I am Dr. Surajit Ghosh. I am currently working as Sparkle postdoctoral research fellow with Prof. Tia Keyes’ research group at Dublin City University (DCU). My current research focuses on development of biomembrane based assay platform for the assessment of drug delivery/vehicle delivery, intracellular permeation, and prediction of endosomal escape efficiency.

I am from India. I have completed my B. Sc and M. Sc in science with major in Chemistry. During the execution of M. Sc project, I got the interest in research and eventually joined Ph.D programme at IIT Kharagpur, India. During my doctoral studies, I was involved in preparation of various membrane assemblies containing surfactants, polymers, or room temperature ionic liquids and the effect of confinement on various photophysical processes such as solvation dynamics, photoisomerization, and excited state intramolecular proton transfer. After completion of PhD, I moved to USA to pursue postdoctoral experiences. During his first postdoc in The University of Arizona, USA, my research aim was to identify suitable polymerization conditions for preparation of fluorescent proteins encapsulated polymer scaffold stabilized phospholipid nanoshells (liposomes) with retention of protein activity. During second postdoc in Cornell University, I was involved in fabrication of supported lipid bilayer-based biosensor using synthetic liposomes and cell-derived vesicles on transparent conducting polymer surface for dual readout (optical and electrical). Before joining as Sparkle postdoctoral fellow, I have worked in Keyes research group in DCU as visiting postdoctoral researcher focusing on investigation of liposome mediated targeted drug delivery in live cells.

I thoroughly enjoyed my academic journey so far. My research experiences in India, USA and Europe will help me in future when I start my independent academic career. I am passionate about higher education and my vision of higher education includes accessibility of education to all sections of society and ensuring equality to make projects and programmes for strengthening research and innovations.

When I am not in the lab, I enjoy travelling and reading of science books, autobiography, or biography of famous scientists. My hobbies outside of travel and reading are cooking, hiking, and watching sports.

Sparkle has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 847652 and from Science Foundation Ireland.