Field of Study India: Bioengineering

Monika Saini

Dr. Monika Saini is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, Czech Republic. She pursued her bachelor’s in biomedical sciences from University of Delhi in the year 2012 and later completed her master’s in biotechnology from All India Institute of Sciences, New Delhi in 2014.

Dr. Saini joined Prof. Shailja Singh and Dr. Soumya Pati at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR for her PhD in Plasmodium falciparum where she evaluated functional roles of Prohibitin proteins in mitochondrial biology. During this period, she was also awarded the DAAD Sandwich Programme fellowship where she worked with her German collaborators on the PhD project. She is a recipient of various national and international travel awards to present her work at conferences. She has published several research articles in recognized international journals during her PhD.

Dr. Saini’s primary research focus is parasitology and studying organellar biology with special emphasis on their functional importance in parasite growth and development. As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the California State University, Chico, Dr. Saini is evaluating Maurer’s clefts establishment and function. More than a century after their discovery, the genesis and exact functions of Maurer’s clefts remain a mystery. Dr. Saini, therefore, wants to investigate the fundamental biological processes associated with these organelles’ establishment and function in Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells which will be a significant step towards malaria elimination.

Vineet Pramod Joshi

Mr. Vineet Pramod Joshi is a clinician practicing ophthalmology at LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Hyderabad and pursuing a PhD at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad. He is on the faculty at Shantilal Shanghvi Cornea Institute, LVPEI, practicing cornea cataract and refractive surgeries. His research centres on translational applications of biomaterials, hydrogels, corneal bioengineering, and 3D bioprinting. He investigates developing artificial 3D bioprinted cornea.

After his master’s (DNB ) in ophthalmology he completed a fellowship in cornea and anterior segment in LVPEI Hyderabad and joined the institute. Vineet is not just a clinician-scientist, he is also a technologist at LVPEI Center for Technology Innovation where he works on digital diagnostics, AI-driven vision assessment, and bioengineering solutions. He has been awarded for presenting his work at several national and international forums, and received international travel grants. He has several publications in peer-reviewed international journals.

In his battle against corneal blindness, under the mentorship of Dr. Falguni Pati at IIT Hyderabad and Dr. Sayan Basu, LVPEI, he began a PhD in biomedical engineering and biomaterials at IIT Hyderabad to explore developing novel bioink hydrogels and 3D bioprinting translational therapies. As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, Vineet is investigating how to develop composite materials derived from natural and synthetic sources, exploring novel light-based 3D bioprinting technology in achieving transparency, biomechanical strength, suturability and biointegration similar to native cornea. His research will explore developing newer customized and personalized treatments options for patients.

Nipun Jain

Mr. Nipun Jain is a PhD candidate at the Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. His doctoral thesis focuses on developing a 3D bioprinted lungs-on-a-dish platform to investigate pulmonary fibrosis. He employs extrusion bioprinting and cultures the prepared lung tissue at an air-liquid interface which also incorporates advanced material characterizations to examine cellular structural morphology and functional expression.

Nipun holds a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi. He has completed multiple internship projects offered by the Indian Academy of Sciences prior to joining the PhD program at IISc. He is a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) and has published several research and review papers. He has also participated and presented his work at various national and international conferences.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow at The Pennsylvania State University, Nipun is integrating 3D bioprinting with microfluidics to provide more reproducible insights into disease progression for evaluating therapeutic efficacy. The insights gained from his research will contribute to translation of novel drug screening platforms for pulmonary fibrosis and other lung-related disorders. When not in the lab, he can be found reading non-fiction or playing games. He is a music enthusiast, enjoys playing the guitar and is fond of travelling to explore new places for food.

Ankit Banik

Mr. Ankit Banik is a PhD candidate at the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Maharashtra. His doctoral research focuses on the development of novel and efficacious chimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR-NK) cell therapies, where he aims to harness the power of natural killer cells, a crucial component of the innate immune system, to target and eliminate cancer cells more effectively. His work aims to optimize the engineering of NK cells, enhancing their tumor-targeting capabilities and improving their overall therapeutic potential. His research strives to pave the way for innovative, personalized, and safer cancer treatments by advancing CAR-NK cell therapies.

Ankit completed his BSc in microbiology at University of Kalyani, acquiring a strong foundation in molecular biology, immunology, and cellular biology. Pursuing MSc in biotechnology at Pondicherry University, he honed his expertise in advanced laboratory techniques, genetic engineering, and cellular manipulation. Then as a project intern, he gained valuable research experience at the renowned Bose Institute.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, Ankit is exploring the potential of CAR-NK cell therapy that is more effective in targeting and treating solid tumors, overcoming the challenges posed by the tumor microenvironment and improving the therapeutic outcomes for patients. Ankit is committed to translating his findings into clinical applications that will benefit patients, and passionate about bridging the gap between laboratory research and real-world cancer therapies.

Ankit loves travelling and enjoys trekking and hiking. He has a strong appreciation of music and dance as well.

Parvaiz Ahmad Shiekh

Dr. Parvaiz A. Shiekh is DST INSPIRE Faculty at the Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD), New Delhi. He obtained his bachelor’s in science from Sri Pratap College, University of Kashmir, Jammu & Kashmir, followed by a master’s in biotechnology from the Central University of South Bihar, Bihar. He received his Ph.D. in biological sciences and bioengineering from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) under the supervision of Prof. Ashok Kumar, where Dr. Sheikh designed and evaluated bioactive, oxygen-releasing, and antioxidant polymeric biomaterials for therapeutics and translational medicine.

Dr. Parvaiz qualified for CSIR-UGC NET JRF (2013), DBT JRF (2013), and GATE 2013. He has published several peer-reviewed articles in reputed journals, including Biomaterials, Chemical Engineering Journal, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Bioactive Materials, European Polymer Journal, and Biomacromolecules. His work has also resulted in two granted patents.

Dr. Parvaiz has received several national and international awards. He received the DST AWSAR Award from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and the ILBS-TATA Emerging Leader fellowship from the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi. His doctoral thesis was awarded the Innovative Student Project Award 2021 at Doctoral Level by the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), New Delhi. His thesis work was also awarded the Outstanding PhD Thesis Award from IIT Kanpur and the Best PhD Thesis Award from the Society for Biomaterials and Artificial Organs, India. His other scientific achievements include IITK-SIIC Student Innovation Award (SSIA), TERMIS-AP Golden Award 2021, SYBS Young Researcher Award, SBAOI – Bajpai-Saha Student Award, Torrent-ISHR Young Scientist Award, and Dr. S K Maulik Award. He has also received international travel support from IITK, DST-SERB, and INSA/CSIR/DAE-BRNS-CCSTDS for presenting his work at international conferences.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Research scholar at UCLA, Dr. Parvaiz is developing smart microneedle patches to deliver on-demand oxygen and cell instructive molecules for therapeutics and regeneration.

Prateek Kumar

Mr. Prateek Kumar is a Ph.D. Candidate at School of Basic Science, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. He works on different systems of viral proteins to study their folding/unfolding behaviour, disordered property, protein-protein interaction, and structure-based inhibitor designing. His research is based on understanding the protein dynamics in different environments, modulation upon interaction with lipids, and identification of inhibitors against specified targets using in-silico as well as in-vitro approaches. He has published his research works in reputed and peer-reviewed international journals.

Mr. Kumar earned an M.Sc. in Bioinformatics from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He did his B.Sc. in Zoology from University of Delhi, New Delhi. In 2018, he worked as an intern for two months in his current home institute and worked on structure-based drug discovery on viral (Zika virus, Chikungunya virus) proteins. Since then, he has developed his interest in structure biology and drug designing.

During the Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship, he will investigate the least explored area of capsid protein and RNA interaction of Zika Virus. He will also perform experiments to identify novel druggable molecules.

Mr. Kumar has great interest in computers and likes to learn and implement newly developed technologies. Additionally, he is fond of cooking vegetarian food.

Chandrika Konwar

Ms. Chandrika Konwar is a Ph.D. scholar at the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research (ACBR), University of Delhi, Delhi. Her Ph.D. project explores the impact of gene regulation on cell death and aging which includes extensive experimentation with Caenorhabditis elegans (a nematode worm), molecular biology, microscopy and proteomics in parallel with big data and systems biology.

During her Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship, Konwar is studying the role of SIN3 in cancer by using C. elegans as the model system. This is expected to add new knowledge on cancer development and diagnosis and will help create the prospect of using the nematode as a disease model to elucidate the cellular and molecular markers underpinning tumorigenesis.

Prior to her Ph.D., she completed her B.Sc. (Biochemistry) and M.Sc. (Biomedical Science) from the University of Delhi. She has worked on several research projects including but not limited to finding new drug targets and natural remedies for infectious diseases like gonorrhoea and tuberculosis. She has also done some exciting interdisciplinary research on the social connotations of health and well-being within Indian sub-populations. Most of her findings have been published in reputed peer-reviewed journals and presented in conferences.

Ms. Konwar is a firm believer in open science and interdisciplinary research, and a strong proponent of science communication, public policy and sustainability. Apart from research, she devotes her time towards developing new skills and writing creative articles for different media as well as volunteering for social causes.

Pavithra Venkataraman

Ms. Pavithra Venkataraman is a Ph.D. student at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai. Her research is in the area of evolutionary biology. Specifically, she uses experimental methods to understand the evolution of proteins, and theoretical methods to understand the evolution of metabolic cooperation and sympatric speciation in a population.

Ms. Venkataraman completed her bachelor’s in chemical engineering from M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bengaluru. In 2020, she was awarded the Best Outgoing Chemical Engineering Student by the Bangalore Chapter of the Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers. She enjoys exploring new places, cuisines and cultures. She also likes learning new languages.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, she will work with Prof. Sergey Kryazhimskiy to characterize the variation in the local structure of fitness landscapes to assess the predictability of evolution. This work is important to build our understanding of the process of evolution as a whole and has implications for pathogen evolution and human health.

Joel P Joseph

Mr. Joel P Joseph is a Ph.D. candidate at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, Karnataka. His doctoral thesis aims to develop a 3D bioprinted T cell culture platform to screen for novel immunomodulatory compounds and validate them using an in vivo mouse model of an autoimmune disease.

Before starting his Ph.D., Mr. Joseph was Junior Research Fellow at Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Bengaluru. Here, he investigated the roles of intracellular protein degradation and mitochondrial dynamics in the development of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in mice. Some of his research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences.

He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in biotechnology from Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, and a master of technology degree in genetic engineering from SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu.

Mr. Joseph is particularly interested in science communication. His written words have appeared in several science media and education websites based in India. He loves to engage with people from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to exchange ideas on science, society, and culture. When he is not in the lab, he can be found reading, writing, listening to music, or watching stories based on real events.

As a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research fellow, Mr. Joseph is designing nanoparticulate drug delivery systems for immunomodulatory compounds. He is also comparing their efficacies with the free form of drugs using his 3D bioprinted T cell culture platform and validating them using a relevant in vivo mouse model.

Geetha Manivasagam

As a woman scientist in STEM, Dr. Geetha Manivasagam started her research in her mid-30s and worked in various interdisciplinary areas. She completed her Master’s of Science and MPhil in crystallography and biophysics, but during the Ph.D. work, she shifted her focus towards biomaterial engineering for improving the quality of life in patients receiving implants.

She is currently the Director of Center for Biomaterials, Cellular and Molecular Theranostics (CBCMT), an interdisciplinary research facility to mobilize and materialize translational research. Considering her contributions in the field of Biomaterials, she was invited to be a part of a national initiative for preparing a road map for bioimplants in coordination with IIT ,DMRL, IISC, and Tata Health Care. Recently, she was invited by Springer Nature to be a member of the editorial team of the journal Invitro Model. She had been recognised as No. 1 scientist in Materials Science by MHRD from 2009-2019 and listed in the Top 2 % of scientists in the country in Materials Science as per the analysis performed by Stanford University.

Dr. Manivasagam’s Fulbirght-Nehru Fellowship work comprises developing a smart multimodal polymer-based bone-implant fortified with growth factors and anti-microbial agents for the controlled release of compounds as the conventional treatment modalities for treating bone infection are getting saturated with diminishing efficacy. This work is a novel approach with practical translational potential that can curb bone bacterial infection which is a global threat and aid rapid regeneration of bone.