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Graduate Student Spotlight

Karabi Saha came to SDSU from Bangladesh in fall 2020 to pursue her Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences. Saha studies under the supervision of professor Wenfeng An and was inspired by his research on jumping genes, long interspersed element type 1 (LINE-1, L1). She said this has been “one of the best decisions of my life”. 

Saha shares that her research has been based on “understanding the transcriptional regulation of jumping genes in the mouse genome” and included that “an incredible moment in my research was determining YY1 protein as the transcriptional activator of the mouse LINE-1 Tf subfamily.” Saha then published this finding in Nucleic Acids Research last year. 

During her time at SDSU, Saha received awards including the Best Poster ��ֱ���� at the 34th Fall Convocation organized by the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions and won third place in the Three Minute Thesis competition held by the SDSU Graduate School. Saha said she also had the opportunity to “collaborate with brilliant minds in the field and presenting my work at conferences.” In addition to these awards, Saha has served as the vice president and now president of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists student chapter where she was able to connect with peers and make contributions to the community. 

Saha offers keen advice to those considering graduate school. She said to “embrace the journey with curiosity.” She shares that it is important to “find a research area you’re passionate about and challenge you. Graduate school is not just about academic achievements — it’s also about personal growth, perseverance and learning to navigate challenges effectively.” 

Post her Ph.D. program, Saha intends to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship that she said will allow her to “expand my expertise in basic science and contribute to bridge between foundational research and translational applications.”

Save the Date: April 16, 2025

To showcase the innovative work of SDSU graduate students, the Graduate School will sponsor Graduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Day on April 16, 2025.

The event is open to all graduate students, regardless of discipline or type of degree being earned. Students not completing a thesis or research paper are welcome to present on a project, portfolio, written work or any other type of creative activity. A group of faculty judges will select the top two posters to receive awards.

Graduate students will need to provide a brief abstract of the project, as well as other pertinent information.

The Graduate School will reach out to those who registered prior to the event.