After earning my Ph.D. in biochemistry, I spent the next one and a half decades in a research-oriented career, working at various prestigious institutions in India and the USA. For the ten years prior to joining UT, from 2008 to 2018, I was a research track faculty member at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. My research focused on the regulation of gonadotropin receptors. This work was highly productive, resulting in several publications in high-impact journals, review articles, and book chapters. A major breakthrough during this period was the discovery of a microRNA in the ovary, which had previously been known only to be expressed in the liver. This microRNA, miR-122, was found to function as an intermediate in regulating a crucial gonadotropin receptor, thereby playing a significant role in the female reproductive process. miR-122 is now widely recognized for its involvement in regulating cholesterol synthesis, making it a critical link between cholesterol metabolism and female reproduction.

While my research work was fulfilling, I eventually decided to pursue my passion for teaching. I was fortunate to find an opportunity to do so in my current role as basic science educator at UT Medical School. I find my work as an educator in Medical Education to be highly rewarding, personally motivating, and empowering. I look forward to many more fruitful years as a dedicated teacher, sincere career advisor, trusted student mentor, and supportive colleague.