Prägati Sawhney Coder, PhD, DABT

Who you are and what is your area of expertise?

I am a Global Lead at Charles River Laboratories, and a Senior Director /Site Lead for Charles River’s site in Ashland, Ohio. My area of expertise is developmental and reproductive toxicology (DART), juvenile toxicology, reproductive endocrinology (endocrine disruption) and neurotoxicology.

How did you become interested in the field?

During my postdoctoral fellowship, I studied the mechanisms of male infertility following cancer chemotherapy. This was a huge transition for me as I did my graduate work in molecular microbiology. An enthusiastic postdoctoral advisor and an encouraging colleague, turned mentor, trained me and introduced me to leading experts in this industry and this society (which is how I got my first industry position). It was during this time that I gained an insight into safety assessment for drugs, chemicals and environmental contaminants and how these can impact male and female reproduction and the developing fetus. Over the years, several dedicated mentors, several of whom are BDRP members, have helped cement my love for all things DART.

Why did you join the Society for Birth Defects Research and Prevention (BDRP)?

BDRP, or Teratology Society at the time, was the place to be if one wanted to join the DART safety assessment community. Although my introduction to the society was through work, I quickly learned how welcoming this community was to newcomers and how much one could learn from casual 1-on-1 interactions with some of the most prominent members of the society and industry stalwarts, in passing conversations in between sessions, and especially at the bar 😊 you don't get this at any other society. I quickly made friends with many of my fellow newbies and after almost 2 decades, BDRP is like family, and my fellow newbies are some of my dearest friends.

What are your hobbies and interests outside of science?

Sometimes I wonder how it's even possible for any of us to have hobbies outside of work, but I do love to read. I try and hit at least 100 fiction/non-fiction books every year (often on Audible)!. I love to travel and see new places … (maybe one day I'll even learn a new language). And one day I will rekindle my love for wheel-thrown pottery (I have not touched clay since I joined the corporate rat race). Hey! It's good to have retirement goals.

What do you hope to give to and receive from the BDRP community?

What have I received from BDRP...? It's a very long list. It started with a warm welcome back when I attended my first annual meeting and hasn't stopped there. From a scientific perspective, I continue to be inspired by the excellent program year over year. I always learn something new and exciting at the annual meeting. The society has given me some of my dearest friends and a place to call home in this industry. Even though I'm a member of several other scientific societies, BDRP is where I am most myself. I hope to provide as welcoming a venue to others as I have received in the past. If I can inspire and encourage someone to love this field as much as I do, my work here may be done…I can finally move to Hawaii and stare at the waves and lava rocks all day.