Sunita Patolia

Growing up in New Delhi, India with neighbors and friends from different parts of the country with different religions and customs has been one of the best experiences of my life. It taught something that I find useful every day-- Differences in lifestyle, opinions, behaviors and talents are normal and add variety to life.
After high school, going to Pharmacy school for my bachelor's degree was a natural progression given my interest in drugs since I made my 1st first-aid box as a school project in 3rd grade. And since my first year in Pharmacy school I have dreamed of discovering better and safer drugs that help people lead healthier lives.
Studying for Master's in Drug Discovery in London was the most amazing time of my life. On one hand I was learning the different stages and processes of drug discovery and development and on the other hand I was soaking in everything that an exciting city like London had to offer.
During my time there, a guest speaker from Novartis described his experience of being a part of the team that discovered Gleevec (anti-cancer drug) and after listening to him I knew that, that's exactly what I wanted to do when I grew up.
So with a couple of stops on the way, I travelled to the United Sates of America to begin my PhD studies. And the rest as they say is history.
Now, as I am on the brink of finishing my PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology I am really excited about the new phase of life where I will be able to put everything I have learnt to use and be a part of developing some life-transforming therapies. In addition, having lived and worked on three continents has taught me to thrive in a multi-cultural as well as multi-disciplinary environment.
Right now I am looking for career opportunities where I would be able use my critical thinking and problem skills to help people lead better informed and healthier lives.