Sharmelee Selvaraji
Nationality:
India
Faculty and Department:
NUS Graduate School, Integrative Sciences & Engineering Programme
Year of Study:
4
Undergraduate University:
National University of Singapore
Why did you choose to do a PhD?
It is the uncertainty, in the name of challenge, that drives research forward and the very same that draws me towards the field.
Research continues to challenge scientists every day and striving towards the betterment of Science. From understanding to elucidating mechanisms, finding biomarkers and ideally cure for diseases, research is always seeking knowledge. Research serves as a constant reminder about the plasticity of knowledge and how Science is ever-evolving. The abundance of questions and varied perspectives surface the complexity of thoughts and ideas. It never fails to amuse me how powerful our thoughts can be and the endless permutations of possibilities that lies within us. PhD was thus a platform for me to embark on this path full of questions and uncertainties. I saw it as a means to ‘formalize’ my inquisitiveness in the realm of Neuroscience and beyond.
Why did you choose to do graduate education at NUS? If you received offers from other universities, why did you pick NUS?
I did receive offers from other universities. However, having had my research experience begin in and through NUS, I wanted to pursue my PhD here as well~ a platform that continues to encourage me to live curious with numerous opportunities to do so. I strongly believed that NUS would provide the kind of rigor that will allow me to mould myself into a better scientist. Entering my 4th year of PhD and having spent 7 years in NUS environment, my decision would be no different if given a chance to turn back the clock. Apart from the resources available, the environment in which you pursue your graduate education in, is indeed crucial. I have personally experienced the freedom to explore my ideas in research and have been encouraged to materialise my thoughts by my mentors and professors in NUS during my undergraduate years.
With these in mind, I decided to pursue my PhD in NUS~ in a familiar setting under the training of the best hands.
How does graduate school compare to your undergraduate experience?
y undergraduate experience was one with safety nets, guidance to a certain extent and exploration within safe boundaries. Graduate school is definitely an amazing experience thus far. It is one that is filled with freedom, independent thinking and lots of responsibilities. Although it is stressful, the thought that I am pursuing what I want to keeps me going. While there are deadlines to meet, modules and teaching hours to clear, there is a lot of liberty and scope to allow myself to grow both as a person and in my research. With responsibilities, discipline follows through. I stepped into graduate school thinking I knew what I wanted. Graduate school thus far as shown me how badly I want what I wanted:) I say this because amidst the stress, there are many points when you would want to give up, but an inner voice tells you to keep going~ and that is the passion.
Briefly share about your research or thesis (i.e. dissertation topic for Masters by Coursework students).
If I had to describe my work in one word, that would be *time*.
-Every 3 seconds, a new case of dementia is being diagnosed. Over 50 million people have been diagnosed with dementia and this number will multiple several folds in just a few years due to a rapidly aging population.
-Environmental factors such as stress, diet and alcohol have been evidenced to be the risk factors driving Vascular dementia, the second leading cause of dementia worldwide. As of today, the treatments remain symptomatic and the clock continues to tick for these patients, many giving way well before their time. I work on a mouse model of Vascular dementia to study the gene-environment (epigenetics) interaction in the disease pathogenesis.
-In addition, I introduced intermittent fasting in these mice. A pattern that cycles between periods of eating and fasting, essentially time-restricted feeding has shown beneficial effects in improving brain function, immunity and increasing longevity. Hence, I introduced IF as a prophylactic treatment to study its effects on the epigenetic landscape of the diseased mice.
Essentially, my work revolves around altering the duration within which food is consumed (intermittent fasting) to slow down the progression of Vascular dementia by modulating the epigenetic landscape.
What impact do you hope to have with your research?
There is much more work to be done to bring my thesis concept to translational stage. However, I hope to shine a ray of hope on the potential of intermittent fasting as a potential preventive intervention for at-risk dementia patients. I have always mentioned at the end of my presentations that I hope to have taken a step closer in piecing the puzzle of vascular dementia because it is the small steps that go a long way.
If you have won any academic prize/competition or been invited to speak at an international conference—share what it is, its significance, and how you worked towards achieving it.
• Invited as a panel speaker in Hypertension Winter School 2021
This was a meeting for students and early career researchers alike in the field of hypertension. The High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia has been at the forefront of research into the causes, prevention, and treatment of high blood pressure.
I was part of the panel discussion with 6 international speakers on the topic of impact of COVID-19 on research work and life. I presented on my personal experience (representing fellow peers in Singapore) of how research was affected due to COVID-19 and the efforts taken at NUS to dampen the impact as much as possible. I also provided advice on how to handle this situation in terms of research work for fellow students in the audience.
• First Prize in NUS 3 Minute Thesis Competition (2021)
• Third prize in National Level 3 Minute Thesis Competition (2020)
• First prize in NUS NGS 3 Minute Thesis Competition (2019)
3 Minute Thesis competition is a platform that I am very passionate about because I believe that as much as doing good Science is important, communicating it to the public is very important. I feel that years of hardwork go unsaid behind the labs and Scientific research is often limited to the scientific community. It needs to be spoken about widely, shared in a layman way and conveyed to everyone because knowledge is key.
• Best Poster Presentation (SfN-SG Chapter) (2020)
• First Prize in NTU-MIND symposium 3 Minute Thesis Competition (2020)
• Best Poster Prize- NUS Medicine 8th Annual Biomedical Scientific Congress (2019)
• Awarded Swee-Liew Wadsworth Concept Grant Award (2019)
Share something fun from your graduate journey at NUS.
I have really enjoyed my graduate journey thus far because every new experience is fun and I am doing what I like. My 3 minute thesis competitions, animal work, surgeries, intermittent fasting of the animals, conference travel experience, meeting new people and the friends made in this journey…every aspect has been made fun one way or another.
Briefly share a highlight from your graduate school journey.
I started off my PhD knowing nothing about bioinformatics. I had to learn and pick up some coding and learn how to analyse data within a span of about 6 months. It was a very steep learning curve and I felt very demoralised because everything was new and I had a lot of figuring out to do. I had one mentor at A*STAR with whom I would meet weekly once to learn bioinformatics from him. Otherwise, I was the first one in my lab to embark on this area so I had little help from my peers here. With guidance from the mentor at A*STAR, lots of googling and reading up online, I can now do some coding and analysis which is sufficient to bring my project forward. This was my personal highlight during graduate school because I proved to myself that it is only a matter of time before knowledge is acquired and while things maybe difficult, it is not impossible.
Share a challenge you faced in graduate school and how you overcame it.
The strike of COVID-19 and the imposition of a circuit breaker was the highlight of my graduate journey. My PQE was done over zoom in the comforts of my home during this period. I had to appeal and get special permission from NUS and MOE to be allowed to go to campus everyday (at 7am and 3pm respectively) to subject over 150 mice to intermittent fasting. Little did I foresee any of these but challenges are what make us tougher:) Expressing thoughts and having an avenue to let out emotions was very crucial during this period and I am glad for an excellent support system both at home and at work to push me through this phase.
Share something about campus life at NUS that new students would be interested to hear about.
A pleasant environment with quite a number of scenic spots that you can take a walk along or just stare at for inspiration or relaxation:)
Do you have any interesting personal stories to share? For example, about your journey to get into graduate school, personal hobbies/interests.
I am the first in my family to embark on a career in Science, to do a PhD degree and the first lady to be not married yet at this age 😛
My interest in Science started off with a newspaper article on addiction and the brain (with illustrations). I still have this article and the wow-moment I had when I saw how much our brain can control who we are amused me. Still amuses me:) It was then that I wanted to find out more about this complex ~1.3kg organ. Not everything fell in place easily but I am here despite it all and that matters most to me. I now proudly tell my nephews, dream with your eyes open and become what you want to.
What message would you like to give to students interested in graduate studies in NUS?
If you have decided to pursue graduate studies, you will not regret your time in NUS.
So, see you soon I guess:)