Reflecting on a journey: Q&A with Dr Shalini Gupta
As Dr Shalini Gupta wraps up her time with us at NATA, we reflect on her experience over the past six months as a visiting scientist. During this time, Shalini has been a key part of the team, contributing valuable insights and expertise. She has focused on addressing the challenge of endosomal escape, a key area in advancing nucleic acid therapies.
What was your first impression of NATA when you arrived? Has this changed and, if so, how?
The environment at NATA felt professional at the beginning, with thorough safety regulations for conducting experiments. Over the course, with technical trainings and interactions with the NATA team, I felt more confident with the experimental work. When I reflect on my time at NATA, I realise that I am leaving with new contacts, knowledge and friendships as well as experience within a fantastic organisation.
What has been your favourite part about working with the NATA team?
The NATA team has been very supportive of my work, always providing prompt assistance whenever needed—whether it was access to training or practical guidance.
What have you found most valuable about your experience working at NATA?
Having worked in a purely academic setting since my PhD, my experience at NATA has been very different. What I value most here is the emphasis on training—it's a requirement and readily available to anyone who wants to conduct experiments. The detailed work instructions have also been useful, allowing experiments to be carried out independently.
What knowledge or skills have you gained? / How has your experience here helped you to develop?
I have been trained in operating of many state-of-the-art instruments relevant to my field, which has expended my technical knowledge. I believe that this is crucial for any scientist, particularly a chemist, as it translates a hypothesis to an executable experiment. Overall, my training at NATA has enriched my technical skills and conceptual knowledge.
What are the benefits of collaborating with an organisation like NATA?
Inter-institutional collaborations are always valuable, as they bring together expertise from both organisations, leading to significant advancements. Through my secondment at NATA, I had the privilege of engaging with scientists here and sharing insights from our work at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science. Visiting scientists can serve as a bridge for dissemination of knowledge between collaborators beyond the realm of official communications. I have made every effort to integrate our expertise across all aspects of the project—from synthesis to biological screening—between both organisations.
How has life in the UK been for you?
During my time in the UK, I have found life here has been quite different in many ways—from the weather and food to my daily routine. Having spent most of my life in a bustling city, the quiet and serene environment of the Harwell Campus was a noticeable change.
How do you think your time at NATA will influence your future work?
The skills I have gained at NATA will be invaluable for my future research, whether in chemistry or biology. Carrying out my project here has strengthened my confidence and equipped me with the experience needed to become an independent researcher.
What’s next for you after NATA?
Next, I will be joining KU Leuven as a postdoctoral researcher in chemical biology.
As Shalini continues onto her next postdoctoral position, we want to say a big thank you and wish her all the best in her new research!