VALID8

Dr Tuhina Gupta is a Senior Research Scientist at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. In this special VALID8 interview marking the milestone of 1,000 VALIDATE members, Tuhina reflects on her work in TB vaccine development and her journey within the network.

1 – What do you do / what do you research?

I develop and test TB vaccines in small animal models, study TB transmission using ferrets, and investigate the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium abscessus in cystic fibrosis using animal models.

2 – What drew you to studying vaccines?

Vaccines prevent diseases and save lives. Prevention is always better than cure. Even though BCG has its limitations, it still protects newborns from TB. My ultimate goal is to develop a TB vaccine that can protect adults as well.

3 – How has VALIDATE shaped your work or career and research so far?

Joining VALIDATE has made me more confident. Hearing established PIs openly share their experiences reminded me that many of us face similar challenges. Before joining, I was discouraged enough to consider leaving research altogether — VALIDATE changed that trajectory. Coaching sessions, the ECDN community, grant-writing courses, and the Peggy Klaus workshop have all had a lasting impact on my focus, confidence, and productivity.

4 – What’s your favourite memory or moment from your time with VALIDATE?

Recently, during a seminar, I won a one-year coaching opportunity with Dr Petro Terblanche after speaking passionately about my TB vaccine work. She also invited me to visit Afrigen, which was incredibly motivating.

5 – What do you value most about being connected to 1,000 researchers across 80+ countries?

What I value most is the support and network. In the future, this community could enable multi-lab vaccine testing, shared SOPs, and collective learning from failed experiments.

6 – What advice would you give to the 1,000th VALIDATE member joining today?

Don’t be a passive member. Join seminars, participate in networking, and engage fully — you’ll never regret it.

7 – What excites you most about the future of VALIDATE?

I look forward to the day when collaboration across VALIDATE contributes to an efficacious TB vaccine, and to seeing ECDN members establish their own research programmes and support the next generation.

8 – Describe VALIDATE in one word.

Awesome.