Kastoori Hingorani RSBS Summer Scholar

Kastoori has just completed the third year of her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Otago in New Zealand. As a Summer Scholar, Kastoori is working with the photobioenergetics group in RSBS. Her research is oriented towards creating artificial photosynthetic systems. Kastoori is working on a small section of the larger project which is to create a mutant of the BFR protein by site-directed mutagenesis and further expressing and analysing the protein.

“I heard about the summer research scholarship program from a friend who had been to ANU last summer, the program was further recommended by my university professors. I decided to choose it over many other options available, because not only did it offer the opportunity and prestige to work with one of the best researchers in the world; but also an opportunity to interact and share ideas with other scholars from all over NZ and Australia”, Kastoori says.

Kastoori has enjoyed being in an informal, friendly and very welcoming work culture. “I find that my supervisor encourages me to put forward my ideas and by allowing me the freedom to organize the timeline of the project, I feel more responsible and more attached to the project”, she says.

Kastoori’s short term goals include getting some experience in the Biotech industry and later on completing her PhD. On the topic of her future, Kastoori says,” In the long run, I wish to gain strong experience in research and at some stage apply my scientific knowledge to my own successful venture in the Biotech market. I would also like to be an expert in my field, visiting and speaking at various academic institutes”.

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