Rapid Fire: Getting to Know Suman Bose

Mana Chandhok:
Hi, everyone. Welcome to this podcast from Cambridge Healthtech Institute for the Next Generation Diagnostic Summit which runs from August 20th through the 24th in Washington, D.C. I'm Mana Chandhok, an associate producer. We have with us today our speaker, Suman Bose. A post-doctoral fellow from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Suman will be speaking at the Single Cell Analysis and the Microfluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip Devices for point of care testing tracks this year. Suman, thank you for joining us today.

Suman Bose:
Thanks for having me.

Mana Chandhok:
Your work is very exciting. Can you please give us a quick explanation about why you chose to research microfluidic platforms for single cell analysis?

Suman Bose:
That's very interesting that you ask. My background is mostly a mechanical engineer and what I decided reading about single cell technology, is I found that there was this huge lack of technologies development or engineers coming into the field and creating new technology. So I saw an opportunity to work in the field and I think that's why I got excited, formed a team and started working in this area.

Mana Chandhok:
What are the biggest challenges you and other scientists face in developing technologies for single cell analysis?

Suman Bose:
In my mind I think single cell is a unique area which is a very convergent field where you need ideas from both biologists and engineer and chemists and physicists and so on. So I think interacting effectively and forming good teams that participate very well is very critical for its success. I think that's the major challenge and a lot of it is which environment that you are in that can foster such collaborations.

Mana Chandhok:
What are you most looking forward to at the Next Generation Diagnostics Summit?

Suman Bose:
I looked at the agenda, I think I'm very excited especially with the very diagnostic heavy focus of the work. I think that brings a lot of relevance for our work and potential collaborators. I am looking forward for two specific talks. One is on Ultralow Epigenomic Analysis by Chang Lu from Virginia Tech, I think that will be exciting. And also another talk from IBM on High-Throughput Liquid Biopsy Processing and Validation Using NanoDLD-Based Microfluidic Technology. So I think I'm very looking forward to look at the technologies.

Mana Chandhok:
Suman, thank you for your time and insights today.

Suman Bose:
Thanks Mana.

Mana Chandhok:
That was Suman Bose from MIT. Suman will be speaking at the Single Cell Analysis and at the Microfluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip Devises for point of care testing tracks at the upcoming Next Generation Diagnostics Summit that is held from August 20th through the 24th in Washington, D.C. I'm Mana Chandhok. Thank you for listening.