TIFR graduate gets Rowland fellowship at Harvard

The fellowship, awarded to only one or three individuals annually from a rigorous pool of global applicants, provides an exceptional platform for fresh PhD graduates to pursue independent research. This includes substantial funding for five years, covering salaries, lab setup costs, and

consumables. After five years, researchers can either venture into academia or translate their innovations into startups.

This year, the fellowship was awarded to two individuals, including Purnati, a PhD graduate from TIFR Hyderabad, who presented a novel proposal focusing on tissue formation. "During my PhD, I was working on epithelial wound healing. If you have a cut on your skin, how does that heal? I looked at the role of organelles, specifically the Golgi apparatus. For Rowland, I'm going to look at how nuclei are positioned in each cell and how that can help generate tissue shapes," she explained.

With the fellowship, she plans to hire postdoctoral fellows and junior research fellows (JRFs) to support her project. Beyond her immediate research, she aspires to collaborate with scientists globally, including ecological experts studying non-model (those not traditionally used for research purposes) organisms. "I would like to collaborate with researchers studying the physiological aspects of hummingbirds and to understand biological systems from a broader perspective," she shared.

Her academic journey, rooted in a microbiology degree from Delhi University, reflects a blend of curiosity and determination. "My parents initially wanted me to pursue MBBS or engineering, but I realised my passion lay in understanding how living systems work," she said.

Beyond her research, she enjoys playing badminton, cycling long distances, and learning the flute. “Scientists are also normal people who enjoy watching TV shows. I am a fan of ‘Rick and Morty’ and The Office,” she said.