Ms. Durga Chougule

PhD scholar in Applied Biology at the University of Mumbai, Clinical Research Expert

Ms. Durga Chougule is a PhD scholar in Applied Biology at the University of Mumbai, awaiting the defence of her thesis. Her academic pursuit has been marked by a consistent dedication to research in fields of immunology and autoimmune diseases. Ms. Chougule gained her foundational experience in laboratory practices as a Junior Research Fellow at Sophia College, Mumbai working on facility maintenance, breeding, and molecular techniques.

Building upon this foundation, Ms. Chougule joined the ICMR-National Institute of Immunohaematology in Mumbai, where she held two Senior Research Fellow (SRF) positions. During her first tenure, she contributed to studies on autoimmune rheumatic diseases, involving patient coordination, sample processing for SNP genotyping, and data management. Awarded the prestigious ICMR Senior Research Fellowship at the same institute, her doctoral research centred on glomerulonephritis. During this tenure, she was involved inmanaging ethics approval documentation, collaborating with clinicians, conducting immunoassays, and in vitro studies with PBMCs and neutrophils. During this period she developed her skillset in grant and publication writing, and comprehensive data analysis. Additionally, she mentored Masters students in designing and execution of experiments.

Ms. Chougule broadened her research scope as a Research Fellow (Clinical Project Management) at the Medanta Institute of Education and Research (MIER) in Gurugram. In this role, she served as a Co-investigator on a project focused on multiple myeloma patients, gaining valuable experience in clinical project management. She also contributed in grant andpublication writing, managing ethics approval documentation, performing basic biostatistics analysis, and training faculty members in grant writing and mentoring postgraduate students. Her most recent role as a Research Project Scientist I at the ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health, Mumbai demonstrated her organizational and coordination skills in a national multi-site study on prostate cancer. She actively coordinated with uro-oncologists, managing study site staff, ethics approval documentation and standardization of ELISA assays.

Ms. Chougule possesses a comprehensive skill set, including strong soft skills in communication, project management, and collaboration, alongside extensive wet lab expertise in molecular biology and immunology techniques. Her commitment to research is evident through her publication record of 17 articles and 1 book chapter, with a focus on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. She has also presented her work at numerous national and international conferences, earning recognition for her research contributions. Her academic achievements include the ICMR-Senior Research Fellowship and travel grants, highlighting her dedication and potential in the scientific community.

durgac90@gmail.com
www.linkedin.com/in/durga-chougule-58443012a