top of page
Rocio.jpg

BHARATI PANDEY

Scientist, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Department of Atomic Energy

,,

,,

Ask questions and have a sense of curiosity.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

I’m a Computational Biology Scientist. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies allow for unprecedented characterization of the genome and proteome. Computational biology has proven extremely fruitful to characterize genome at structural and functional level. My research focus on multi-disciplinary approach to investigate complex biological questions such as how the drug is interacting with the target using structure-function studies.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS FIELD?

At school, I was not very clear about my subject interest, I just wanted to follow my elder brother’s path who opted biology as career. But my father being an engineering graduate always encouraged us to learn about science and technology since childhood. The three-year undergraduate life science program invoked my interest in biological sciences exposed me to the excitement of Bioinformatics, which uses many areas of computer science, statistics, mathematics and engineering to process biological data. I chose to pursue Bioinformatics in master’s degree and completed successfully. During my two years course, I was trained by best teachers, who really inspired a love in me for studying Bioinformatics. During my Ph.D. my mentor inspired me to be in research and pave the path exactly what I have dreamed of when I was a graduate student. When I started thinking about my career aspirations after completing my PhD, I aspired to someday work as best women Bioinformatics scientist in country. I was very much inspired by the Margaret Oakley Dayhoff the “mother and father of bioinformatics” who complied first protein sequence database.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK AT & THINK, "I WISH YOUNGER ME WOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS WAS POSSIBLE?"

Being a first Phd in the family was a dream come true for me.

WHY DO YOU LOVE WORKING IN STEM?

STEM support me developing key skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking and decision-making, communication. It helps is solving important problems affecting the environment and our society. We’re all still learning, no matter how far along our career path we are. That’s the beauty of science.

BEST ADVICE FOR NEXT GENERATION?

Dream big and follow them, don’t give up if you fail. Turn your setback into comeback with hard work, perseverance and strong determination. Ask questions and have a sense curiosity. ‘Who, what, where, why, when and how!’

INSPO / FUN FACT

“Science is not only a disciple of reason but also one of romance and passion.” – Stephen Hawking

bottom of page