About Me
I am a Ph.D. candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with expertise in immuno-oncology, biologics, and animal models of cancer. I have experience of working in drug discovery and formulation development in a matrix team environment. My current research focuses on immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer using nanoparticles for drug delivery.
Over the last seven years, I have worked with eight academic research labs in the US, Taiwan, and India, in diverse research areas including biomaterials, nanomedicine, biosensors, and drug delivery. I am actively seeking growth and been constantly eager to develop new skills. This constant drive for diversification motivated me to shift my concentration from Chemistry and focus on some of the challenging areas of biomedical sciences for my doctoral work. Currently, my Ph.D. thesis research intersects at the crossroads of cancer immunotherapy, nanoformulations, and non-viral gene therapy. My work has been published in peer-reviewed journals like Molecular Therapy, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, ACS Nano, and Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews among others.
I am passionate about cross-cultural leadership development, promoting a culture of effective scientific communication, and advocating for the professional development of graduate students. I was the Chair of ComSciCon-Triangle 2019, a workshop designed to empower STEM graduate students to communicate the concepts in their field and beyond to diverse audiences. I had served as the Vice President of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Sciences (AAPS) Student Chapter at UNC, Senator for Pharmaceutical Sciences at UNC Graduate and Professional Student Federation (GPSF), and an advisory board member of UNC Training Initiatives in Biomedical & Biological Sciences (TIBBS). I co-founded OncoBites, a science communication blog focusing on cancer research, with a team of diverse professionals to share the latest advancements in oncology with a broader audience.
When I am not in the lab, you can probably find me on the trails, admiring the diverse beauty of the Carolinas and Virginia. I have hiked in 40/41 North Carolina State Parks! You can check out my hiking photography handle here.
To know more about my work, please check these links:
I am looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you for visiting this page!
Last updated: 08/06/2019
Manisit Das 