Raji Baidya

Raji Baidya joined the GMRF Liver Research Unit as a PhD student mid-way through 2017. She is continuing the research into liver injury in donor organs to help increase the number suitable for transplantation.

Raji received a highly prestigious UQ Research Training scholarship. Her PhD research project specifically focused on investigating cell injury, cell death and inflammation in fatty liver during liver transplantation. Recently, she has published two peer-reviewed articles in the reputed journals as a part of her PhD research findings.  She won the Young Investigator Bursary at the European association for the study of the liver (EASL)-NAFLD summit in 2018 and a research excellence award in 58^th PAH health symposium in 2018 for her exceptional research work.  She has presented her research findings at national and international forums such as AASLD liver meetings, NAFLD summit- EASL, Australian Gastroenterology week-GESA and World Congress on Inflammation.

Her research experience includes: cell death mechanisms, proinflammatory/ cytokines, liver injury, ischaemia injury, reproductive biology, spermatogenesis, male infertility, developmental biology, seizures disorders and epilepsy.

Raji completed her Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from Nepal and earned a Masters in Science (Research) with concentration in Life Science-Molecular Biology from New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU), USA.  During her Masters’ degree she received and maintained a highly competitive merit-based tuition waiver scholarship as well as graduate teaching assistantship. Upon graduation, she has also received the Phi Kappa Phi honor, a prestigious award given by the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, USA, An award in recognition of academic excellence in higher education in the USA. She also won an international award for her presentation on her research at an international conference. Raji also has a professional Diploma in ‘Total Quality Management & Management System Audit’.

After graduating from NMHU, she worked as Quality Control Micro-Associate at Amgen Inc. USA, a renowned organisation in the pharmaceutical industry. She also served as a tutor for STEM students at Front Range community college, USA. She has also worked in the clinical setting as a Microbiologist, Infection Control Officer and Bio-Medical Wastes Management supervisor and headed these units simultaneously at Nepal Cancer Hospital and Research Center Pvt. Ltd (NCHRC), Nepal. Raji had successfully led the meetings with the World Health Organization (WHO) country office to initiate the collaborative work with NCHRC as well as played a major role in establishing the infection prevention program in the same institution.

Professional memberships:

• The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), 2018-2019
• The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), 2018-2019
• The Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA), 2018-2020
• American Society for Microbiology, Member, 2015
• International Federation of Infection Control (IFIC), Associate Member, 2014/2015