Embarking on a PhD journey, particularly in its concluding phase, resembles a remarkable roller-coaster ride brimmed with numerous deadlines. My journey mirrors that of many, yet I prefer to specify it as a uniquely exceptional experience. While the majority of us were engaged in concluding a wide array of tasks directly or indirectly associated with our PhD thesis work, I was rather fortunate to have the opportunity to travel overseas. This journey led me to acquire practical experience and hands-on training in certain experiments at a collaborative laboratory located in BIOTEC, TU Dresden, Germany. I’ve had the privilege to collaborate with the exceptional team led by Dr. Marcus Jahnel, focusing on the observation of Cas9-sgRNA interactions with DNA at both on- and off- target sites. This was achieved through a synergistic approach utilizing high-resolution optical tweezers, confocal microscopy and microfluidics. This allowed for the real-time monitoring of the fluorescently labeled Cas9-sgRNA complexes binding to the force-stretched λ-DNA at a single molecule level of precision. Despite my one-month stay at Dresden, I believe that this experience has significantly enriched my perspective and played a pivotal role in shaping my journey as a researcher. Having received a training in molecular and cell biology, with limited exposure to certain biophysical techniques during my PhD, I experienced immense delight in discovering a subject that I had never anticipated could be so captivating. In addition to my involvement in “science” domain, I believe that most notably I’ve acquired the essential skill of managing daily life as an adult. While it may come across as amusing to a few, my experience as a long-term resident in hostels meant that concerns about meals, daily commute to work, and routine grocery shopping hardly ever crossed my mind. However, during my time in Dresden, I successfully navigated the task of cooking my own meals, commuting to the lab (despite a few instances of missing buses/trams and deboarding at the wrong stops!), effectively organizing my weekends and furthermore submitting my PhD thesis! This has been an efficient lesson in adapting to life, particularly in a country where English is not commonly spoken. Undoubtedly, this experience has played an important role in expanding my scope of research interests and encouraging me to venture beyond my comfort zone. Honestly, even though my time there was brief, I did experience a genuine sense of what “work-life” balance entails. I owe immense gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Debojyoti Chakraborty, for granting me this opportunity, without which none of these experiences would have been achievable. 😊
Meghali Aich is a PhD student in RNA Biology lab, CSIR-IGIB and currently working in the area of Stem cell Biology, trying to elucidate the role of a novel pluripotency determinant. Besides sciencing, she is a bibliophile with an extensive appetite for different genres of fiction. She also ardently believes in working hard and traveling farther!