Baebies
Devika Varma, Ph.D., has a diverse range of experience in scientific research and development. Devika currently works as a Senior Scientist at Baebies, where they lead a project focused on developing a rapid sepsis diagnostic for neonatal patients. In less than two years, Dr. Varma and their team have successfully developed a prototype consisting of multiplexed molecular assays that can detect and identify bacteria in blood faster than the clinical standard. Their role involves optimizing reagent formulations and PCR conditions on a digital microfluidic platform, integrating sample preparation and automation, and writing technical milestones and reports. Prior to their current position, Dr. Varma worked as a Scientist III and Scientist II at Baebies.
Before joining Baebies, Dr. Varma was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Their work focused on developing a mucoadhesive formulation for intranasal vaccine delivery, with a particular emphasis on enhancing mucosal immune responses. Devika designed formulations to enable nasal retention of adjuvanted vaccines and characterized their rheological and material properties.
Dr. Varma also has experience from their time at Rice University, where they served as a Lecturer and a Postdoctoral Research Associate. As a researcher, they developed a non-invasive, transdermal glucose monitoring protocol for premature newborn infants using glucose binding protein. Their work involved evaluating the analytical sensitivity of the fluorescent bacterial protein sensor, studying the transport kinetics of transdermal glucose, and assessing the stability of the assay under varying temperatures.
Additionally, Dr. Varma worked as an Entrepreneurial Lead at CelluloMedix, an NSF I-Corps program, where they gained valuable experience in entrepreneurship and innovation.
Earlier in their career, Dr. Varma served as a Graduate Research Assistant at the City College of New York, where they developed and evaluated an injectable cellulose-based hydrogel system for nucleus pulposus replacement and regeneration. Their role included creating injectable hydrogel formulations, performing cytotoxicity assessments, and evaluating the biocompatibility of the material in vivo.
Dr. Varma's industry experience includes working as an Associate Scientist at GlaxoSmithKline, where they evaluated antibody response and toxicity to pharmaceutical agents in various animal species. Devika also assisted in large-scale dosing studies and necropsies for immunological examination.
During their undergraduate studies, Dr. Varma gained practical experience as a Product Development Engineering Co-op at Synthes. Their responsibilities included characterizing the properties of synthetic hydrogels for spinal implants and developing testing protocols and fixtures for adhesive studies.
Overall, Dr. Devika Varma's work experience showcases their expertise in scientific research, development, and innovation across various fields, with a focus on diagnostics, vaccine delivery, glucose monitoring, and biomaterials.
Devika Varma, Ph.D. attended Drexel University from 2005 to 2010, where they earned both a Bachelor of Science (BS) and a Master of Science (MS) in Biomedical Engineering. Following their studies at Drexel, they went on to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Biomedical Engineering at The City College of New York from 2010 to 2016.