The ECR Committee is pleased to welcome new members from all over the world. They will play key organizing roles in ECR activities such as mentoring sessions, networking events, online panel discussions, competitions, and more. Read their short biographies to get to know more about them.
Ankit Biswas is an Integrated MSc-PhD candidate at UNESCO-Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, India. His research focuses on the conjunction between placental molecular markers in maternal plasma for early detection and maintenance of preterm birth. Further, elucidating the marker's mechanistic function in adverse pregnancy outcomes using advanced proteomic platforms. He is largely interested in exploring the field of reproductive biology employing new generation proteomic tools to bridge the knowledge gap between clinical outcome and molecular mechanism.
Moreover, as a member of proteomic society, India he has been a part of outreach programs for proteomics training in India. Ankit greatly looks forward to becoming a part of the HUPO-ECR community to actively contribute to the initiatives that support early-career researchers and foster dynamic interdisciplinary collaboration.
Beata Szeitz (Bea) is a postdoctoral fellow in the Fenyo Lab at NYU Langone Health. She earned her PhD from Semmelweis University in Hungary, focusing on lung cancer proteomics. Her research addresses biologically and clinically driven questions in cancer using bioinformatic approaches. In her postdoctoral work, she studies the role of LINE-1 retrotransposon in small cell lung cancer. Bea is glad to become a member of the HUPO-ECR and looks forward to contributing to its activities.
Mayara Silva (Maya) is a senior PhD candidate in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph, Canada. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and her Master’s degree in fungal biology/medical mycology at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil. Throughout her academic journey, Mayara has been actively engaged in science communication initiatives, reflecting her commitment to connecting science with broader audiences.
Her research focuses on the application of mass spectrometry–based proteomics to investigate host–pathogen protein–protein interactions, with the aim of advancing our understanding of infectious disease development. By integrating clinical training with foundational biological research, she is particularly interested in translational science and in developing proteomics-based approaches to elucidate the interplay between immune responses and pathogen virulence factors.
Mayara is enthusiastic about joining the HUPO ECR Committee and looks forward to actively contributing to initiatives that support and empower early-career researchers within the global proteomics community.
Ragini Bhalla is a PhD candidate at Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and is affiliated with the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Her research examines how pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) establishes an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment that impairs CD8⁺ T-cell function. She leverages mass spectrometry-based proteomics, phosphoproteomics, and secretome profiling to study tumour-immune crosstalk and identify key dysfunctional pathways underlying impaired immune responses.
Her broader interests lie at the intersection of cancer biology and immunology, with a particular emphasis on applying high-resolution proteomics to uncover mechanisms of immune dysfunction and inform the rational design of next-generation immunotherapies.
Ragini looks forward to joining the HUPO-ECR community and actively contributing to initiatives that support early-career researchers and encourage interdisciplinary exchange.
Viviane Reber is a PhD student at the Institute of Molecular Systems Biology at ETH in Zurich, Switzerland. She works on developing and applying methods like limited proteolysis coupled to mass spectrometry (LiP-MS) and in vivo proximity labeling to understand the role of dynamic protein structures and how small molecules interact with protein targets. Her early work included a Master's thesis focused on Parkinson’s disease, specifically investigating how alpha-synuclein interacts with mitochondrial regulators of ATP homeostasis. Now she works on the characterization of chemical probes using multimodal proteomics with a focus on kinase inhibitors as part of the public-private partnership EUbOPEN.
Viviane joined the HUPO-ECR in October 2025 and is excited to continue to support and empower young researchers.
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