Three Indians among 50 new Gates Cambridge Scholars

The three Indians selected are: Siddhartha Kar,who graduated with an MBBS from B J Medical College,Pune; Suhasini Sen,who graduated with a Law degree from Nalsar University,Hyderabad; and Anand Shrivastava,a continuing Gates scholar,who completed an M.Phil Economics from St Edmunds College.

Kar plans to study for a PhD in public health,concentrating on the genetic epidemiology of cancer.

He says: “My research will involve the application of exciting emerging technologies: high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics. My experiences so far have left me profoundly conscious of global disparities in cancer care.

I therefore aspire to use my education in cutting edge public health genomics from Cambridge,to eventually organise large-scale studies in India to further elucidate genetic risk factors for cancer”.

The results of Kar’s research are expected to inform the development of cost-effective personalised preventive and therapeutic interventions in cancer that are tailored to the

needs of the community.

Sen will pursue a Master in Law programme with a focus on issues and tensions between public security and personal liberties.

Shrivastava,who graduated from IIT,Madras,will conduct doctoral research on the political economy of conversion of forest land for industrial use in India.

Seven of the new Scholars are from Canada,six from Australia,five from Germany,four from the US; three each are from India,Romania and Ireland and two each are from Kenya,Ghana and China.