I'm Varsha, a cancer genomics researcher currently completing an MRes in Translational Cancer Medicine at King's College London, where I'm investigating how germline genetic features shape recurrence risk in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).
View my researchAnalysing germline DNA from participants in the COMET (USA) and ICICLE (UK) DCIS trials to understand how inherited genetic features relate to recurrence risk. Combines wet-lab genotyping (Infinium OncoArray-500K) with statistical survival modelling.
Identified genes and pathways associated with chemoresistance using cisplatin-resistant and cisplatin-sensitive cervical cancer cell lines, involving long-term cell culture, gene expression analysis, and functional assays.
Together, these projects trace a throughline from cellular treatment resistance to the germline factors that predict who's at risk in the first place.
Before joining KCL, I earned an M.Sc. in Medical Genetics & Genomics from the University of Glasgow (Merit, 2023), where my thesis examined the psychosocial impact of newborn genomic screening. I then spent a year at the Cancer Institute (WIA) as a Project Researcher in Molecular Oncology, leading cisplatin resistance experiments in cervical cancer. Earlier, during my B.Tech. in Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (full scholarship; GPA 3.7/4.0), I spearheaded genotyping projects across 100+ samples and contributed to COVID-19 diagnostic efforts. Full details are on my About page, or download my CV.
Research doesn't always reach the people it's about, so I also write about it directly. As an Associate Medical Writer at Klarity Health, I author evidence-based articles on genetics, rare diseases and health.
An overview of the growth challenges faced by individuals with PURA syndrome and why early intervention matters.
Exploring the genetic underpinnings of Barakat syndrome and its multi-system impacts.