
Vidhi Sehrawat
PhD StudentResearch Experience
Dioscuri Centre for Modelling of Posttranslational Modifications
Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology
Krakow, PL | May 2023 – present
PhD in Biomedical Sciences
- Doctoral research in collaboration with Max Planck Institute of Biophysics focusing on understanding the roleof glycans in neurotransmitter receptor dynamics
- Utilising atomistic molecular dynamics simulations on polysaccharides and proteins1
Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology
Krakow, PL | Feb – Apr 2023
Research Intern
- Expanded GlycoSHIELD glycan conformer library using atomistic GROMACS simulations and CHARMM-GUI
- Automated post-processing and analyses steps in MD simulations using Python and Bash scripting
Selvita
Krakow, PL | Oct 2021 – Jun 2022
Synthetic Organic Chemist
- Performed 100+ reactions for syntheses of 7+ targets in two international projects
- Optimised leading oncology-focused macrocyclic structures for synthetic drug discovery experiments
Adam Mickiewicz University
Poznan, PL | Dec 2020 – Aug 2021
Thesis Research Intern (Erasmus Mundus Scholar)
- Investigated oxidative stress in model methionine derivatives in Tomasz Pedzinski’s lab using 5+ spectroscopic techniques2
- Ranked three out of 25 during thesis defence by the international jury with a 17.5/20.0 GPA
Department of Imaging Physics
TU Delft, Delft, NL | Jul – Sep 2020
Summer Research Intern
- Expanded comparative studies on rhodopsins as voltage imaging sensors, leading to collaborative fluorescence imaging experiments in Brinks Lab and a departmental seminar presentation
Institute of Physical Chemistry
CNRS, Orsay, FR | Jan – Feb 2020
Research Intern
- Designed a new vector via gene cloning in Marie Erard’s lab for enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) in eukaryotic cells with 2x expression accuracy
Freelance
Sep 2019 – present
Career Mentor
- Mentored 300+ students with personalised support in writing successful academic admission applications
- Invited as a guest speaker at the Erasmus Pre-Departure Sessions of 2020 and 2022 by the Delegation of the EU to India and Bhutan
Indian Institute of Scientific Education and Research (IISER)
Bhopal, IN | May –Aug 2018
IAS Summer Research Fellow
- Synthesised and characterised ester derivatives for enantioselective synthesis of isoindolinones derivatives in V.K. Singh Group using one-pot three-component Mannich alkylation
Publications
Education
- Dual M.Sc. Chemistry
Erasmus Mundus SERP+: Paris-Saclay University, Orsay, FR and Adam Mickiewicz
University, Poznan, PL (2021). - CGPA 4.8/5.0 | Magna cum laude
B.Sc. (Honours) Chemistry
St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi, Delhi, IN (2019). - CGPA 9.0/10.0 | Summa cum laude
AISSCE (High School)
Ganga International School, Delhi, IN (2016). - 96.2%
Top 1% nationwide in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) examination
Summa cum laude
Awards
- STEM student grant
to attend “Perspektywy Women in Tech Summit”, the largest conference for women in technology in Europe and Asia taking place in Warsaw, PL (2024) - Research Support Module grant
Jagiellonian University. (2023) - COST Action INNOGLY travel grant
European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) (2023). - Associate membership
The Royal Society of Chemistry, London, GB (2019 – present). - Erasmus Mundus Scholarship
European Union (2019 – 21). - Summer Research Fellowship Program (SRFP)
The Indian Academy of Sciences (IAS) and Indian National Science Academy (INSA) (2018). - Meritorious Award
Faculty of Science, University of Delhi, New Delhi, IN (2017 – 18). - INSPIRE – Scholarship for Higher Education
Department of Science and Technology, Government of India (2016 – 19).
Leadership Positions
- Organiser and Founding Committee Member
Environmental Awareness Day organised at Paris-Saclay University, Orsay, FR (2019 – 20). - President
Chemistry Society, St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, IN (2018 – 19). - National Conference Coordinator
Charusita Memorial Lectures, Conference on Emerging Trends and Advances in Chemical Sciences (ETACS), and National Conference in Chemical Sciences (NCCS), St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, IN (2018 – 19). - Head of External Affairs
Photographic Society, St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, IN (2018 – 19). - Treasurer
Chemistry Society, St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, IN (2017 – 18).
Scientific Events
Poster presentations:
- Distinction prize
2nd “Interdisciplinary PhD Symposium”
Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences (2024, Krakow, PL). - “MD@60”
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) and European Center for Atomistic and Molecular Calculations (CECAM) (2024, Bengaluru, IN). - “Paths of Glycobiology: Jerzy Kościelak Memorial Conference”
Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy and Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (2023, Wroclaw, PL). - 8th edition of “Conference on Biomolecules and Nanostructures”
Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) (2023, Krakow, PL). - “Science: Polish Perspectives”
Polonium Foundation (2021, Zurich, CH). - “International Conference on Integrative Biology and Translational Medicine (ICIBTM)”
Hansraj College, University of Delhi (2019, New Delhi, IN) - “National Science Day” event
Indian National Science Academy (2018, New Delhi, IN).
Talks and oral presentations:
- Scientific outreach talk
“A Green Molecular Dynamics-Based Approach to Explore the World of Glycans”
St. Stephen’s College (2024, New Delhi, IN). - Flash talk
BioExcel Summer School on Biomolecular Simulations (2023, Pula, IT). - “Bronsted Acid-Catalyzed Syntheses of Highly Substituted Isoindolinones”
National Conference ETACS, St. Stephen’s College (2018, New Delhi, IN). - “How can India continue to meet its increasing demand for paper without affecting the precious few rainforests present in the country?”
Greening an Undergraduate Chemistry Lab (GUCL) – Creating Awareness for Environmental Friendly Methodologies, Sri Venkateswara College (2018, New Delhi, IN).
Summer Schools:
- BioExcel Summer School on Biomolecular Simulations
BioExcel and Sardegna Ricerche (2023, Pula, IT). - Structural Glycoscience Summer School
Glyco@Alps CDP project, University of Grenoble-Alpes, COST Action INNOGLY and GlycoNanoProbes (2023, Grenoble, FR). - School on Science Management for Scientists and Engineers (SoSMSE)
Erasmus Mundus SERP+ and University of Genoa (2021, Genoa, IT) - Summer School on Large-Scale Facilities for Global Health
by European University Alliance for Global Health (EUGLOH) Consortium (2020, Paris, FR)
Courses
- Empowering Women Through Entrepreneurship Program
Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore - Creative Coding using p5.js
New York University (NYU) Tandon School of Engineering - Intro to Programming
Kaggle - Basic Microbiology
World Health Organization (WHO) - Principles of Cell Line Development
Cytiva - Exploring Issues in Women’s Health
Open University
Skills
Computational:
High-performance computing (HPC), Python3, Bash, JupyterLab, Conda, NumPy, Pandas, MatPlotLib, Slurm, GROMACS, AlphaFold2, JChem, Modeller, OriginPro, MS Office 365, Mendeley, PyMOL, VMD, ChimeraX.
Experimental:
Time-resolved spectroscopy, Nanosecond laser flash photolysis (nsLFP), Organic synthesis, Route development and optimisation, Chromatography (HPLC, LC, Flash, Column, Thin Layer), NMR (1H and 13C), FTIR, MS/MS, Cell culture development, Gel electrophoresis, Recombinant DNA technology, Plasmid engineering, Optical Microscopy.
Languages:
English (C2), Polish (A2), Hindi (C2), French (A1).