Alumni Spotlight – Vikram Pansare
Vikram Pansare - Ph. D. Candidate in Chemical Engineering, Princeton University
Q: What is your chosen graduate field/professional line or work? What interests you the most about it?
Vikram: I’m currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Princeton University. My area of research is in drug delivery (not the kind between Colombia and the US). My group specializes in developing novel therapeutic and diagnostic agents that are a thousandth the width of a single human hair. These agents can be targeted to, for example, tumors in cancer treatment to lower the side effects of chemotherapy.
Not only do I get a sense of satisfaction from knowing that one day my research could help a patient, but it’s also great to work in a group that focuses on the science as well as the commercial development of biotechnology. I have had opportunities to participate in patent development and partnerships with established biotechnology companies.
Q: How did you come to find this opportunity?
Vikram: I began researching during my junior year at Purdue University and was recommended to go into the field through my advisor, Prof. Ronald Andres of Chemical Engineering. I applied to several PhD programs and eventually decided to go to Princeton. Once there, I talked with several professors regarding their research and decided on joining Prof. Robert Prud’homme’s group in drug delivery in 2009.
By the way, for anyone considering a PhD program, remember that the school ranking is secondary to the quality of the professors in the field you’re interested in. I say this because there are superstar research professors in some low ranked, unknown schools, and having a letter of recommendation from such an advisor matters much more than the reputation of the school. This is especially important if you have plans to be in academia, but not so much if you want to go into industry.
Q: What advice would you give to undergraduates who want to get into this field?
Vikram: Before deciding whether or not the field is right for you, you MUST do some undergraduate research in an area that is at least tangentially related. Get a feel for the field by talking to active professors. Don’t worry about feeling like you’re wasting their time; professors LOVE to discuss their research.
If you eventually find that research might be right for you, apply to PhD programs (I would recommend around 8 schools, with at least a couple of top ranked schools). Many PhD programs provide you with full funding + stipend for the duration of your degree.
Good reasons to get a PhD are a love of research and desire to become a professor or senior researcher at a technical company. Bad reasons to get a PhD are a desire to make more money and a lack of direction in life (though many people do it for the latter reason). For the amount of time you need to spend in a technical PhD (4.5 – 6 years typically), the higher paying job you’ll get upon graduation won’t offset the low stipend you were living on for several years.
Q: How did BCT help in developing your skills/networking (or any part of it)?
Vikram: BCT was instrumental in helping me to develop my social skills and gave me numerous networking opportunities with brothers in engineering, medicine, business, and law. Should I decide to start a business in the biotech field, the contacts that I have within BCT will be invaluable.
Q: Describe some interesting and exciting projects/work you have been a part of.
Vikram: I have been very lucky to be able to participate in cutting edge research in disease therapy and diagnostics as well as new drug discovery. Currently, my projects aim to reduce the cost and improve the efficacy of whole animal drug trials as well surgical procedures for humans. In addition, we are also involved in developing MRI contrast agents and targeted-radioactive agents for cancer therapy.
The field of drug delivery and nanomedicine is only growing, so if you have even a passing interest right now, I would urge you to talk to professors and graduate students in the field, either at your school or a nearby one. Do some research, even for a semester, to get a feel for the field.
Special thanks to Vikram Pansare for being our first Alumni Spotlight feature and highlighting many interesting things about his field of drug delivery and nanomedicine!
