Shruti Narvekar

At the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, I work studying tumor metabolism and the development of novel metabolic inhibitors for pediatric solid tumors, including neurofibromatosis type I associated tumors and pediatric sarcomas, aiming to identify targeted therapeutic strategies and advance translational cancer research.

Worked in Dr. Mostafa Borahay Lab focusing on gynecology and fibroid research: Led spatial and molecular analysis of uterine fibroid tissue microarrays (TMA) using MCD Viewer and QuPath, quantifying biomarker expression across 50+ tissue cores and 100+ annotated regions to generate standardized, reproducible digital pathology outputs. Performed and validated qPCR and blood-based molecular assays on clinical samples, quantifying 5–10 gene targets per experiment, achieving high-quality datasets with Ct standard deviation < 0.5, supporting translational research in uterine fibroids.

Worked in Dr. Jayesh Bellare Lab focusing on advanced drug delivery systems for gynecological applications: Developing hydrogel vaginal rings as a targeted drug delivery platform for endometriosis treatment. Designing and evaluating other drug delivery systems including scaffolds, hollow fibers, and poloxamer gels to optimize therapeutic efficacy and controlled release.

I got hands-on training on a variety of instruments. At this training institute, we were introduced to 9 modules: Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Fermentation, Proteomics, Animal Tissue Culture, Data Analytics, Bioinformatics, IPR, and Patenting.

Rank: 2 Relevant coursework: Cell Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biostatistics, Genetics, Immunology, and Bioprocessing.