Rathnakumar Kumaragurubaran, PhD

I received my PhD in Biotechnology in 2017 from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. During my graduate years, I was trained in molecular biology and high-resolution microscopy. My postdoctoral fellowship focused on using multi-omics approaches to profile active gene regulatory elements in mouse models of liver and heart disease.

I spearheaded the NGS workflow development team in Dr. Michael Wilson’s laboratory (Genetics & Genomic Medicine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children), where I worked closely with internal stakeholders and external collaborators to implement a variety of NGS-based assays. I also designed insightful proof-of-concept (POC) experiments to determine technical feasibility, including predicting technical effort and risk.

In my current role, I help assess and prioritize single-cell and spatial assays, evaluating new and innovative genomics technologies and bioinformatics tools for potential service offerings.

As director, I support internal and federal user grant applications and expand the facility’s capabilities by delivering workshops and presentations to stakeholders to promote awareness of our services. I bring a well-rounded genomics skill set to the table, enabling me to design thoughtful experiments, guide bioinformatics analyses and interpretations, and propose future directions to peers and management.