Growing up, the one subject that I feared the most was Biology. Lets admit it, there is a gap in how biology is taught. It’s still considered a subject that has to be memorised out of a book, and therefore loses a lot of its appeal to kids.

Vaishali Sridhar, our next pathbreaker, Founder and Lead Instructor at BioTroopers (Ontario, Canada), works on making biology accessible to all kids by using fun, hands-on experiments and art to explore subjects interactively.

Vaishali talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about starting her career in a research lab at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (New York), working for a startup in disease research and as a Genomics Scientist in the pharmaceutical R&D sector before launching BioTroopers !

For students, sometimes it’s hard to know exactly what you want. Your journey might involve a lot of twists and turns, but along the way you’ll pick up skills which will help you grow as an individual, and bring you closer to knowing what you want to do. 

Vaishali, Your background?

I was born in Tamil Nadu and spent my early childhood in Chennai. Around the age of 6 my family moved to Bihar- it was a difficult decision for my parents to leave everything they knew behind and move to a new place, which in those days was known best for its dacoits. However, life was peaceful where we lived and I had a wonderful childhood. I spent a lot of time outdoors with my friends, going on nature walks, pretending to be explorers, collecting specimens for study- you could say I fell in love with biology at this very early age. 

Around high school we moved back to Chennai as my parents wanted to give me the best opportunities to succeed academically. I shared my interest in becoming a naturalist or a paleontologist – neither of these were encouraged as these weren’t “proper” careers. Therefore, I chose the next best option and decided to do an undergrad in engineering with specialization in Biotechnology. I must admit I chose this field inspired by Jurassic Park, and I hoped that I would get to clone extinct species one day. 

What did you do for graduation/post graduation?

Around the time I was about to wrap up my undergraduate degree, I contemplated a career in R&D in India at a pharma company. However, I found out very quickly that true R&D had extremely limited options at that time. My best chance of pursuing a career in research was to move to the US for graduate studies and join a research institute there. I decided to go to SUNY,  University at Buffalo for my Masters in Science (MS in Biotechnology). It was close to New York City where post-graduate career opportunities were plentiful. 

What were some of the key influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional, and unique career in Biological research?

As a GRA (Graduate Research Assistant) at Univ of Buffalo for 2 years, I studied the impact of cholesterol on embryo health during grad school. The work helped me explore the fields of molecular biology, cell biology, genomics and biochemistry. 

I started my career in a research lab at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York, a place known for groundbreaking discoveries that revolutionized our understanding of genetics. Being in such an inspiring environment was an incredible experience, and I had the privilege of working alongside exceptional scientists.

We studied a process called RNA interference or RNAi. This is a cellular process in which gene expression is suppressed by small RNA molecules binding to messenger RNA which ultimately causes a protein to not get synthesized.  My role was to generate mouse embryonic stem cell lines (ESCs) which have been targeted with a library of small RNA molecules called micro RNAs. The cool thing about these mouse embryonic stem cell lines is that they can be used to create mouse models where the impact of knocking down a specific protein can be studied. For example, p53 is a tumor suppressor protein, and by suppressing it’s expression in a mouse model, scientists can study the impact on tumour formation, cellular process etc. These targeted mouse ESCs are available for research purposes to the scientific community through NCI Mouse Repository. 

This opportunity opened doors to new and exciting paths. I was fortunate to collaborate with individuals who later founded a company specializing in genetically engineered mouse models for disease research. Being part of a startup in its early stages was one of the most exciting chapters of my career.

During my time there, I learned invaluable skills from outstanding mentors—how to be agile, work under tight deadlines, excel in sales, and make decisions with limited information. These lessons have continued to shape my professional journey to this day.

How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted? Or how did you make a transition to a new career? Tell us about your career path

After spending six years working in New York, I had the opportunity to transition into the pharmaceutical R&D sector—an exciting, cutting-edge field that also involved relocating to Chicago. I joined AbbVie, where I spent two years learning how the pharmaceutical industry operates differently from academia.

I worked in the Functional Genomics group at AbbVie  on genome-wide CRISPR screens to identify novel targets, which could one day be life-saving therapeutics. CRISPR is a process in which specific genes can be modified in living cells, and mutations can be corrected. I designed,  executed, and validated  genome-wide CRISPR-based screens. You can imagine these genome-wide screens as a tool to disrupt the function of nearly every gene in the genome (for example, the human genome has around 20,000 estimated genes) and observe the resulting  changes, thereby identifying genes crucial for a specific biological process or condition being studied. 

During my time at AbbVie, I had a baby girl, and she became central to several career decisions. My family and I were living in the U.S. on an H-1B visa, and the long wait times for permanent residency created significant uncertainty about our future there. Seeking stability, we decided to move to Toronto, Canada, in 2016.

My passion for research led me to pursue a PhD at the University of Toronto. Years earlier, when considering the move to AbbVie, I had debated returning to school for a PhD. This now felt like the right time. I enrolled in the Molecular Biology program, researching the impact of incorrect cell division on cancer. The work was intense—long days in the lab, weekends included. Unfortunately, it left me with little time for my daughter, leading me to make the difficult decision to pause my PhD.

Fortunately, I found a role at BenchSci, a Toronto-based healthtech startup using AI to help scientists plan research and accelerate R&D. It was my first experience in the tech sector, and I learned a great deal. 

When COVID hit in 2019, we shifted to remote work. During this time, I realized that while I had gained valuable experience at BenchSci, I deeply missed science. I started incorporating it back into my life by setting up hands-on experiments for my daughter, who was five at the time. Exploring science together was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Seeing how much she loved it, I looked for STEM extracurricular programs focused on hands-on biology—but found none. Despite numerous options for robotics, coding, engineering, and even chemistry, meaningful biology programs were missing. That’s when the idea for BioTroopers was born.

I launched BioTroopers in spring 2023 with a pilot hands-on biology camp for kids aged 6-12. They explored cells, DNA, ecosystems, dinosaurs, and fossils—and loved every moment. The best part was how much they learned while having fun. From there, there was no turning back. We ran a summer camp the same year, followed by after-school programs and workshops in multiple schools. Now, as we enter our third year, I’m incredibly excited for what’s ahead. 

How did you get your first break?

My work in the area of molecular biology during grad school, I believe, played a huge role in getting a break at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL). In addition to working on my thesis in grad school, I also took up research assistant roles in other labs to expand my experience in the area I was interested in- molecular and cellular biology. The role at CSHL was a case of a perfect experience/ skills match. Additionally, I had always wanted to work at CSHL- it’s home to 8 Nobel laureates in the field of medicine, and it contributed immensely to the field of cellular and molecular biology. So I always kept an eye out for roles here. 

My role at Mirimus was about being at the right place, at the right time and realizing the opportunity in front of me. CSHL served as an incubator for Mirimus and I knew the founders. Through further networking, I was able to get a role here.

What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?

Challenge 1: Starting from scratch without a rule book. When I launched BioTroopers, I knew what exactly our product – the curriculum – would be,  but turning it into a functioning business was a whole new challenge. I had to figure out everything—business incorporation, accounting, insurance, marketing, website development—on my own, with no prior experience. Bootstrapping meant hiring help wasn’t an option, so I learned as I went.

Challenge 2: Not having a salary. After having worked full-time jobs for the past decade, it was hard and sometimes scary to not have a steady paycheck. I sometimes wondered if I should go back to a full time job. However, the support and constant encouragement from my family and friends helped me get through this. 

Challenge 3: Getting the word out. To get people to know about the program was challenging. Marketing agencies are expensive, and therefore not an option. I relied heavily on social media (which I had never used before, and therefore had to learn) marketing, word of mouth, and grassroots efforts- going to soccer games to hand out brochures , asking cafes to display brochures etc. This was often uncomfortable, but necessary. 

Where do you work now? What problems do you solve?

I founded BioTroopers in early 2023, and I continue to work here full time. We work on making biology accessible to all kids by using fun, hands-on experiments, art, music and theater to explore subjects such as Journey into the Cell (Cell Biology), River to Reef (Aquatic Ecosystems), Our Sense-ible Brain (Human Body), What’s in your Genes (Genetics) etc. 

I started this company because I realized there was a gap in how biology is taught. It’s still considered a subject that has to be memorized out of a book, and therefore loses a lot of its appeal to kids. However, using hands-on methods makes it accessible and fun, the first steps towards learning. Building out this curriculum has been a natural extension of what I love best- science and education. The business aspects are new to me, and this is something I’m learning constantly. I have always loved learning new things, and being in new environments, and this has helped me take risks and learn in the process. 

I’m ever so grateful that this door opened for me, and I am lucky enough to be able to build this program for kids and have an impact on early education. 

What’s a typical day like?

My typical day consists of preparing for after school clubs, and making sure the instructors have the materials to run classes. I also spend a lot of my time reading science journals and listening to podcasts from scientific thinkers of our generation to understand problems that are being solved today. I use this information to design curriculum to ensure it’s relevant to today’s problems and gives kids an idea of the types of challenges real scientists work on. A part of my day is used towards business development. I still run several classes myself, so my evenings are spent at schools teaching. 

How does your work benefit society? 

BioTroopers makes hands-on biology education accessible and engaging for young children, fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and a love for science from an early age. By providing interactive learning experiences, BioTroopers helps kids develop scientific literacy, problem-solving skills, and an appreciation for the natural world.

Additionally, BioTroopers addresses a gap in STEM education by offering a strong foundation in biology—an area often overlooked in extracurricular programs. This early exposure can inspire future scientists, doctors, environmentalists, and innovators who will contribute to advancements in healthcare, biotechnology, and sustainability. 

Moreover, by emphasizing fun and exploration, BioTroopers encourages diverse participation in science, helping to build a future workforce that is more inclusive and passionate about solving real-world challenges. 

Our goal is to inspire a love for learning – it is a skill that will ensure our future generation succeeds at any career they pick in our ever-changing world. 

Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!

At our pilot March break camp, one boy arrived in tears, clinging to his mom and reluctant to stay. After she left, he quietly took his seat, remaining reserved for the first part of the day. Later that day, as we explored cells, the campers examined their own cheek cells under a microscope. The moment this boy saw his own cells, he let out a delighted squeal- I still can’t forget this! 

The next morning, he nearly forgot to say goodbye to his mom, rushing to his seat and eagerly asking what we’d be doing that day. Later, his mom shared that he had spent the evening talking about cells and DNA, counting down the hours until camp. Watching his transformation—from anxious and hesitant to engaged and enthusiastic—was truly heartwarming.

Your advice to students based on your experience?

It might sound cliche, but follow your dreams. They do come true. True, it requires sacrifices and a lot of hard work. But if it’s something you already love, it won’t really feel like drudgery. You’ll love to spend time on it, and therefore you will make your dream come true. Sometimes it’s hard to know exactly what you want. Your journey might involve a lot of twists and turns, but along the way you’ll pick up skills which will help you grow as an individual, and bring you closer to knowing what you want to do. 

Future Plans?

We plan to bring BioTroopers programming to more schools in the Toronto area this year. We also are working on launching a virtual program so kids at home can join our workshops. I’m very excited for all that is to come!