Inga Saknite, Ph.D.

Written by Inga Saknite, Ph.D. 

Department: Dermatology (VUMC)

PI: Eric R. Tkaczyk, MD, PhD

PostDoc experience at Vanderbilt:

From 2017 to 2021, I was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Vanderbilt Dermatology Translational Research Clinic (VDTRC), directed by Dr. Eric R. Tkaczyk. As a physicist from a small country in Northern Europe, I was thrilled by the opportunity to pursue translational research at one of the leading medical centers in the United States. What I experienced during my postdoctoral years far exceeded anything I had envisioned—both professionally and personally—thanks to the exceptional mentorship of Dr. Tkaczyk, the support of the Department of Dermatology, and the highly collaborative environment at Vanderbilt.

Working side-by-side with clinicians and patients to address important clinical challenges was truly eye-opening. My primary project focused on studying immune cell dynamics in skin microvessels using a noninvasive reflectance confocal microscope at the patient bedside. Instead of the optics laboratory I had been accustomed to, my workplace became a clinic. I was deeply inspired by the dedication and compassion with which clinicians cared for their patients.

I am profoundly grateful to the many patients who agreed to participate in my studies despite often facing serious and debilitating illness. Some returned for imaging many times over several months. During these visits, I had the privilege of meeting their families and learning about their life stories. Witnessing their recovery journeys was both moving and motivating. As an international postdoc, I was also touched by their warmth and curiosity about my country and culture. These experiences strengthened my conviction to dedicate my career to developing methods that ultimately improve patient care.

During my postdoctoral training, my career as a translational researcher flourished, largely thanks to my mentor—now a dear colleague—Dr. Eric R. Tkaczyk. Through his example, he showed me what it means to be an outstanding mentor, collaborator, and teammate. Dr. Tkaczyk introduced me to the inventors and leading experts in confocal microscopy, connections that continue to shape my career today. Through these collaborations, I now serve as chair of the microscopy conference at one of the most prestigious biophotonics meetings in the world, the Optica Biophotonics Congress 2026.

Observing Dr. Tkaczyk’s leadership and mentorship also inspired my own passion for mentoring. With his guidance and trust, I had many opportunities to support junior trainees, and in 2021 I was honored to be named the inaugural Vanderbilt Postdoc Mentor of the Year. Alongside the scientific skills I gained during my postdoc, I discovered that mentoring and collaboration bring a sense of fulfillment that extends far beyond traditional research metrics.

Where I am now:

My experience at Vanderbilt was so transformative that toward the end of my postdoctoral training, I actively sought ways to continue collaborating with Dr. Tkaczyk and our team. I was fortunate to remain part of the Vanderbilt Dermatology community even after returning to my home country, Latvia, following five years in the United States. Since then, I have received several independent research grants from the Latvian Council of Science that continue to support collaboration with Vanderbilt.

Since late 2021, I have been based in Latvia as a Senior Researcher in the Biophotonics Laboratory at the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Latvia. I continue to work closely with Dr. Tkaczyk and other colleagues at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and remain affiliated with VUMC as an Adjoint Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology.

From 2022 through 2024, our VDTRC team had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a clinical trial evaluating treatment for mpox at remote study sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our team developed protocols for total-body photography in low-resource infectious disease settings and trained Congolese staff to perform the procedures. Collaborating closely with colleagues from the NIH and the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the DRC was an extraordinary experience. Traveling to remote research sites in the Congolese rainforest offered another powerful perspective on medical research—and on life more broadly—that I will always cherish.

One of the most important lessons I have learned over the past several years is that science has no borders. When we work together, we are capable of addressing even the most challenging clinical problems—whether in world-class medical centers with advanced technologies or in low-resource settings in sub-Saharan Africa.

Today, I am grateful to be back home in Latvia, close to my family and friends, while continuing to collaborate with an international community of researchers. In many ways, I feel like a citizen of the world—open to research opportunities wherever important scientific questions may lead.

Message to current PostDocs:

Vanderbilt will always hold a special place in my heart. It was—and continues to be—a place of extraordinary personal and professional growth. Whenever I travel to the United States, I try to stop in Nashville, which still feels like a second home.

Of all the institutions I have worked with or visited, Vanderbilt stands out for its culture of collaboration. No matter your field of research, collaboration can bring new perspectives and opportunities that you may never anticipate. Take advantage of it. The connections you form may continue long after your time at Vanderbilt ends, even as your career takes you to new universities, countries, or continents.