Rachita Chatterjee is a cell biologist working in a company that provides research services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. She has a decade-long experience in academia, followed by three years of industrial research experience. She has also been awarded more than one prestigious scholarship. Chandana Chandra asked her about her chosen field of work and the academic journey leading to it. Here are excerpts from the interview:
q You have a strange job description. Tell our readers about it.
Yes, it reads — scientist, viral bank production. A fellow student asked one of my professors when can one claim that one is a scientist. After an MSc or a PhD or a postdoctorate? He replied, “Anybody who deals with science in general every day can claim to be a scientist.”
q What is it that you do?
For starters, I work in a contract research organisation (CRO). In the biotech or life sciences sector, a CRO provides support to niche clients, such as pharmaceutical industries. Simply put, we first do the assay development — a procedure that measures or tests the activity of a drug in an organism or a sample. Then, we do laboratory testing for vaccines.
I am involved in the virus banking process (see box). In this division, we propagate or grow virus seeds, harvest the microbes, characterise them and ensure that the produced lots pass through a rigorous quality testing process. Finally, we deliver high quality virus lots to our clients.
q And you need three master’s degrees to be able to do that?
No. It so happens I have three master’s degrees in science from three different countries, an MSc in biotechnology from Mumbai, India, an MSc in oncology from Nottingham, UK, and an MSc in cell biology from Sherbrooke, Canada. All these degrees contribute equally to my current industrial career.
q What was your PhD project at the University of Sherbrooke on?
I switched from a PhD to an MSc even though my project remained the same. It was a project meant to elucidate the role of a substance called DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) in the abrogation of cell growth in pancreatic cancer.
q Since you have a foundation built on three master’s degrees from three different countries, could you please talk about the three different experiences?
In India, it’s a two-year degree with different subjects. The course consisted of regular lectures, assessments based on exams, presentations and a six-month dissertation. In the UK, we had different modules for the one-year oncology course. We were assessed through exams, assignments, presentations and a dissertation. In the UK, MSc is either master’s by research, which is also known as MRes, or the regular master’s degree by modules that I was enrolled in. At Sherbrooke, which is a Francophone province in Canada, I had to take a couple of courses in French. The MSc here was like a MRes.
q Tell us about your scholarships.
There was the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship for study in the UK. At Sherbrooke, I got a tuition waiver and a stipend. This is such a huge relief for international students because the tuition fees in foreign universities are not affordable in most cases. Neither your family has to fund the study, nor do you have to work while you study. Besides, scholarships make your CV stand out; they speak volumes about your merit
and aptitude.
q What is the career prospect in the field of cell biology at the moment?
I have been living in Canada for the last seven years. With a master’s degree in cell biology, you can either go for a PhD or join a pharmaceutical or a CRO company, depending on whether you want to pursue a career in academia or in industry.
q You live in Montreal. Is it safe for women? What about instances of racism?
Montreal is one of the largest cities in Canada, located southwest of Quebec and is a major tourist destination. It has beautiful cobblestone roads and architecture,
especially in the Old Port area, where I currently live. Yes, it’s safe for women. But I have experienced some racial discrimination.
