Meet our Early Career Scientist Grant Winner Prashanth Thevkar
Prashanth Thevkar is a post-doctoral researcher at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Harvard Medical School, USA, working in the Szabo Lab. He will use his $500 grant to attend the AASLD Liver Meeting 2021 in November.
I am deeply grateful and honoured to receive the Early Career Scientist Grant from Hello Bio. One of our major goals as scientists is to build strong networks, and increase our visibility in the community in order to have a progressive career. However, there is so often a bottleneck with funding, be it for performing research or presenting research at a conference. Hello Bio does a phenomenal job by motivating early career scientists to get small pockets of funding for research or attending conferences. I am so delighted to be a beneficiary of this grant. The money will be used to attend the Liver Meeting 2021, organized by AASLD. I am excited to attend this conference to help build my network and present my research work. Prashanth Thevkar, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, USA, Hello Bio Early Career Scientist Grant winner
Congratulations Prashanth! First, can you tell us a bit more about what you're working on at the moment?
My current research focuses on discovering novel drug targets for treating alcoholic hepatitis (AH). Severe forms of AH have a very high mortality rate, yet effective treatment of AH remains an unmet medical need. We use preclinical models of alcoholic liver disease, and clinical samples for targeting different components of the inflammatory cascade or signalling molecules which promote the signalling cascade. I focus mainly on the macrophage biology, and study this immune cell subset in detail for identifying key pathways as novel drug targets for AH. I am also equally interested in NASH and have been involved with preclinical and clinical studies pertaining to NASH.
What is it about your field of research that gets you most excited?
The diversity of the immune population and their plasticity to the microenvironment is what excites me most. Liver harbours a wide spectrum of immune cells but the signalling cues from their microenvironment determines the pathogenesis of liver disease. The plasticity of immune cells have been gaining significant attention in the recent past, and studying the signalling cues driving this plasticity excites me the most.
Which scientists working today do you most admire, and why?
There are remarkable scientists in all fields of science who have always been a great source of inspiration. But the one I have always admired the most is not a biologist but a space scientist, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. He was a role model for simple living and high thinking. He was one of the most intelligent and humble scientists who inspired and ignited millions of young minds.
What do you think are the biggest challenges currently facing life scientists and their work?
One of the key challenges is achieving financial stability and recognition in the field. Funding is always a bottleneck and in the recent emergence of the pandemic, the importance of medical research has come into the limelight. I strongly believe that for the amount of time and energy spent on research, especially at the post-doctoral level, there should be more funding and salary support which would motivate young researchers to perform innovative research in their careers. I really hope the funding bodies provide more support to encourage and promote young scientists.
What’s your favourite science quote?
“Your hypothesis is not only not right; it is not even wrong.” - Wolfgang Pauli
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Thank you so much Prashanth! We wish you all the best with the conference and with your future research.
Connect with Prashanth:
- LinkedIn: Prashanth Thevkar
- Twitter: @Prashan30765050
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