STATEMENT OF RESEARCH INTEREST

I Can Two small words, pasted over my best friend's cupboard have all along proved a driving force in my life of a much greater magnitude than what it means to a naked eye. I dream of a career in research and teaching. I believe in my dreams. As a kid in school, it was the germination of a seed in to a tree that first attracted me towards Biology. But as I grew, this juvenile attraction slowly metamorphosed into a more mature respect for the subject. As my understanding of Biology grew, so did my fascination for it, and I knew that I wanted to be a biologist. The passion and fascination towards biological sciences made me take up Bachelors Degree in Biotechnology at Sri Sai Baba National Degree College, a deemed university located in Anantapur. My mind became occupied with questions about bio molecules, their structure, synthesis and interaction that are incumbent in sustaining life. In my sophomore year of my undergraduate study, I first began to seriously consider a career in research. My years as an undergraduate student of biotechnology made me realize the vastness of this subject and the enormous scope it offered for research in several areas. I was introduced to various fields of study like cell and molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, recombinant DNA technology, immunology and nanobiotechnology. I gained practical knowledge of techniques in the fields of biochemistry, cell biology, immunology, molecular biology and r-DNA technology. During my undergraduate study, courses such as Genetic Engineering nurtured me to develop a passion for Biotechnology. This passion has blossomed into a desire to delve deeper into myriad research areas. I have always been fascinated by the concept of biological principles in genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is a challenging field with a lot of applications. In continuation of my pursuit, I enrolled for Masters Degree in Biotechnology at SRM University, Chennai. In my post graduate studies, I benefitted from the breadth of syllabi content that gave me a comprehensive exposure to core areas of biotechnology, and a strong conceptual understanding of the same. I began my steps towards research by joining J .K. Agri Genetics Private Limited for my final year project work. My work entitled "Designing a PCR based marker to access the genetic purity of chilly hybrids" was supervised by Dr. Debhashis Rana. The project was to design a PCR based marker to access the purity of chilly hybrids. With this objective, I designed a simple sequence repeat marker (SSR) to access the genetic purity of chilly hybrid plants.

Most of my course work was in the area of plant molecular biology, genetic engineering and plant tissue culture. Part of this interest is because I grew up in a rural village and observed that many people suffered from diseases as a result of malnutrition. Hence I have a keen interest in plant molecular biology and genetic engineering that will help in the production of biofortified crops and prevent the diseases and deaths that result from malnutrition and improve the health condition of people living in rural areas. Governments are addressing this global health crisis by providing dietary micronutrient supplements and started food fortification programs. Unfortunately, these programs did not reach the poor rural families in developing nations and are not proven to be sustainable. These types of approaches treat the symptoms of malnutrition but do nothing to address the primary causes. The underlying factors responsible for malnutrition are rooted in dysfunctional food systems dependant on agricultural systems that cannot provide all the essential nutrients and health promoting factors in required amounts continuously during all seasons. Because agriculture is the primary supplier of all nutrients consumed by people, it is logical to suspect that agricultural policies and farming systems have a good share in the root causes of malnutrition and diet related diseases. Moreover, the agricultural sector has never had an explicit goal of improving human health; and the nutrition and health communities have never used agriculture as a primary tool to treat malnutrition and diet related diseases. I would like to devote my
research in obtaining optimum all-round benefits from biofortification projects and producing biofortified crops at a commercial level would be a dream come true for me.

I feel that studying at masters level is only a preliminary ground of preparation for acquiring knowledge of such a vast subject. Doctoral study is what would enable me to build on this foundation through focused study. Moreover, I feel that the firsthand experience of research that one gains during graduate study is necessary for the transformation of an enthusiastic graduate to an active researcher. I strongly believe that my drive, motivation and hard-working nature supplemented with my abilities to perform a dedicated research work will be useful tools in helping me materialize my dreams. I strongly aspire to do my research at your University. Also, I see my career as one that will play a definite role in tackling various challenges that biotechnologists are facing today. For the above reasons, I feel that a faculty position involving research is ideal for me.

When I had to choose the right place for my doctoral study, Lincoln University attracted my attention because of the excellent reputation of its agricultural programs. I feel that the wide range of well equipped research centers and facilities at your university will definitely provide the stimulating environment that I am looking for. The eminent list of faculty members who are doing considerable research in my areas of interest has spurred me on to become a part of your distinguished team and have all given a fillip to my goal of pursuing my studies at Lincoln University .I have reviewed the faculty research projects on the university website and am interested in exploring possibilities for projects in the laboratories of Dr. Brett Robinson. I am sure that the impeccable academic reputation, diversity and support would make me feel at home. This is not the end of my statement. This is just its beginning. I am determined to succeed. I ought to thank my friend for providing the inspiration to put up a poster of my own on my cupboard, with a slight addition to suit my interests. It reads I can, and I will.