Trainee Spotlight: Simran Maggo, PhD

Simran’s life story has touched four different continents. Born in India, he grew up in Zimbabwe and Botswana. He then moved to New Zealand, where he completed his education—including a PhD in pharmacology, as well as a postdoctoral fellowship in pharmacogenomics. He joined CHLA last year.

“I am lucky to have lived a very diverse life,” he shares.

Today, Simran is a Senior Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for Personalized Medicine, under the mentorship of Xiaowu Gai, PhD. His research—part of a study led by Pat Levitt, PhD, and Co-Investigator Dr. Gai—aims to use personalized medicine to improve screening for adverse childhood experiences, which include neglect, abuse, racism and economic hardships.

“Accumulation of these stressors can increase a child’s risk for developmental delays, as well as diseases and mental illness later in life,” he explains. “I am working to design mitochondrial genomic assays to quantify biomarkers of that pathophysiological stress.”

Although Simran’s passion has long been in pharmacogenomics—how genetics influences how medication works in different people—this project is advancing his knowledge of mitochondrial genomics and bioinformatic analysis. “My overall career goal is to help achieve accessible and equitable personalized medicine for all,” he says.

Outside of work, Simran enjoys photography, hiking and cooking—particularly “meal-prep Sundays.”