I am a Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School and the Stem Cell Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, where I study how stem cells regenerate tissues and how RNA regulation shapes this process. My work combines stem cell biology, regenerative medicine, and RNA biology to uncover fundamental mechanisms and translate them into therapeutic strategies.

I grew up in Mumbai and earned my Master’s degree in molecular genetics from MSU Baroda, working with Prof. Bharat Bhushan Chattoo. During this time, I developed a deep interest in molecular biology and genetic engineering. I then pursued my Ph.D. at NCBS–TIFR, Bangalore, under the mentorship of Prof. K. VijayRaghavan, a pioneering geneticist and Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. My doctoral research led to the discovery of a novel stem cell population (name of cell type here) and, in collaboration with Prof. Heinrich Reichert at the Biozentrum in Switzerland, helped explain how organs achieve and maintain their correct size during development and regeneration. Using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster as a model, I was the first to demonstrate active regeneration of stem cells in flight muscles (Gunage et al., 2014; Chaturvedi & Gunage et al., 2017; Gunage et al., 2017).

At Harvard, I continue to explore the biology of regeneration, focusing on how RNA modifications affect the function of blood stem cells and their capacity to regenerate. I use human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), zebrafish models, and advanced genomic tools to map the molecular programs that control regeneration and tissue repair.

Outside the lab, I am deeply committed to science outreach and education. Through Scisoup India, I work to make science accessible to the public, mentor students, and write popular science blogs to share the excitement of discovery with a wider audience.

You can learn more about my current work in the Zon Lab.