A. Personal Statement

💡 Goal: My ultimate career goal is to establish myself as an independent, translational Oncology/Cancer researcher, dedicated to advancing new and innovative therapeutic strategies in the field of cancer treatment. I envision working in an academic setting, where I can seamlessly bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries (bench) and their practical application in patient care (bedside).

🔬 During my master’s in Human Genomics, I dedicated my efforts to developing a deep understanding of investigating the pathophysiology of disease progression, with a particular focus on blood cancers. As a result, pursuing a Ph.D. in Hematology became the natural progression in my academic and research journey.

🏆 Throughout my academic and research journey, I have had the privilege of contributing significantly to the field of Hematology, particularly in the context of Philadelphia (Ph)-positive and Ph-like acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Working as part of a dedicated research group including basic scientists and clinicians, we embarked on a mission to unravel the genomic and proteomic heterogeneity of these challenging Ph-like ALL cases. Our efforts yielded groundbreaking results, as we not only identified Ph-like ALL cases for the first time in developing countries but also established the genomic and proteomic profile of these cases in India. The culmination of our research led to the development of a dynamic Nomogram titled ‘PHi-RACE: PGIMER In-House Rapid & Cost-Effective Classifier for Ph-like ALL detection,’ which was published online. This significant achievement showcases our commitment to providing rapid and cost-effective diagnostic tools for the detection of Ph-like ALL, ultimately facilitating timely and targeted interventions for patients.

🌍 The impact of our research work extended beyond the confines of the laboratory, garnering recognition at multiple prestigious international and national platforms. Presenting our findings at renowned conferences such as the American Society of Hematology (ASH-2020), European Hematology Association (EHA) 2021, International Society for Laboratory Hematology (ISLH) 2021, Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO 2021, 22, 23), and Hematocon 2020, allowed us to share our insights with experts in the field and engage in fruitful discussions.

Selected Contributions

Gupta DG, et al. A surrogate molecular approach for the detection of Philadelphia chromosome-like B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer. 2023. doi: 10.1002/cncr.35051. PMID: 37819686. Gupta DG, et al. Hematological, clinical, immunophenotypic characterization, and treatment outcomes of prognostically significant genetic subtypes of B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A report of 1021 patients from India. Cancer. 2023. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34957. Gupta DG, et al. Evaluation of adverse prognostic gene alterations & MRD positivity in BCR::ABL1-like B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients, in a resource-constrained setting. British Journal of Cancer. 2023. doi: 10.1038/s41416-023-02294-y. Gupta DG, et al. Genomic and proteomic characterization of Philadelphia-like B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A report of Indian patients. Cancer. 2023. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34665.

B. Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors

Positions and Employment

Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Urology, Northwestern University, Chicago (2022-present), Ph.D. in Hematology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, India (2016-2021), Junior Research Fellow, Translational Health Science & Technology, New Delhi, India (2014-2015), MSc in Human Genomics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India (2012-2014), Bachelor in Microbiology, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, India (2009-2012)

📚Scientific Editorial Committee Member (Reviewer)

Reviewer in Cancer – Wiley Online Library, Reviewer in Blood Advances, Reviewer in Leukemia & Lymphoma,  Reviewer in Hematological Oncology,  Reviewer in Mediterranean Journal of Hematology and Infectious Diseases,  Reviewer in Indian Journal of Hematology and Blood Transfusion,  Reviewer in International Journal of Hematology,  Reviewer for Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia

🩸Memberships

Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO),  European Hematology Association (EHA), American Society of Hematology (ASH)

🏆Honors

2023: Young Investigator Grant by SOHO for research on genetic subtypes and treatment outcomes of ALL. 2023: Best Researcher Award-2023 for study on genetic subtypes and treatment outcomes of ALL. 2022: Young Investigator Grant by SOHO for research on Ph-like B-lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.  2022: Dr. J.C. Patel Best Paper Award (1st Position) for research on BCR-ABL1-like ALL.  2021: Young Researcher Award by Society of Young Biomedical Scientists.  2021: Young Investigator Program Grant by SOHO for research on BCR-ABL1-like ALL in Indian patients. 2021: Participation grant by European Hematology Association for research on BCR-ABL1-like ALL 2021: BEREND HOUWEN Abstract Award in ISLH for research on BCR-ABL1-like ALL using machine learning classifiers. 2021: Dr. J.C. Patel Best Paper Award (3rd Position) for rapid detection of BCR-ABL1-like ALL. 2020: 3rd Best Oral Presentation Award – Haematocon for research on cost-effective detection of BCR-ABL1-like ALL.  2020: ASH Abstract Achievement Award for research on BCR-ABL1-like ALL using Digital nCounter NanoString Technology. 2017: Senior Research Fellowship by ICMR. 2016: ICMR Fellowship.  2015: Junior Research Fellowship by ICMR. 2012: Meritorious Honor Award, Lovely Professional University.