Today we’d like to introduce you to Ambika Bumb.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ambika. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
A respect for knowledge and education I think has been passed down in my genes. My father excelled in his education and became the first Ph.D. in his family. My maternal grandfather went back to school in his forties to become a veterinarian and he also made sure his daughters had the opportunity to broaden their horizons, becoming the first women in their town to go to college in STEM. My parents came to the USA from India for higher education and have been the most encouraging and supportive people in my life, particularly in terms of activities that pushed our brains to explore new ideas. In high school, I liked engineering, medicine, economics, and law. I chose to study biomedical engineering and economics for my undergrad at Georgia Tech.
After undergrad, I was very lucky to be awarded the NIH-Marshall Scholarship to travel abroad to Oxford for a Ph.D. The NIH-Marshall program is truly a unique one. As a student in the program, I was able to set up a doctoral thesis project that has brought together four laboratories from two institutes, four fields, and two countries – an experience that was incredible. I jumped directly into research in the exciting area of nanomedicine. Learning to work around limitations, build collaborations, and coordinate multiple groups are some of the most important lessons that I left this training with.
I then did two post-doctoral fellowships, one at the National Cancer Institute and the second at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. During this time period, we developed a nanodiamond technology that can hone into diseases like cancer, allowing for earlier detection and treatment. There was a largely positive response after our publications came out and recognition was given by the National Institutes of Health identifying it as a platform technology that could move multiple areas of medicine forward.
The potential market for these technologies also became very apparent. So I decided to focus my efforts toward launching the startup Bikanta to help bring these nanodiamond-based tools into the hands of all researchers and physicians.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No journey is problem-free, but your perspective and attitude about each turn define how much of a difficulty that situation is for you. A “struggle” for one person is a “challenge” for another. In science and in running a startup, failures and problems make regular, if not continuous, appearances. Hiring decisions, negotiating partnerships, experiments failing, reaching the right “customer”, team management, legal strategy, budgeting, fundraising… the list of responsibilities and issues to manage is long.
I think what you have to do is not view the issues with a negative connotation that can be disheartening or defeating, but rather an opportunity. Maybe it’s the research training speaking, but I try to take each situation as additional data or information that can be incorporated into my strategy of how to reach the solution or target. There is a lot of learning that comes from knowing what does not work. I try to take those situations as opportunities to learn and to pivot.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Bikanta story. Tell us more about the business.
Image-guided surgery is the path forward in operative and robotic medical procedures. Unfortunately, today’s real-time imaging techniques have limits due to signal loss or toxicity. Named as 1 of the 4 Best Diagnostics Startups in the Bay Area, Bikanta is introducing a revolutionary nanotechnology platform based on nanodiamonds that resolve these issues while empowering researchers & medics to detect & address diseases early at the molecular level.
Nanodiamonds are microscopic diamond dust – particles on the order of a 10,000x smaller than a strand of hair.
Nanodiamonds are fluorescent due to color centers in their carbon structure that have light emissions that can be used for imaging. They give a strong efficient signal, literally forever. When attached to targeting agents like highly-sensitive antibodies, these nanodiamonds can hone to and illuminate tumors. Additionally, they demonstrate exquisite sensitivity to magnetic fields & can be used for background-free optical imaging, a method that pushes the boundaries of current methods by improving signal over background & allowing deeper visualization into tissue.
Bikanta’s results have improved signal 100-fold over conventional fluorescence imaging techniques. Nanodiamonds are next-generation imaging probes trailblazing cutting-edge research.
With direct use in techniques such as Nobel Prize-winning super-resolved fluorescence microscopy, cancer detection complementary to Google X’s research, early diagnostic devices for tumor definition, and robotic intra-operative imaging, Bikanta’s technologies are positioned to drive innovation in patient diagnostics.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I do not know whether to call it luck, but timing, following an instinct, and random connections have most definitely had their role in Bikanta’s journey. It was a lunch with a speaker at an event that led to us joining the accelerator YCombinator which brought initial investment to the company and a huge network of colleagues.
A phone call with a friend of an investor-led to connecting with a startup that pointed me to a facility. I visited the facility the day before I was flying to the UK for business. Turned out their biannual applications were due in a couple of days and I filled it out on my plane ride. That amazing facility has been our home since and a huge source of R&D and government resources that have been instrumental in our success.
So yes, the right time and connections has had a role, but that being said, the vast majority of our growth and success has come from dedicated hard work and in developing positive relationships.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bikanta.com
- Phone: 5104026781
- Email: info@bikanta.com
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