What inspired you to pursue your current field of study/research?
The excitement of studying and working on something like genetically manipulating diseases, which seemed like a far-fetched dream, but now is a reality, is what made me choose this degree. Realizing that it might not be my entire future, I’m glad I made the decision to pursue this field of study. It turned out to be a thrilling and exciting journey of cell and gene therapy lessons and professional life lessons.
What has been the highlight of your experience in COS so far?
Us Cell and Gene Therapies students had a different experience than the other COS students. One of the highlights includes our semester dinners with Professor Sahar Tavkoli and Associate Director Suzzette Turnbull. These moments of communication and working through things boosted my confidence throughout the year from being a girl with mild social nervousness to speaking my thoughts in an open forum.
Have you had any professors or mentors who really made an impact on you?
I currently work part-time at the BATL/Life Sciences Testing Center on the Burlington campus. My manager, Mike Stanger, and supervisor, Eduardo Sanchez, have been my mentors since I started volunteering during my first semester. Being a part of their team has greatly impacted me professionally and personally.
Working in an extremely dynamic environment on a daily basis has taught me how to stay on my toes, manage my time, navigate through a team, and develop many other skills one would expect to have in one’s professional journey.
Subhiksha Srinivasan ’25, Cell and Gene Therapies
The experience was an eye-opener in my life, for which I’m very grateful.
Where do you see your field of study/research taking you?
It is a bit uncertain now, but I’m pretty sure I’ll figure it out before I complete my co-op.
What kind of impact do you hope to make after you leave Northeastern?
I love explaining or educating people who don’t understand too much about technical life science. I hope to continue doing what would be a means of helping people and maybe kick-start the development of life science enthusiasts.
What advice would you give students interested in pursuing a degree in science?
Science is all about being passionate about how the world works and trying to be a part of the play. Taking advantage of every resource (even if it is the age-old encyclopedia) provided to you would be my first and most important advice. The rest will always follow about where you want science to take you. It also tests one’s patience, so not giving up is also a piece of advice I’d give anyone who wants to pursue science.
