Sangamithra Vardhan

I hope to continue work in the biotechnology industry for medical diagnostic research and development. I would like to not only perform microscopy techniques but also create improvements to imaging techniques using nanotechnology. I specifically want to synthesize nanoparticles to be used as both drug delivery mechanisms and improved imaging agents to target biomarkers for diagnosis. I hope to make these imaging agents available even in developing countries.

After working on research projects with various imaging methods, I have an immense interest in learning more about imaging techniques of biological structures as a possible way to investigate molecular mechanisms in diseases. I wish to get a PhD in this area after my undergraduate studies. After having experience in researching treatment for atherosclerosis in my high school senior project, , I had an interest in elucidating enzymatic pathways involved in cardiovascular disease and wanted to further probe into cellular machinery to discover biomarkers. Contrasting agents in fluorescence microscopy can utilize these biomarkers as a diagnostic method for diseases. Thus, I wish to combine my interest in cardiovascular research and optical microscopy to improve diagnosis. I also would like to be involved in a lab that applies microscopy in a mobile platform to create efficient diagnostic assays that can quantify biomarkers. This type of technology can later be marketed in developing countries for better medical treatment.