Somali Dhal is a PhD research scholar within the Biophotonics group at Tyndall National Institute, focusing on Raman Spectroscopy for Advancing Oral Cancer Diagnosis. Her research is guided by Dr. Rekha Gautam, Dr. Katarzyna Komolibus, and Prof. Stefan Andersson-Engels. Her project aims to develop a novel screening method based on salivary biomarkers characterized using Raman spectroscopy in photonic crystal fibres (PCFs) followed by spectral signatures guided biopsy of the oral lesions in-vivo.
In 2020 Somali received a Bachelor of Technology degree in Biotechnology from Amity University Kolkata, India. She completed her Master’s degree in Biotechnology, in 2023, from National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela, India, during which she gained experience in multidisciplinary research. Her master’s research involved developing novel ophthalmic formulations and plant-based oleogels as healthier food alternatives.