Snapshot:
Vandana Ramachandran

Position: Research Associate in the Winzeler lab.

Research Topic: Mouse malaria genetics. Vandana is currently examining host genetic factors that confer susceptibility or resistance to the disease. She is also working on a project that involves gene expression profiling of the parasite.

Started at Scripps Research: 2005. " The Winzeler lab is one of the leaders in the field of malaria. I've learned a lot of new techniques since I've been here, including the use of micro-arrays and new imaging technology."

Background: Vandana grew up in Singapore. She earned a B.Sc. from Curtin University in Perth, Australia, and a Ph.D. from the National University of Singapore, which included graduate studies at INSERM (French Medical Research Council) in Paris, France. "I love to travel. Can you tell?"

Career Goals: Returning to Singapore, which has emerged as a biotech and research hub, for a job in industry working on tropical diseases or joining ASTAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research).

Current Professional Activities: President of the Scripps Research Society of Fellows (SOF), picking up from Ron Nepomuceno, who left for a job with AmbitBio.

Goals as SOF President: Launching an SOF newsletter, starting a campus-wide postdoc happy hour, recruiting more SOF members. "Come join us in the SOF! It's a great way to connect with your fellow postdocs and meet pioneering scientists, such as Salk Nobel laureate Sydney Brenner, whom we hosted early this year, and Stanford Nobel laureate Andrew Fire, who will be speaking on August 9th."

Other Hobbies: "Besides traveling, I do enjoy listening to music and going to concerts—almost all genres, except heavy metal."

Send comments to: mikaono[at]scripps.edu

Vandana Ramachandran, a research associate in the Winzeler lab, hopes to work in industry.