Saptarshi Chatterjee
Faculty Mentor
Jing Chen
Associate Professor
Research Areas/Interests
Biophysics, mechanistic models for biological systems, mathematical models of mitotic spindle assembly during cell division
How long have you been in your postdoctoral position at Virginia Tech?
Began in June 2024
Briefly describe the research project you are working on as a postdoctoral associate at Virginia Tech. What is the problem you are addressing? What is the expected impact of your work?
My present research in Virginia Tech focuses on elucidating the role of polyploidization in cancer through mathematical modeling. This research will provide a predictive mathematical framework that will advance both basic cancer biology knowledge and guide translational research. Particularly, it will elucidate why polyploidization exhibits tumor-suppressing and tumor-promoting potentials in different experiments and enable future cancer therapeutic design that can effectively take advantage of drugs targeting cell polyploidization. Given the prevalence of cell polyploidization in cancer development, findings from our modeling framework, as well as the predictive tool it will provide the experimentalists, are expected to have great clinical implications. Furthermore, the ongoing research, upon completion, will exemplify an innovative and generalizable multi-scale modeling approach for predicting fate of cell lineage, which is a common but computationally challenging question in biological modeling.
Why did you choose to pursue postdoctoral training at Virginia Tech?
Several factors contributed to my decision in pursuing my postdoctoral training in Prof. Chen’s group at Virginia Tech.
Firstly, before transitioning into an independent faculty position, I wanted to build my niche area in the field of physical modeling of cell division which is one of my major research interests. Prof. Chen’s group is one of the very few groups in the world who has made pioneering contributions in this burgeoning field. In addition to this, in-house collaboration opportunities with several world-leading experimental groups in the same topic area including Prof. Cimini’s represent another significant advantage. I believe working with Prof. Chen's group and closely collaborating with Prof. Cimini’s group would greatly enhance my expertise in this field, strengthen my research potential, and ultimately support my successful transition to an independent investigator.
Secondly, from initial interactions with Prof. Chen's group during my job search, it became clear to me that this research microenvironment will provide me with ample independence, flexibility, endless opportunities for critical discussions and most importantly the amount of untamed positivity one needs while tackling challenging problems. Prof. Chen is possibly the best mentor (and more importantly a fantastic research companion) I could ever imagine to be working with.
What are your career goals?
As a postdoctoral researcher in biophysics, I strive for a tenure-track faculty position at a research-intensive institution. I aim to lead a multidisciplinary lab with a research focus on biophysical modeling in cell mechanobiology. In addition, I also plan to have a separate research segment focusing on various aspects of biological transport utilizing tools from mass transfer and pharmacokinetic modeling leveraging my past research experience.
How do you see the resources available to postdoctoral associates at Virginia Tech generally and via this program specifically being helpful to your career and professional development?
During my transition to independent faculty, I aim to utilize the program's mentorship, networking, and training resources to foster collaborations and secure external funding. My professional development objectives during the program include:
Networking and Career Development: The resources provided by the program will enable me to connect with institutions seeking independent investigators and to explore funding and faculty job opportunities in mechanobiology and biophysical modeling.
Research Collaboration and Discussions: Cancer research, due to its complexity, necessitates interdisciplinary collaboration. The synergy between experimental cancer research and mathematical modeling is increasingly recognized through newly established thematic centers (e.g. the VT Cancer Research Alliance with 30+ affiliated faculty members; VT Center for the Mathematics of Biosystems etc.), initiatives and grant calls on “mathematical oncology”. As my current work on polyploidization in cancer aligns with this trend, I as a modeler, will leverage this to explore collaboration opportunities with the large community of experimental cancer researchers at VT and beyond.
Skill Development Workshops: The program's workshops offer advanced techniques and strategies for securing grants, which will empower me with a competitive edge. Additionally, I will use the financial support from this program to attend similar bootcamps/workshops hosted by various organizations like Biophysical Society, American Society for Cell Biology etc. to name a few.