Our ‘Away from home’ blogging series features one Indian postdoc working in a foreign lab every Wednesday. The posts recount the experience of these postdocs — the triumphs and challenges of lab life, the cultural differences, what they miss about India — and, most importantly, offer some useful tips for postdocs headed abroad.

The series has had an excellent response from the scientific and research community worldwide. For our regular readers, and those who are just joining us now, we provide a summary of the month’s entries, including an interactive  map pinpointing the labs these postdocs are based. All these interesting entries and summaries can be found under the ‘Away from home’ category of the Indigenus blog.

We will continue to update the map each Wednesday and hope that you will join in the online conversation using the #postdochat hashtag. 

Mentors make a researcher

As you get engulfed in the rigours of research and climb the career ladder, many times you forget to express gratitude to those who got you there in the first place. 2013′s first blog of the series saw Harvard Medical School postdoc Amjad Husain say ‘thank you’ to his mentors. Amjad, a PhD from the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi also talked about his dreams of spinning off his own venture sometime in the future.

Researching diabetes

What does Australia’s research scene look like right now? Mugdha Joglekar, the first postdoc in this series from Australia, gave us a lowdown of what it is like to do research in Australia. She put it in perspective for our global redearship by comparing the scenario with that of America. Mugdha is a postdoc fellow at the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney and worked previously at the National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, India.

From chemistry to biology

Changing disciplines at a postdoctoral level is not usual. Vijay Singh, a postdoc at Stanford University, USA told us about his fascinating switch from chemistry to biology. After a doctoral degree from the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) Lucknow, India, he found himself making a seamless transition from nucleic acid chemistry to protein biochemistry and multispectral cellular imaging. Vijay tells us why Stanford is a place where ideas get wings.

Our Away from home interactive map, pictured below and updated every Wednesday, saw its first flags in Australia and the west coast of America this January. Stay tuned as we add more Indian postdocs from around the world. Please feel free to suggest names of postdocs from unusual countries and disciplines we haven’t covered yet.

Every Wednesday, our ‘Away from home’ blog series features one Indian postdoc working in a foreign lab recounting his/her experience of working there, the triumphs and challenges, the cultural differences, what they miss about India, as well as some top tips for postdocs headed abroad. You can join in the online conversation using the #postdochat hashtag.

Vijay Singh, a postdoc at Stanford University, USA tells us today about his fascinating switch from chemistry to biology. After a doctoral degree from the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) Lucknow, India, he found himself making a seamless transition from nucleic acid chemistry to protein biochemistry and multispectral cellular imaging. Vijay tells us why Stanford is a place where ideas get wings.

Vijay Singh at the Stanford University campus

What got me into science?

I can’t exactly say but I was always curious about things around me. That might be the reason I chose a career in science.

From chemistry to biology

I completed a doctoral degree in synthetic organic chemistry from the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) Lucknow, India. Then I moved to Germany, where I worked in the area of nucleic acid chemistry and investigated quadruplex conformation of human telomere in cellular conditions. While working on this project I realized that research in biological sciences was more interesting and fascinating.

I decided to switch my research area from chemistry to biology and came to Stanford University. The state of art infrastructure and highly competitive and supporting environment brought me here. Besides this, it was always my dream to work in a top ranked university. Now I work as a postdoctoral fellow in the chemistry department at Stanford and my area of research is protein biochemistry and multispectral cellular imaging.

My fluorescent moment

We have recently developed a unique class of fluorescent dyes which are excellent for multicolour tracking of dynamics and molecular interaction of cellular components in real time. Additionally, I have also developed fluorescent sensors for detecting toxic metal ions in contaminated water.

A place for ideas

The best thing about Stanford is if you have brilliant ideas or questions, and you want to work hard, it will provide you all possible resources and opportunities to do almost anything. People here are very enthusiastic about everything they do and they share their experiences and research materials with other fellows. The work culture is great, you can apply your own ideas and you are free to perform your research the way you want. Stanford promotes commercialisation of research/technology to transfer science from lab to the society.

No hiccups

Since I came here directly from Germany I did not face much difficulty in fitting in. The only hardship I faced in the beginning was while commuting because public transportation is not very convenient in this part of USA.

Miss freindships and festivals

I don’t know whether this is a good thing or bad, but people here are highly professional. Though I like professionalism but not upto this extent. Therefore, finding a good friend is very difficult. I also miss family, friends, relatives and most importantly Indian festivals.

Ensure good lodging and travel

My suggestions to the Indian students who are coming to USA are:

1) Bring enough money with you because you have to pay at least a couple of month’s rent as security deposit. Apartments are very expensive, especially in California.  US-bound researchers can get an idea about apartments from the craiglist website ( https://sfbay.craigslist.org/hhh/).

2) Learn driving before coming here and bring your Indian driving licence with you. Based on your Indian driving licence you can get a temporary driving licence from the US department of motor vehicles.

3) Try to buy a car as early as possible. That will help in commuting.

Want to share knowledge

I want to go back to India someday and want to share my experiences and knowledge with Indian students.

Vijay Singh is our first postdoc from the West Coast of the US. Stay tuned as we add more Indian postdocs from around the world every Wednesday to the interactive Away from home map pictured below. Please feel free to suggest names of postdocs from unusual places we haven’t covered yet.

Every Wednesday, our ‘Away from home’ blog series features one Indian postdoc working in a foreign lab recounting his/her experience of working there, the triumphs and challenges, the cultural differences, what they miss about India, as well as some top tips for postdocs headed abroad. You can join in the online conversation using the #postdochat hashtag.

Today’s guest blogger is Mugdha Joglekar, the first postdoc in this series from Australia. Mugdha is a postdoc fellow at the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney and worked previously at the National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, India. She gives us a lowdown of the Australian research scene and puts it in perspective by comparing it with that of America.

Mugdha Joglekar in her lab at the University of Sydney

Curiousity means science

I have always loved to explore biology and discover newer areas of science. I think this curiosity to understand, identify and investigate newer areas of research got me interested in pursuing science as a career.

The immunology of diabetes

I worked at the National Centre for Cell Science, Pune in the laboratory of Prof. Anand Hardikar. I moved to St Vincent’s Institute, Melbourne as I am interested in the immunology of diabetes. Another interest was the opportunity to be a part of the human islet isolation and transplantation team. I was involved in human cadaveric islet isolations, some of which were transplanted into diabetic individuals. Recently, I have moved to join the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Australia to continue my research in diabetes and also work with a team of researchers and clinicians that has great experience in conducting clinical studies and trials.

I have been fortunate to be selected for the JDRF post-doctoral award from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, USA, and am presently working as a JDRF Post-doctoral Fellow at the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney. I am involved in various projects directed at different aspects of understanding pancreas development and treating diabetes. My JDRF funded project involves understanding the role of pro-apoptotic molecule-bid, in human pancreatic beta cell death.

Australia most livable

I find Australia as one of the most liveable places where I can have a good balance between work and personal life. Both Melbourne and Sydney are great places to live in and have some of the biggest research communities in Australia. Out on the road, these cities are very different. Driving in Sydney reminds me of Pune traffic sometimes, especially with drivers being less courteous than those in Melbourne.

My transition from India to Australia was smooth. However shifting the focus from stem cell biology to immunology was not as easy as I expected! People here are very nice and most of them have a typical Aussie accent, which initially was difficult for me. For those of you coming in from outside Australia, please don’t be startled if you hear a question “Are you here to-die (today!)?”

My lab is a great mix of different cultures and a fun place to work in!

What to look out for

Australia is a fantastic place to be in especially if you like to go places and be adventurous. Work-wise, early post-doctoral fellows in Australia are treated as employees (unlike in the USA) and receive all benefits. Although post-doctoral fellowships are higher in Australia than in the USA, cities like Sydney can cut down all differences due to high costs of living. The other thing to remember is that Australia has a smaller funding pool and smaller research community than in the USA. So it is more competitive to get into good places. Watch out for new positions especially around October-December (NHMRC announcements) and check out possibilities for travel/short term fellowships to visit labs in Australia before making a formal application.

 Street shopping, I miss you!

I miss all the near and dear ones in India and, of course, the street shopping! I am not very sure when I’ll return to my country since there is a lot to learn and achieve before I can come back as an independent researcher.

Mugdha Joglekar puts our first flag post in Australia. Stay tuned as we add more Indian postdocs from around the world every Wednesday to the interactive Away from home map pictured below. Please feel free to suggest names of postdocs from unusual countries we haven’t covered yet.

Every Wednesday, our ‘Away from home’ blog series features one Indian postdoc working in a foreign lab recounting his/her experience of working there, the triumphs and challenges, the cultural differences, what they miss about India, as well as some top tips for postdocs headed abroad. You can join in the online conversation using the #postdochat hashtag.

In 2013’s first blog of the series, we hear from Amjad Husain. Amjad is a postdoc at Harvard Medical School in Boston prior to which he was a PhD student at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi. His heartfelt gratitude goes out to the excellent mentors who shaped his life and career and he dreams of spinning off his own venture sometime in the future.

Amjad Husain hopes to float his own research company in future.

Mentors matter a lot

I grew up in a village playing around my family farms in the northern part of India. I went to small public schools. I wasn’t very clear if I’d pursue science as a career but managed to gain an appreciation of biology and economics after I passed out  from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. I was offered a few fellowships and started graduate studies in the laboratory of Dr. Shahid Jameel at ICGEB, New Delhi. My graduate supervisor was an excellent mentor as he encouraged both my cultural and scientific growth. He broadened my perspective of science and society by being an excellent mentor and an artistic and well-read person.

Learning at the best places

I have been fortunate to study at the best institutions so far — IIT Roorkee, ICGEB Delhi and a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard in Boston. At IIT it was more about “survival of the fittest”. I learned to survive in a competitive environment and have nice memories from campus.  At ICGEB, my thesis dealt primarily with the studying role of accessory proteins of HIV. My attempts at experimental science were initially juvenile as it was my first hands-on experience with viruses and molecular biology. After graduating, I got a few offers for postdoc and decided to join Harvard Medical School.

Tumors need blood supply. Can we stop it?

As a postdoctoral fellow I learn to study tumor angiogenesis in Prof. Dvorak’s lab at Center for Vascular Biology (BIDMC).  We study tumor blood vessel formation and cell signaling pathways that regulate angiogenesis. It is interesting to find out why anti-VEGF therapy doesn’t work all the time. My mentor, who is well known for the discovery of VPF/VEGF, has supported me in all aspects that helped my scientific career.  He is an excellent scientist and great human being. My lab mates are very collaborative.

Boston full of energy, young people

In Boston, I entered a scientific community of extremely talented people who work in a very collaborative atmosphere.  Boston is very rich in terms of intellectual density, especially in science and medicine. I enjoy the city, its changing weathers, the Charles river and drives around nearby towns. Winters are typically very cold and often with snow storms. An expensive place to live and one of the oldest cities of the United States, Boston shares many cultural roots with greater New England.

Good graduate training important

If you are trained well as a graduate student, it’s not difficult to adapt in any lab. Though working in the area of tumor angiogenesis was completely new to me, it was a smooth transition. The major part of my work involves in vivo experiments on mouse models and that’s very translational towards developing new therapeutics. My investigator often jokes and says “In vivo VERITAS”.

Get your work published, plan well

To get a postdoc in USA, the best way is to utilize the time between thesis submission and defense for applications. Also get your work published before applying to a lab. Going to conferences and networking with the right people help.  Make sure that the lab you join has sufficient funds to support your work. These days academic research in the West has been severely impacted with large cuts in funding.

Going back would be fun

Learning and doing science have been amazing here so far but I miss my family members and the feel of home. Considering going back, I won’t have many questions about Indian culture being born and brought up there. The positives of life in India are many. No more visa hassles or worrying about being an alien in a foreign land. Then of course, there’s street food, festivals, local bazaars and honking on the road, I miss that so much. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun, but only if expectations are set realistically.

Doing things I get excited about

Throughout the stay in Boston my surroundings have remained relatively constant, though changes have occurred. The new discoveries in tumor biology enlightened me but also complicated my work. Along with a few friends, I  have plans to spin off a company sometime in the near future and that’s going to be exciting. Organisations I have worked with so far, including Harvard, my mentors and the friends who have supported me, will remain an important part of my life.

It’s nice to see our Away from home interactive map (pictured below) dotting up nicely with an entry every Wednesday. Stay tuned as we add more Indian postdocs from around the world. We are hoping to have a couple of entries from Australia soon. Please feel free to suggest names of postdocs from unusual countries we haven’t covered yet.

Every Wednesday we have been hosting an ‘Away from home’ blogging series which features one Indian postdoc working in a foreign lab. Each post recounts his/her experiences: the triumphs and challenges of lab life, the cultural differences, what they miss about India, as well as some top tips for postdocs headed abroad.

The series has had an excellent response from the scientific and research community worldwide. So for regular readers, and those who are just joining us, we thought we would provide asummary of the first four entries, including an interactive  map pinpointing the labs these postdocs are based.

We will continue to update the map each Wednesday and hope that you will join in the online conversation using the #postdochat hashtag. 

Of jalapenos & cognition

Abhijit Das, a postdoctoral fellow at the Kessler Foundation, New Jersey, USA completed his  neurology residency at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Trivandrum, Kerala, India. In December’s first postdoc blog, he tells us about his tryst with blizzards, his coming to terms with the silent ‘j’ of jalapenos, and the excellent research environment in cognitive neurorehabilitation.

Research not a job

Puja Arora  tells us why the “best thing about doing research as a job is that it’s not a job”. Puja did her Ph.D from National institute of immunology in New delhi, India is now at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

Maintaining life’s equilibrium

Our last blogger of 2012 was Niti Kumar, a PhD from the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi. She is currently a postdoc at  Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Munich, Germany. Niti says her chemistry teacher propelled her into science with some funny correlations she made between chemistry and life! Read on.

Our  Away from home interactive map, pictured below and updated every Wednesday, is dotting up the US and Germany. Stay tuned as we add more Indian postdocs from around the world. Feel free to suggest names of postdocs from unusual countries we haven’t covered yet.