VN

Vidya P Nimbalkar

Also known as: Vidya Prasad Nimbalkar

St. John's Research Institute, A unit of CBCI Society for medical education, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences

ORCID iD 0000-0001-7209-2387
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About

Biosketch – Dr. Vidya Prasad Nimbalkar
I am a translational cancer biologist with expertise in tumor microenvironment biology, biomarker discovery, and molecular pathology, with a research focus on aggressive breast cancers in young and postpartum women. I am currently an NIH Fogarty INSIGHT Fellow (2025–2026) and is affiliated with St. John’s Research Institute, Bangalore.
I earned my PhD in Neuro-Oncology from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore (2015–2020). My doctoral research focused on molecular characterization of glioblastoma, with emphasis on the peritumoral brain zone and its role in tumor recurrence, invasion, and treatment resistance. My work identified and validated novel prognostic biomarkers, including SERPINA3 and Chitinase 3-like 2, integrating molecular profiling with clinicopathological and survival data. This work resulted in multiple peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals.
I hold a Master of Science degree in Biophysics (First Class) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Zoology, and Environmental Science (First Class) from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad. Early in my career, I served as a Lecturer in Biophysics at SDM College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad, where I taught physiology and biophysics to medical and allied health students.
I have transitioned to breast cancer research during my postdoctoral tenure at St. John’s Research Institute, joining as a Research Associate (2021–2024) and later as Research Scientist–I (2024–till date). My work has focused on hormone receptor signaling, immune microenvironment heterogeneity, and identification of prognostic and predictive biomarkers in breast cancer, with particular emphasis on premenopausal and postpartum disease. I have contributed significantly to studies examining nuclear receptor crosstalk and immune phenotypes associated with therapy response and poor prognosis.
As an NIH Fogarty INSIGHT Fellow, I am leading a project titled “Spatial Profiling of Tumor Microenvironment in Postpartum Breast Cancer: Implications for Prognosis and Targeted Therapies.” This work integrates digital spatial profiling, immunohistochemistry, transcriptomic approaches, and clinical annotation to identify biologically aggressive subtypes and immune escape mechanisms in postpartum breast cancer, addressing a critical gap in women’s cancer research in low- and middle-income countries.
I have authored multiple peer-reviewed publications in journals including Journal of Translational Medicine, Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, Scientific Reports, Translational Oncology, American Journal of Clinical Pathology, and Journal of Neuro-Oncology, and has presented my work at major international conferences such as SABCS, ESMO, AACR, and ASNO. My achievements include receipt of the NIH Fogarty INSIGHT Fellowship, national and international travel grants, and the Dr. Subimal Roy Award for best published paper in Neuropathology.
My long-term goal is to establish an independent research program focused on tumor microenvironmentdriven cancer disparities in women, leveraging spatial biology and digital pathology to develop clinically actionable biomarkers and precision therapeutic strategies.
Complete List of Published Work in My Bibliography
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/vidya.nimbalkar.1/bibliography/public/

Employment

  • St. John's Research Institute, A unit of CBCI Society for medical education Research Scientist
    2024 - 2026

Education

  • National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences PhD
    2015 - 2021

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (19)