GrantLuminous

Abha Saini founded GrantLuminous to help organizations solve complex problems by building innovative, effective, and sustainable program development strategies that are supported through various funding streams, including grant awards.  Abha brings a deep expertise and talent in systems analysis, experimentation, methodology, and project development to innovative program design within the biomedical research and social and environmental sciences arenas.

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—Biologist, Certified Grant Writer®, and Entrepreneur

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As a biologist and senior scientist in biomedical preclinical discovery research and development (R&D), Abha consistently initiated and developed both internal and formal external collaborations to advance research programs and organizational missions within various sectors: government, small biotech, and large pharma. Her innovative solutions to complex technical research challenges and proof-of-concept studies led her to propose, develop, and implement numerous critical standard operating procedures (SOPs) during drug discovery, including SOPs and tests that led directly to candidate selection and rank ordering of candidate drug compounds for clinical trials.

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Abha has led numerous studies through the phases of project innovation, ideation, initiation, strategic planning, proposal development and presentation, design, development, implementation, evaluation, analysis, management, and reporting.

 

As a young scientist, Abha’s research and technical protocols and methods led to co-inventorship on two scientific patents and co-authorship on 12 scientific publications. During this time, she co-led testing of U.S. Naval experiments deployed aboard the U.S. Space Shuttle Endeavor Mission STS 69, NIH C4, which were the first studies to show a potential mechanism of action explaining how astronauts develop anemia during space flight at microgravity in low-earth orbit. Abha prepared payload study experiments and ground controls for this Mission at the Shuttle launch site (JFK Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL) alongside Army bioengineers (collaborators); prepared related experiments at the Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) Bethesda, MD during the launch delay; and served at the Shuttle back-up landing site (The Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base, CA) as lead biomedical scientist from NMRI responsible for post-flight experiment retrieval, processing, and analysis. 

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She received her B.S. in Biology (pre-medicine) and M.S. in Biology with thesis research conducted at the Laboratory of Neuroscience, NIDDK, NIH, Bethesda, MD within the field of neuroimmunology. As an undergraduate student leader, Abha was active in several campus-wide organizations that advocated for student health and unity between international students’ organizations. She served as President of the D.C. Beta Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED), the national premedical, preprofessional health honor society; Editor in Chief of the Biosphere, the student newsletter of the Department of Biology; and Director of Special Events for the International Students Association. As a graduate student and Teaching Assistant, she taught a biology laboratory course for over 250 undergraduate students.

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She passed advanced post-graduate professional development training exams in writing mechanics (earning the Essential Skills Certificate from the American Medical Writers Association [AMWA]), and in grant writing (earning the Certified Grant Writer® credential from the American Grant Writers' Association, Inc. [AGWA]). Abha is a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature.

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Abha is a current member of AGWA, the national association of professional grant writers and grant managers. She has served in numerous leadership positions at AGWA, including as a panelist at the 2015 Grant Conference in Arlington, VA. She has served as AGWA's Chairperson (Independent Contractor) for three Special Interest Groups: Medical Research, Scientific Research, and Environment. She has also served as AGWA's Chairperson (Independent Contractor) for five State Groups: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, New York, and Georgia. In addition, she was invited to serve as interim State Chairperson for four additional States: Arizona, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Ohio, for one quarter year.

 

She has written over 100 articles for AGWA’s national and international professional membership and quarterly publications on specific Federal and Foundation grant programs including SBIR / STTR, CASIS, and PCORI; on grants policy updates from Federal agencies including NIH, CDC, NSF, DOE, EPA, NOAA and others; and on a variety of medical research and scientific research topics and respective grant opportunities including: precision medicine, regenerative medicine, BRAIN Initiative, geriatrics, pediatric oncology, obesity, opioid epidemic, robotics, artificial intelligence, information technology, prosthetics, environmental science, clean energy, disaster recovery, geology, and more. In her role as a State Chairperson, she advised on active State grant opportunities from all respective State agencies.

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Within the philanthropic nonprofit sector, Abha's volunteer service included active leadership as a Director on the Board of Directors for NAMI, MC Pennsylvania, and as Chair of the YouthCHATS committee, where she also represented the organization in several local county committees and systems of care initiatives for youth and families. Her work with children includes serving as Assistant Coach and then Head Coach for a local YMCA co-ed youth soccer league for ages five through nine.

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Abha is a strong believer in environmental and social justice. Currently, she serves as Chair of The Climate Reality Project: Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter; a member of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps (2017 Seattle); and a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

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She is passionate about creating positive social and systems change through partnerships that inspire.