reproductive age affecting their career growth. Does this also apply to male candidates?

It is applicable to both genders. Especially in the present progressive society males also actively participate in parenting. They are now in their 30s, and hence should be ready to take on more responsibilities, when their kids become a bit older and independent, it will be easier for young parents to shift focus to their career growth. I believe they will be ready to take charge, perhaps in a couple of years, which will be wonderful, and I can focus on other aspects when they are looking after day to day activity.

Over the course of your career, you have likely witnessed remarkable advancements in genetic technology. Could you share your perspective on how these advancements affected your role as a genetic counselor in India?

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind today about the importance of Genetics/Genomics in Healthcare. Both in Disease and Health genetics plays an important role, as is evident by the number of Genetic Diagnostic labs mushrooming. With increasing technology, immense awareness in public about genetics, the role of a Genetic counselor is becoming very important.

Initially, clinicians referred patients solely for genetic testing without considering genetic counseling of any value. However, with time, it became obvious that interpreting and explaining test results to families required specialized counseling skills. Now I am involved in counseling more than testing. So, I have delegated the testing division to one of my PhD student. My primary commitment lies in counseling, training, and promoting BGCI certification processes.

I am actively engaged in discussions with genetic counselors to understand the reasons for their setbacks. I am trying to find what might have been missing in their training and whether specific types of training are needed. I am also considering the possibility of signing Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) to bring genetic counselors from various parts of India together. My vision is to unite all genetic counselors, regardless of their level of experience, under a single umbrella organization and create a large impact in the field of genetic counseling.

With such a substantial career, how have you managed to consistently evolve and adapt to new developments in genetics?

The evolution of genetics/genomics from an academic science in universities to a speciality relevant to multiple medical specialities has been a journey I’ve closely witnessed. Back in my student days, cytogenetics held the sway, as I progressed to my PhD and postdoc, molecular techniques like PCR emerged, bringing significant advancements. My background was in research, not genetic counseling or clinical practice, so I immersed myself in understanding the molecular techniques – I became proficient in techniques such as PCR and Sanger sequencing, learning about primer designing, sequencing, and more. My familiarity with these technologies made adaptation relatively straightforward. However, the real challenge arose with the interpretation of NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing) data and genotype-phenotype correlation. This required a deep understanding of biology and posed questions bioinformaticians alone couldn’t answer.

Genetic counselors play a crucial role in bridging this gap. My advice to students is to place an emphasis on ensuring genotype-phenotype correlations before generating reports. Automated algorithms are no substitute for this critical step. This learning process continues, especially as we await the development of an Indian database for genetic variants in our population.

My current focus is on training genetic counselors and facilitating their entry into public health programs. This will not only create more job opportunities but also drive the demand for genetic counseling courses. BGCI’s role is pivotal to ensure aspiring genetic counselors receive comprehensive training and have access to bridging their learning gaps.

With such a diverse and accomplished career, what aspects of your work do you find most fulfilling at this stage of your career?

The most fulfilling aspect for me has been the association of my name with “Genetics” in clinical circles. A recent heart-warming moment was when an ayyamma from our hospital attended a wedding in her village and came back and mentioned that the bridegroom had something “Genetic” indicating that she found some dysmorphology and recognized that this abnormality might be inherited in children. This awareness in general population for predictive/preventative counseling is the need of the hour.

This success lies in the fact that people are beginning to understand the concept of genetic inheritance. If they can identify genetic traits and advise others to consider genetic testing/counseling when planning for children, that would truly satisfy me. It indicates that this knowledge has reached those who need it the most.

Genetics and genomics have entered mainstream journalism and marketing, making genetic counseling more accessible to the public. People are increasingly open to understanding the role of genetic counselors. This achievement is not solely mine but the result of collective efforts, including those of dedicated young professionals, technological advancements, and increased public awareness of genetics.

What goals or aspirations remain to be achieved in your professional journey?

My vision consists of two main goals: first, to establish a strong second line of leadership for BGCI, ensuring its long-term success. Second, to integrate genetics into public health programs across India. This can be achieved by increasing the number of genetic counselors and advocating for the inclusion of genetic units with counselors in esp teaching hospitals. With approximately 600 medical colleges/institutes in India and the prevalence of several rare and common genetic issues in our population, having genetic counselors facilitating care can greatly impact preventative planning and management of genetic conditions, benefiting a significant portion of the population and also help clinicians in practicing personalized healthcare.

What advice would you offer to young professionals aspiring to excel in genetics and genetic counseling?

In my view, it is one of the most rewarding professions. I have had diverse roles, from being a scientist doing research to working in diagnostics and laboratories, before transitioning to genetic counseling. I commend those who choose this profession, despite uncertainties about its future, as it is relatively new and still evolving. I have personally enjoyed my journey in this field because I did what I loved and got paid for it.

Throughout my journey, I have had the opportunity to travel, make friends globally, and connect with individuals who share a common goal of assisting patients, families, and communities. While we have made progress, there is always more work to be done. As my guide, Prof Y R Ahuja used to say, completing one task often leads to discovering even more tasks ahead. As long as we work together and find joy in our efforts, I’m confident that genetic counseling will become a recognized and valued profession in India and globally.

Namanpreet Kaur Author

Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 29

26th October 202326th October 2023 Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the story of Shramana Guchhait who is a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University, passionate about research in cancer immunology and has a strong interest in science outside of the lab. In this candid chat, she talks about her unique career journey so far, the milestones achieved and the chellanges she faced, as a young undergrad student, while taking steps towards her dream career.

What sparked your interest in cancer immunology and life sciences in general?

Since the inception of my time as an undergrad, I was pretty sure that I was interested in cancer because of my family history of cancer. I had really close relatives who were suffering from cancer, and I have been through that experience in my early teens and was very moved and motivated to work in this field. So, I was exploring a lot of options, but honestly, I was not sure if I wanted to do cancer immunology right at the start of my undergrad. So, I did some internships where the projects revolved around repurposing cancer drugs, and I also worked on drug resistance. It was this work and the internships that prompted me to study cancer immunology. I came across an interesting concept in cancer immunology while I was working on my application for the Rhodes Scholarship, and I came across this professor who works on cancer vaccines, and that topic got me very excited. As I read more about it, my interest grew, and now there is no turning back! I want to work in cancer immunology or cancer vaccines as part of my post-graduation studies.

You are a recipient of the Quad Fellowship by Schmidt Futures. Could you tell us a bit about the fellowship and how you got to know about it?

I was part of the Kalpana fellowship, an initiative of Vigyan Shala International, in my first year of undergraduation. While I was a part of the cohort, the CEO and the founder, Dr.Darshana Joshi, posted about the Quad fellowship in the group, and that’s how I came across it. After an initial fear and apprehension, I applied for the scholarship and was happy to be a recipient. I have been part of the residential program in Australia since early June. Even though Quad is a scholarship program and definitely helps you with your monetary problems to pursue your post-graduation abroad in the US, it gives you a robust networking opportunity beyond your imagination. When I talk to other recipients of the scholarship or discuss ideas with them, I feel that it is a place that can spark a lot of initiatives and where people can team up together to address a lot of social issues. Even though we are a group of 100 people, from different backgrounds, we all have a similar line of interest – in converging policy and science.

What were the procedures involved with respect to the fellowship, and how did you go through it?

Like every other fellowship, there is an application process – but it is quite extensive for the Quad Fellowship. While I was applying, I realized that more than the academic journey, they were really interested in how you are as an individual, how you think and perceive the society around you, the world as a whole and whether you can think beyond yourself and understand the problems that are affecting the world. It is a robust screening process, and only a small percentage of the candidates get selected for the interview rounds. There are two interview rounds. The first one is academic, where they are more interested in your achievements, your SOP and whether you understand all the nuances of the topic that you are proposing in your post-graduation. The second interview round is unique, where they try to understand your ethics, how you are as an individual and the way you think. I honestly feel that this is a good way of assessing a candidate, and I really enjoyed my second round of interviews.

What were the challenges and the obstacles you had to overcome while you were applying for the fellowship?

There was only one challenge while I was applying to a lot of fellowships and other scholarships as well- and that was self-doubt. The imposter syndrome kicks in and tells you that you are not good enough. When you proceed with the application, you also see that they ask you for a lot of essays and other details. That’s the time when you begin to judge yourself and your capability- question whether you are cut to make the mark among a lot of applicants and be among the top 25 Indians to get selected. You may have these thoughts and doubts before the interview, after the interview and even while you are excelling in the field that you are in. What I feel after going through all these experiences is that I have grown as a person since last year when I applied, and I really think it’s important to feel that you are worthy when you apply because no one else can infuse that trust and self-confidence into you- it is you who has to build up on that.

You are also one of the co-founders of the Stemm Factor. Could you tell us what the Stemm Factor is all about and how did the idea of starting the Stemm Factor come into picture?

The idea of starting the Stemm Factor was a result of a conversation that I was having with my close friends at college. We were a bunch of undergraduates studying in online mode during the pandemic, and the only interactions we had were through Zoom calls or Google Meet. After one online class, four of us got into talking about what affected our journey in science, what were the constraints that we faced while choosing science as a career and whether we had the support of our family. Our family backgrounds were never really in science, so they could not guide us that much, and there was a constant pull between our wishes and those of our parents. Coming from very different parts of India and sharing the same classroom at Delhi University, we realised that we had similar constraints and somewhere we could resonate with each other. We really did not want our juniors to face the same problems that we have faced. We were not really sure about how much impact we could make, but we were sure that if we could inspire somebody or a couple of students to take up science in tier 2 or tier 3 cities where the exposure is not really outstanding, our goal would be achieved. Our motto was to bridge the gap of opportunities and to provide the students in tier 2 or tier 3 cities with resources to pursue their dreams, and that was how Stemm Factor was born.

Being an undergrad student and starting an initiative like the Stemm factor wouldn’t have been easy. What were the challenges involved and how did you go through it?

As an undergraduate student, you cannot know everything. I didn’t know anything about designs or how to work with digital stuff. We were a bunch of science nerds who were very invested in our studies. The biggest challenge that we came across was the realization that there is a lot of work between planning and execution. What goes in between those two words, to plan and to execute or to have an idea and to make it happen, or to think of a session and to actually conduct a session, there is a lot of work involved in between. We were learning new things every day. Throughout the process, I learnt how to manage my internship positions with the work I do in STEMM-factor. However, I understood that- one has to take time out for what they are passionate about, and that’s how you have to keep going. It’s okay to not know everything, but it’s not okay to stop your growth. You have to keep moving, and that’s the force that you have to build within yourself. One more constraint that no one talks about is that when you discuss your ideas like these with older and experienced people, it’s hard to convince them that you are really serious about the cause because they see you as some undergrads trying to add something to their CV. It takes a lot of willpower to stick to your idea and put it out in a way so that it does not look like an extracurricular activity because it is a cause that you believe in and it’s something that you are passionately working towards. We were privileged to get the support of Vigyanshaala during our first few months, where they mentored us on how to start an organization.

Is there any memorable moment you cherish with respect to the work you have done with the Stemm Factor?

There were two moments where I felt that we were on the right track. We used to conduct sessions for the students in Stemm Factor, and one of the sessions was called- Let’s Talk STEM, where we would invite people at an early stage in their professional journey. The session was more like an informal conversation, than an interview. After one of these sessions, which was a live session, I happened to read feedback from a girl- she wrote that she was not sure if she could do her PhD and whether she was confident to do it right after her undergraduate degree. Although it was a very common thing in Western countries, she was not sure if she had it in her. But after listening to our conversation where the speaker herself was going for a PhD right after her undergraduate, she could build up that courage to apply and at least try for it. So, I was very moved to see that. The other was when one of the volunteers at STEMM_Factor came up to me and told me that she joined this initiative because she just wanted to volunteer for a non-profit, but now she felt like she was also a part of the cause. It felt like an achievement. I was a little proud and very motivated to ignite that spark in not just one but a lot of other people who will carry this spark along their journey and will radiate it to somebody else so that they can, in turn, motivate a lot of other people.

If you had to give a piece of advice to graduate students going for fellowships like Quad and starting an initiative for change, what would it be?

There is one important quality that I believe in, and I think this is the best quality you can imbibe as a student- and that is persistence. You have to keep going. This wasn’t the first idea or scholarship that I started or applied for. The STEMM-Factor itself took months to come to fruition. Within those months, while you are investing in your ideas, you will come across a lot of challenges. You will feel that this is not my piece of cake. You have to climb the ladder of failure. It is hard, but you have to face it, you have to digest it, you have to get up again, and you have to go for it. Your 30th attempt might end in failure, a crushing defeat that tests your resolve to the core. But remember this: if you halt your journey now, you’ll forever wonder whether that 31st attempt, just around the corner, could be the one to unlock the door to your dreams. Therefore, you just cannot stop. Because it’s your narrative, it’s your story, and you just cannot give up. I feel there’s one thing that you can do, and that is to compete with yourself. Every day, you have to be a better version of yourself. You have to learn from your previous mistakes and experiences and keep the trajectory going upward. But you have to keep going. You need to keep trying until you get your happy ending.

Deepthi Joji Author

Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 28

19th October 202326th October 2023 Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the story of Anushila Chatterjee who currently leads the program and curriculum design at VigyaanShaala International . In this candid chat, she talks at length about her journey so far, her passion towards mentoring, elaborates upon some challenges faced while balancing diverse roles and also shares some valuable insights gained over time.

Can you elaborate on your career journey and what led you to pursue science and STEM?

I used to be a professional athlete in school. I was a national gymnast and involved in sports. In class 9, we had a new science teacher who came in. The way she explained science, and taught us, made it more fun than what you typically see in books. That is when I started enjoying science, observing things around me, and learning.

I also realized that even as a kid, I spent my free time doing things related to science without realizing it. For instance, I would take different leaves, paste them on paper, brush them with a crayon, and observe different patterns. I used to wonder why each leaf had unique patterns. I also played around with homeopathy bottles, filling them up with different liquids, and pretending to be a scientist. These were all science-related activities I did unknowingly. However, in school, I didn’t enjoy science as much, until that teacher came and changed my perception of how interesting science could be. That is when I realized that I wanted to work with living things and, eventually, I fell in love with biology during 11th and 12th grade.

Microbiology was part of our syllabus, and I found it fascinating to learn about microbes, something invisible to the naked eye. It was a new and emerging subject at that time, so I decided to give it a try. I loved it, and I wanted to take it further. I didn’t want my science journey to end after obtaining my masters. Wanting to contribute to this field, I pursued my PhD and postdoc.

We often face rejections, setbacks, and challenges in our career journey. Could you tell us about your biggest rejection or failure in your career journey and how you overcame it?

I would say there were two significant challenges that I faced after completing my PhD when I was looking for postdocs. Each PhD journey is different-; some might have several published papers by the end, while others might still be working on their publications. In my case, I had finished my paper, and it was still under review. Finding a postdoc without a publication is highly competitive, and that was challenging.

Additionally, my PhD advisor, while very supportive, had an old-school approach to postdoc applications. He would provide references and recommendations but didn’t actively forward CVs or suggest specific labs to apply to. So, I had to apply at many places before identifying a suitable lab. It was a stressful time, while I kept trying and exploring different directions. Ultimately, I found the perfect postdoc position, and it worked out really well for me. The key takeaway was persistence and not limiting myself to a few options. I explored diverse labs with interesting science, spoke to different people, and found the right fit.

Persistence and being open to diverse opportunities truly paid off for you. Now, moving on to another aspect of your career, I noticed from your LinkedIn profile that you have been involved in diverse roles, such as being a researcher, academic program designer and manager, STEM mentor, and trainer. Balancing all these roles can be demanding. How do you manage your time and responsibilities effectively, and how did you venture into being a part of all this?

Yes, you are right; it can be demanding to manage diverse roles. My journey into these roles was gradual and driven by my passion to contribute and make a difference.

During my postdoc, I actively volunteered in various activities at the university, organizing conferences, and symposiums, and engaging with graduate student organizations and postdoc associations. I found joy in interacting with people from different backgrounds and solving problems with varied perspectives. During my postdoc, I was part of a new lab and actively involved in setting up the lab. I had the opportunity to mentor individuals from diverse backgrounds, including a master’s student, a PhD student, and a lab technician with different levels of expertise. This allowed me to work on multiple projects simultaneously, and gain experience in mentoring people with varying skill sets.

Teaching and mentoring were always close to my heart, and I actively mentored Masters and graduate students during my postdoc, gaining valuable experience in working with diverse projects and people.

The mentoring experience during my postdoc made me realize that I didn’t want to be solely focused on teaching. I enjoyed mentoring and interacting with students, teaching them not just scientific facts, but also instilling a scientific temperament. I wanted to encourage them to ask questions and actively engage in the learning process. Additionally, I enjoyed participating in various activities outside the lab, such as organizing conferences and events, which allowed me to interact with people from different backgrounds, and solve problems collaboratively. These experiences made me appreciate the broader impact of my work, beyond a single academic institution.

The decision to transition to my current role was not planned beforehand. As I was interviewing for different positions after my postdoc, I had already been involved with Kalpana – She for STEM at VigyanShaala International. During the academic interviews, I came across questions that didn’t resonate with me, and it made me reflect on what I truly wanted as a career. I reflected on myself and started to reconsider my decisions – Why exactly did I want to be a professor? What about being a professor attracts me? What kind of lifestyle am I looking for? I realized that what I really like is interacting with the students. I wanted to teach not just science. Rather – I wanted to inculcate a scientific temperament in them. While being a professor appealed to me I realized that as a professor I could only impact a limited number of students at a specific college.

That is when I recognized the potential impact I could have through VigyanShaala. The organization’s mission and vision resonated with me deeply. As a woman in STEM myself, I understood the challenges faced by women in the field, and I wanted to contribute to empowering and supporting them. Thus, my reach extended far beyond a single college, allowing me to make a more significant difference to the lives of aspiring scientists. These factors led me to transition to this role, despite it being a new field for me. There is a lot of joy in the learning process and a feeling of fulfillment in contributing to social development.

That’s impressive how you found your way into these roles and are making a positive impact. As someone who has worked internationally, how do you feel about the representation of women in STEM, in India? What are your observations on this front?

The representation of women in STEM workforce in India and the world is still very low. The numbers vary across different fields, with engineering having less representation compared to life sciences. The challenge is not just restricted to their initial entry into STEM but with the progression of women in their respective STEM careers. There is a significant drop-off as women move from undergraduate level to higher education or jobs in STEM fields. Although India has one of the highest number of women taking up STEM at the UG level, 2 out of 3 of these women fall off the STEM pipeline after their UG completion. This leaky pipeline is something we need to address urgently. There are organizations and initiatives that are working to tackle these issues, but more efforts are required to create an inclusive and supportive environment for women in STEM. We need to act now for a strong upheaval and redressal of this situation.

Speaking of fostering inclusivity, your work with the Kalpana- She for STEM program has impacted students globally. How does it feel when students from around the world express their appreciation for your mentorship?

Well, I believe my impact as a mentor is for my mentees to decide, but I do find joy and motivation in seeing my mentees succeed. Interacting with these students from diverse backgrounds is an enriching experience. When I see them passionately pursuing their goals and overcoming challenges, it encourages me to give my best as a mentor. It is a two-way street; the dedication and enthusiasm of my mentees is mutual. It feels great to know that I can make a visible difference to someone else’s life, just like someone did for me when I was starting my journey.

Moving on to discussing the curricula that you have been involved in designing for both – the Kalpana Program, as well as the ReAct Program ; could you please share your goals and how you achieve them through these programs?

Kalpana’s curriculum was already in place when I joined the team, and we continuously evolve that based on our interactions and feedbacks with the students as well as other stakeholders. Our main goal with Kalpana is to give students the ability to explore various STEM careers, understand their options, and build confidence in their chosen paths. Through exposure to role models and interactive sessions, we help students find diverse opportunities available in STEM. Kalpana has multiple stages, from online learning and mentor interactions to research projects and internships, facilitating a comprehensive experience.

ReAct, on the other hand, was an initiative I started with when I realized that many undergraduate students lacked research exposure. I wanted to make research opportunities accessible to all and not restrict them just to students from prestigious institutions. Our goal with ReAct was to introduce students to the world of research, and help them make informed decisions about their academic and career paths.

I learnt that you are moonlighting an entrepreneurial endeavor. If you’re comfortable sharing, could you tell us more about it and how it came about?

My entrepreneurial endeavor is in its early stages, and the idea is quite broad at the moment. It stemmed from my observation that finding jobs for PhDs in India, beyond a postdoc, can be challenging. Often, we are prepared for academia or industry positions, but there’s a lack of proper training and guidance on other potential career paths. Additionally, I noticed a drop-off in women pursuing STEM careers after completing their PhDs, which is a loss of highly skilled talent. My long-term goal is to create a platform that supports women PhDs, especially those who took a career break, and helps them re-enter and stay in the STEM field, leveraging their unique skills and knowledge. I believe that empowering women in STEM will have a significant impact on society as a whole.

That’s a noble and impactful vision. Empowering women in STEM and providing support to re-enter the field after career breaks is crucial for fostering diversity and innovation. Considering your experiences and growth in the field, what advice would you give young students aspiring to pursue research or a career in STEM?

Firstly, explore different fields and career options. Do not limit yourself to a single subject; STEM is about being interdisciplinary, and hence diverse skills can be valuable. Secondly, have a clear vision of your goals, both academically and professionally. Understand what you want to achieve and where you see yourself in the future. Thirdly, networking is crucial. Connect with people in your field, talk to mentors, and seek guidance. Networking can open doors to opportunities and provide valuable insights. Lastly, don’t be afraid of making mistakes or facing challenges. Learn from them, and don’t hesitate to seek help when needed.

Looking back, I wish I had understood the importance of networking and how it could positively impact my career. Networking not only helps in finding opportunities like postdocs and jobs, it provides valuable insights into lab environments, potential mentors, and research projects. Building a strong network can be a game-changer in one’s career. Hence, my advice to students and early-career researchers would be to actively network, connect with peers and professionals, and seek guidance from mentors. It can make a significant difference to their journey.

Anila Sudhir Author

Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 15

6th March 20236th March 2023 Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the story of Dr Mahita Jarjapu, who is a Bioinformatics Researcher & a postdoctoral fellow at La Jolla Institute for Immunology, San Diego, California, USA.

Being a researcher with profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, only fuels her sheer grit and determination to continue thriving and building a Career in Academia. She also vouches for empowering other researchers who have disabilities, to make a significant mark in STEM fields.

In this candid discussion, she speaks at length about her interdisciplinary research journey, sheds light on how she overcame the challenges faced due to her disability, while suggesting some simple, and practical measures that society at large can adopt in order to practice inclusivity.

What inspired your transition from a masters in chemistry to a PhD in biology?

I did my BSc in Biology (Botany, Zoology, Chemistry). I have always been interested in biology from my school days. During my BSc, I started developing an interest in Chemistry. So, during my MSc, my interest in the interface of biology and chemistry grew. Basically, I have always been interested in this because I wanted to understand how biology works at the molecular level. Molecular Biology involves protein molecules and their interactions. These interactions come under the domain of chemistry. Hence, this is what I wanted to do for my PhD.

We have divided our understanding of the universe into different disciplines (physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics). In reality, all these principles come into play simultaneously. Presently, even in science, when we are trying to solve a problem or investigate a research question, we tend to look at it from only one point of view; we do not consider other factors that are outside our area. For example, you take the interactions between two cells. From the perspective of biology, you will observe the proteins involved in both the protein and cellular interactions. If observed through physics, cells are dynamic and not static. All these factors need to be considered. If you want a complete picture of the problem for solving it effectively, you need to look at it through the lenses of different disciplines.

Your current research journey has been filled with immunology, omics, computational protein biology, structural biology, and bioinformatics. What influenced you to choose interdisciplinary research for your career?

As I explained earlier, it is important to look at the context or the bigger picture. So, I understand that it can be difficult because if you have done MSc in chemistry and you go and do a PhD in Biology, then you have to revise many concepts. I have to admit that in the beginning there will always be a steep learning curve but if you can overcome that, then it is worth it. I have benefitted from this. After my MSc in Chemistry, when I started my PhD, my knowledge of biology was very poor. So, when you do a PhD, you have to clear a qualifying exam after two years of enrolling into the PhD program. This qualifying exam is tough because the question paper is designed to apply your knowledge instead of being fact-based. For that, you need to have a very good understanding of biology concepts. Hence, for the first two years, I had to spend a lot of time catching up with my knowledge of biology. After I gained that knowledge, I could put together a lot of my chemistry knowledge gained from my MSc. Having these two subjects together helped me to look at the question from multiple perspectives. I think that is very important when you are approaching your problem. It will teach you how to design an experiment and will also tell you whether the experiment is feasible; or what would be the drawbacks of the experiment. The experiment will solve one question but it will also lead to another question. Hence, you have to keep all these factors in your mind. This is the reason why I wanted to work across disciplines.

My PhD was mainly in Bioinformatics but I did not have any working knowledge about coding. I had to teach myself to practice, which is not very difficult. You can learn it yourself through online courses. From personal experience, it is better to learn anything involving wet lab research in real time. You need practical experience with a wet lab. These practical experiences are not possible to obtain when learning from online courses. But, coding languages can be learnt online for dry lab work. Initially, if you want a career in wet lab and then want to switch to dry lab, you need to have more practical experiences first. Later, you can teach yourself coding online.

For my first postdoctoral research at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, USA, even though the focus of the lab was in computational biology, it was located in the Computer Science department. Most of my friends were computer science graduates. In my lab, we had people who were working towards a PhD degree in computer science and their research involved developing different algorithms that could be applied to address problems in biology. If you are a PhD in Biology, you would have to apply it in computer science. That was something new for me because I had to learn computer science. I had to write code and use it to generate data. The computational time and memory usage taken by the algorithm needs to be kept in mind while writing a code for it.

Now, in my current postdoctoral research, I deal majorly with immunology. So, whatever I learnt in computer science, I apply and develop it to investigate questions in immunology.

How did your research interests lead you to your current Post-doctoral fellowship at Peters Lab, La Jolla Institute for Immunology?

When I was pursuing my PhD, it was on protein-protein interactions, in the context of an innate immunity pathway, which is the TLR signaling pathway. I studied how mutations in the TLR proteins affected their ability to interact with downstream signaling proteins. So, this led me to be interested in molecular recognition.

Antibody-antigen interactions are a type of protein-protein interaction which are much more diverse due to millions of antibodies produced by each individual. Each of these antibodies has a different specificity. So, I am curious to know how these specificities arise, and what mutations in the antibodies cause them to be specific to one antigen but not another. It is not feasible to study millions of antibodies experimentally. The Peters lab is a pioneer in the development of computational tools for addressing these types of questions in immunology.

My current project is wholly based on COVID, I have been studying antibodies that bind to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. I have also been studying the mutations of different variants of this virus: alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. These variants have their differences because of their mutations. I have been trying to understand how these mutations in these variants affect the ability of the antibodies to bind or interact with them. That is the question I am currently working on. Another question I am dealing with is basically understanding what makes antibodies specific to a particular antigen. Again, it all comes down to the molecular level. It is all about chemistry. Because protein-protein interactions are nothing but various amino acids interacting with each other. So, that is how I got interested to work here at Peters Lab. It is a fantastic place. My colleagues come from all over the world: Europe, South America, Africa, Australia, Asia. They all have their diverse perspectives on life and research. So, it is a very good learning experience here.

Your current PostDoc research lab has majorly focussed on immunoinformatics i.e. immunology and bioinformatics. How is bioinformatics applicable to research in immunology?

There are multiple examples of this.

One example from our institute is single-cell RNA sequencing. Blood samples taken from volunteers who have been vaccinated or have a specific disease can be used for extracting white blood cells/leukocytes. Single-cell sequencing of these cells, taken from blood extracted at different time intervals, produces millions of gene sequences. Bioinformatic algorithms help to cluster/align these sequences together and help identify differences in the transcription/expression of certain genes and proteins in these cells. Under-expression or over-expression of these genes signifies that they play a role in a given disease.

Another example is BCR (B cell receptor) sequencing. Antibodies are secreted forms of BCRs. Antigen-specific B cells can be isolated from different blood samples and sorted. Sequencing of these B cells provides the sequence of antibody that the particular B cell is expressing. Millions of such sequences from different individuals help researchers identify what sequences are important for an antibody to be effective against a specific antigen. The unique features of these sequences are understood. Different individuals produce different antibodies but sometimes there are commonalities in the sequences between two individuals. Such examples are types of convergent evolution – i.e. the sequence is favorable for the antibody which is why multiple individuals produce such antibody sequences. All these findings are due to the application of bioinformatics algorithms to immunology. In India, this has a lot of scope for such studies owing to its diverse population.

Depending on where humans live, whether in the North or South hemisphere, we have been exposed to different types of pathogens that influence our immunity and determine how we respond to them. In the case of India which is a tropical country, we see more cases of malaria or dengue. If Indians are infected with malaria, they have antibodies against the respective antigens. Sometimes, these antibodies have been found to interact with dengue proteins. This is an example of cross-reactivity which can be explored more in India.

Another example is understanding the cross-reactivity of T cells and antibodies to different pathogens. T cells are usually specific enough to bind/interact with a peptide from a particular antigen. The same T cell can recognize a peptide from another antigen if there are similarities between these two antigens. Bioinformatics can help here to understand the similarity in peptide sequences between these two antigens and its extent to understand cross-reactivity. So that is another way of applying bioinformatics to immunology.

As data generation increases, there is also a need to develop databases and repositories to store and access this immunological data. There are several databases for the immunology community – Immune Epitope Database, Coronavirus Antibody Database, and IMGT database, to name a few.

Many students consider the terms “bioinformatics” and “computational biology” to be the same. Please clear this misconception.

Computational biology is a broader field and encompasses bioinformatics as one of its subjects. Basically, computational biology is using computers to investigate any biological question.

Bioinformatics is mostly related to data generation, handling, development of softwares, algorithms and databases to deal with biological data.

Another group that comes under computational biology is systems biology, which is the mathematical and theoretical calculation-based study of the dynamics of large biological systems. For example, understanding the fusion of protein molecules within a signaling pathway; understanding the dynamics of the various proteins involved, so on and so forth. So, for time 0, if you have, say x number of proteins, after time t, their number is estimated and their effect on the signaling pathway is explored. These are questions dealt in computational biology and not bioinformatics because there is not much scope for involvement of ‘data handing’ here.

However, Bioinformatics has become increasingly important now because of the improvement in technology which has led to the generation of more data; especially proteomic data. Hence, to handle that data and to make sense of it, you need numerous innovative bioinformatic algorithms. I would recommend checking out The Human Cell Atlas as a great example.

Machine learning, on the other hand is a completely different concept. On a fundamental level, if you look at it, it is all about modeling the data. Basically, if you have the data, you will try to derive a mathematical equation from it. For example, if you have two groups: one control group and another group with diabetics, machine learning will try to develop a probability model to predict diabetes in a person. For that, you will have a dataset which will have the information of the sample population: age, gender, eating habits. Each of them will be labeled as “diabetic” or “non-diabetic.” Based on the machine learning algorithms, you will be able to derive an equation from this dataset to separate this data into these two categories. This model will be used on a new dataset to predict the risk of diabetes. This is a very simple example of machine learning.

You have a stellar record of numerous scientific publications and you have also held the position of scientific writer for “The STEM Times” newsletter for the past 4 years. How did you discover your passion for science communication?

Writing is something I have been very good at since I was a child. I think you might be aware that I was trained at Balavidyalaya. For my training, I had to do a lot of writing and reading and liked it a lot. I caught the habit from a very young age of 4-5 years. Writing was one way of expressing myself, because talking for me was limited by the choice of words that I could use. But when I write, I can express myself much more beautifully. I have been interested in writing for a very long time. In fact, when I was in school, my teacher used to tell me not to become a scientist. She always suggested I become a journalist. However, I was interested in science.

I did not find it difficult. I enjoyed the process of writing. Even during my MSc, PhD students would request me for help in editing their thesis and I used to enjoy it. During my PhD also, I liked writing, making stories, and explaining concepts. During this time, I realized that there is a disconnect between the public and what we scientists do. I felt that it is important to make them understand what we are doing. It is very important to be able to explain to others in a very simple way so that they understand the importance of what we are doing. So that’s how I ended up working for “The STEM Times.” The focus of STEM Times was to basically convey scientific concepts to people in a simplified format.

During my bachelors and masters, I used to write a blog. I used to write about my experiences at NCBS through poems. People would tell me how they liked my writing and then it struck me how I could use my fondness for writing to communicate science and research.

Your previous interviews that outline what you are and how you grew up, are an inspiration to many, especially for women in STEM. Please tell us one or two pieces of specific advice you wish family members, mentors, or colleagues of children with any form of disability to adopt.

I think parents should not underestimate their children just because they have a disability. Each of us has flaws. For some of us, it is visible while for others it is hidden. I feel that humans have the ability to somehow find solutions or alternatives to an issue, quite unknowingly, if the issue does not seem big to them. It is all in the mind. The bigger we imagine our issues to be, the harder it becomes to overcome that. This can be solved by the approach of breaking down the problem into multiple steps.

Everyone has their own shortcomings. No one is perfect. However, the society we live in does not see a person with a disability as capable of doing anything. But that is not true. This mindset is similar to people noticing a single black spot on a white paper. People should be open-minded, supportive as well as encouraging towards people with disabilities, especially disabled children. This instills self-confidence in them. Above all, please do not discourage them. I understand that well-wishers and parents of these children would have a feeling of wanting to protect them but it only hurts them in the long run.

Small actions can make a lot of difference. In my own experience, my parents never discouraged me from doing whatever I wanted to do; especially when I wanted to move to a new place for my MSc. They never asked questions or doubted my ability to live on my own, far from home. They just encouraged me to study. But other people were very surprised when my parents decided to send me to IIT Madras. Such actions make a huge impression on children because it conveys that you are confident in them and their qualities. It makes them believe in themselves instead of depending upon others for their confidence.

What measures would you suggest to increase the inclusivity of researchers who are deaf, in STEM fields in India?

You should ask what they want. Researchers who are deaf should be asked what they need as it can vary from person to person. And others need to take some minimum effort to accommodate these needs. This goes a long way in helping them. Something that might seem small to you actually makes a big difference to us. The best example is – closed captions and the service of live captioning.

For example, during my education, I did not have many facilities that could have helped me. For me, it is very important to look at a person’s face while they are speaking. If they turn away and speak, I cannot understand. So it was really difficult following classes, since we did not have any captioning service. So, I had to depend a lot on my classmates for notes. During the class, I would have to look at the notes from the classmates sitting besides me and copy them down. Basically, in college you know how they teach. The professor will speak and tell us to hear and write about it simultaneously. For me, both were not possible. Either, I can look or I can write- only one thing at a time. Hence, I would listen to the professor and then once the lecture was over, I would copy the notes from my classmates. Unfortunately, you miss out on a lot of information; you do not know 100% of what was discussed in the lecture. So, I used to go to the library to catch up on whatever I missed out on. Hence, live captions are very important.

The experience during my PhD was very different from my MSc, because instead of classes, we had research, conferences, and seminars. Seminars and conferences usually consist of questions between the audience and the speaker. For me, I would miss out on most of the questions. I did not like that. All that changed when I came to the US and started using Zoom. I saw these closed captions and then finally understood what goes on in Q&A sessions. When you are asked a question, it makes you think about how to address it. For people like me who are deaf who communicate using spoken language, we need closed captions to follow meetings and seminars.

I have attended conferences in India as well as abroad. Whenever I was in India, I was saddened to see that no one would care to ask or arrange real-time captioning for me. But when I visited conferences in Canada, they asked about my needs and made arrangements for me to have live captions. Everyone was given a device and a URL link. The link had to be opened. Then the microphone in the device would hear any speech and convey it to a third person who would immediately start typing these captions and it would be visible to a person who is deaf. This system should be implemented in Indian conferences, as in Canada I could follow everything that was being spoken and it made a huge difference to me. I could understand questions which enabled me to think more about the problem or the topic. This facility is not offered either at Indian conferences or in Indian universities. I hope this facility is provided at least in top-tier institutions in India, like IIT, NCBS, TIFR, etc. – I know that it is provided in IIMs.

Another important aspect is to increase awareness and not judge a researcher because they are deaf. I hope my experiences are able to help others like me who are also pursuing their research in India.

These days, there are softwares to help people who are deaf: Live transcribe by Google. It converts speech into text. MS Windows 11 also has an inbuilt feature for converting audio into text. This feature was designed by another person who is deaf, and who was trained in the same school as mine and is currently working at Microsoft in Seattle, USA.

Madhura Kamat Author

Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 14

27th February 20239th March 2023 Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Mustafa Inamdar who has a postgraduate degree in biotechnology and is currently working as a science communicator at Decode age, a Longevity Research company, where he mainly drives the content for their social media pages, as well as their podcast. Additionally, he also runs his own podcast – Biotech Talks.

In this interview, he speaks at length about his journey in science communication, his approach to creating content for his YouTube channel, and elaborates upon his important learnings.

Could you briefly take us through your journey so far, and what led you towards pursuing a career in science communication? According to you, what is the main purpose of science communication- are you primarily setting out to engage, inform or educate your audience?

During the 2020 pandemic, I was a Master’s student who was attending classes online from home and found them to be quite unsatisfactory. To make the most of the situation, I decided to start my own YouTube channel, where I would teach my classmates the course curriculum in a fun way, similar to some of the previously published content. After receiving great feedback from viewers, I came up with the idea of interviewing life scientists and researchers. I reached out to a good friend of mine who was a Ph.D. student at the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) in Pune, India, and asked if she would be willing to talk about her research for my channel. She agreed and that’s how I got into science communication.

The main reason that I kept doing this was because I liked conversing with scientists and diving deeper and deeper into the subject. Since my school/college didn’t offer the best education, I wasn’t happy with the lectures. I was more content with the lectures accessible on YouTube like MIT open courseware. It was similar to the knowledge I was getting while speaking to researchers. That kept me going.

Moreover, I figured that the connections I was making through Biotech Talks would be beneficial in the future. And indeed, towards the end of my masters, I got four job offers without even applying for them. It’s also because of my channel that I managed to get a job at my current organisation.

I’m a firm believer in science, and being an atheist, nothing else matters to me. Sadly, I see that the younger generation is being heavily influenced by the content on the internet put up by political parties attempting to manipulate them. This is, I believe my primary purpose of Biotech Talks – we need to replace misleading media content with something more authentic.

Putting our podcasts about researchers can hopefully inspire others to join the science field. That is also one of the reasons I continue to work in science communication.

Do you have any personal guidelines in place, to ensure effective (and authentic) science communication? Also, what kinds of questions do you generally ask the interviewees?

I make sure to begin each project with thorough planning. To reach out to researchers for my podcast, I send cold emails which provide an overview of my YouTube channel as well as links to my previous podcasts. Once researchers have accepted my invitation, I perform a thorough background research to prepare relevant questions for the podcast. I send them a list of these questions and ask them for their inputs as well. They usually do have a few of their questions to add to the list. Additionally, if the interviewee agrees to conduct the interview at their office, I make sure I am punctual and avoid any delay from my end.

Occasionally, whenever I interview at their own office, few researchers or scientists who are around, express an interest to be a part of my podcast. Since I am unaware of the research and history of that scientist, this circumstance is unplanned. However, taking into consideration their desire and interest to support my channel, I immediately conduct interviews for them as well. Gradually, through my experience of conducting interviews (over 25, so far) I’ve grown accustomed to including unplanned elements and built my skills towards producing on-the-spot content for my podcasts upon request.

Some questions that I routinely ask scientists and researchers are:

What kind of research are they doing?

What is the meaning of a Ph.D.?

Why are there more male scientists in Indian Academy and fewer female scientists?

What is scientific temper?

What is the importance of humor in research?

All these questions revolve around topics that I personally find very interesting and relevant.

How would you demonstrate to your audience that you are trustworthy with the information you provide?

When a scientist talks about their research, what they say is assumed to be the truth. I do not truncate it if the researcher has spoken for 40 minutes, I post the complete 40 minute talk.

Recently, one of my videos went viral- I had taken some questions which I usually ask researchers and scientists and collated them into a video. About 10-15 scientists shared their views about what they believe a Ph.D. is, and it had an interesting flow. The video got over 2.6 lakh views and the comments were impressive; Prior to this video, my channel had 1k subscribers, and after this stint, the subscribers increased to 7k. In the comments, a lot of people said that the video had opened their eyes and they would now continue with their Ph.D.

I’m uncertain of my feelings on the matter because- a Ph.D. is indeed a hard path to take and if you have the opportunity to obtain it from a renowned institution then that’s wonderful. Yet, the fact that some students end up struggling to complete a Ph.D. from a university for 10-11 years is quite disheartening.

In the light of this scenario, I’m now planning to create a video titled “Why I Quit My Ph.D.” to provide a platform for those who have gone through this experience and want to share their stories.

How do you handle criticism- and balance people’s perception regarding your shared information (especially if they do not agree with it) against your conviction regarding that information?

Sometimes, if they are speaking the truth, then I have no option but to accept and ponder over it. The reality of research in India is like two sides of the same coin. I only portray the positive side of it through my interviews. The negative side is indeed there, however.

I had a great admiration for one of the scientists I interviewed, believing them to be exceptional researchers. When I visited one of their affiliated institutes, I had the chance to meet one of their students. To my surprise, they portrayed a completely different version of the scientist, which was inconsistent with how they presented themselves in my interview. This made me acknowledge that it is impossible to know whether the professor is a good or bad mentor until one experiences it. Prior to joining a Ph.D. program, it is important to investigate the nature of one’s PhD guide/mentor.

Quite recently, I suggested to my peers that just like there is a Glassdoor app which allows individuals to look into the credibility of a business and provide anonymous reviews; it could be beneficial to have a platform where Ph.D. candidates can give an anonymous feedback regarding their PhD guides. This could be a very useful website.

I am attempting to bring awareness to the Indian Academia by asking relevant questions. During one of my interviews with student scientists, I urged them to not only talk about the pressures from their parents but also to comment upon the institutional aspects, such as the bad practices of PIs and inadequate regulations. As a result, I was given some meaningful, but heartbreaking answers.

I’m hoping to encourage others to recognize this problem. There are already a lot of PIs discussing this issue, but perhaps a bigger revolution is necessary.

What inspires you to keep continuing this journey of science communicator?

During my second year of college, I had this remarkable opportunity to visit the NCMR NCC research institute in Pune, India for my Avishkar project, where we had a chance to construct an affordable fluorescence microscope. I was honored to meet Dr. Praveen Rahi, a highly-regarded scientist, and a remarkable individual. Although he spent four hours talking to me, it felt as though only five to ten minutes had passed!

It was through such dynamic conversations with the scientists and researchers that my interest in science communication flourished, which I have been diligently pursuing ever since. Through this, I am able to learn the reasoning, methodology, and the perceived outcomes from the scientists I interview and hence dive a little deeper into their mindset. It has been an enjoyable, extraordinary, and instructive experience.

Through my work, I have been very fortunate to have encountered such exceptional scientists that I may not have had the chance to meet otherwise. It was truly inspiring to personally connect with them and gain insights into their work, which was the driving force behind my motivation.

It’s a shame that our educational system has the potential to sap out the enthusiasm and curiosity of students because of the approach towards teaching subjects such as biology. Conversing with scientists and experts can truly be a source of invigoration to pursue a career in a scientific field.

Raksha Sharma Author

Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 13

20th February 202320th February 2023 Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Amogh Kulkarni who is currently a postdoctoral researcher. He is also a theater artist, director, and creator & host of the show series ‘PhD- The Philosophical Drama‘.

In this interactive session, he takes us through his professional journey, while speaking at length about his personal process of establishing a ‘work-life balance’, and talks about his passion of bringing about the amalgamation of arts and science.

Could you summarize your professional journey so far?

I was always inclined towards mathematics, social sciences, languages more than science per say. But, by the end of my schooling it was clear that it was better to move towards science because of the many different career prospects it had; and arts might not be the ideal ground where I can have a very good or stable career (which was the prevalent societal thought process at that time). Thus, I went on to pursue an education in basic sciences during my junior college, when I was also preparing for all the famous engineering entrances in India. I got through a few, but my overall inclination was towards organic chemistry at that time and it was not a very core part of the many engineering programmes. That made me look for options that would allow me to pursue organic chemistry predominantly. And I turned towards the Bachelor of Science (BSc) course at Fergusson College in Pune. During this time, I also applied for internships and programs that I could do along with my undergraduate studies.

It was during this time that I also got to know about IISER Pune which was relatively new at that time and just on a simple hunch, I applied for the integrated PhD program at IISER Pune. I had already been runner up in MIMAMSA which is a national level quiz of IISER Pune which in fact had introduced me to IISER. Eventually, I got selected into IISER and being a quite young institute, I was in the 2^nd batch of that program. But the entire experience at IISER led me to look for what I wanted to pursue in research, by providing me with opportunities to find interesting labs, meeting people from different places around the world, and introducing me to young faculty with fresh and innovative ideas who wanted to establish their own careers as well. So that led to having a very enriching experience and it made me look forward to postdoctoral studies. Now I’m here in Switzerland to pursue my postdoctoral studies and it has been a wonderful journey so far.

Do you have any comments on the education or research ecosystem in India vs abroad when it comes to nurturing scientists?

To comment on the education system is difficult because I have only been into the research setup here outside India. I have never completed any formal education abroad. All my education is in the Indian setup.

However, on the research front there are many things that one can comment upon-

Funding– almost everyone in India knows that we have issues with funding in basic sciences, research, for example in terms of getting fellowships for students. It’s been a cry for years or decades that students/ research fellows don’t get their salary every month which is basic/minimal that one can expect which is shocking. This might not be the situation abroad.

Facilities – institutes like IISc, IISERs and IITs are very much advanced and can be compared to the international universities. We do have all facilities/instrumentations in some of these prestigious institutions.

Cultural difference– in terms of the mindset Indians like to work 6 days a week. Europeans work 5 days a week, and Americans 6-7 days a week (depending upon the location). So, the work hours and the work-life balance is quite different but that is their perspective on what feels necessary to take science forward.

How could you maintain your interest in arts while being in (science and) academia? Is there any process to ensure that you keep pursuing your hobbies while doing research?

I’m a firm believer that whatever you do in your life in terms of your job or education, you need to definitely have one hobby and it can be anything. For me it was theater arts since right from school, I have been doing theater in annual programs. I was and still consider myself lucky to meet people at different stages who were like minded who wanted to collaborate with me, because theater is not something you can do alone. Having a background in theatre and being from the city of Pune which is already a budding theater place, helped me hone my skills. I directed my 1^st theatre skit at the age of 9 at school. So, it has been a part of my growing up years and has stayed with me.

IISER Pune in that sense was a budding place for all kinds of arts (music, dancing, acting, script writing etc.). And when you have such people around you, it motivates you as well.

In terms of finding time, when you really want to have that breathing space between your work, you make a concrete effort to find the time for your hobbies. That was the main driving factor behind continuing to pursue theater or any other art in that sense for me- to allow my mind to relax and to give it a bit of fresh air. Additionally, I like to take initiatives. Whenever I take initiatives, there are people who join and take it forward. That helped me hone my leadership qualities over the years and helped me streamline the work-life balance better.

Art and Science are often perceived as two very diverse and different fields. What is your perspective on this?

I always say this on various platforms, as well as to colleagues- science is an art in itself and all art has a concrete science behind it. They are very much interconnected. They cannot be separated from each other.

If you are a scientist, and if you have a scientific way of looking at things, you start looking at art in a very different way. Researchers with an interest in the arts look at it in a scientific way. You start looking at art from a research point of view. For example, when I am a director, I look at the psychology of the character from a very researcher perspective in order to understand their depth or while trying to put forth my point in my plays. It is also the same with music. I think people who play different instruments end up understanding the physics behind how the instrument works which is nothing but basic concepts from Class 12. Even if they may not learn it in the theoretical manner, they learn it from their gurus.

In a way, everything has a core scientific base with it and everything is interconnected. People who are good at science as well as arts will perform in a much more creative and articulated manner. The only difference is this- Art comes from within you, but science needs to be understood to perform it in the right way.

Can you describe your journey in creating the show “PhD – The Philosophical Drama”?

‘’PhD – The Philosophical Drama” was a theater skit that I presented at IISER Pune. It was a skit done for the annual function of the chemistry department. I had this idea of presenting the different aspects of a PhD to the graduate students (as a satire), since they will relate to it the most. Interestingly, there was no script written for it. It was developed on-the-go and the total time required from the first rehearsal to the final performance was 8 days! I realized that it could have been possible because everyone involved in the play were themselves PhD students and connected to the topic in their own way.

This experience stayed with me and made me realize that I like to talk about aspects other than research. Sadly, in Academia, work life balance is a mess. That part always stayed with me. And I knew from my experience that when mental wellbeing is not compromised, one gets the best of the work done by themselves and also from the juniors or employees. So, I took the initiative to approach a few colleagues during the Covid-19 lockdown and see if they would be willing to share their journey on our platform. We were a bit worried because not everybody wants to come up and speak- most academicians are shy people and hesitate to talk about their strengths, weaknesses, struggles etc. or any other aspect apart from their research. An average science student/researcher will hesitate to discuss non-science stuff, as it is easy to explain their work and project. This motivated me to start the show series of which the main motive was to dig deeper into the real-time situations of graduate students in Academia.

Thus, with the help of my friend Sukanya, we started the first season of PhD – The Philosophical Drama with our friends and it has been a successful run so far with three seasons already published online.

I call it a “Drama” because the entire journey of PhD itself is a complete drama package, it has the highs, lows, antagonists, protagonists, success, failure especially for me- from the perspective of a theater artist. There is a complete personality transition before and after PhD, recognizing different versions of yourself with character growth and the climax is different from what we expect.

(Watch all the episodes here)

Could you share some tough times during your PhD journey and what did you learn from them?

It is always that we have the toughest times where we have to balance career and hobby, given first choice to career. One such incident happened during my prime years in IISER as a graduate student where you are really stressed and looking for data all the time which most people agree to as a primary job of PhD student. Despite stress, the heart wants what it wants. So during my PhD, I would keep 9 to 8 as my lab hours, followed by dinner time and then rehearsal. This happened for 4 months in a stretch with 1 or 2 days off from rehearsal but not the lab. I chose Sunday’s to be my optional off day for lab work for my own mental health. That phase was challenging for me. When I look back to that time, I feel a bit exhausted but also proud that I did it. I was also having a role in the same play which I was directing. I had huge dark circles at the end of 4months where my makeup artist struggled to cover them up as my character does not demand that. At this point, I realized that I pushed myself to the extreme extent.

Another incident was towards the end of my PhD where I was working with the script of the great Padmashri Sharad Joshi ji and with the greatest production unit of IISER. It’s a big thing in itself that working with such a great script and trying to put it into a play. At the same time, I was writing my research paper which had 90% of my PhD work and also writing my thesis simultaneously. I was also taking a German language course in the evenings. I was also hit by personal issues as well. It was the worst phase to do everything. The production partner wasn’t competent enough. So I had to take up that responsibility as well for 2 months. It was a huge production unit with 80 people in the team performing shows outside IISER for the first time. I pulled one of my juniors with me for help and at the end of everything, he commented that he was surprised to see me managing all the stuff without failures like a literal mad person. It was then that I realized I took up so many jobs. If I had acknowledged everything beforehand, I wouldn’t have taken it on my plate.

It was my choice to do it. Nobody forced me to do so. It was sanity within me to help myself accomplish everything, go through that phase, push myself and succeed in my tasks. It was one of the powerful lessons that I learned in my life. If I were asked to do the same again, probably I may not take the risk but I would say that it helped to survive through the toughest phase of my research life.

Similar situations were faced by fellow artists who were also in their PhD struggles. But we knew that we had to do things with a dedicated time window for each task. This practice helped us to improve our efficiency.

What suggestions would you give prospective PhD students?

Don’t do PhD for a Dr. label. Do it if you really love the topic and are willing to face the struggle and hardship. My love for organic chemistry was the reason that I did a PhD. Just like some people pursue theater because all they see is the limelight, but don’t realize that most of the hard work is done by the people backstage. In the same way, understand the difficulties that you may encounter and decide accordingly if you are really interested in the research part or you just chose it as there was no other option or for getting the doctorate tag. Thankfully, I was not one of the latter two as I have not gone with labels to that extent ever with my choices. And I hope nobody ever does that because a PhD will change your life. It is the prime 5-6 years of your life from early 20s to sometimes 30s. It is a big commitment and investment that you are making. So, don’t do it without understanding what you are getting into. All my efforts are now trying to convey to people what they might see in a PhD. There won’t be any template on the journey of PhD to design it as a ‘course’, since every PhD is unique, but I will feel good if my experience can help at least a few prospective students make an informed decision.

What would be your suggestions for youngsters who hesitate to take a step forward in pursuing their specific interests through a fear of ‘lagging behind’ in the competitive world of academia?

Our choices/decisions affect everyone who is close to us- I was also someone who felt the gravity of this reality at one point in my life. It’s difficult to give a blanket suggestion as each person comes from a different background- someone may not be financially stable to pursue their interests and someone might be. But when one chooses a career which is not their first preference, they should pursue something other than their job to make them feel alive. One has to put in extra efforts for it and it should come from the heart. You might not succeed or accomplish great things on your first try, but that shouldn’t discourage you from trying again. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy. I have been in such situations and learnt from it – there are failed scripts that have not come out, and it takes a lot of effort to shelf them. But you have to do it. No one takes care of your personal space and your mental health like you do. If you give that charge to someone else, they are also going to be in charge of your life. So just find time and take the effort to pursue your own interests amidst anything that you do.

What is your vision in life?

It kept on changing over the last few years and I think that’s the part of growing up. But, at the fundamental level I’m always going to be someone who will try to have the amalgamation of science and art. I don’t see myself as a person who does anything specifically. That’s going to be a collaboration of my scientific expertise and artistic abilities and if I can get platforms to do both of these together, then that would be great. One such would be science documentaries which are developing in a good way these days on OTT platforms that reach out to a wide range of audience, while providing with decent financial remuneration as well.

Satya Santoshi Author

Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 12

13th February 202313th February 2023 Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Parichay Rao S.R. who is currently a BGCI-certified Senior Genetic Counselor at LifeCell International Pvt Ltd, South region. Previously, he was one of Hyderabad’s first onco-genetic counselor and advocate. He holds tremendous devotion to his field and aims for a work-life balance by indulging in finances or an occasional road trip!

In this insightful chat, he speaks at length about his nature of work and myriad of experiences that have transformed his career as a genetic counselor.

What does a typical working day look like for you?

Initially, I started as a clinical, oncogenetic counselor but have recently shifted to the role of a clinical laboratory genetic counselor as I wanted to learn and explore that. Officially, my day commences at 9:30 am and ends at 6:30 pm. At times I also take sessions as early as 6 am for telegenetic counseling. No matter where you work, the client’s requirement takes priority.

Besides this, as a senior genetic counselor for the south region, I try to be online and available to take queries and/or support the sales team, who, by extension is associated with the clinicians. This is essential to prescribe the right test for the patients and to avoid an adverse cascade of events.

How was your experience as a cancer genetic counselor considering that in this specialty, as opposed to others in genetic counseling, one is associated with families for a prolonged period of time?

Genetic counseling 101 begins with “rapport building” with the family. In cancer genetics, relationship building begins at the first or even the tenth visit. The genetic counselor has to keep putting in the effort to gain the family’s trust. A typical genetic counseling cycle in cancer is anywhere between day 1 of the visit to 6 months, which may include the time for their management/treatment process (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgical advice) as well.

To simplify, there are three modalities of allied services in cancer genetic counseling – an oncopsychologist (to deliver difficult-to-accept sensitive information or discuss certain taboo topics), a nutritionist (they know how to integrate the patients’ requirements along with support that the carer can provide), and the genetic counselor (provide support and information regarding surveillance, management, risk assessment, and genetic testing).

The role of an onco-genetic counselor gave me an insight into preventative genetic counseling along with the utilization of essential tools such as taking family history and analysis.

For instance, a 60-year-old female with cancer comes for counseling. On taking her family history, I find that a 19-year-old female (from that family) can take the HPV vaccine as a preventative measure. But, the family might be hesitant to accept the suggestion of the vaccine as it has to be taken in 3 doses and is also expensive. Hence, in follow-up sessions, I can highlight the benefits of taking the vaccine. Therefore, a continuous cycle of counseling is advantageous to more than one individual in the family. Similarly, with a proband currently undergoing treatment, eventually, I might introduce the idea of testing for other at-risk family members, based on the guidelines.

I had a great experience pursuing genetics in cancer, contributing to the field, and creating a difference in health care in my own capacity.

What is the role of ‘counseling’ in cancer genetic counseling?

At times, breaking bad news is one thing, and handling stages of grief is another. This is where an oncopsychologist comes into play. There is a term we use – “carer’s burden.” It can be defined as the load borne by a person who cares for chronically ill, disabled, or elderly family members, and in this case, a cancer patient. Genetic counselors, in association with oncopsycologists, must be sensitive to their situation and support them as much as possible. For example, the role of a nutritionist is similar. With experience and association with the family, they understand the family dynamics in terms of who has to cook and provide the recommended nutritious food which makes it a vital position in healthcare.

Can you compare and contrast your responsibilities as a junior and now, as a senior genetic counselor? How has the growth been?

In my previous job as an oncogenetic counselor, it was tough to get a genetic counselor since the field is so niche and requires immense proficiency. For five long years, I contributed to multiple centers all over Hyderabad. I was playing the role of a junior and a senior genetic counselor in my own capacity. I started with a meager salary but my outlook was to learn and explore. I would speak to genetic counselors and other professionals outside of the organization – networking and enhancing my command of the subject.

Currently, I am a senior genetic counselor heading a team of six members. This hierarchy exists only on paper and not at work. In my team, we are all equal – “If I know, they know; if I do not know, they do not know.” I try to create a conducive environment and encourage the exchange of ideas. This improves dependability and the work trumps authority. For the team, I am an individual who is here to learn and practice genetic counseling just like them, alongside them. I always try to remind myself of my journey and where I came from. The moment one loses this, one loses everything.

How do you manage the psycho-social aspects of genetic counseling in India with respect to patriarchy, gender sensitivity, ethnicity, etc. ?

In my practice, I am particular about having the couple together for counseling, even if it is over voice/video call. When we start addressing them as a unit, it helps them work together. Similarly, the head of the family cannot be the only one making a decision that influences a single member’s health.

Patriarchy manifests from both aspects. To illustrate, when a couple is currently pregnant – the father might probe that the mother is the one responsible for any problems arising. Or, the mother might suggest that she and the genetic counselor talk separately so she can express her concerns, which in the presence of her husband or father-in-law may be hindered.

It is important to break this dynamic during the initial sessions via conversation. I ask them to explain what happened in their own words. Likewise, when I talk about the future of their child and the implications of a genetic disorder, it gives them a practical insight into how they will have to manage – it activates the parental instincts and any discordance in the couple tends to end there as they see this as a team effort.

Now in case of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), for example, males are affected and females are carriers. The family tends to focus less on the therapy and supportive care for the affected child; but rather on blaming the mother for passing the disorder. Again, society also often encourages the couple to try for another child who has an equal probability of being affected.

In such situations, hardly anyone thinks of what the mother is going through. They frequently forget that she alone is not responsible in a pregnancy, giving way to prejudices and stigmas. There are various Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) for the same, and if the couple lets go of societal conditioning and bias, they can channel their efforts into seeking help from genetic counselors and reproductive specialists.

A principle followed in this field is non-directive counseling. Can this principle be followed with the aforementioned social stigmas and prejudices?

Non-directive counseling is an approach that aims to offer all available options of testing with pros and cons and encourages the individual/couple/family to make an autonomous decision.

Directive and non-directive counseling, both work in India. I would say that when you have ample time for counseling and management, be non-directive, but when you see that there is a possibility of more harm than good, then being directive helps the couple to make their choice.

To exemplify – if I suggest prenatal testing to a couple who would benefit from it, and they opt out and the pregnancy does not work out, they will probably return, but they will be emotionally broken. Now in this situation, if the testing had been done, I would have had a road map to support the family and they would also have had some clarity. It is essential to be mindful of their needs and offer genetic testing based on ethics as far as possible. In such a scenario, a direct approach is helpful.

Sometimes giving too many options also makes the situation tough. In a country like India where literacy rates are inherently low, making a decision based on scientific facts can be difficult to comprehend and abide by.

Have there been any recent changes in policies related to genetic counseling and/or testing, nationally/internationally?

For instance, policy changes related to the inclusion of genetic testing of rare disorders in health insurance. Considering that it is not included in health insurance schemes, currently in India, and that individuals seeking help come from diverse economic backgrounds, are there any government-funded schemes to fill this gap?

With reference to the GINA act (Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act), in Hyderabad, we are in conversation with clinicians to include demographic-based prevalent disorders like Thalassemia and Sickle cell anemia in the insurance policy that would cover testing. That said, there has not been much progress. In India, policy changes and stakeholders advocating genetic counseling still have a long way to go.

For example – the drug for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a known genetic disorder, costs crores. This is where sensitization and awareness about genetic counseling come into play. There is less stress in testing the fetus prenatally than in funding a cure/treatment for the disorder after the baby is born.

Nonetheless, depending upon the ailment and the geographical location, there can be various sources of funding support. For example, in Hyderabad, there is Helping Hand Foundation. There are also several disorder-specific funding and support groups nationally and internationally. Even labs can provide discounts if those in need can share the reason for the request of a subsidized test.

The recent introduction of NPRD (National Policy for Rare Diseases), in 2021 has provisions for the promotion of research and development for the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases.

How do you keep yourself updated about current clinical trials, new research, and current affairs?

I am more of a digital person. My strong suit is searching the internet efficiently. Me and my brother (who has done his Ph.D.) have a knack for exchanging ideas and information regarding scientific advances. As children, we both wanted to embody the personality of a “mad scientist” working with beneficial research on the front and performing crazy experiments in the backyard (like creating an eight-legged peculiar organism.)

My method of updating myself is to browse thoroughly through Science Direct articles, and Nature publications, and download these papers as well. I have a folder on my desktop namely “Ph.D. to be” that houses papers I have found interesting.

I also believe in sharing the information that I have collected. It makes for great conversation triggers when you meet someone. As I said, networking is very powerful!

Along with this, how do you feed your interests like your curiosity towards the share market and finance?

Growing up, my family was not affluent. My siblings and I have been in a hostel since childhood. I have not asked my parents for money for over several years.

I took it upon myself to educate the self on how to invest and to understand how banks work. Financial literacy makes you independent. At one point, you will have space to make mistakes, learn from them, and still be financially secure.

To put things into perspective, imagine someone has to pay Rs. 30,000 for a genetic test. That is someone’s entire month’s salary. In this case, would you think of the money or the test that will help your health? No one can teach you finances in school or through a textbook. You can learn it yourself, step-by-step.

How do you see the future of genetic counseling in India in terms of the following-

Acceptance by families and clinicians toward the field:

The future is now. It is already here. The families are aware of the field and are accepting to invest in testing to know more about their health. I even get queries from a salesperson on how he can get into genetic counseling as they see a huge scope in it. Similarly, clinicians now cut to the chase and directly lead with “What has to be done now?” The future is here, we just need more genetic counselors in number.

Students pursuing this field:

There is great scope for a job and to make a difference in this field. There are eminent educational institutes in India offering world-class education in genetic counseling. Educate yourself first, make mistakes and learn from them. Begin your journey in a clinical setting where you can learn more. Keep track of other companies as well, it will come in handy when you wish to move jobs. But wherever you are working, be loyal to them and work hard and keep aside the monetary aspect. It is a misconception that the salary is meager.

If you have pursued your education outside of India and have returned to practice here – you will feel a massive disparity in salaries. But fear not, just be humble and allow others to know you and your work. You will be noticed for your expertise. Network more, and marinate yourself in the Indian demographic and protocols.

Statistical data on incidence/ treatment/ management of disorders:

For oncology, there are GLOBOCAN studies, ACMG guidelines, NCCN guidelines, ICMR guidelines, and MDCRC research work in x-linked recessive disorders. Apart from this, NCBI is a global ocean of knowledge. MERD, India founded by Vikas Bhatia is also involved in the advocacy of metabolic and rare disorders. Similarly, ORDI is also involved in spreading awareness and performing research for rare diseases.

Recently, even research labs in India are sharing their data as diagnostic yield. India is definitely catching up and collaboration is everywhere – you just have to plug and play!

Khyati Arora Author

Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 9

23rd January 202325th January 2023 Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Abhijeet Bayani who is a Science writer at JoVE but well recognised as a conservation biologist. He was also an instructor in Ecology at IISc, Bangalore. In this candid chat, he talks about the joy in ‘Nature-ality’ and the things that one should keep in mind while venturing into ‘Ecology as a career pathway’.

Did you face any challenges while evolving into an ecologist and if yes, how did you encounter them?

There were numerous challenges that I faced when I started out as an ecologist. For instance, I have been heavily interested in spiders and have studied them for more than 15 years now. I have also written a book on common spiders. But, when I started, there were almost no readily available resources on Indian spider species. Most of the available ones focused on spiders of other continents (Europe, North and South American regions). There were only a few, about a century old texts, that focused on Indian species. These texts needed a strong upgrade as the older information on species now has become obsolete. Another larger challenge I faced was inadequate training in the field methods. This included field identification of various taxa, locating the species and performing some basic quantitative field methods. Although the reading material was available, I did not have the privilege of working with the experts who could demonstrate these methods. To overcome this inadequacy, I experimented with some of the sampling methods. I also attempted to replicate some scientifically published methods on the same taxa (e.g. trees of specific region, wetland birds etc.) and observed if the data I collected were at least similar. I found all this quite challenging, but at the same time it was like learning from own experiences.

How did you motivate yourself to follow an unconventional career path in the field of your interest?

Studying spiders or the ecology of some other lesser known animals was a bit unconventional, indeed! I say that because the naturalists I knew 17-20 years back were experts in distinctly looking birds and butterflies, or only a few charismatic mammals. None knew about the spiders, birds such as pipits or warblers, or small mammals. So, I accepted this as a challenge and started recording the behaviors, life history traits, features for the field identification, natural history and so on. As my studies on spiders were purely driven by curiosity, I never gave up on my spider observations. I enjoyed every step of learning about them. Here, I must say that although my focal taxon was spiders for a long period of time, I learnt many small and basic techniques (observation skills, behavioural sampling, quantitative sampling, collection methods, preservations techniques, dissection etc.) that are still helpful for me.

I always treated my undergraduate years to be experimental years, where I explored various research fields such as neurobiology, biophysics, experimental evolution, X-ray crystallography, signal transduction, theoretical ecology etc. that I thought I was equally interested in. I ultimately decided to go for ecology; particularly conservation biology after my master’s degree. As a result, I studied urban ecology of Marsh crocodiles, reintroduction of Asiatic lions, human-wildlife conflict, and wildlife management starting from my undergrad to my doctoral studies. The sole driving factor towards choosing conservation biology, and working as an educator or a science writer-editor is curiosity.

Is there any interesting part of animal behaviour that very few people know about and that you feel should come into the limelight?

Animal behavior is a very-well studied branch in ecology. One aspect, although, I think that still lacks enough attention is the behavior (wildlife and human) in the human-wildlife conflict studies. The behavioral plasticity that the wild animals exhibit especially in the human-dominated landscapes is quite understudied. Other than that, there are several species about which we know almost nothing, not even the species distribution and the basic natural history (e.g. Wren-babblers). I think that the upcoming ecologists or even the amateur naturalists can take short-duration projects and progressively work towards understanding these unknown species. To many newer ecologists, animal natural history seems to be a ‘dead-end science’ or just a ‘hobby’, which is far from the truth! Natural history forms the basis of all natural sciences, and if done systematically, a person studying it would not only enjoy it but also be able to substantially contribute towards science.

I also strongly suggest that citizen science can help with this. I have been involved with Biodiversity Atlas-India, which is one such large, open-source and scientifically curated consortium of multiple Indian taxa dealing with their identification, natural history, distribution, behavior and so on, where every citizen can contribute their observations.

What are the different career opportunities to be explored, if one would like to stay connected with nature and wildlife?

Why would one need to explore a “career opportunity” to stay connected to nature and wildlife? One can still stay connected with nature and wildlife having any (unrelated) career or job; it need not be in ecology always! There are numerous ways to do that.

Every urban scape is loaded with interesting species to be observed. There are gardens, backyards, reserved forests, lakes, wetlands, abandoned lands and buildings within the highly urbanized cities. For instance, one of the best places to spot and study the most secretive primate Slender Loris is the Bengaluru city! The marsh crocodiles in the Vadodara city are equally interesting from the same perspective. Also, as I have said before, the citizen science opportunities are plenty now, where a citizen having a zero idea about ecology can still contribute substantially. I strongly suggest and insist that one must not force to take a career in ecology, just for the sake of ‘staying connected with nature’ or because it sounds fancy!

Nevertheless, a person who is trained in ecology and allied streams of science in general, can find a good career as a professor, environmental consultant, writer, science illustrator, EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) expert, naturalist (with tourism companies), photographer, traveller, media person, blogger, teacher, scientist, policy maker, consultant to ministry (e.g. for MoEF&CC) or an academician. If a person is highly determined and begins preparation fairly early- maybe by the first year of UG, they can also opt to be a forest officer (state-level) or even go for Indian Forest Services through UPSC.

Being an editor and reviewer of scientific journals, what strategies (out of the box suggestions) would you suggest to authors to improve their chances of getting the manuscript accepted?

I may not be the best person to talk about it. But acceptance of a manuscript in a journal depends on numerous things and that is beyond the scope of this question. However, I can share some major observations that I have made during my experience as an editor, and can suggest possible ways to fix those particular problems.

I have found that often the science in manuscript is great, but it lacks the writing flow and fails to convey the message. Many times there is an unnecessary extrapolation from the (original) results. The best way (in my opinion) to write an acceptable manuscript is as follows: every author must ask the following questions:

‘Have I asked a definite question in the introduction?’
‘Do my results give definite answer(s) (let that be positive or negative) to the question?’
‘Do I justify all the points, hypotheses, or knowledge gaps that I have mentioned in the introduction, discussion and conclusion?’

This can help improve the flow of the manuscript. When it comes to writing reviews, make sure that you choose appropriate literature and conduct your analysis of the data that you obtain from the literature. See if your analysis gives any new insights on the topic. I strongly recommend not to write a review with the sole intention of increasing the ‘number’ of your research papers. If not thought well, such reviews may very well turn into ‘scientific junk’.

If you can sum up your learnings in life so far in one sentence, then what would that be?

There is a substantial difference between an innate interest and a borrowed interest. For instance, while choosing a career in scientific research, people often cannot distinguish whether they really like the ‘research’ or just the ‘idea’ of research. In my case, I like the idea of studying the genetic basis of animal behavior, but my true innate interest lies in studying animal behavior on the field. Thus, field study or natural history is my innate interest, but the genetics of behavior is just a borrowed interest for me. I would like to emphasise that each person must identify his/her own innate interest and follow it. Do not run behind the fancy-sounding fields especially for the scientific research. In my opinion, along with reading meeting and talking to people in science helps the best.

What message would you like to give youngsters aspiring to pursue a career within nature and wildlife?

Every person aspiring to pursue a career in nature and wildlife related fields must first and foremost, be a good observer. Be a naturalist first, then move on to study anything you like. One doesn’t require any fancy expensive equipment or specific permissions to observe species around you. Do not go behind the charismatic species only because everyone talks about it. I have also seen many people begin with photography, and then claim to be taxonomists, conservation biologists or ecologists without any adequate knowledge. Photography is a great tool crucial for documentation or to enhance the experience of observing the species. Nonetheless, without any systematic observation, study or data, you still remain a photographer, and not a scientist. I do not say that a photographer cannot become a scientist or vice versa. But it is important to identify whether you really like to study the species or only like photographing it.

In the end I would say, study wildlife scientifically and ethically and if you are not aware of the ethics, then get in touch with experts.

Satya Santoshi Author

Career Stories

Career Stories: Chapter 8

16th January 202323rd January 2023 Academia Plus

In this chapter of Career Stories, we bring you the journey of Dr. Dipanjana Datta who is an illustrious pioneering genetic counselor in India- a Consultant Genetic Counselor at Apollo Hospitals and a faculty at Calcutta University for Clinical Genetics. She is the State Co-coordinator (West Bengal) for the Organization of Rare Diseases, India. She carries with her 14 years of experience in Human Genetics and has an imminent interest of pursuing research in the same field.

In this candid chat, she takes us through her journey and explains in depth what a career in genetic counselling looks like.

During the years 2012-2014, when you were doing your Post Doctoral Fellowship (PDF) in the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health System, India was expanding its Genetics landscape simultaneously. What introduced you to, and encouraged you to enter this sphere of Genetic Counseling specifically?

Out of the two PDFs (that I have), my first one was at Oregon State Health University (OSHU) where I was working on neuromotor junctions and muscle development. My mentor there headed a clinic on neuromuscular diseases and the project was sponsored by a group called Shriner’s which is a Jewish community program. As part of the PDF, I had to gather patient information and history. He thought I was good with communication and with my knowledge of genetics, I would do well as a Genetic Counselor. Consequently, he asked me to enroll in the program. I shadowed various people at the clinical genetics department there and entered the course for the same. Post this I joined VCU, where I was working on brain development and transcriptomics, and completed my internship at the children’s hospital.

Currently, you work at various organizations as a Genetic Counselor. How do you manage this in terms of work and clients?

I follow a very rigid timetable, where my work hours are predetermined and allotted accordingly, around the week and month.

What are the innate and acquired skills required to become a Genetic Counselor and practice as one?

Innate skills – Good communication skills, including being a good listener, being passionate (about your topic), having patience, empathy and a non-judgemental attitude. Possessing the art of science communication to deliver complex information to patients is an added asset.

Acquired skills – the knowledge of genetics itself, continuous education and upskilling in the subject, getting acquainted with the cultures and laws of different places and developing counseling skills. Experience plays a huge role in shaping the thought process of counseling. Hence, the more experience you have, the more clarity and control you have (regarding your role as a genetic counselor). Staying up to date on clinical trials and maintaining a network of doctors are also some other skills that a genetic counselor would need to inculcate or acquire over time.

Talking of research, is there a scope for it in the field of genetic counseling and how would it impact the genetic counselors, clinicians, and consumers (aka the patients)? (Research in terms of new genetic findings, population genetics, statistical data validation, etc).

There is immense scope for research in various aspects. Epidemiological studies on disease incidence, mutation profiling about diseases, developing the Indian disease databases, natural history, psycho-socio-religious aspects of common genetic diseases, impact, and response to counseling for families are a few facets to look at. This can help in developing better screening tools and having India-specific disease incidence statistics. Hence, developing distinctive policies for the screening and management of genetic diseases at affordable prices is the need of the hour.

Early detection and management would improve the quality of life for families. For a genetic counselor, proper guidelines can be outlined to counsel families from different communities based on epidemiology, aiding in predicting and discussing the prognosis and the natural history, genotype-phenotype correlations, and improve the reporting of the Indian variants which are majorly VOUS (Variant of Unknown Significance – wherein the variant of a gene that is manifesting the disorder is genetically unclear).

A major revolution would be the reduced cost of tests and the decrease of unwanted tests. Research would also pave the way to investigating which diseases need more attention and drug development. Government can prioritize research in such diseases for refurbished drugs, clinical trials, and most of all, proper policy development and building support.

What research is currently underway in the field of genetic counseling, in India and/or globally?

Globally, a lot of research is going on in the aspects discussed above. Many patient support groups are driving incredible research and even encouraging the government to expedite trials. Support centers for management, hospice, and adult patient care are also being established. Artificial Intelligence is also coming up in a big way to support such research.

In India, things are in the nascent stage. The CRISPR technology Feluda test from India was invented as an equivalent to the American SHERLOCK technique and was used in the detection of Covid. But we are still a long way from developing indigenous tools. Recently, due to the rare disease policy, a number of research grant initiatives by the government (DBT/DST/ICMR) for orphan diseases and drugs have been announced, which has boosted scientists to submit proposals on off-label refurbished drugs. However, everything is not organized and there is discordance between the treating doctor and the scientist. In India, most genetic counselors are unaware of their role in research as they are practicing for genomic companies where research is not the priority, and they are often not allowed to access large-scale data

How do we initiate awareness about genetic counseling as a career choice amidst the student fraternity at the high school and undergraduate levels?

Initiating awareness comes easily if they have the subject in their curriculum. For instance, I teach clinical genetics to students of zoology, physiology, and biotechnology. This is approximately 20 marks out of their entire syllabus at Calcutta University where I take 12 classes in one semester. This itself creates awareness and generates interest in most. I feel visiting schools and colleges and sharing experiences can promote interest but role models are needed, who can inspire and ignite young minds. However, it is also my opinion that unless we have a pan-India body that can have genetic counselors’ employee rights and registration, this will not go a long way. The Board of Genetic Counseling, India (BGCI) certification is not valid all over the world, and hence, genetic counselors trained in India, would not get any global opportunity. Thus, efforts need to be taken to promote acceptance of genetic counseling, and then awareness would follow automatically.

What are your roles and responsibilities as the state coordinator of West Bengal for the Organisation of Rare Diseases? How does advocating for rare disease awareness/rare disease screening aid those who might require genetic testing and/or counseling?

As a coordinator, my role is to generate awareness by holding camps and CME (Continuing Medical Education) among doctors, RTM (remote therapeutic monitoring) with patients and families, collaborating for referrals, understanding and helping them find those referrals, and developing a network of super-specialty doctors who would be able to support the patients and their families. Another segment of responsibilities is to generate CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funds, or have beneficiaries who can help poor patients, write and communicate on social media platforms, and also reach out to schools, teachers, and offices for support. Help is also offered in getting the disability certificate, and co-ordinating care in rural areas where all facilities might not be available. Along with this, I also aid in seeking trauma management and support when needed, voicing the needs of families to the state health and finance authorities, helping in crowdfunding, and of course, genetic counseling. Language is a barrier I can cross as I know most languages of this region and hence, it’s easier for me, to communicate with patients and to understand their issues.

Khyati Arora Author

Tag: Skill Development

Career Stories: Chapter 33

Career Stories: Chapter 31

Career Stories: Chapter 29

Career Stories: Chapter 28

Career Stories: Chapter 15

Career Stories: Chapter 14

Career Stories: Chapter 13

Career Stories: Chapter 12

Career Stories: Chapter 9

Career Stories: Chapter 8