Namrata Pokharel

Biography

Namrata Pokharel is originally from Kathmandu, Nepal. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry with minors in Nutrition from SUNY Oswego. Following graduation, she worked for three years at the Columbia University Stem Cell Initiative where her research focused on understanding the metabolically aberrant origins of colorectal cancer.
Currently, she is investigating questions at the intersection of structural biology, immunology and cancer biology to uncover how neoepitopes drive anti-tumor immunity. She approaches scientific research with rigor, integrity, and perseverance - values shaped by her late father, whose example continues to guide her work. Outside the lab, she enjoys exploring new places, destroying the kitchen cooking up new recipes, and clumsily learning new skills from snowboarding to surfing, and spending time with friends.