Fast Five: Meet Dr. Sowmya Viswanathan

Fast 5 features quick, personal profiles of our research team members. This week, it’s Dr. Sowmya Viswanathan, Scientist at the Schroeder Arthritis Institute and the Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, and Assistant Professor, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Medicine, University of Toronto

1. What are you reading for pleasure right now?
I read many books, often simultaneously!  One I’ve got on the go is Greenlights by Mathew McConaughey. This book is about timing and “catching” green lights in life’s journey, and it is a fascinating read.

2. What is the most worthwhile non-monetary investment you’ve made?
Doing daily yoga exercises to increase flexibility and strength.

3. What advice would you give your younger self?
Stress less; things have a way of working themselves out.

4. What prompted you to get into regenerative medicine?
My love for human biology and encouragement from teachers and family to pursue an engineering approach to study this.

5. If you could buy one new toy for the lab right now – if money was not an issue – what would you get and why?
I would probably look at mitochondrial oxidation and glycolysis pathways in certain cells by Seahorse XF Analyzer. We will modulate the cells to affect their energy metabolism as part of a treatment strategy, and we want to be able to measure changes.