I completed my MBBS from Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), India; I was awarded the prestigious Best Medical Student Gold Medal, across all medical colleges in the state. I did my MD in Clinical Microbiology at the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune. For my MD thesis, I conducted the first large-scale characterization of clinical chicken pox strains in India, and determined that clinical strains diverged from the vaccine strain, raising the need for India-specific chicken pox vaccines.
After this, looking to train as a physician-scientist, I started applying for PhD positions in California. After 2 years (during which I volunteered in a research lab), I secured a PhD position at the University of Texas at Austin.
In 2018, I returned to India to establish my independent research group at Savitribai Phule Pune University, funded by the Ramalingaswami Re-entry fellowship. For 5 years, I led a successful research group, that engaged with industry, government, communication, outreach and policy.
Looking for a larger role in the science ecosystem in India, I transitioned to the Executive Director role at IndiaBioscience. My leadership role at IndiaBioscience involves leading a pan-India science facilitation organisation with several projects and initiatives, along with a small team at various career stages and with diverse skill sets.
