Zebrafish Multi-Omics & Phytomedicine Lab 

In 2016, while doing bachelor’s at SRM University, India, I joined MD lab for my dissertation work. During this time, I learned things like fly pushing, western blot, crossing schemes, dissection, immunostaining and imaging. With these skills I aimed to identify the temporospatial localization of midge genes in fly ovaries. This dissertation project gave me a vivid understanding on genetics, and let me know what a wet lab is about. Apart from bench work, there was a voice constantly at the back of me questioning “how about your writing", or "how about your reading", which indeed positively impacted my paper writing skills.

A month later in October- then master student in the lab- the 37th TES Annual Meet knocked the door. When I was about to say ‘no’, the only thing I heard this time was ‘there’s a first time for everything,’ and I was pushed to give my very first on-stage oral presentation about the midge project. From getting screwed till being appreciated, I had got enough during this time in learning to deliver an effective scientific talk – a necessary skill for every researcher. After this talk my master’s project came up. It aimed in observing angiogenesis of various Dragon-Blood tree extracts (DB) using zebrafish larvae. Then on, I was set on daily routines of breeding zebrafish and raising its larvae. Using these procedures, the larvae treated for DB were imaged to show increased blood vessels in the intestinal region. This project helped complementing HPLC analysis for validating the authenticity of various DB products. To venture on how DB could activate VEGFR signalling was a thought put forward. On one summer evening while walking down the corridors of ‘D6’ I realised the great deal of science I played with, and saw my strength build-up as the clocks struck adieu to me. From learning to do serial dilutions till learning to prepare the Chinese traditional tea; from running between fish room and Lab, till running around the Hualien beaches; from learning to hold a pipette till a chopstick; from seeing the leadership traits of different bosses till what not! It was all a blend of scientific and personal growth. As I now hear the same voice in my hippocampus say, ‘I am going to train you as a doctoral student’ I would rather call these two years’ experience in the Lab as a pre-doctoral one, only to having discovered a phoenix in me!

During these two years I somehow developed an interest to pursue my doctorate at MPI-HLR. However, I decided to take a break, and in the meantime I was positioned as a junior research fellow at inStem/NCBS for few months where I saw in me the reflection of the experience I got from MD lab. Today I am overwhelmed about making my dream come true in pursuing my doctoral studies in the lab of my interest. Overall the experience in MD lab was all a blend of scientific and personal growth, and I wish all the prospective students deciding to join here my very best!

Preethi is currently a Ph.D. student in Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany (2019)

Preethi's publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30648579/

DOI: 10.1016/j.jfda.2018.08.005