Srinagar, Aug 16 (KNS): Seerat Maqsood, a 26-year-old girl hailing from Sopore of north Kashmir Baramulla district has  added a feather in her cap by becoming the part of Malta’s first ever single cell library preparation.

Invited for a summer internship programme at the University of Malta, Seerat enthusiastically embarks on projects handling Multi-Omics and databases for Space Bioscience projects.

The project is part of the Polaris Dawn Mission, 2023 and Maleth projects in collaboration with Space X, the European Space Agency, NASA Gene-Lab, and the University of Malta. A research scholar at University of Teramo, Seerat positions herself in the field of Cellular and Molecular Biotechnologies.

To serve her purpose on a broader spectrum, she focuses her research on connecting medicine, 3D bio-printing with Space Bioscience. “

“It was in high school when my father gifted me a book, titled ‘Space that ignited the curiosity and created fascination for Space and Science,” she said.  

Her passion and expedition doesn’t end here, she has recently also become part of Moon Landing Mission, ARTEMIS 3 NASA, the first crewed Moon landing mission since Apollo 17 in 1972, under the privileged mentoring of Professor Joseph Borg, University of Malta. Prof Joseph Borg is a member of the Analysis Working Group at the NASA Gene Lab, USA and the ESA Space-Omics Topical Team, studying amongst others the effects of spaceflight on erythropoiesis for both astronauts living on board, the ISS and other missions as well.

“I am grateful for everything and everyone who has been part of my journey. Never give up on your dreams. I dreamed and worked hard to make it a reality. So can anyone,” she said.

She has done her schooling at Eaglets Public School, Bandipora then she moved to Srinagar for higher studies. After completing his class 12 she moved to Dehradun from where she did Bachelors in Biotechnology from Dolphin Institute.

“I always wanted to become a Scientist but doing research in Space Science was my top priority and it was never easy to get into the field because in Kashmir or even in other parts of Indian institutes we don’t have space science course or we find them rarely. In order remain connected with science I chose biotechnology as my major so that in future if I get an opportunity it will be smooth to enter the field,” she said.

She added that after her bachelor’s degree she decided to move abroad and did MS in reproductive biotechnology and that’s when she started following space scientists.

“My future plan is just to devote my time and dedication to research and it would be focused on how to find easy solutions to eradicate the diseases from the Earth and the Space by the help of science and technology,” she said. (KNS)