Director, Symbiosis School Of Biological Sciences (SSBS), Pune

Dr. Anuradha Vaidya began her research career after receiving a Master’s degree in Health Sciences from the University of Pune after which she got an opportunity to work at National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) in the field of Stem Cell Biology. Immediately after receiving a doctoral degree, Dr. Vaidya got affiliated with the brand “Symbiosis”. She has been associated with SSBS since its establishment in August 2011. In August 2021, Dr. Vaidya completed a decade at SSBS, and on 4th October 2022, she was appointed as the Director of SSBS.

Dr. Anuradha Vaidya’s current research focuses on understanding the microenvironment-mediated regulation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and the potential use of the mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) secretome as “cell free biologics” in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. This is an extension of her Ph.D. work during which she showed that the HSCs are regulated intrinsically by the activation of p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway that is crucial to its proliferation; whereas the extrinsic regulation of HSCs is mediated via its intercellular communication with the MSCs and that constitutive activation of the AKT signalling pathway in MSCs has a detrimental effect on the HSCs. Since her line of work is in stem cells, Dr. Vaidya is also affiliated with the Symbiosis Centre for Stem Cell Research (SCSCR).

Dr. Vaidya has now been entrusted with the challenging role of “Director” of SSBS. She is a member of National and International societies such Indian Society of Cell Biology and International Society for Stem Cell Research. She is also a member of various academic, ethical, and safety committees within and outside of SIU. She has been serving as an Editor and Reviewer for many International peer-reviewed journals. She has also published several research articles in reputed journals such as Stem Cell Reviews and Reports, Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells, Cryobiology, etc., and is currently involved in guiding and mentoring doctoral and dissertation students. She believes that SSBS possesses the attributes (Infrastructure, Experienced faculty members, Research areas aligned with National guidelines, Geographical location, Quality of students, and Support of Management) to evolve as one of the premier Life Science’s institutes of India!