Current Title and Department: Ph.D. Candidate in the Wuertz-Kozak’s Lab, Biomedical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelor of Technology in Genetic Engineering, SRM University, India
Graduate Degree: Master of Science in Regenerative Medicine, Manipal University, India

Who do you consider your mentors?
My journey has been shaped by several mentors. Prof. Karin Wuertz‑Kozak, my PhD advisor, continually inspires me to think big while providing steady guidance and challenging me to ask the right questions. Prof. Laura Stone has contributed to shaping my PhD research, sharpening both my scientific rigor and experimental design. In industry, Dr. Mark McCarron showed me how to translate discoveries into practical applications during my time at Regeneron. Finally, Dr. K. N. Arul Jothi, my undergraduate mentor, was the first to recognize and nurture my curiosity for research, setting me on this path.

What is your specific area of interest in research?
My work centers on the inflammatory‑catabolic processes that drive intervertebral disc degeneration, with a special focus on how TRPC6 exacerbates this cascade and how targeting TRPC6 could relieve discogenic chronic back pain.

What are you currently working on?
I’m currently dissecting how TRPC6 drives disc pathology at the molecular level. Using Hyp9, a selective TRPC6 agonist, I map the downstream signaling cascades triggered by channel activation. My next step is to pinpoint whether PKC, MAPK, NF‑κB, or their crosstalk drive this response and to identify actionable nodes for therapeutic intervention.

What has been the biggest challenge for you lately in your research?
Narrowing the scope. With so many fascinating angles to explore, trimming ideas down to achievable PhD aims and still telling a cohesive story has been the hardest part.

What projects are you looking forward to?
I’m eager to probe TRPC6’s role in neovascularization and neoinnervation during disc degeneration, and to move promising inhibitors into in vivo studies that test the therapeutic potential.

What changes would you like to see in the future of the orthopedic research community?
I’d love to see orthopedic research fully embrace AI, using advanced analytics and predictive modeling to accelerate both basic discovery and clinical translation.

What do you like to do outside of your work?
I hit the gym five days a week, and much to my own surprise I’ve recently fallen for baking; my tiramisu and Tres leches cakes are already crowd‑pleasers.

What is the last book you read?
101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think by Brianna Wiest. It offers fresh perspectives on everyday life and, for me, a boost in emotional intelligence.

What is the most unusual/unexpected item sitting on your desk right now?
A tube of Bengay pain relief cream, ironic for a spine researcher, right?