Most people would have just stepped into the working world after completing university or college degree, at the age of 26.

But at the same age, Mogana Darshini Ganggayah, from Kulai, Johor, is a PhD holder in the field of Bioinformatics, and she currently works as a data scientist at the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).

According to the New Straits Times (NST), Mogana graduated with a Bachelor's degree with distinction, in Bioinformatics in Feb 2018, from Universiti Malaya, after which she was offered a fast-track PhD programme in the same field.

She became one of the youngest holders of a doctorate in the country after completing the programme in three years.

"Since my school days in Kulai, I was interested in science and as I grew up, an interest in computer science developed alongside this," Mogana, the second child of an engineer father and teacher mother, told the English daily. Her older sister Kanageswary works as a doctot at the University Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM) in Kuala Lumpur.

Mogana reportedly developed a strong interest in biology, and with the availability of computers at home, her curiosity for computer science also took hold.

She said that in recent years, bioinformatics have become an exciting field of inquiry in the battle against cancer, as it warrants the collation, analysis, and application of data about the illness, so that insights about the cancer and treatment can be more certain.

Serving as a teaching assistance for Bioinformatics undergraduates in UM during her postgraduate training aided her PhD journey, and broadened her view, Mogana added.

Mogana gained her primary education at a Tamil school in Kulai, before transferring to a secondary school where she scored straight As in her SPM. She then went on to do her foundation in science at a matriculation college in Kedah.

The young achiever thanked her parenrs for the support they provided her throughout her journey.

An extremely impressive achievement indeed, doctor Mogana! She is testament that age is no barrier to a person achieving anything, as long as he/she puts their mind to it.


Source: NST
Photo source: NST & Dr Mogana Facebook