Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Fellow, Nidhi Bhasin from India, Shares the Story of How She Joined the MENTOR PhD Program at TIGEM in Naples, Italy

I’m Nidhi Bhasin from New Delhi, India. I’ve always had a strong interest in understanding how cells make decisions, particularly through chromatin architecture, transcriptional regulation, and now lysosomal signalling. That curiosity eventually shaped itself into a very natural desire to pursue a PhD. Today, I’m working on TFEB regulation and CRISPR-based functional genomics as part of my doctoral training.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network Fellowship Details

I’m currently funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Network Fellowship under the MENTOR program. My PhD is at TIGEM (Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine) in Naples, Italy. It’s a prestigious, fully funded EU fellowship.

Other Scholarships / Offers

Yes, I was fortunate to be considered by several programs:

- shortlisted for the final interview round of the MEXT PhD Scholarship (Japan)

- reached final stages for the TRAFIC MSCA network

- shortlisted for final round of interviews at SGBM Freiburg (DAAD), Van Andel Institute (USA), and DKFZ Heidelberg, Germany

Educational Background

I did my M.Sc. in Molecular Medicine at JNU, and my B.Sc. in Life Sciences at Amity University. I was a Gold Medalist for both. My bachelor’s was mostly concept-based, which led me to pursue a more application-based degree for my master’s. The research-heavy nature of my degree at JNU helped me build confidence in reading papers, designing experiments, and understanding where my interests truly lie.

How I Prepared to Apply to Institutions

I didn’t have a secret formula; if anything, I did everything by myself, failed a lot, applied for almost a couple of years while working full-time as a research fellow, but I took the process very seriously. I read papers from the labs I was applying to, tried to understand the story behind their work, and made sure my application reflected genuine interest rather than generic statements. Interviews became easier once I understood the “why” behind each laboratory’s research direction.

How I Found Information About Scholarships

Mostly through university websites, MSCA/MEXT portals, and honestly, a lot through LinkedIn, following professors and alumni and talking to current students. The academic community online is much more helpful than people assume.

Standardized Tests

No GRE/SAT. My programs didn’t require them, and my English requirement was waived because my Master’s degree was in English. Although I did give the TOEFL (score 109/120) and didn’t do much rigorous preparation, I just practised the given material for a couple of weeks.

How I Prepared for Scholarship Applications

For things like MSCA and MEXT, I focused mainly on clarity, what I want to study, why it matters, and how my past work connects to it. My very reason to do a PhD is to simply apply what I have learned and gained over the years of my education. I made sure my applications always reflected my mindset. I refined my proposals A LOT, asked peers for feedback, and practised explaining my ideas out loud. That helped more than anything else.

Experience at TIGEM

TIGEM is extremely research-driven and collaborative. People talk science all the time here, in the best possible way. The pace and pressure can sometimes be high, but so is the support and reward.

Is English Enough?

Yes, all scientific communication is in English. Daily life in Italy is easier if you know basic Italian, but academically, you’ll be fine.

What Made My Application Stand Out

I think it was a combination of doing meaningful work throughout the years, my master’s thesis, and research fellow work for 1.5 years, also being able to clearly explain why I wanted to even do a PhD and work with TFEB and CRISPR-based screens. Most selection panels look for technical alignment and sound intent, not perfection.

What I Would Do Differently

Probably start applying earlier instead of waiting to “feel ready”. You rarely feel ready; you just grow into it. And yeah, not let the imposter syndrome get to me, that is still a work in progress even as I say this haha!

Advice for Future Applicants

Believe in yourself, don’t let the imposter syndrome get you down. Learn from the failures. I know it’s easier said than done, but try; there is no success without failure. Read the work of the labs you’re applying to. Be honest about what you know and what you want to learn. Also, apply even if you think the odds are low. A lot of opportunities open only when you take the first step. And most importantly, a PhD is a massive commitment, don’t chase it because your seniors did or you want the “Dr.” in front of your name, know in your head why you want to do a degree so tough and draining, if you are clear about your intent, only then will your application stand out.