This profile is part of a series to highlight the researchers who will be honored at a ceremony on March 9 for UNMC’s Scientist Laureate, Research Leadership, Distinguished Scientist, New Investigator and Community Service to Research Award recipients.
New Investigator
The New Investigator Award is given to outstanding UNMC scientists who in the past two years have secured their first funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense or other national sources. New investigators also had to demonstrate scholarly activity, such as publishing their research and/or presenting their findings at national conventions.
- Name: Gargi Ghosal, PhD
- Title: Assistant professor, UNMC Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy
- Joined UNMC: February 2016
- Hometown: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Please describe your research focus in three words or less:
Mechanisms of DNA damage response pathways
Why is research important in the world today?
Research and innovation shape “life” now and the future.
My research will make a difference because:
It helps understand how damage to the DNA — the blueprint of life — drives the development of cancer, premature aging syndromes and aging. Our research aims to understand the basic science underlying genome maintenance, identify new targets and biomarkers for cancer therapy and facilitate the development of strategies to overcome drug resistance to improve cancer therapy.
The best advice I’ve ever received is:
Where there is a will there’s a way.
Three things you may not know about me are:
- I was a high jump gold medalist in my school for three consecutive years.
- I love solving puzzles and watching murder mysteries.
- I enjoy traveling.
Congratulations Dr. Ghosal.