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Gauri Mirji: Searching for a Pancreatic Cancer “Game Changer”

July 31, 2024

Dr. Gauri Mirji, Ph.D., is a research fellow in Wistar’s Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program of the Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center.

When we walk together, exchanging our ideas and our knowledge, we can start to find better solutions.”

How did you become a scientist?

When I was a kid, I was very curious, always asking the question “why.” I think that’s where the roots lie for me to become a scientist. At the same time, I didn’t want to become a doctor or engineer, which is the default path in many Indian households. I wanted to do something different. I pursued biotechnology for my Bachelor’s and Master’s, and then I thought about going deeper into the actual research questions. I also wanted to do something for society. What could be better than finding answers to the biggest health challenges facing people today? This is how I decided to get into basic research and to be a scientist.

What drew you to immunology?

I had very good teachers who sparked my curiosity about this field. Immunology is the study of our body’s defense system. It’s one of the most important functions of your body, protecting you from the environment and from pathogens. It’s also highly complicated to understand. We still don’t really know exactly how these immune cells interact with each other, and how they keep us healthy and protected from different diseases. There are so many questions that are still unanswered in the field, and that’s fascinating to me.

Did you have any mentors or role models who inspired you in pursuing a career in science?

My Ph.D. mentor is a big role model for me, because she was an early female in the field. There weren’t many female immunologists back in my country at that time, she worked very hard and put a lot of dedication to be what she is today. She started from scratch, and then she started her own lab. Eventually she climbed up to the topmost position and became director of the institute where she worked. That is really inspiring to me.

What brought you to Wistar?

Before coming to Wistar, I didn’t know much about it. When I was applying for postdoc positions I was going through the profiles of different scientists at the Institute, and I was really attracted to the way research is done here. The level of research here is really top notch, and the scientists are amazing. It’s really a world-class institute. At the same time, I was attracted to Philadelphia. It has a lot of history, which I like, and it’s also the city where the first female Indian doctor, Anandi Gopal Joshi, got her medical degree. As an Indian, I have a special place in my heart for this city.

What is a typical work day like for you?

I often plan my week or a day ahead of time. We mostly do in vivo tumor studies in mouse models. I also perform a wide range of in vitro assays on macrophages isolated from mouse bone marrows. One of the major techniques that we do in the lab is flow cytometry, which gives us a huge amount of data. So, I spend a lot of time doing data analysis, preparing presentations and again planning my next set of experiments.

What do you find most rewarding about your work?

Our focus is pancreatic cancer. The thing that is most rewarding is the possibility of finding — I won’t say a cure — but something that has the potential to be a cure for these patients. We are studying gut microbial metabolites and diet, looking at different aspects of these factors and how they impact cancer progression. If we can modulate the diet or the gut microbiome, can we affect the cancer or even push it back? Finding even one particular metabolite or one particular drug that we can use against it would be a game changer.

What are some of the scientific questions that inspire you most as a researcher?

Therapy response is the major challenge in the pancreatic cancer field. How to break the resistance of this cancer, how to make the tumor microenvironment more immunogenic, and how to make patients respond better to therapy so that we can improve survival. These are the most challenging questions, and we are working on solving them right now.

What do you enjoy most about working at Wistar?

The work environment here is awesome. The people here are very helpful and easy to connect with, and it’s highly collaborative. Another thing I like is the diversity. This is my first experience working abroad from India, so I have never been in a workplace which is so diverse. It’s exciting, personally. There are people from more than 20 different countries, chatting with each other, sharing their ideas, and collaborating with each other. It’s scientifically very strong.

What does diversity, equity and inclusion mean to you, and why do you think it’s important in science?

Every individual is unique and there is beauty in this diversity. Every human society has their own values and traditions, and we have to respect all of them. The challenges faced by human beings are seen everywhere. When we walk together, exchanging our ideas and our knowledge, we can start to find better solutions. So I consider diversity, equity and inclusion as an integral part of research.

Do you have any hobbies or passions outside of work?

My favorite hobby is photography. I love to click nature, landscapes, and animals. I really enjoy taking photos. I also spend time reading philosophical and spiritual books. I follow Rumi, Eckhart Tolle, and Sirshree, an Indian spiritual teacher. Reading or listening to these philosophical books really motivates me and keeps me grounded.