Editor’s note: The Life of Science and Firstpost bring you a series profiling Indian women in Science. The challenges in Indian scientific life are many — more so for women taking up this path. This series honours those who beat the odds and serve as inspirations for the next generation of Indian science — a generation that is slowly and surely on its way to becoming gender equal. *** Reported and shot by Cyrus Khan Madhu Khatri | 36 | Nanotoxicologist | Panjab University, Chandigarh Madhu Khatri is a nanotoxicologist and an assistant professor at Panjab University, Chandigarh. Her research focuses on the toxic effects of nanoparticles on biological systems. While a lot of people are researching the various applications of nanoparticles, she thinks it is important to also understand their harmful effects as they can easily enter the body through skin or inhalation. In this conversation, she talks about the early influences that shaped her research. About her experience of motherhood, she says, “It’s an irreversible change.” She concludes by emphasising the importance of support systems in order to balance work and life. Read the full interview with Madhu here . *** Read more from the ‘Women in Science’ series here . THELIFEOFSCIENCE.COM is a feminist science media project on a mission to make Indian women scientists more visible and investigate the gender gap in Indian academia