My research journey

My journey in science started as a child when my mother told me bedtime stories. Instead of fairy tales, she would tell me about the Big Bang and how the universe was formed. She would weave in stories of birds, animals and fish, putting me on the first step of the ladder towards biology. I pestered my mom constantly: ​“How does the world around me work!!?” I questioned everything from how milk curdles to why water doesn’t mix with oil or how it rains.

I was drawn to genetics and opted for a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology at the University of Mumbai, yet, interestingly, it was my secondary courses in Chemistry that made me even more excited. I went on to study Biochemistry and developed a keen interest in how proteins function. I was able to clear the All India JNU entrance exam and had a chance to explore out of my comfort zone. I started my Master’s in Biotechnology at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara. While there was trepidation in staying away from home, the courses were fascinating and interdisciplinary. I found my calling in my master’s project on aggregated yeast prion proteins. The project was exciting, but we had a stringent budget, and using larger yeast cultures was proving expensive. Hence, my mentor and I looked up the chemistry of each media component so we could run the experiments on a smaller scale to make them more cost-effective. 

We studied protein aggregates to see how they confer survival advantage to yeasts. I realized I have to understand how these aggregates are formed in cells. How a protein aggregates is determined by underlying principles of chemical and physical properties of amino acids making up the protein. This made me realise that somehow Biology alone couldn’t answer all the questions. To answer biological questions in depth, I have to first understand Chemistry and Physics. It drastically affected how I view science today and my research interests in my academic career. You are not a biologist or a chemist or a physicist; you are a scientist not limited by boundaries of disciplines. 

Turning point

I was applying to multiple institutions for my PhD and got selected at CCMB Hyderabad and IISER Pune. While I was deciding this, I saw a PhD topic on understanding protein aggregates of tumour suppressors at IIT Bombay. It piqued my interest. I thought that this research problem not only used the skills I had learned to date (a solid foundation) but also allowed me to delve into new, broader cancer-directed questions. The choice was either to take up the positions I had already been offered or to risk trying to get into IIT Bombay. I remember working hard on my statement of purpose, hoping to get selected at IIT Bombay. I chose to join IIT Bombay because cancer research, from a structural biologist’s perspective, was a niche area of expertise I envisioned. I knew this was the first conscious choice I was making in my academic career, which would impact my trajectory. 

Looking back, all the motivation I needed to cope with the ups and downs of the PhD journey stemmed from this choice. Whenever I had a failure, I kept pushing, thinking, ​“I chose this, so I need to work through this and do it well”. I was lucky to be surrounded by the right people at the right time. My mentors, family, friends and lab members all contributed to this journey. 

It was exciting to learn science, but also to understand the resources needed to build a lab. I remember discussing grants and proposal writing with my supervisor. I had firsthand experience with the journey of designing a research objective, building it up to secure funding, purchasing equipment and managing the lab. It is quite like managing a kitchen! If you don’t have the right ingredients, you can’t cook. At the time, it was overwhelming, but eventually, this wholesome experience prepared me for the principal investigator role I have today. While scientific discoveries remain our primary focus, these skills propel good lab building. We should be trained not only to design experiments but also to think systematically about managing resources for that research. 

I was and still am always excited to be part of multiple projects and collaborative approaches. IIT Bombay facilitated this approach as we are surrounded by an interdisciplinary work system. We not only worked on basic biology but also designed nanoparticles and biomaterials. For me, the misconception that only one arena is enough to build a research career was reformed to accommodate the belief that you have to be ​“Jack of all trades but Master of One!” This built my expertise towards interdisciplinary science with national and international collaborators. Just like an interdisciplinary research approach that combines different avenues, we generally have a diverse team that helps nurture diverse thought processes aimed at the same problem. This approach taught me people management skills in a dynamic environment; again, something that today, as a PI, I value the most.

Persistence and patience in research

I was prepared to finish my thesis and look forward to the next steps in my career. But as there are crests, there are troughs. We were hit by COVID-19, and the world came to a standstill. I was in my final year, important experiments were halted, manuscripts and thesis were on hold with no end in sight. The inflow of COVID-19 research made it more difficult to publish our work. We were rejected by 21 journals, which was disheartening. This made me realise that successful research is not just about completing your research, but also requires persistence through to the publication stage. While it led me to lose confidence for a while, my mentor and seniors supported me by pointing out that communicating your science is a non-negotiable part of research. Senior postdocs in the lab encouraged me to apply to different universities abroad. When I spoke to potential supervisors, I realised that the skill set I have developed over the years and how I perceive science matters. This reiterated that only biology was not enough to understand biological systems; you need a holistic point of view at every turning point so you can make better decisions.

The insights from my thesis resonated with my scientific journey. The proteins I work on are disordered, yet they function precisely upon careful folding. My PhD journey also followed a similar trend. The final years of my PhD looked disordered and chaotic, but as you persist, you can achieve a stable path. My research was published long after I had completed my PhD, but it was rewarding. I was honoured with the ​‘Best Thesis Award’ by IIT Bombay. It was a much needed pat on the back to keep moving ahead.

Path ahead

I joined St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee for my postdoctoral training in the Structural Biology department. I was travelling in the midst of a pandemic, and quarantine in a foreign country was challenging. Adapting quickly to world situations and changing communities was vital, and each day was a lesson. This tenure helped me learn how to independently conceptualise experiments for difficult problems. I worked on intrinsically disordered proteins alongside experts in the field. The topic relied heavily on knowledge of chemistry and physics, which made me relearn the basics. I enjoyed microscopy and started intentionally building a skill set in different microscopy techniques. It is amazing to peer down the microscope to look at cells and proteins, live! I realised that you can learn, unlearn, and relearn at every stage, and it was crucial in orienting me towards an academic career, which mandates constant adaptation to new research, techniques, and ways of thinking. 

It helps to join a postdoctoral training with a vision of the next step. I took this opportunity to travel to conferences across 5 countries and build a network with people in similar research endeavours. I always wanted to return to India and was interested in academic research. I came across the DST-INSPIRE Faculty grant and applied for it. It is one step closer to the goal of establishing an independent lab. 

Today, our research at the National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, focuses on understanding disorder in proteins and how they help in shaping our biological processes. We are now funded by the ANRF-Prime Minister’s Early Career Research Grant, which encourages young researchers to establish themselves in independent research. We like to collaborate across disciplines to enjoy chemistry and physics. I still do microscopy and still ask the question: How does the world around me work? Hopefully, I can pass on the amalgamation of knowledge I learnt, both scientific and philosophical, to fellow travellers navigating the same path. 

Key insights

Just as disordered proteins organise into functional structures, scientists thrive by navigating uncertainty, carving niches through persistence and collaboration. Currently, I am learning the administrative aspects of running independent research. I learn every day from my students, peers and senior faculty.

I am excited about my scientific journey to understand protein assemblies linked to cancer. As always, it is my research and the curiosity to find new things in cells that keep me going. The biology behind these processes teaches us resilience and the ability to adapt to quickly changing environments. Researching such phenomena provides deep insights into carving out a niche in academic research. If you are in tune with your research, the hardships become stepping stones.

My journey has taught me that true scientific discovery lies not in rigid attitudes, but in embracing the fluidity of the process — a constant change from chaos to order. 

My two cents to future travellers along this path: Approach science like a biomolecule in flux. Understand the system, anticipate delays and plan well in advance. Tune in, adapt relentlessly, and watch disorder yield precision. 

This mindset turns research’s turbulence into triumph, revealing academia’s delicate equilibrium between chaos and order.