Good day, Paromita Sarbadhikary, Ph.D.. I'm Arjun. I've had a look through your background and your professional record. I'm interested in hearing more about your work and how you see yourself fitting in here with our faculty. Ready to start?

Yes.

Sorry, I can't hear you.

Yes.

Great, thank you for confirming. Let's begin. Professor, I see from your resume that you hold a Ph.D. in Life Science and have conducted advanced research on nano-phytochemicals for photodynamic therapy applications. Let’s start by discussing your teaching and mentoring experience. Can you share how you approach delivering structured curriculum and laboratory sessions to students?

I thank you. So I am Parameter Sarvadhikari as you already introduced me. So basically I have a background in PhD in life science. After that I have joined Sri Vaishnav Institute of Science where I was teaching biotechnology and life science graduate and postgraduate students and I was also involved in supervising a PSD student. Further, I joined University of Johannesburg where I am conducting my research.

In nano phytochemicals and resistant cancers and treatment with photodynamic therapy.

Thank you, Professor Sarbadhikary. Your journey through teaching at Sri Vaishnav Institute and conducting research at the University of Johannesburg certainly reflects depth in academic and scientific endeavors. Let me focus specifically on how you ensure clarity and engagement in your teaching methodologies. How do you tailor your approach to teaching complex topics, such as nanotechnology or molecular biology techniques, to students with varying levels of understanding?

Yes, sure. Because as I am also supervising masters students in University of Johannesburg. So basically as we all know the students comes from different backgrounds with their different understanding of of a topic. So basically we need to start from a very practical approach. For example if I have to teach students what nanotechnology means, we need to take them to the point basically what is basically nanometer, what does nanoparticles means, so.

For my teaching, I feel a practical approach of a teaching is much more important as we all aware of what is nanotechnology, Even the students also knows what is nanoparticles but what are the basics of nanoparticles and why we are using nanoparticles. So my teaching basically includes blended teaching where I start with the basics, try to understand what are the basic understanding of a student. So I always have an 1 to 1 interactions in the class. Or I try to understand what they are lacking or what they are trying to understand. Then I approach like that. So I always go like I have my own teaching session. Then I also followed by my own presentations and I always distribute those presentations so that they always go back to their and have a look on those presentations. Then also I refer to different. Onlinetextslikezobe.com for the laboratory techniques. Or Khan Academy which can also give them awesome many educational videos which give them much more.

Interest or introspects into the subject.

Thank you, Professor Sarbadhikary. Your use of a blended teaching approach, integrating foundational concepts, personalized interaction, and curated resources like online platforms, demonstrates a comprehensive method to engage and support diverse learners. When teaching laboratory techniques, which often require meticulous process understanding and application, how do you ensure students gain both theoretical and practical competencies effectively?

Yes, sure. So for that I always try to give them first the basics that for example, if I'm doing a nanoparticle synthesis. So it's always good to give them a insight basically what does nanoparticle synthesis means or what are the different types of nanoparticle synthesis and what are the first visual as we know that students always.

Have a first visual impact. So what are the visual changes happens when we are doing the nanoparticle synthesis?

So this gives a student like if a color changes upon the nanoparticle synthesis, this gives a visual impact or like a quick grab on the subject that how the nanoparticle synthesis happens and how we can confirm that. So this so it's always basically they need to have a first a very theoretical knowledge, which should be always followed by a practical knowledge that how should you confirm there is a nanoparticle synthesis or how you.

So you how you should proceed with the nanoparticle synthesis.

Understood, Professor Sarbadhikary. Your emphasis on starting with foundational theory, followed by practical demonstrations with visual confirmations—such as color change during nanoparticle synthesis—provides an engaging and hands-on learning experience. Moving forward, you mentioned supervising students in research. How do you mentor them in developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, particularly in interdisciplinary projects?

Yes, sure. So basically as I'm doing in the nanotechnology and phototherapy, this is basically a multidisciplinary project which where we need the concepts of chemistry also for the nanoparticle synthesis. We also need the concept of physics for the light tissue interactions. So for this like for example if we are starting with a nanoparticle synthesis and the student gets. Either they get stuck somewhere.

Or they are not getting a proper result like what we were expecting from a synthesis process. They always, I always ask them to break down their steps and then check what the problem at what step the problem happened, whether it was the concentration of your starting chemicals, then you once you check that then you follow the second what was the temperature and other. Conditions. So this is basically how I tried to.

Uh, get them, uh, get their problem sorted or how to think critically, like if this, uh, pathway is not working or this synthesis process is not working. So what's the other way? So for that, I always ask them to go and check for the some more articles. Then we sit down, we discuss what are the different, uh, synthesis process which we can, uh, which we can take care of or where we are basically lacking maybe concentrations or that type of.

Things and then once we get that, we I always ask them to analyze the results first so that we can confirm the whatever we have thought of whether we are going on the right path or we need to recheck our process.

Thank you, Professor Sarbadhikary. Your method of guiding students to systematically break down experimental processes, identify root causes, and explore alternative approaches indeed builds a strong framework for critical thinking and problem-solving in interdisciplinary research. Let's pivot slightly to your research background. Given your extensive work on nano-phytochemicals for photodynamic therapy, can you elaborate on how your research contributes to the field of genetic counselling or genetic engineering, particularly in addressing resistant cancers?

Yes, so basically genetic counselling if we see or if you say that genetic engineering. So basically for genetic in cancer also we need genetic counseling. So how my maybe my diet knowledge of nanophytochemicals is not involved by but my knowledge in cancer biology, the depth the molecular, what are the molecular aspects of cancer like the omics studies like the trans.

She makes genomics differences, proteomics differences. I have that background of doing the omics studies. I also have a background of knowing the molecular biology like what are the cell death pathways or which are the pathways which are involved in the resistant cancer by doing RTPCR. So in that process I can help the OR I can contribute into the genetic counseling that to understand. How a cancer biology is involved because, as we know, cancer is. Is now a very complex disease. It is always individual individualized disease nowadays because a drug which is which is effective for one patient, it will not be effective for the other patients. So we need to understand the molecular biology of each cancer type even if the cancers are same from the different individuals. So my knowledge of cancer biology or their in-depth. Molecular biology, their genetics will help me to make people understand what are the differences.

Between the cancers and two and also to design A personalized treatment for a particular patient, which is much more required for nowadays.

Thank you, Professor Sarbadhikary. Your deep expertise in molecular oncology, particularly with omics studies and the molecular mechanisms behind resistant cancers, aligns significantly with advancing precision medicine in genetic counselling. Your focus on individualized cancer treatment based on genetic and molecular profiling is indeed critical in contemporary medical science. Next, can you discuss how your experience in research publications and international collaborations has influenced your ability to mentor students or contribute to academic advancements in genetic counselling?

Yes, sure. So basically as I said that I have maybe uh, most of my international collaborations are either national level or international level. I have some international collaborators who are directly working in clinics to treat cancers with PDT. So they are the molecular biology is one of the main important factors. So whenever a patient goes to clinics, they need to understand why they are going through PDT or.

Because they need to understand why the other treatment is not effective while PDT can be effective treatment therapy. So also with my publications also if you will see, I am moved into cancer biology or I am trying to elucidate how a treatment changes the whole molecular aspect of a treatment, especially with the resistant cancer. Those things will help me to understand. Or to give my best into personalized other precision oncology?

For treatment of a patient.

Thank you for elaborating, Professor Sarbadhikary. Your collaborations with clinical experts and your focus on understanding molecular changes during treatments clearly demonstrate how your approach bridges research and clinical application. Your contributions in precision oncology, reinforced by your publications, also highlight your ability to provide valuable mentorship and drive academic advancements in genetic counselling. Now, shifting slightly to academic responsibilities: how do you manage student evaluations and design assessments that effectively measure their understanding in both theoretical and practical aspects of your subject area?

Yes. Uh, so basically I always prefer to have, uh, direct interaction with the students and I prefer, always prefer like if I, uh, end up with one topic, I prefer to have one short class test or something like that so that I can understand how much is like, as we all know, different, the students are different. So, uh, like how much I have delivered and how much they have, uh, understood from, uh, from whatever I have taught. So based on that, I try to understand like what is student is basically lacking and especially the students who comes from different backgrounds and how and then by doing direct interaction with them, I can understand that basically what kind of improvement they want from my teaching. Like it's always a feedback thing which I always prefer to proceed with my teaching. So it gives a more clear.

Or more like a more clear picture to the students and also I get a more clear picture basically where I stand when I am teaching the students which includes everyone in the class.

Thank you, Professor Sarbadhikary. Your emphasis on frequent, direct evaluations and personalized feedback not only demonstrates your commitment to dynamic teaching but also reflects your sensitivity to the diverse learning needs of students. It’s clear your approach fosters continuous improvement both in your teaching techniques and student understanding. Let’s move to guiding research and student projects. How do you ensure that students balance innovation and academic rigor in their research, particularly in complex interdisciplinary domains like genetic counselling and biomedical applications?

Yes. So basically I always, if I have some topic in my mind which a student can work on, I always, whenever I have a student, I always prefer to have the student to go back, have some literature search and maybe they find out what's the gap in that, in that field. Or they should understand what's the background of this field and why we want to this do this kind of things then. Once we are.

Like once the student have a literature background of that topic, we always sit down, we try to understand what is basically lacking in that topic or what are the gaps in that topic. And then we try to design a proper project where we need to include both the basics. Because we also have to understand that the students comes from different backgrounds and they may not have the. That the basics which I want in my project.

I always try to understand how where they stand so that we can design the project in that manner that we need to include the basics as well as once we have the basic studies, we can move forward to the more advanced studies.

Thank you, Professor Sarbadhikary. Your approach of grounding students in thorough literature research, identifying field-specific gaps, and progressively designing projects that align with both foundational and advanced concepts is excellent. It ensures students not only innovate but also respect academic rigor, particularly in interdisciplinary research domains. Circling back to teaching methodologies, could you elaborate on how you incorporate clear communication and structured content delivery to maintain consistency in multi-session courses or extensive laboratory modules?

Sure. So basically what I try to do, I always try to keep them the uh protocols first so that they can have a look on the protocol. Then I always distribute the students in different groups. And then I try to make them understand like group wise, like maybe if I give different uh practicals, like a slightly different practical, like for example for biochemistry, if I want one group to do. The testing of egg protein, the other, I will ask them to do the testing of some other proteins maybe like human serum albumin or something like that. So by dividing those groups, I tried to manage that. Though it's a very extensive lab work, but still they enjoy to do it because they are doing in the groups and every group at the end I try to include the results from all the different groups.

So that all the other students they know that what they have done and how their results are different from the other students. So in this manner they have a interactive situations between themselves also and this way this also makes me distribute the work between the different groups.

Thank you, Professor Sarbadhikary. Your method of distributing students into focused groups with varied yet related tasks, followed by collaborative result sharing, is a well-structured and engaging approach. It fosters teamwork while ensuring comprehensive coverage of topics in extensive modules. Let's now touch upon consultancy or industry projects. In your experience, how do you bridge academic research and industry applications, particularly in areas connected to genetic counselling or biomedical innovation?

Yeah, I can talk about the biomedical applications because as I am working with nanoparticles, drug delivery systems, cancer treatment, it is always a translational research topic. So for example, as I am working with phytochemicals, so many of the phytochemicals as we are moving towards more natural products, something like that. We know that phytochemicals are good, but they also have their own limitations making them into a nano formulation. It will help them to translate into.

The industry. So in that way we can translate those kind of nano phytochemicals which can be much more advantageous than their free form when it comes to applications in clinics or in vivo studies. So in this way I try to translate my biomedical research background into the other industrial applications or translational applications.

Thank you, Professor Sarbadhikary. Your translational research on nano-phytochemicals, bridging the natural products' potential with enhanced nano-formulation techniques, showcases a significant contribution to biomedical innovation with direct industrial and clinical relevance. Finally, considering the criteria of the Genetic Counselling Professor role, how do you see your Ph.D. specialization, along with research publication achievements, aligning with guiding students in high-impact research and publications in reputed journals?

Sorry to interrupt, we're down to the last 5 minutes.

Uh, sorry, can you repeat the question?

Of course! How do you see your Ph.D. specialization, combined with your research publications, helping you guide students in producing high-impact research and publishing in reputed journals?

Yes. So as my profile already shows that I I can publish in or I have my research works which can be which is already published in high impact journals. So my research background especially as I have worked in interdisciplinary, interdisciplinary projects and I'm still working on interdisciplinary projects which have translational values. So that's why my research becomes.

Much like much more like that. That's why my research can be published or are being published in good impact factor internationally peer reviewed journals because of its translational values.

Thank you, Professor Sarbadhikary. Your ability to successfully publish in high-impact journals due to your interdisciplinary and translational research approach undoubtedly demonstrates a strong capability to mentor students in producing publication-worthy work in reputable international journals. We’ve covered all the essential aspects of your academic and professional background. Is there anything further you would like to add regarding your qualifications or teaching experience before we conclude this session?

Yes, uh, I at present I'm also involved with different, uh, scientific, uh, international scientific associations like optica and international phytochemical associations, which which also gives me a good platform to collaborate with the, uh, world renowned research on those fields. And I feel like this kind of research we really need in any institute to go further. Also, I'm mostly now involved in the. Modeling 3D cancer models. So as we know that we like FDA or the European Society, they are trying to move more further from the animal free experiments. So making 3D models or the tumor on chip or the organ or chip model. I'm trying to make my research more with more translational values which will help me or even my students.

To move forward into the translational research.

And also I have a supervised 1 master student who have completed recently his masters with the distinction in his subject. And he also published his two research articles and two review articles and one conference art article as well as one book chapter. So those are my.

Mine and my students effort towards research as well as in teaching field.

Yeah, thank you so much. Uh, I think I'm good with this.

Thank you, Professor Sarbadhikary. Your active involvement with renowned scientific associations and advancements in cutting-edge areas like 3D cancer models and organ-on-chip technology further highlight your commitment to pioneering research. Your mentorship achievements, marked by your student’s success, are a testament to your dedication in fostering academic excellence. With that, we have concluded this interview. Do you have any final questions or would you like us to proceed with closing the session?

Yes.

Thank you, Professor Sarbadhikary, for your time and valuable insights. Before I finalize everything, just to confirm—you’re requesting to close the interview now, is that correct?