Angana De is a Pharmaceutical Sciences Ph.D. student at the University of Connecticut, studying under the supervision of Raman Bahal, Professor of Pharmaceutics.
De received her Bachelor of Pharmacy in Pharmaceutical Sciences from West Bengal University of Technology in West Bengal, India, in 2020. After that, she received her Master of Pharmacy in Industrial Pharmacy from Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences in India in 2022.
In 2023, De began her studies at UConn in the Bahal laboratory where she develops nucleic acid analogs for targeting DNA/RNA in cancer treatment.
“My research focuses on developing a new approach to treat cancer by selectively targeting oncogenes, which are the genes that drive cancer, using nucleic acid analogs,” De said. “The broader goal is to develop next-generation therapies that can eventually improve survival rates in patients while minimizing side effects.”
The research De is working on is currently in the preclinical stage, which evaluates the drug or therapy’s safety, toxicity, and potential effectiveness.
In 2025, De won the Academic Research Award for Best Oral Research Presentation at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Northeast Regional Discussion Group (AAPS-NERDG).
In 2026, she received the Karl A. Herzog Fellowship from University of Connecticut, as well as the Meritorious Abstract Travel Award at the ASGCT Annual Meeting. ASGCT is a highly prestigious conference in the field of gene therapy.
When De found out she had received the travel award, she was ecstatic.
“It was a mix of gratitude, excitement, and fulfillment for all the hard work and time I have dedicated to this work,” De said. “I felt truly honored that my research was recognized through such a prestigious award.”
The ASGCT travel award was very competitive.
“I think what helped me stand out was the translational potential of my research and clearly communicating the scientific significance of the work through the abstract,” De said.
De was very thankful for the opportunity to present her research in Boston earlier this month.
“It was truly an honor to present my work during the poster session of the conference and to interact and discuss my research with scientists from around the world,” De said.
