Postdoc Appreciation Week 2024 | Prateek Chawla

What is your name?

Prateek Chawla

Which research group are you in?

Nikolay Ninov Lab

Where are you from?

India

What topic do you research?

My research focus is type 1 diabetes. Using a regeneration competent model organism, zebrafish, we aim to improve our understanding of pancreatic beta cell regeneration.

Why/how did you become involved in this subject? 

As a cell biologist, I developed a keen interest in the study of metabolic diseases. I got an opportunity to pursue my PhD at the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden where I was working on an interesting project to understand the mechanism of diabetes resolution in zebrafish using transcriptome and chromatin mapping. As a postdoctoral researcher, I focus towards exploring diabetes progression, cell stress and regeneration across species.

What is your favorite part of working as a Postdoc at the PLID? 

Working at PLID gives me an amazing opportunity (via in-house research seminars and team building activities) to interact with a wonderful and like-minded research community.

What are some challenges you face day to day as a Postdoc? 

Managing multiple tasks, such as conducting experiments, writing manuscripts, mentoring students and handling collaborations can sometimes be daunting and requires rigorous planning to ensure a healthy work-life balance.

What motivates you? 

Achieving short-term goals, working towards long-term goals, having a clear vision of my research and opportunities to discuss my research progress.

What do you like to do when you are not in the lab?

Travel, sports and socialize with friends.

If you could visit yourself while you were still a student, what advice would you offer?

Believe in the process. You learn from your experiences. It shapes who you are today. Make mistakes and learn from them.