The JOY of growing every day by taking small steps
Gaurav Sharma
Gaurav Sharma is an Assistant Professor at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad, Telangana. In this fifth article of the Journey Of Young Investigator (JOYI) 2024 series, he shares his journey and challenges of transitioning from DST-INSPIRE Faculty Fellow to a young scientist committed to advancing research in India.
Growing up in a rural area with limited exposure, I was unaware of academic research. My career options were confined to traditional roles such as engineer, doctor, teacher, or government employee. Despite these limitations, my passion for biology, nurtured by my father and teachers, directed me toward becoming a teacher. This vision evolved into a desire to become a professor and scientist after I joined the MSc program at the School of Biotechnology (SBT), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi, in 2009. Regardless of working abroad, my overarching objective has remained to contribute to the academic and research landscape in India. To achieve this, I have taken several small and calculated steps to lay the foundation.
From ‘being in India’ to ‘returning to India’
Joining the MSc program at JNU was the first pivotal point in my academic journey. Early struggles with the experimental work during my MSc dissertation steered me towards bioinformatics, where I found my true niche. This realisation guided me to pursue a PhD in microbial genomics and evolution at CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (CSIR-IMTECH), Chandigarh, with Srikrishna Subramanian. His “no-spoon-feeding” approach proved to be the second pivotal step in my journey, helping me develop into an independent researcher. My postdoctoral experience with Mitchell Singer at the Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, further honed my skills by giving freedom to initiate projects, collaborate, and publish my ideas. This period proved crucial in building my confidence to return to India as an independent researcher.
The aspiration to return to India was constant, but the question was ‘when’.
Within two years of my postdoc, I had published two research ideas and was wrapping up my first lab project. Meanwhile, my wife decided to join the industry rather than continue her postdoc, but visa constraints limited her options in the US; therefore, we mutually decided I should explore academic positions and fellowships in India first.
In the next six months, I attended several online/offline interviews, and in February 2019, I received the DST-Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) Faculty Fellowship. Meanwhile, my wife, who had been conducting background searches, also secured a job aligned with her priorities. Although DST-INSPIRE Faculty must be independent, prominent institutes often regard them as postdocs working with a faculty. So, selecting a place that would allow me to grow independently and provide ample resources was the third pivotal step in my academic journey. After several careful consideration and multiple rounds of interviews, I joined the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB) Bengaluru as a DST-INSPIRE Faculty in August 2019, following a short 2 years and 9 months postdoc experience.
From fellow to faculty
The path from INSPIRE Faculty to permanent position has a notably lower success rate as compared to other transition fellowships, a reality that everyone communicated to me. I embraced this risk with the understanding that if no positive outcome emerged after five years, I would re-enter the cycle of postdoctoral research. Therefore, my singular objective was to showcase my research, teaching, and outreach skills based on which I might secure an independent faculty position in the next five years. IBAB provided an ideal environment in terms of independence, on-campus residence with a beautiful garden, wonderful colleagues, and helpful administration. My lab came into origin with the joining of two wonderful project assistants and we started working on two broad directions: evolutionary microbial genomics, and medicinal plant-microbe interactions. Over the next two years, the lab expanded with the addition of several highly motivated folks.
As a young PI, gaining recognition based on your work and staying relevant in the community is of utmost importance, therefore, one must utilise every opportunity for their growth. Within eight months of my joining, the COVID-19 pandemic-driven lockdown stopped the research necessitating a shift from physical to online teaching. I adapted to teaching the Genomics course online and immediately incorporated SARS-CoV‑2 genome analysis in the curriculum, which actively engaged students. I involved several MSc students in a SARS-CoV‑2 pangenome study, giving them hands-on research experience leading to a publication while working remotely. Our continuous publications and collaborative research attracted three enthusiastic PhD students. These years were also critical as I developed my social network, especially using X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn, from where I found several new friends, collaborators, and wonderful students.
After 2.5 years of publishing, teaching, and organizing multiple #WorkshopFromHome as a fellow, I started applying for permanent positions, once again facing the FAIR cycle, i.e., Filling up Applications for Interviews and Rejections.
Regardless of your profile, securing a permanent position remains invariably challenging. Every unanswered application, clear rejection, and final-round rejection serve as a stark reminder of this truth.
Amidst these rejections, a significant milestone was the birth of my daughter. Shortly thereafter, the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) interviewed and recruited me as an Assistant Professor. Now, I am approaching two years at IITH and five years since returning from my postdoctoral position.
A supportive lab environment and ‘work-family-you’ balance
I spend a good amount of time with my lab folks, involving everyone in formal and informal discussions. I avoid micromanagement but stay highly involved in their learning and research work. I encourage them to be independent in selecting their working hours and days, and they have respected this autonomy. Maintaining a friendly, inclusive, and humorous lab environment has facilitated openness regarding their work and personal lives. Along with going out for dinners, they visit our home, where we cook, order food, chat, and play games. Our computational expertise enables us to assist experimental researchers through collaborations, which I distribute equally to ensure everyone gains knowledge in new fields and secures publications from their contributions. Maintaining such an environment has allowed me to stay honest with them about their progress, and I have received several suggestions from them on improving myself. I always advise my lab colleagues to learn, share, and implement their independent ideas in their projects as this will help them find the path to independence quickly.
Research demands dedication and time, often leading to burnout. To prevent this, I prioritise spending quality time with my family, including my wife, 2‑year-old daughter, and parents. Additionally, self-care is equally valuable for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. I enjoy writing poetry on love, society, and family, although time constraints and writer’s block make it sporadic. Long-distance running has markedly contributed to my personal and professional growth. While the distance itself may be arbitrary, achieving my running goals empowers me and aligns with my fundamental aspirations for self-fulfilment.
Some reflections on doing research in India
Working in a developing country is full of opportunities yet challenging. Despite significant improvements in the last two decades, challenges remain as we are still not investing enough in education and research.
A happy and efficient researcher is a well-paid and timely-paid researcher.
Paying students’ fellowships on time, enhancing transparency in funding mechanisms, and providing feedback on rejected proposals are vital for young researchers who are striving to establish themselves. Addressing these challenges will promote a thriving scientific community that contributes to global advancements.
My academic journey has been marked by small, well-calculated, and significant steps. Moving forward, I maintain optimism, focusing solely on one major goal of keeping professional and personal integrity, while being confident that success in other aspects will naturally ensue.
Posted on in Science Communication, Science, Personal Experience, YIM, Young Investigators
