Meet our Early Career Scientist Grant Winner Sakshi Poddar
It’s time to meet the next of our Early Career Scientist Grant winners! Sakshi Poddar is a PhD student at the National Institute of Science Education and Research in India, and is the latest winner of our monthly $500 career support grant!
Each month we award a grant to one lucky life science PhD or postdoc to help them with conference or publishing fees, travel costs, the purchase of lab supplies, or anything else that will help to support and further their careers! Find out more about the grant here.
Sakshi works in Dr. Ramanujam Srinivasan’s lab at the NISER in Bhubaneswar, and has used the grant money to cover some of the costs of her trip to the 2023 Bacterial Cell Biology and Development GRC in the United States.
When we asked Sakshi how she felt about receiving the award, she told us:
I am very excited to get the Early Career Scientist Grant from Hello Bio! This grant has not only provided me with financial support but has also helped me successfully explore the field of bacterial cell biology and network with various researchers through attending the GRC 2023 Bacterial Cell Biology and Development Conference. Sakshi Poddar, National Institute of Science Education and Research, India, Hello Bio Early Career Scientist Grant winner
Congratulations Sakshi! First, can you tell us a bit more about what you're working on at the moment?
Through my PhD I am trying to understand the mechanism behind bacterial cell division in E. coli through mutagenic molecular understanding of FtsZ using S. pombe as the model organism for screening FtsZ mutants. I am trying to discover the mechanism behind the Known FtsZ targeting drugs and the reason for sensitivity and resistance towards the drug for different bacteria.
What is it about your field of research that gets you most excited?
In science research, every day is new and challenging and this newness keeps me going. I still feel very happy when I get a positive clone after molecular cloning. Also, I still feel fascinated when I see my fluorescently tagged bacterial protein under the microscope.
Which scientists working today do you most admire, and why?
There is not just one person, but many in the field of research that inspire me. A few of the inspiring qualities I look for in a scientist is how he or she answers or justifies the research idea. Also, how much effort a scientist gives to maintain a good friendly lab environment, and whether or not they have a long-term vision for their research.
What do you think are the biggest challenges currently facing life scientists and their work?
I feel even the applicative research work is not reaching many people and not being used for the benefit of the society and I think it’s because of a lack of academic and industrial merger.
And finally… what’s your favourite science quote?
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” – Marie Curie
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Thank you so much Sakshi! We wish you all the very best with your future research!
Connect with Sakshi:
- Twitter: @sakshipoddar20
- LinkedIn: Sakshi Poddar
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