Shruti
Jain
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Areas of expertise
Biography
I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Biotechnology Unit, Department of Life Technologies, University of Turku. My research background is in molecular biotechnology, clinical chemistry and in vitro diagnostics, with a focus on cancer-associated biomarker glycoforms and assay development.
My work has centred on the discovery, development and evaluation of diagnostic biomarker assays. I have contributed to studies on ovarian cancer biomarkers, lung cancer biomarker discovery, extracellular vesicle-related diagnostics and glycosylation-based detection strategies. I am also co-inventor on an invention disclosure related to glycovariant biomarkers for lung cancer detection.
Alongside laboratory-based research, I am interested in how diagnostic and biotechnology discoveries move toward application. This includes assay validation, translational research, technology transfer, innovation pathways and the broader relationship between scientific evidence and real-world use.
I have experience in supervision, teaching, scientific communication and public engagement. I have supervised MSc thesis work and laboratory training, lectured in advanced clinical chemistry, presented at international conferences and participated in science communication and outreach activities. My work has been recognised through awards from the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, the Nordic Society for Clinical Chemistry and Technology Academy Finland.
Teaching
My teaching and supervision experience is mainly in molecular biotechnology, diagnostics, clinical chemistry and laboratory-based training.
At the University of Turku, I have supervised MSc thesis work in the Molecular Biotechnology and Diagnostics degree programme and guided students in laboratory projects and practical research work. I have also supervised Master’s-level laboratory course work, supporting students in experimental planning, laboratory techniques, data interpretation and scientific reporting.
I have lectured in the Advanced Course on Clinical Chemistry, part of the Molecular Biotechnology and Diagnostics Master’s programme. My teaching has focused on diagnostic technologies, clinical laboratory medicine and the connection between biomarker research and practical diagnostic applications.
My doctoral training included formal teaching-practice credits based on MSc thesis supervision, as well as pedagogical training through courses. I have also contributed to student and early-career researcher activities by hosting and judging student research events, organising doctoral-school activities and supporting international students as a tutor.
Research
My research interests focus on molecular diagnostics, cancer biomarkers and translational biotechnology.
My main research background is in the development and evaluation of biomarker assays based on aberrant glycosylation. During my doctoral research, I investigated novel circulatory glycovariant biomarkers for ovarian cancer diagnosis, including nanoparticle-aided immunoassay approaches targeting tumour-associated glycoforms. I have also worked on biomarker discovery and assay development for lung cancer, extracellular vesicle-related diagnostics, tumour markers, immunoassay optimisation, analytical validation and clinical sample-based evaluation.
A central theme in my work is the path from biological signal to diagnostic application. I am interested in how candidate biomarkers become analytically measurable, biologically meaningful and clinically relevant. This includes questions of assay performance, specificity, reproducibility, validation and the practical steps needed to move diagnostic technologies toward wider use.
My research also connects to broader questions in translational biotechnology and innovation. I am interested in how emerging diagnostic and biotechnology concepts are assessed, validated and developed toward application. This includes technology transfer, intellectual-property awareness, research commercialisation, innovation pathways and evidence-based evaluation of new technologies.
Going forward, I aim to build an interdisciplinary research profile that combines my background in molecular diagnostics with evidence synthesis, technology-readiness thinking and innovation analysis. My long-term interest is to better understand how promising biotechnology ideas can be critically assessed and responsibly translated from research findings into useful applications.