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Himmelfarb Headlines: Introducing Jeet Vora, Project Coordinator, GlyGen Database

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Introducing Jeet Vora, Project Coordinator, GlyGen Database

Guest Profile - Jeet Vora

We have a guest profile for this issue, Jeet Vora, Project Coordinator for GlyGen Database. GlyGen is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences to facilitate glycoscience research by integrating diverse kinds of information related to glycoscience, including glycomics, genomics, proteomics (including glycoproteomics), cell biology, developmental biology, and biochemistry.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, and about the work you are currently engaged in.
My name is Jeet Vora, and I am a bioinformatician, scientific coordinator and project manager at The George Washington University, leading initiatives under the NIH Common Fund Data Ecosystem (CFDE) and GlyGen, a glycoinformatics knowledgebase. My work focuses on integrating diverse biomedical datasets, enhancing accessibility, and driving collaboration between researchers across disciplines. I manage multiple NIH-funded projects, coordinate a global team, and develop bioinformatics tools to support glycoscience and biomarker research.

What brought you to GW?
I joined GW as a graduate student in bioinformatics (I was fascinated by how bioinformatics has the potential to drive transformative advancements in healthcare), drawn by its strong research program and collaborative environment. Over time, I transitioned into research roles, where I contributed to large-scale data integration projects and FDA-NIH funded initiatives. The opportunity to work at the intersection of computational biology, data science, and biomedical research has kept me engaged with GW.

What inspired you to work in your field?
I was inspired to work in the field of glycoscience by its immense complexity and untapped potential. Glycans, which are branched monosaccharides attached mainly on proteins and lipids, with trillions of possible structures, play a fundamental role in nearly every biological process, yet they remain one of the least understood biomolecules. Unlike DNA and proteins, which follow linear blueprint templates, glycans exhibit a vast and dynamic complexity that challenges traditional analytical methods. Despite their significance—from cell signaling and immune response to disease mechanisms—glycoscience remains an underrepresented field with relatively few researchers. The fact that glycobiology is everywhere, from the formation of stardust to human biology, makes it a fascinating and essential area of study. Contributing to this field through bioinformatics allows me to help bridge the knowledge gap, making glycan data more accessible and advancing our understanding of their critical roles in health and disease. Working with GlyGen and CFDE has allowed me to contribute to innovative projects that have a real impact on scientific discovery.

What is your favorite aspect of your work?
I enjoy the interdisciplinary nature of my work—collaborating with researchers, data scientists, and clinicians to build knowledgebases that advance scientific research. I also find it rewarding to mentor colleagues and interns, helping them develop skills in bioinformatics and data science. Seeing GlyGen’s resources helping to unravel mysteries in glycoscience and answer multi-faceted questions not possible before, and the fact that the resource is being used globally is particularly fulfilling.

How can GlyGen advance research at GW and around the world?
GlyGen (https://glygen.org) provides a centralized platform for exploring glycan, protein, and genomics data, enabling researchers to access integrated resources that support their research. By linking disparate datasets from multi-resources and multi-domains and developing analytical tools, GlyGen enhances understanding of glycoscience, biomarker discovery, disease research, and computational learning and modeling. GlyGen, through the CFDE consortium (https://info.cfde.cloud/), further connects glycoproteomics data with other omics data, facilitating the formation of novel hypotheses for accelerating discoveries in biomedical research. At GW, it fosters interdisciplinary research and strengthens collaborations with global institutions.

What library resources or services have you found to be the most useful?
I frequently utilize GW’s library resources, including access to scientific journals, databases, and printing services, to print scientific posters for conferences. I have also borrowed the "Essentials of Glycobiology" book, which is the bible for glycobiology, to know more about the subject. I am also looking forward to using the GW Writing Center@Himmelfarb service for the feedback on my current manuscript. 

How do you spend your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy staying up to date with advancements in computational biology, emerging technologies such as big data, precision medicine, AI/ML and networking with researchers. Outside of work, I like to cook, taste espresso from coffee around the world, explore new hiking trails, and play board games.

What advice would you give to someone just starting at GW?
Engage with the research community early—GW offers excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. Take advantage of the library resources, attend seminars and workshops hosted by national institutes like NIH, FDA, NIST, NCI, etc and connect with faculty and peers (Networking is the key). If you’re in bioinformatics or data science, develop strong coding and data management skills, as they are essential for research success.