Sangeeta TiwariDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology,Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
Biography
My research work presently is focused on developing novel Vaccine candidates and
drug targets against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), a successful human pathogen.
Long chemotherapy and only vaccine BCG, which provides limited protection against
pulmonary TB in adult?s, necessities the need to find novel vaccines and drug targets. I
have generated complete set of precise null Mtb deletion mutants to study bacterial
pathogenesis, vaccine development and novel drug targets. Using in vitro and in
vivo models from cell lines to animals I have validated the essentiality and virulence of
these novel mutants. My research has identified a novel drug target and I am
collaborating with an expert in fragment based drug discovery to find inhibitor drugs.
Further my research has identified new attenuated strains with vaccine potential and
they have been genetically engineered to express fluorescence markers to track
infection during vaccine studies. Due to my international research experience, I am part
of an international scientific network with collaborators in USA, UK, India and Brazil.
I was awarded JRF and SRF fellowship by Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research to pursue my Ph.D. in ?Molecular and Biochemical characterization of
potential drug targets of Mtb? with Dr. P.K. Chakraborti at Institute of Microbial
Technology /India. My findings sparked my interest in studying; the role of this virulence
factor in bacterial evasion of host immune responses and Dr. J.D. MacMicking (HHMI)
enthusiastically invited me to join Yale University and work on it. During these studies I
discovered a novel mechanism of action of potent host antimicrobial immune
response effector, which resulted in ?Nature Immunology? and ?Immunity? as first
author publications. Currently I am working with Dr. William R. Jacobs Jr., an eminent
Howard Hughes investigator (HHMI) at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.
I enjoy scientific editing, writing, scientific critiques, management, leadership,
mentoring and teaching experience.
Research Interest
drug targets against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)