Who I Am – The Bureaucratic Version

I am a highly collaborative researcher with diverse scientific interests, driven by a desire to use my training to address problems of societal importance. I have 8+ years of experience in the biomedical sciences. Currently, I am a postdoctoral fellow in Loren Looger’s lab at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). I earned my Bachelor’s degree (B.Sc. Biotechnology) from Manipal University, graduating with distinction and earning the Dr TMA Pai Gold Medal. I was awarded my PhD from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS-TIFR), Bangalore. Under the guidance of Dr. Vatsala Thirumalai, I studied the neural circuits controlling motor function in larval zebrafish (Danio rerio). My thesis dissertation focused on the implications of bistability in cerebellar Purkinje neurons for circuit function. I am a strong advocate for systemic change in academia, having contributed as an eLife Community Ambassador and subsequently as a member and co-chair of eLife’s Early Career Advisory Group (ECAG). I am also an avid science communicator and educator.

Here is my complete CV, up-to-date as of January 2026.

Who I Am – The Behind-the-Scenes Version

Born and raised in Mumbai, I steadily headed further south to continue my education. I earned my Bachelor’s degree from Manipal University, Manipal, and my PhD from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS-TIFR), Bangalore. I moved continents, but have continued to stay in the southwest part of the country despite my new residence (West Coast Best Coast, they say).

I’ve been told that I seem to have more than 24 hours in my day because of the number of things I dabble in - tennis, swimming, reading, writing, dancing, learning languages, watching TV shows and movies, and more (almost anything except drawing or painting, which I have no skill in).

Partly by active learning and partly by childhood residential hazard, I am a polyglot.

My blood is almost always caffeinated, yet sleep is my superpower.