Professional Summary
I am a scientific researcher and a science communicator with a background in life sciences. My passion is to communicate science to both scientific and non-scientific audiences and help bridge the gap between data and utility. I aspire to work with clients to create solutions tailored to their specific wants and needs.
Work Experience
Medical Writer—Cactus Communications, India (Jun 2022- present)
Planned & created scientific content across multiple therapeutic areas & deliverable types, including conventional, interactive, infographics, core claims, educational content, & digital assets.
Achieved 90% positive feedback from client POCs with 95% compliance to standard timelines.
Communicated effectively with client POCs in medical affairs, authors, & MSLs to identify & implement client-specific SLAs & KPIs in accordance with the MSA.
Scientific Researcher at Leiden University Medical Centre, Netherlands (Sep 2019- present)
Involved in management and development of drug lead optimization and drug target discovery projects in RespiriTB/RespiriNTM consortium (consortium of research groups, SMEs and an EFPIA partner- Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V.). Visit www.linkedin.com/in/respiritb-respirintm for more information about the consortium.
Devised and conducted 3 distinct projects focused on protein inhibitor interactions and role of each in drug lead optimization. Performed novel experiments for drug target identification using CRISPRi technology.
Prepared materials for deliverable reports, reviews, summaries and slide decks in a deadline-oriented setting.
Freelance Medical Writer (Mar 2020- present)
Wrote an opinion piece for Kolabtree blog-- Tuberculosis: the next big threat of the post-pandemic world. Presents a brief overview of how Tuberculosis will be a lung health hazard in the post-pandemic world.
Wrote and edited (Charts/graphs/illustrations, Editing, Fact-check, Proofread) a manuscript on the association of respiratory diseases to climatic variables.
Content Editor for Grant proposal- DBT Welcome Trust India Alliance. Worked as a content editor on a fellowship proposal for basic biomedical research. This work was done for a scientist from Nature Conservation Foundation, India.
Wrote an opinion piece for ‘Anubhooti’ NGO blog-- Is Cancer really a disease of the modern world? Presents a brief overview of how Cancer existed in the past too and acceptance and awareness stay the prime tools for an effective cure.
Involved in the creation, design and presentation (written and verbal) of a board game- ‘Meghdoot’ that won at the Toycathon, 2021 (organized by the Government of India).
Mentor- Scientific Manuscript Writing (July 2020- April 2021)
Worked as an Assistant Teacher for the course- ‘Writing a Scientific Paper for PhD students in the Life Sciences’ that runs online for several Graduate Schools in the Netherlands. Visit www.scientificwriting.eu for more information about the course.
Doctoral Student (Aug 2013- Dec 2018)
Prepared materials for reports, presentations, and submission to peer-reviewed journal publications in a deadline-oriented setting. Authored a scientific paper in a peer-reviewed journal as an original contribution (Joshi A.C. et al, 2019). The concluding figure from this paper was featured as a research highlight in the annual report book of the Indian Institute of Science.
Authored a book chapter in Biomolecular Forms and Functions, Singapore: IISc-WPSC publication (Joshi A.C. et al, 2013). Presented advances in the field of bacterial transcription in response to environmental stimuli, reviewed over 40 research publications.
Undergraduate Research Assistant (Aug 2008- Dec 2011)
Recruited and screened over 100 participants for research in behavioural origins and administered psychological tests and demographic surveys. Authored a scientific publication on the same (Joshi A.C. et al, 2010).
Developed a proposal on ‘Exploring Ways to Reduce our Ecological Footprint’ which was awarded a scholarship in the Naturalist Scholarship Programme organized by an NGO- RANWA (Research and Action In natural Wealth Administration), 2010.
Education
PhD August 2013-August 2018
Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, India
Thesis title- 'Influence of substrate specificity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ClpX on transcriptional profile'.
Masters in Biological Sciences August 2011-August 2013
Division of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, India
CGPA: 6.6/8.0 (top 5% of the class)
Bachelor’s in Biotechnology July 2008- July 2011
M.E.S. Abasaheb Garware College, University of Pune, India
University rank holder
Skills
Competent in writing and editing scientific articles and posters
Methodical, result-driven and flexibility to work in a fast-paced environment
Skilled at narrating scientific advancements to popular media
Excellent Microsoft office skills, and high attention to detail
Self-motivated with a strong desire to learn quickly and independently
Excellent in resolving problems, capable to work independently and as a team member
Project planning and development
Proficient in Veeva Vault PromoMats
Awards and Scholarships
Recipient of a prestigious scholarship (top 1%) to pursue Integrated PhD from the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD), Govt. of India, Indian Institute of Science (2011- 2018).
‘K. S. Korgaonkar award’ for poster presentation at Molecules in Living Cells: Mechanistic Basis of Function, Annual meeting of the Indian Biophysical Society, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (February 2016).
Won 2nd place for poster presentation at AVISHKAR, 2009- a zonal level research competition for BCUD project- ‘Socio-Economic correlates of Diabetes’ under the University of Pune.
Awarded scholarship in the Naturalist Scholarship Programme organized by Research and Action In natural Wealth Administration (RANWA) (2010) for our contribution to Biodiversity Conservation- ‘Exploring Ways to Reduce our Ecological Footprint’.
Hobbies
Poetry writing and reading
Member of the Cheeky Scientist Association (CSA) and Medical Writing Organisation–CSA