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environment to work and never shying away from With RGCB expanding its wings and benchmarking
the responsibilities. excellence in research contributing towards
the better human life, I am sure the institute will
I still miss the birthday parties at midnight & batch produce more and more budding scientists. I am
mates get together at various restaurants. I do very proud to be an RGCB’ian.
miss the Christmas friend games, funny tasks and
gifts I used received; the “Kaineetam” during Vishu,
which I miss so much after leaving after RGCB.
Like every RGCB alumini, I also always miss the
10:30 cafeteria time served by “Thiagu.” Tea time
with lab personnel and friends was always open
for all scientific and non-scientific discussions.
Sure, we will get more fruitful opinions when
people are calm and relaxed. Kerala cannot be
separated from Onam festival. RGCB Onam Biography
festival is fun filled, enjoyed, and involves the
active participation of both staff and students. I S. Deivendran joined RGCB in 2011 as PhD
have a pleasant memory of participating in couple scholar at RGCB in the Cancer Research
of Onam events and games. Apart from science Program. He is currently a Post Doctoral
I always was an active participant in organizing Fellow working on detection of miRNA based
committee in various conferences and seminars. biomarkers for early stage pancreatic cancer
I enjoyed the participation in travel committees in the laboratory of Professor Subrata Sen,
along with Mr. Prakash. Staying in Trivandrum has Deputy Chair, Department of Translational
given handful of memories to cherish from visiting Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas
various beaches, restaurants, and temples. I MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston,
would always prefer to tell that I was a part of Texas, USA.
“RGCB family” rather than “RGCB institute.”
S Deivendran, PhD think independently and this was my inspiration
to become an independent researcher. Professor If I look back about the journey in RGCB, stay in
Rakesh Kumar is a very dedicated scientist who RGCB has always been pleasant, evergreen and
I am Deivendran. I belong to PhD Admissions talks nothing other than Science. He taught has given an enough confidence and experience
Batch 2011and now working as a postdoctoral me the importance of time lines and delivering to travel long ahead. Research as a career is not
fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, results in fixed time frames. The other mentor I a job, its a way and part of your life! My stay in
Texas, USA. was fortunate to have was Dr. T.R Santhoshkumar, RGCB has changed my vision towards life and it
always very energetic and active even at the end has made me to realize my strength as well as
My RGCB journey has been really very good. of the day. He was very supportive and helpful weakness and to become a better human being.
RGCB has played a major role in transforming me in giving constructive suggestions during the PhD in RGCB has changed a lot from then and
to become an aspiring scientist. It is a pleasure PhD days. Success in my life is always attributed it has constantly increased the standards with
in writing about the long path I travelled through to RGCB through these mentors. My mentors intense course work program, which is extremely
RGCB. After graduation every student always provided “hope & motivation” for doing research, good. I realized that PhD days were the time to
aims to be in the best possible place for PhD which is quintessential for the student. learn many things, try various crazy experiments
program and RGCB never disappointed me. and implementing it with bit more of freedom.
Professors M. Radhakrishna Pillai and Rakesh Research has always been my passion and Since PhD is the training period there is no harm
Kumar were my mentors. Professor Pillai is the driven by enthusiasm. One of the most important in asking silly questions.
most supportive mentor that I ever had in my life. reasons for the efficient functioning and success
I am not sure at all if I will ever have any mentor behind RGCB is the strong administration and core Before saying good bye, I like to conclude my
like him in my life again. Though he was always facility. I only realized how critical this is during story with couple of quotes by Avvaiyar (Tamil
busy he never failed to get my work updates and subsequent postdoctoral training. Everyone in poet) which is a mantra for the every researcher,
always gave his valuable scientific inputs. Most the RGCB administration and technical personnel “Odhuvadhu Oliyael” and “Ookamadhu Kaividel”
importantly he gave me complete freedom to are involved in success of every PhD student which means “Never stop learning” and “Never
in someway or the other providing a healthy lose the enthusiasm or the hope.”