What is your current role? Tell us a bit about your research

I am a postdoc in Dr. Clare Waterman’s lab at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA. Currently, I am looking at how cancer cells migrate through very confined spaces and maintain polarity. Under high confinement and low adhesive environment cancer cells tend to form very large protrusion often referred to as ‘stable bleb’ and can migrate really fast in the direction of that protrusion. I am studying how this unusual morphology attained by cancer cells is maintained.

What are you excited about in science communication?

I think the last year or so (The pandemic!!) has really shown us the need and necessity for science communication especially the effective need of outreach to increase faith in science. I have only recently started dipping my toes in science communication by doing science outreach activities with school students and I am excited to learn more about it.

Why did you choose to participate in the ASAPbio Fellow program?

I have often struggled with my colleagues to even discuss preprints for journal clubs. I strongly believe that the success of open science and preprints is possible if trainees are exposed to it as early as possible in their scientific careers. With becoming an ASAPbio fellow, I hope to work with other fellows and gather data about the perception of preprints at various career stages and would like to come up with strategies to address concerns based on scientists at different career stages. My goal of joining ASAPbio fellows is to be a part of a community that is open to discuss, address these biases and help me with coming up with strategies.

Ask me about…

Microscopy, Madhubani paintings, and online/video games….If not in front of a microscope, I like to spend my time either playing online board games, Mortal Kombat or painting especially one of the very old forms of Indian folk painting called Madhubani paintings.

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