Influential Woman · Health

Beenish Dhar

Senior Scientist, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Germantown, MD

6Awards received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree PhD in Molecular Biology Degree Master's in Biotechnology Cert PhD in Molecular Biology Cert Master's in Biotechnology Cert CRISPR-Cas certifications Cert Sequencing certifications Cert Project management certifications Cert Bioinformatics certifications Member Editor for scientific journals in genetics Member Reviewer for multiple scientific journals

Her Story

About Beenish

I completed my PhD in molecular biology related to placental development and fetal development, studying different aspects of pregnancy and the molecular biology behind pregnancy-related disorders and fetal disorders. After that, I joined NIH for my postdoc, where I worked on CRISPR tests, genome editing, gene therapy, and cell therapy related to different developmental disorders. I have worked as a scientist and now as a senior scientist in this field. My main area of expertise is cell therapy and gene therapy. In my current role, I manage and lead several projects, design and execute experiments, mentor junior scientists in my lab, and work on collaborations with different labs and institutes. I have been in the health industry for 18 years, spending 11 years at the National Institutes of Health and now working at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Beenish

01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Something very important that I would like to advise others, and I think myself, I follow that, is follow what you want to do. Follow your instincts. That you want to do, and be more determined on that. It's very hard right now, if you think about the competition and challenges in academia and industry. As a woman, we try to give a lot, but we need to be there for ourselves as well. Almost all the industries are male-dominated, but in that, we have to meet up our presence. There are exceptionally good young women, those who are doing fantastic, and those who just need an opportunity to move ahead. Follow your dreams, be more dedicated and determined, but be there for yourself as well.

02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

In our particular field, every scientist faces a lot of challenge. This is a growing field of cell therapy and gene therapy. The technique is evolving a lot, so we do face a lot of challenges, but the good thing is that these things are settling. It has a lot of application, so it's advancing at a faster pace. You kind of have to balance yourself with the pace that it is advancing and the field that we are personally growing in.

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