Translational Research is a highly cross-disciplinary process that requires a blend of problem-solving, scientific expertise, and effective communication skills.

Armaan Mehra, our next pathbreaker, works as Product Marketing Manager at Novogene Europe (Germany), a leading global provider of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) services and solutions.

Armaan talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about his interests in developmental biology and regenerative medicine which led him to pursue a PhD, and opting for a career in translation of biomedical research into innovative therapeutic applications.

For students, every setback is a stepping stone to growth, and it’s your determination and attitude that shapes your future.

Armaan,  tell us what were your growing up years like?

I was born and raised in Delhi in a home where art has been a way of life. Both of my parents (Ms. Shabnam Mehra & Mr. Vikram Mehra) are artists, and their passion for creativity deeply influenced me. Beyond them, my biggest inspirations have been my aunt and uncle (Ms. Naima Upreti & Mr. Mohan Upreti), who were also immersed in the arts – particularly music and theatre.

When I visualize the first two decades of my life, I think about those countless outings after returning from school/college and going to myriad art exhibitions, theatre performances, concerts, dance recitals, handicraft & handloom fairs, etc. I feel fortunate to have grown up in an environment where I was constantly surrounded by diverse art forms. Naturally, this exposure has profoundly shaped my perspective and has fueled my lifelong love and appreciation for the arts.

I used to learn Indian classical vocal music at home and also actively engaged with theatre at my uncle and aunt’s theatre group.

In school, I actively participated in a wide range of extracurricular activities, including singing, dramatics, debating, creative writing and poetry recitation. I even tried learning Japanese in school and also got the opportunity to visit Japan as a part of a fully funded program. I am eternally grateful to my ‘Sensei’, Ms. Shivani Nagrath, for providing me with this incredible opportunity.

I also loved (and still love) reading books and watching documentaries. In short, I enjoy engaging in all sorts of creative and expressive pursuits. Sports, however, were never my strong suit!

Apart from the arts, I was (and am) deeply interested in travel and I used to spend a lot of time reading travel books, magazines, brochures and watching travel documentaries.

To this day, I continue to pursue my artistic interests, including music and photography, and I travel whenever possible – exploring places I first read about more than two decades ago!

Of course, as you can see, my background is very different from the career I currently pursue.

What did you do for graduation/post graduation?

I completed a Bachelor of Science (Hons.) in Zoology from Hindu College, University of Delhi, followed by an MSc in Life Sciences. After that, I moved to Germany to pursue a PhD. I am currently pursuing an Executive MBA, let’s see how that goes!

In addition, I have pursued diplomas and courses in diverse disciplines (such as English literature, Vocal music, Astrobiology, Ethics, etc.), and I continue to study to this day—so, more academic milestones are on the horizon!

How did you end up in such an offbeat, unconventional and unusual career in Life Sciences?

As I mentioned earlier, I was raised in an environment deeply immersed in the arts, and it seemed only natural that I would pursue a career in the same field. However, that changed when I entered my teens.

A turning point came in the 8th standard when I attended a summer vacation program at the National Museum of Natural History in Delhi. At the time, it was located in Mandi House (though I’m unsure of its current whereabouts after the tragic fire accident). The program included field trips, workshops, seminars, and hands-on activities focused on environmental sciences. I explored topics like biodiversity, conservation, evolution and microbiology, all of which fascinated me. More importantly, I met some incredible people—some of whom remain friends to this day. This experience shifted my focus toward science.

From that point on, there was no looking back. I immersed myself in science and I was trying to read books beyond my school curriculum and grade level. I also started participating in science quizzes and Olympiads, winning a few too.

By the end of the 9th standard, I had already decided to pursue a career in academia and research—specifically in Nuclear or Quantum Physics. I’d like to thank the teachers who taught me and encouraged me during this time – Ms. Rachna Mishra (Chemistry), Ms. Sunandita Ghosh (Biology), and Ms. Poonam Pandey (Physics).

But another change was just around the corner. While I still aspired to pursue a career in academia and research, my focus shifted to Biology – all thanks to my biology teacher, Ms. Aruna Thakur. She taught me for three years, from the 10th to the 12th standard and got me hooked on life sciences.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of learning from several remarkable teachers, but I am yet to find someone like Ms. Aruna Thakur. She has been my greatest teacher and Guru and I owe all my subject knowledge to her.

After high school, I began my undergraduate studies at Hindu College, and from there, everything seemed to fall into place. I’m deeply grateful to my teachers at Hindu College – not only for their support during my time there but also for the continued encouragement they offer me to this day.

From my very first day at college, there was an instant connection with Dr. Anupam V. Sharma. She is one of the sweetest people I have met so far and has been a constant source of support and wisdom ever since. Her recommendation letter played a pivotal role in helping me secure my first internship at JNCASR, Bangalore.

I’d also like to express my heartfelt thanks to the late Dr. P.K. Sinha, Prof. Soma M. Ghorai, and Prof. Neetu. Each of them has been an invaluable source of learning, encouragement, and support throughout my academic journey

Tell us about your career path

Since my initial dream was to develop my scientific skills and build a career in research, I began going for internships and attending workshops & conferences from the very first semester of my undergraduate studies. In fact the very first one I attended was I standard XI when I got an opportunity to stay in IIT Delhi and attend a DST INSPIRE Science camp.

I was fortunate to be selected for the NIUS program at HBCSE, TIFR Mumbai just a few months into my undergraduate studies. After finishing my first year, I went for the summer internship program at JNCASR, Bangalore, where I had the privilege of working under the late Prof. M.R.S. Rao, a Padma Shri awardee. This was followed by another dream opportunity—an internship at the University of Calgary, Canada, which broadened my research experience on an international level.

At JNCASR, I was working with a PhD student who was studying the role of a novel long non-coding RNA in mouse embryonic development. There, I primarily gained hands on experience in basic molecular biology techniques such as setting up a PCR/gradient PCR, DNA-RNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, media preparation, etc.

At the University of Calgary, I worked directly under Dr. Peng Huang, where I gained hands-on experience using the zebrafish model system. I learned in situ hybridization techniques and confocal microscopy to visualize Notch receptors and ligands in the spinal cord region during development.

Apart from that, I attended workshops, schools, and conferences at IISER Pune, IISER Mohali, and IISc Bangalore, in addition to actively participating in various scientific events at the University of Delhi. Thus, the 3 years I spent at Hindu College were probably the best years of my life. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have gained such broad national and international exposure during my undergraduate studies, which has undoubtedly played a significant role in shaping my personal and professional journey.

I tried to repeat the same during my masters and went for another international internship to IST Austria.

At that time, I had offer for an internship in Japan as well as in India. However, my interest in the research topic at IST Austria prompted me to take that offer. I worked under Prof. Anna Kicheva at IST Austria, where I studied the regulation of floor plate ( a region at the ventral midline of the neural tube) size during mouse embryonic development. This project reinforced my interest in the mechanisms governing development. I gained a lot of experience using the mouse model, doing immunohistochemistry staining, confocal microscopy, etc.

I also got the opportunity to be a part of the Benny Shilo Developmental Biology course at NCBS, Bangalore. The exposure gained during masters motivated me to pursue further research in the field of developmental biology and regeneration.

By the time I completed my master’s, I had built a solid CV and began applying to various research programs abroad. After several rounds of interviews, trials, and tribulations, I found myself pursuing doctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim, Germany. Here, I worked under Prof. Didier Stainier and Dr. Ruben Marin Juez and carried out studies to further our understanding of the role of coronary vessels in zebrafish heart regeneration. I hope to defend my doctoral work sometime in the near future.

Can you explain how you decided on your PhD and the problem statement of your research?

I initially joined the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg to further explore the topic of my master’s thesis, which focused on cancer immunology. While I gained valuable exposure to various research fields, including scRNA-seq, proteomics, and immunology, the opportunity to pursue a PhD there ultimately did not materialize.

Through this journey, I realized that my core interests lie in developmental biology and regeneration – areas I had consistently explored during my previous internships. This clarity led me to join Prof. Didier Stainier’s lab at the Max Planck Institute in Bad Nauheim.

Here, I studied the role of coronary vessels during zebrafish heart regeneration. Adult humans cannot regenerate their hearts post heart attack or myocardial infarction (MI), and heart function is compromised thereafter. However, zebrafish possess a remarkable ability to regenerate their hearts following injury, and coronary vessels play a crucial role in this process. I worked on two topics – One of the goals was to check how the enhancement of this coronary revascularization impacts heart regeneration and the other project focused on the study of angiocrine factors.

This research has implications for developing or designing better therapies for humans in cases of damage to the heart.

How did you make a transition to a new career?

Throughout my doctoral studies, I continued to explore various interests and pursue additional learning opportunities. For instance, I earned an undergraduate certificate in English literature from the University of Cambridge, UK, and took courses in diverse subjects such as gendered leadership, ethics, inter-religious traditions, forensics, and remote sensing from various institutions in India.

As you can see, I have consciously tried to not limit myself to one particular degree or hobby.

By the end of my doctoral studies, some personal and health circumstances forced me to re-evaluate my plan to further pursue research. While it was a challenging and uncertain time, this period of reflection also allowed me to reassess my goals and priorities. This ultimately led me to my current job.

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

There have been several challenges along the way, particularly after my arrival in Germany about 7 years ago. I think I can write a book on how all hell broke loose in Germany. There have been countless failures, bureaucratic hurdles, demotivating individuals, and health issues. I am facing challenges right now too.

My approach is to do whatever I can to make things better and to face obstacles with a smile, as much as possible. My family, friends, colleagues, and supervisors have played the biggest role in helping me navigate various challenges. I wouldn’t have been able to solve many of these problems without their support and guidance. Additionally, I don’t hesitate to seek professional mental health support when needed.

How did you get your break in Novogene?

I had first heard of Novogene during my doctoral studies. As I was deeply interested in next generation sequencing, I was following the company on its various social media handles. I also connected with an employee of the company on LinkedIn.

As it so happened, a job opening came up at Novogene, just as I was starting my job search. Prior to this, I had no clear understanding of what product management or product marketing management meant. However, after reviewing the job description and responsibilities, I realized it was a perfect fit for my skills and the direction I was looking to take in my career. Hence, I applied for the position, and luckily, I was selected. Down the line, I’m extremely happy to be a part of the Novogene family.

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

I work for Novogene Europe as a Product Marketing Manager. However, my role also involves Product Management. Novogene is a leading global provider of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) services and solutions. We provide high-quality sequencing services and bioinformatics analysis to support research and clinical applications. Our suite of services includes whole-genome sequencing, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), metagenomic sequencing, methylation analysis, and many more!

At Novogene, we provide next-generation sequencing services to clients across academia, industry, and clinical settings. While we don’t work on a physical product, our services focus on delivering high-quality sequencing data to support a wide range of research, clinical applications, and commercial ventures.

My current work is only remotely related to my PhD project. But the skill set I gained during my doctoral research has helped me immensely in the company.

Since I handle both Product Management and Product Marketing, my role involves strategic decision-making that spans both the development and marketing of our services. Each day at work brings something new, and there’s never a dull moment. My responsibilities are diverse and dynamic, including tasks like:

  • Problem-solving for service-related challenges.
  • Delivering seminars and webinars to engage with clients and showcase our expertise.
  • Participating in conferences and on-site events to represent the company and network with industry leaders.
  • Conducting market research to identify trends, customer needs, and competitive landscapes.
  • Developing and executing go-to-market (GTM) strategies to launch and promote new services effectively.
  • Working with the marketing team to develop content for our website, service flyers, brochures, etc.
  • And more!

There are several things I love about my work. Firstly, I get to learn something new everyday. As someone who loves biology, it is the perfect opportunity for me to learn about research happening in diverse areas such as epigenetics, microbiology, developmental biology, etc.

Secondly, I get to oversee the entire lifecycle of the services we launch, from the germ of the initial idea to development to launch, marketing, and iteration based on customer feedback.

Lastly, my role allows me to interact and collaborate with several key stakeholders like our clients, sales team, marketing team, project management, logistics team, etc. which gives me a great overview of the business activities undertaken by different departments.

What are the skills required for your role? How did you acquire them?

In terms of skills, the role demands a blend of problem-solving, scientific expertise, business analytics, strong writing abilities, and effective communication skills. I gained some of these skills (such as problem solving and scientific skills) during the course of my education and internships. developed some of these skills – such as problem-solving and scientific thinking – through my education and internships. Meanwhile, I am continuously learning and honing my business analytics skills through my work at Novogene .

How does your work benefit society?

At Novogene, our mission is to Advance Genomics and Improve Life. As a leading Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) service provider, we contribute to society by helping drive advancements in research, healthcare, and biotechnology. For instance, NGS enables in-depth studies of various diseases, including cancer, by providing high-quality genome and transcriptome sequencing data – critical for developing targeted therapies.

As a Product Marketing Manager at Novogene, I see myself as just a drop in the ocean, but even the smallest contributions help shape the future of society.

Beyond my professional role, I actively volunteer with NGOs such as Mentor Together and Freedom Employability Academy. Through these organizations, I engage with students across the country, guiding them in their career planning and helping them develop skills that enhance their employability.

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

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I volunteered for Project Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (Project VK), an initiative by Global Shapers Düsseldorf. The project aimed to provide mental health support to people across India during the lockdown. The idea was to offer a safe space for individuals to share their concerns and seek guidance.

As part of Project VK, I participated in training sessions and workshops covering various areas such as active listening, creating safe spaces, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), and yoga. It was an enriching experience that deepened my understanding of mental well-being. After learning and practicing these skills, we organized sessions to support individuals in need. It was fulfilling to bring a few smiles during such a challenging time.

Your advice to students based on your experience?

Normally, I wouldn’t offer general advice. However, since this is for students who will soon be making important career decisions, here are a few pointers from my own experience:

  • Think beyond the conventional – High school science students often believe that their career options are limited to engineering and medicine. Similarly, BSc graduates may think their only choice is to pursue an MSc or PhD. However, there are countless other career paths worth exploring. It’s essential to broaden one’s perspective on career opportunities and consider alternatives to the traditional routes. Several of my classmates and seniors have pursued diverse fields after completing their BSc in Zoology, including civil services, defence services, law, banking, journalism, and even theatre.

Personally, just 2-3 years ago, I couldn’t have imagined working in the field of Product Management and Marketing—but here I am today.

  • Prepare a strategy – A strong strategy is required to achieve professional goals. It is important to plan in advance and set clear, time-bound as well as achievable goals and sub-goals.
  • Don’t compare yourself to others – Everyone’s journey is unique, and we should avoid making comparisons. I, too, occasionally fall into the trap of comparing myself to others, but I remind myself that there are many paths to leading a happy and fulfilling life. Instead of copying others, I focus on creating my own path. Remember, there is no singular definition of success! As someone recently pointed out to me, we may be living someone’s dream. I am not saying that we should drop all ambition, but it’s equally important to pause and reflect on how far we’ve come from where we started.

•      Gain practical experience – During my BSc    and MSc studies, I made it a point to participate in as many internships as I could. These experiences not only helped me hone my practical skills but also allowed me to connect with several professionals in the field. If you can’t find an internship in your field, try volunteering for an NGO, old age home, or a travel company. Every experience counts!

  • Master communication – Whether it’s the arts, science, or management, communication is an essential skill. While it’s important to master presentation and writing skills, it is equally important to work on effective interpersonal communication. Clear, timely, and respectful communication are key elements that are often overlooked. I strive every day to improve my communication skills and enhance my emotional intelligence.
  • Network – I have benefited enormously by talking to people, whether it is gaining information on opportunities or gathering  invaluable insights on a particular career pathway. Sometimes, even casual or small conversations can offer deep insights.

Lastly, but most importantly:

  • Don’t lose hope! – An unfinished degree, a lost job, or a missed opportunity does not define who you are. I understand that failure is painful, I have a hard time dealing with it too. But remember, life is much bigger than these setbacks! Don’t let success or failure define who you are. What truly matters is your resilience, your ability to learn from mistakes, and your persistence to keep moving forward.

Every setback is a stepping stone to growth, and it’s your determination and attitude that shapes your future.

Future Plans?

At the moment, I am happy working in the corporate sector and wish to continue in Product Management and Product Marketing Management roles.

However, I am deeply passionate about teaching and hope to pursue it full-time in the future.

On the side, I’d like to continue pursuing my artistic interests and I hope I can take my music forward.

Life, though, is unpredictable, and my interests are diverse – so don’t be surprised if you find me living a minimalist life in the Spiti Valley someday!