Interview | Tanushka Rana, PhD Student at FMP - Winner of the Speed Lecture Award
1. In my current job …
…I study chloride transporters ClC-7 and VRAC to understand their physiological roles and mechanisms of action. I specifically use cell and molecular biology and microscopy to investigate what happens on cellular and organismal levels when these transporters become dysfunctional.
2. What I like most about it is …
…the ubiquitous impact of chloride transporters. A lot of them occur in all human cell types and function for the benefit of the entire organism. Naturally, the ramifications when something goes wrong are considerable and diverse.
3. With my work I would like to achieve that …
…ion transport and homeostasis become commonplace and better integrated in the study of larger processes like cancer biology or immune responses to disease. Every biological process can be reduced to a charge-based interaction if you look close enough!
4. In dealing with other people, I particularly appreciate ...
…learning from them! Working in a team is a fantastic opportunity to learn from, and better one another. When done right, the pursuit of a common goal is the perfect setting to excel in collectively.
5. The best decision of my life was …
...moving to Germany for higher education and a career in research. Germany has a breadth of resources and opportunities in so many fields. It’s an opportunity that many would appreciate, but not all have- which makes it even more valuable.
6. An invention revolutionizing medicine, ...
...is probably the advent of AI. It’s fascinating how well-trained AI can be put to use in life science and medical education and research. The successful integration of AI in research and diagnostic approaches would make it a force to be reckoned with.
7. I hope that in 20 years we will ...
…easily leverage gene editing techniques to better pursue cures for rare genetic disorders like lysosomal storage diseases.
8. This motto inspires me:
Find balance in what you do, and maintain a willingness to learn. It’d be a personal success to be able to balance my work and life outside it, and still be good at what I do. Despite some calling it a myth, work-life balance allows you to step back, reassess, gain perspective, and learn something new- things one may miss when solely focusing on any single aspect of life. There’s something to learn from everyone, if one has the willingness to question everything and reflect on the meaning of your interactions with others.
9. My insider tip for Berlin-Brandenburg is …
…to explore, and find your happy place in the city. There’s a bounty of nature, culture, sport and social groups to explore. Berlin may well be the only place in Germany all these things intersect as intensely! Find a place, activity or group of people that help you enjoy all this wondrous city has to offer.
