Komal Priya came to Pestalozzi from India in 2009. She is now working on Oncology clinical trial studies in Delhi and hopes to undertake a PhD in the near future.

I am currently working as a Clinical Research Associate in Oncology. I monitor the Indian population in global clinical trial of a new medicine for treatment of “Relapse Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM)” and “Relapse/Refractory Diffused Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)”. The study is active in several countries with different teams collaborating amongst themselves. In addition, I also oversee the Ophthalmology Study on Adenovirus Infection. Prior to that, I worked on Regulatory and Ethical Guidelines of Clinical Research.

I feel proud of my current job as it has given me a stellar opportunity to be part of a team involved in finding an innovative treatment for cancer. Ever since I was a child, I have seen people struggling with cancer owing to the lack of treatment and facilities, both in terms of availability and affordability. It gives me immense pleasure to be part of the team developing medicine for critical diseases such as lymphoma and myeloma. Our patients’ recovery and the remission in their cancer during the clinical trials, leading to an increase in their life-span, motivates us to work with even more dedication and determination.

During the process we also spread awareness regarding cancer, its diagnosis, symptoms, growth, preventive methods, treatments available etc. We also work towards raising awareness regarding clinical trials among the general population and how it paves the way for potentially finding a cure, with the vision of eradicating cancer like once seemingly terrible diseases like smallpox or polio.

In my time working in the aforementioned field, I have also focused on developing several soft skills in order to boost my own holistic development. Through meeting oncologists in different parts of India and from across the globe, receiving feedback from patients and families, I have also built up my networking skills to achieve synergistic effects that have helped me tremendously in the trials.

In the near future I wish to pursue higher studies through enrolling in a PhD programme.

I hope through clinical research, we are successful in developing a treatment to completely eradicate lymphoma, myeloma and many more currently incurable health conditions and that we can work towards finding ways to resolve these socio-human causes.