About

We must have preseverance and above all confidence in yourself.
-Marie Curie

Areas of Expertise and Research Interests

Microbiology – Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Genetics

Bacteriophage Biology: Phage Discovery, Phage Lysis System & Single Cell Phage Lysis, Phage Therapy, RNA Phages and Phage Hunt, Small Lysis proteins
Antimicrobial Resistance: Gram-Negative Bacteria, Mobile Genetic Elements and Horizontal Gene Transfer, and Small Animal Infection Models

Academic Positions (Education and Training):

2022-2026: Postdoctoral Research Associate [Young lab]- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center for Phage Technology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
- May-Jun 2024: Visiting Researcher – Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
2020-2022 : Postdoctoral Scientist [Leptihn lab]- The University of Edinburgh Institute of Zhejiang University, International campus, Haining, China
- 2020-2021 : Postdoctoral Researcher (Secondary affiliation) – The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
2014-2019 : Ph.D. Bioscience [Ramesh Nachimuthu lab] – School of BioSciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
2011-2013 : M.Sc. Biotechnology – Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER) University, Porur, Tamil Nadu, India
2008-2011 : B.Sc. Biotechnology – SNMV College of Arts and Science (Aff. Bharathiyar University), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

Post-doctoral Fellowships and Research Grants:

Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2020-2022: International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship Program (Talent-Introduction). By the office of the China Post-Doctoral Council and Zhejiang University.
Postdoctoral Research Grant, 2020-2022: Zhejiang Province Postdoctoral Research Fund, Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang, PR China.
Senior Research Fellowship (SRF), 2018-2019: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Govt. of India.
Research Associateship, 2014-2018: Research scholar (PhD) scheme supported by the Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India

Academic Awards and Prizes:

“Poster Award- Best ‘Postdoc’ Presentation 2024”
Received at the American Society for Microbiology Texas branch conference (fall meeting) at The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
“Conference Award- Presentation”
Received II prize from ‘Technological Advances in Science, Medicine and Engineering’ Conference – TASME Canada 2021.
“Elizabeth Martin Kutter Young Scientist Award -2021”
Received from ‘Society for Bacteriophage Therapy and Research’ at the 2nd International Conference on Bacteriophage Research, 2021.
“Research Excellence Award 2020”
Institute of Scholars (InSc), India
“Young Scientist- ECCMID 30 under 30“
Selected as one of the extraordinary young scientists around the world by ESCMID for 30^th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 30^th ECCMID 2020, Paris.
“Research award”
Received for research publications from VIT University (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018).
“Young Scientist” award
First Prize and the winner of the young scientist competition organised by INNO INDIGO and INDIGO POLICY projects, EU-India STI days, Goa, India (2016).
“Achievers award”
Received from VIT University for representing the university at National/International conferences (2016).
“Travel award”
Received for poster presentation at International Conference on Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, ICBB ’16, Pune, India (2016).
“Best outgoing student award”
Received from Shri Nehru Maha Vidhyalaya College of arts and science during my bachelors’ degree (2011).

Patent:

Title: Stabilization of Lyophilized Caudovirales Bacteriophages, Patent no. 460890 – Inventors: Dr N. Ramesh and Dr Prasanth M

Keynote Lectures/Session Chair (Conferences):

Keynote: “Characterization of a novel bacteriophage PA01_φmotto infecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa”. 2^nd International Conference on Bacteriophage Research (ICBR 2021), India, July 22-15, virtual.
Keynote: “Antimicrobial resistance and Phage therapy research” at the International Conference on Bacteriophage Research and Antimicrobial Resistance (ICBRAMR 2019) held at Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India.

Invited Talks:

Virtual: “Microbial Identification and Genomics” at the Webinar cum virtual lecture on Jan 2022 organized by Kongu Arts and Science College, Erode, India.

Virtual: “The future of phage therapy in the era of antibiotic resistance” at the Webinar series on October 2021 organized by Auxilium College, Vellore, India.

Virtual: “Evolution of coronavirus and genome analysis of SARS-CoV-2” at the student development program Webinar on June 2021 organized by Dr.N.G.P. College of Arts and Science, TN, India

Virtual: “The future of phage therapy in the era of antibiotic resistance” at the student development program Webinar on Mar 2021 organized by Dr.N.G.P. Institute of Technology, TN, India.

Virtual: “Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 vaccine” at the three days international Webinar on Aug 2020 organized by Arulmigu Palaniandavar College of Arts and Culture, India.

Virtual: “Evolution and genome analysis of SARS-CoV-2” at the Online Webinar on July 2020 organized by VIT Alumni Association (VITAA), India.

Virtual: “Origin and Genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2” at the International Online Webinar Series on June 2020 organized by Dr.R.V. Arts and Science College, India.

Virtual: “Evolution of coronaviruses and its prevention” at the International Online Webinar on May 2020 organized by Nallamuthu Gounder Mahalingam College, India.

Membership:

Member, Royal Society of Biology (MRSB).
Member, American Society for Microbiology (ASM).
Member, European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID)
Member, Applied Microbiology International (AMI)
Member, International Society for Infectious Diseases & EPICORE (ISID).
Member, British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC).
Member, Indian Initiative for Management of Antibiotic Resistance (IIMAR).
Member, Microbiology Society, Europe.
Member, Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA).
Member, International Society for the Viruses of Microorganisms (ISVM).
Member, International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV).
Member, World Society for Virology (WSV)
Member, Society for Bacteriophage Research and Therapy (SBRT)
Member, Asian Council of Science Editors (ACSE)
Joint Secretary, International Association for Bacteriophage and Antimicrobial Resistance Research (IABAMRR)

Editorial Board Member:

Associate Editor – Critical Reviews in Microbiology (Sep 2020- Apr 2023)
Associate Editor – BMC Microbiology
Associate Editor – BMC Research Notes
Associate Editor – BMC Infectious Diseases
Guest Editor – Life (Special Issue: Bacteriophages: Infection, Genetics and Therapy)
Guest Editor – BMC Microbiology (Special Issue: Bacterial Defence Systems)
Guest Editor – Viruses (Special Issue: Phage-Antibiotic Combination Therapy) OPEN for submission
Editorial Board – Discover Life and Discover Viruses
Guest Editor – npj Viruses (Special Issue: Phages as a resource for molecular biology) OPEN for submission