We are the Incubators- the people behind Incubate. Great to meet you!
Co-Founders
SANDEEP PRABHU
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Sandeep Prabhu is a medical student at UC San Diego and a co-founder (and currently the Chief Communications Officer) at Saving Sara, a start-up company aimed at reducing maternal mortality cause by postpartum hemorrhage, a condition that kills more than 100,000 women every year. He graduated from UC Berkeley with a Bachelor of Science in bioengineering and UCLA with Master of Science in bioengineering.
His past experience includes completing an NIH-funded fellowship on biomedical needs finding (technological gap identification) at UC Berkeley under Amy Herr and research experiences in laboratories at the University of Cincinnati, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and UC Berkeley. He is the second author of a 2014 PLOS ONE publication that came out of his work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His work on a magnetic flow cytometer at UC Berkeley has been published at the Hilton Head workshop on Solid State Sensors, Actuators, and Microsystems in June 2014. In addition to his research, Sandeep has previously led a project aimed at developing low-cost finger pulse oximeters for financially strapped health clinics in India. Sandeep plans to embark on a career in integrating medicine and engineering through a combination of patient care, medical device research and entrepreneurship focused on philanthropic ventures aimed at bringing low-cost devices to underserved areas.
In addition to his professional activities, he is passionate about global health, women’s rights and climate change mitigation.
His past experience includes completing an NIH-funded fellowship on biomedical needs finding (technological gap identification) at UC Berkeley under Amy Herr and research experiences in laboratories at the University of Cincinnati, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and UC Berkeley. He is the second author of a 2014 PLOS ONE publication that came out of his work at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His work on a magnetic flow cytometer at UC Berkeley has been published at the Hilton Head workshop on Solid State Sensors, Actuators, and Microsystems in June 2014. In addition to his research, Sandeep has previously led a project aimed at developing low-cost finger pulse oximeters for financially strapped health clinics in India. Sandeep plans to embark on a career in integrating medicine and engineering through a combination of patient care, medical device research and entrepreneurship focused on philanthropic ventures aimed at bringing low-cost devices to underserved areas.
In addition to his professional activities, he is passionate about global health, women’s rights and climate change mitigation.
KAUSHIK MURALIDHARAN
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Kaushik is currently a second year Master’s student in molecular and cell biology at Quinnipiac University, Connecticut. He completed his Bachelor of Technology in Genetic Engineering at SRM University, Chennai. In his master’s thesis work, Kaushik studies micro RNAs with previously unknown characteristics that are believed to function through conserved pathways related to aging related neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease. He carries out this work using C. elegans as a model organism.
During his undergraduate years, Kaushik worked on research aimed at producing an edible vaccine for Diabetes using transgenic expressions. In the final phase of his undergraduate, he led a project aimed at creating a transgenic yeast variety which when used in cattle food, helps them absorb more nutrients. Apart from these projects, Kaushik worked at the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, where he conducted a case study on the association of TCF7L2 transcription factor in Type II Diabetes in Asian Indians. During his early undergraduate career, Kaushik underwent training in both research labs and industry. At Indo American Hybrid Seeds (Bangalore), he was trained extensively on molecular techniques, plant tissue culture and protein techniques. At Shantha Biotechnics (Hyderabad), he was trained in upstream processing, downstream processing and vaccine formulation. In addition to his research, Kaushik was actively involved in DECODE, a high school outreach workshop for both students and teachers that provides hands-on experience in molecular techniques.
Kaushik will be initiating his Ph.D. at Purdue University this fall.
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HARSHVARDHAN (HARSHA) GUNASHEKAR
Harsha is currently set to commence his Masters in Biotechnology from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinios. He completed his bachelors of engineering in the field of biotechnology from the Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal, Karnataka. At Manipal he was involved in organising college level workshops through IEEE’s biotechnology wing, and was part of the executive body of “Symbiot”, a national level biotechnology symposium organised by the Biotechnology department of MIT, Manipal. Outside of college, he also interned at Genome Life Sciences Pvt Ltd, working on the creation and curation of databases containing biological data. For his final semester project, he was an intern at Biocon, Bangalore. He was involved in the process characterisation and optimisation of the purification of Insulin precursors. Beyond his masters at Northwestern, Harsha aims at pursuing a PhD in cancer biology and eventually conducting research on cancer cell biology that could shed light on new drug targets.
Members
VAISHNAVI CHANDRAMOULI
Harsha is currently set to commence his Masters in Biotechnology from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinios. He completed his bachelors of engineering in the field of biotechnology from the Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal, Karnataka. At Manipal he was involved in organising college level workshops through IEEE’s biotechnology wing, and was part of the executive body of “Symbiot”, a national level biotechnology symposium organised by the Biotechnology department of MIT, Manipal. Outside of college, he also interned at Genome Life Sciences Pvt Ltd, working on the creation and curation of databases containing biological data. For his final semester project, he was an intern at Biocon, Bangalore. He was involved in the process characterisation and optimisation of the purification of Insulin precursors. Beyond his masters at Northwestern, Harsha aims at pursuing a PhD in cancer biology and eventually conducting research on cancer cell biology that could shed light on new drug targets.
Members
VAISHNAVI CHANDRAMOULI
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Vaishnavi Chandramouli is currently in the second year of her B.tech Genetic Engineering course at SRM University. Her fields of interest include biochemistry, Immunology and human genetics. She enjoys spending time with children and she teaches children at the government school in Guduvancherry as a part of the Initiaing Fusion program in her university. She is also a member of the NGO Drikshya and is a part of their guardians program. She underwent implant training in isolation of insulin-like proteins to figure out which plants can be used to combat diabetes. She hopes to do further projects in finding effective modes of treatment for autoimmune disorders.
Following her study in Genetic Engineering, she aspires to do her higher studies in Genetic Counselling and hopes to pursue a career in the same.
Following her study in Genetic Engineering, she aspires to do her higher studies in Genetic Counselling and hopes to pursue a career in the same.
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DRITI ASHOK
Driti Ashok, is a second year Genetic Engineering student at SRM University, Chennai. She completed her schooling from SBOA School & Junior College, Chennai in the year 2013.She was an active member in the debating, elocution & dramatics club at the secondary school level. An avid tennis player, Driti has also had formal training in music -Carnatic vocals & the keyboard. At the college level, she was a member of the core committee of Initiating Fusion 2013 (a drive aimed at helping the less privileged) & Aaruush ’13 & 14’ (a national level Techno-Management Fest).
Her first hands –on- training experience was at the Genomics Lab in SRM. She assisted a PhD student in isolating insulin like proteins. In addition, she has undergone training at the Centre for Medical Genetics (Lab) where she learnt various conventional techniques (Cell culturing & Karyotyping) along with Fluorescent In Situ Hybridisation.
In the future, Driti aspires to become a committed researcher in Oncology.
SNEHA THATIPELLI
Driti Ashok, is a second year Genetic Engineering student at SRM University, Chennai. She completed her schooling from SBOA School & Junior College, Chennai in the year 2013.She was an active member in the debating, elocution & dramatics club at the secondary school level. An avid tennis player, Driti has also had formal training in music -Carnatic vocals & the keyboard. At the college level, she was a member of the core committee of Initiating Fusion 2013 (a drive aimed at helping the less privileged) & Aaruush ’13 & 14’ (a national level Techno-Management Fest).
Her first hands –on- training experience was at the Genomics Lab in SRM. She assisted a PhD student in isolating insulin like proteins. In addition, she has undergone training at the Centre for Medical Genetics (Lab) where she learnt various conventional techniques (Cell culturing & Karyotyping) along with Fluorescent In Situ Hybridisation.
In the future, Driti aspires to become a committed researcher in Oncology.
SNEHA THATIPELLI
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Sneha Thatipelli is currently a second year medical student at University of California, San Francisco. She graduated from University of California, Berkeley in 2013 with a BS in Bioengineering. Sneha is very interested in medical device development and entrepreneurship. Sneha conducted research at the Energy Biosciences Institute for two years where she worked in a biofuels lab doing experiments with genetically engineered bacteria. During her undergraduate years, she interned as a fellow for a Biodesign Immersion Program (BIE), where she gained experience in clinical needs finding and the design process. During her final year at Berkeley, she and a team of classmates designed a medical device to help determine jugular venous pressure noninvasively as part of their capstone project. At UCSF, Sneha is working with the Pediatric Device Consortium (PDC) on a clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of magnetic compression anastomosis in intestinal surgeries. Sneha hopes to continue this passion for medicine and engineering with a Master’s degree during medical school.
In addition, Sneha has dedicated a large amount of her time to education in her community and India. She has experience teaching all age groups from kindergarten kids to medical students in a wide range of topics ranging from math and science to English. She was an active member of Asha for Education for a number of years and believes that education is a powerful tool for social empowerment. In addition to these professional interests, Sneha is extremely passionate about women’s rights and gender equality.
In addition, Sneha has dedicated a large amount of her time to education in her community and India. She has experience teaching all age groups from kindergarten kids to medical students in a wide range of topics ranging from math and science to English. She was an active member of Asha for Education for a number of years and believes that education is a powerful tool for social empowerment. In addition to these professional interests, Sneha is extremely passionate about women’s rights and gender equality.