Staff Profile

Educational Qualification

M.Sc., Ph.D

Personal Statement

I am a laboratory scientist with over 19 years of experience in mycobacterial research, particularly tuberculosis, leprosy, and paratuberculosis (Johne's disease). My research work includes molecular epidemiology, mycobacterial genomics, antimicrobial resistance, biomarker discovery, and diagnostic development. I have authored more than 120 peer-reviewed publications in national and international journals, and my research contributions have been recognized with several prestigious awards. My current research is aimed at developing indigenous diagnostics for early leprosy detection and advancing tuberculosis surveillance strategies to strengthen the control of mycobacterial diseases in India.

Research Focus

• • Mycobacterial infections (Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Paratuberculosis) and Antimicrobial resistance
• • Mycobacterial genomics and Molecular epidemiology
• • Biomarkers discovery (Proteomics and Non-coding RNAs)
• • Molecular diagnostics and Point-of-care technologies
• • Environmental surveillance of tuberculosis

Ongoing projects as Principal investigator

• Identification of non-coding RNA signature(s) and development of paired test for early diagnosis of infection in leprosy patients.

Significant Publications

• Saha S, Roy S, Hazra A, Das D, Kumar V, Singh AK, Singh AV, Mondal R, Dasgupta SB. 2025. 3S-Nitrosylation triggered secretion of mycobacterial PknG leads to phosphorylation of SODD to prevent apoptosis of infected macrophages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 122(10), e2404106122.

• Singh AV, Singh S, Kushwah S, Yadav A, Yadav R, Sai DK, Chauhan DS. 2021. Genetic variability in multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in North India. BMC Microbiology, Apr 21; 21(1):123.

• Saha S, Hazra A, Ghatak D, Singh AV, Roy S, Dasgupta SB. 2021. A bumpy ride of Mycobacterial Phagosome maturation: role play of Coronin1 through Cofilin1 and cAMP. Frontiers in Immunology, section Microbial Immunology 12:687044.

• Singh AV, Pawar HS, Yadav R, Chauhan DS. 2020. Intact Mycobacterium leprae isolated from placenta of a pregnant woman, China. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 26(8):1961.

• Singh PK, Singh AV and Chauhan DS. 2013. Current understanding on micro RNAs and its regulation in response to mycobacterial infections. Journal of Biomedical Sciences. 20:14, doi:10.1186/1423-0127-20-14.

• Singh AV, Singh SV, Singh PK, Sohal JS, Singh MK. 2011. High prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (‘Indian Bison Type’) in animal attendants suffering complaints who work with goat herds endemic for Johne’s disease in India. International Journal of Infectious Diseases 15(10):e677-683

• Sohal JS, Singh SV, Singh PK and Singh AV, 2010. On the evolution of 'Indian Bison type' strains of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis. Microbiological Research 165:163-171.

• Singh AV, Singh SV, Makharia GK, Singh PK, Sohal JS. 2008. Presence and Characterization of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis from clinical and suspected cases of Crohn's disease and in healthy human population in India. International Journal of Infectious Diseases 12: 190-197.

• Sohal JS, Singh SV, Subhodh S, Sheoran N, Narayansamy K, Singh PK, Singh AV and Maitra A, 2009. Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis diagnosis and geno-typing: Genomic insights. Microbiological Research 164 (3): 330-337.

• Sohal JS, Singh SV, Tyagi P, Subodh S, Narayanswamy K, Singh PK, Singh AV, 2008. Immunology of Mycobacterial Infections: With special reference to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis. Immunobiology 213: 585-598.

Awards and Honours

• Young Scientist Award, Indian Society of Genetics, Biotechnology, Research and Development (2021)

• Young Scientist Award in Biological Sciences, Indian Society of Chemists and Biologists (2020)

• Young Research Award, Millennium India Education Foundation (2016)

• Helping Hand Award, International Association for Paratuberculosis, to support participation in the 11th International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis, Sydney, Australia (2012)

• Best Oral Presentation Award, 6th Annual Conference of the Association of Medical Microbiologists (UP Chapter) (2010)

• Best Poster Presentation Award, National Seminar on Rural India Development Alternatives: Sectoral Convergence for Livelihood Security, Central Institute for Research on Goats, Mathura (2007)

• Best Poster Presentation Award, National Seminar on Emerging Diseases of Small Ruminants and Their Containment under the WTO Regime, Central Institute for Research on Goats, Mathura (2007)

• Helping Hand Award, International Association for Paratuberculosis, to support participation in the 9th International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis, Tsukuba, Japan (2007)

Research Profiles