Mallika Subramanian

Mallika Subramanian, a Tufts University junior researching tick-borne illnesses and majoring in Community Health on a pre-medical track, was one of just two scholars selected for the Summer 2025 Levy CIMAR Undergraduate Internship in Science and Medicine.

Over the summer, Mallika worked under the guidance of Levy CIMAR’s Edouard Vannier, PharmD, PhD, studying a novel compound for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant Babesia microti, the main causal agent of an emerging tick-borne disease called babesiosis. Antibiotic resistance is an important issue in babesiosis, particularly when treating immunocompromised and/or splenectomized patients. Mallika and colleagues in the Vannier Lab conducted experiments that tested the novel compound against both wild-type and clindamycin-resistant Babesia microti strains, using flow cytometry to determine parasitemia in the mice.

Mallika collected blood samples from the mice daily, carried out the parasitemia assays, and analyzed the flow cytometry files. Her research could provide the foundation for a novel therapeutic approach to persistent babesiosis.

Mallika says she was excited to apply for the Levy CIMAR’s Summer Scholarship for several reasons: “First, it allowed me to delve further into antimicrobial resistance, which is a topic I have previously researched and have been interested in for many years. Second, I felt that my values of providing equitable healthcare were greatly aligned with the values of the Levy CIMAR organization, so this was a great opportunity to work with like-minded professionals. Lastly, this was an amazing opportunity for me to become experienced in research and familiarize myself with the biomedical research community at Tufts.”

Mallika was born in India and grew up in Connecticut. Her interest in medicine stems from witnessing loved ones struggle with healthcare issues that, she says, doctors were not always equipped to handle. “Especially for the women in my life, I have seen that the healthcare system simply does not know enough about our health struggles or how to treat them,” she says. “I have been interested in public health and infectious diseases since childhood, and I would like to apply those interests to my passion for equitable healthcare.”

In the future, Mallika plans to pursue both an MPH degree and an MD, and to specialize in infectious diseases and global health. “My goal is to provide equitable healthcare to underserved populations worldwide, especially for women whose healthcare needs are not being met by current systems and research.”

In her free time, Mallika enjoys dancing, playing the flute, cooking, and reading.