Susheel Singh

Current research

I have more than 12 years of research experience in the laboratory. This begins with my PhD from an Indian university, and subsequent post-doctoral work with an emerging biotech industry and the Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratory and presently at a premier malaria research center located in Northern Europe.

With a background in molecular biology of the malaria P. falciparum parasite, my recent work has focused on the development of Virus-like particle-based vaccines. My ambition is to develop novel sub-unit vaccines that achieve higher and more sustainable immunity thus enabling potentially higher protection rates than those achieved with current methods for recombinant vaccine production. The novel approach to conjugate antigen with VLP enables a ground-breaking quality control of the antigen prior to coupling of the antigen. This is important as the folding and conformation of complex antigens is pivotal for generation of protective antibody responses. Even recombinant vaccine candidates that are far into clinical development vaccine can readily be developed to be tested in the context of a VLP antigen display.

Current research

• Development of multi-stage (asexual and sexual) malaria vaccine candidate.
• VLP technology as a vaccine delivery system.
• Apply the VLP-based antigen delivery platform to produce combination malaria vaccine (using promising antigen targets from liver stage, blood stage and transmission blocking stage).
• Use the VLP-based antigen delivery platform to produce combination vaccine against Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) (using the Envelope protein from major prevalent genotypes and transmission blocking: mosGCTL-7, a C-type lectin protein which plays crucial role in JEV transmission).
• Parasitic genotyping, production of antigens for immunization in small rodents and serological studies.
• Developing robust and reliable bioassays for assessing the efficacy of vaccine clinical trials.

Primary fields of research

• Infectious diseases
• Vaccine development

Knowledge of languages

• English
• Hindi

CV

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full Name: SUSHEEL K. SINGH, Ph.D., _{Assistant Professor}

Date of Birth: September 13, 1980, Nationality: Indian

Present Address: Centre for Medical Parasitology (CMP),

Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences,

University of Copenhagen,

Maersk Tower 07-11, Panum Institute, Blegdamsvej 3B,

2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark

E-mail:[email protected]; [email protected], Mobile: +45-52696790, Skype ID: susheel14

Current Research Focus:

• Development of multi-stage (asexual and sexual) malaria vaccine candidate.
• VLP technology as a vaccine delivery system.
• Apply the VLP-based antigen delivery platform to produce combination malaria vaccine (using promising antigen targets from liver stage, blood stage and transmission blocking stage).
• Use the VLP-based antigen delivery platform to produce combination vaccine against Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) (using the Envelope protein from major prevalent genotypes and transmission blocking: mosGCTL-7, a C-type lectin protein which plays crucial role in JEV transmission).
• Parasitic genotyping, production of antigens for immunization in small rodents and serological studies.
• Developing robust and reliable bioassays for assessing the efficacy of vaccine clinical trials.

Research Experience:

• More than 12 years of experience in molecular biology and protein production which includes; bacterial species and virulence genes detection, PCR, multiplex PCR, sequencing, vector design, gene cloning, protein expression, purification, functional assays, serotyping, ELISA, flow cytometry and microscopy etc.
• Virus like particles (VLP) technology for increasing antigen immunogenicity.
• Cloning, production and characterization of malaria antigens such as; Merozoite antigens, Transmission blocking antigens, Cyclin Dependent Kinases (CDKs) and Chorismate Synthase (CS) etc.
• Production of recombinant proteins from small scale to 10 liters fermentor in E.coli & Lactococuss lactis (bacterial), P. pastoris (Yeast) and SF9 (Insect cell) system.
• Refolding and characterization of cysteine reach proteins.
• Functional assays for assessing antibodies to malaria vaccine candidates by using Growth inhibition assay (GIA), Antibody dependent cellular inhibition (ADCI) assay and ELISA.
• HPV L1 cloning and expression in E.coli & P. pastoris and in-vitro neutralization assay through pseudo virus production in mammalian cells.
• Culture and maintenance of malaria parasite (P. falciparum), bacterial, Yeast and Insect cell.  
• Molecular epidemiology of Shigella through biochemical analysis, serotyping and DNA finger printing for analyzing distribution of virulence factors.
• Screening of antibacterial agents such as antibiotics, medicinal plants and in vitro growth assays.

Qualifications:

2007                            Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Rani Durgavati University, Jabalpur, India, Title of the thesis- “Studies on Diversity of Shigella in Fresh Water System with Special Reference to Biochemical Parameters & Virulence  Factors” (Nov 2007).

2003                            M.Sc. in Biochemistry, APS University, Rewa, India (Aug 2003) with 72%

2001                            B.Sc. in Zoology, Botany & Chemistry, APS University, Rewa, India (June 2001) with 60%

Additional Qualifications:

• Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Programming and Application (PGDCPA) from AISECT, Bhopal, India in 2001.

Professional Experience:

June 2017 ~ till date         Assistant Professor, CMP, Department of International Health, Immunology and      

                                          Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark                   

May 2013 ~ June 2017     Post-Doctoral Fellow, Project entitled “Establishing immunological correlates of

                                         protection against malaria vaccine candidates using functional bioassays and production

                                         and evaluation of transmission blocking vaccine candidate” Statens Serum Institut and  

                                         CMP, Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of

                                          Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark                                                               

May 2011 ~ May 2013      Post-Doctoral Fellow, Project entitled “Establishing functional assays for assessing antibodies to transmission blocking and blood stage antigens for malaria vaccine and discovery of new vaccine candidates”. CMP, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark                                                                                                                                      

Oct 2010 ~ May 2011        Project Assistant level-III, Project entitled “Developing bioassays for evaluating efficacy of GMZ-2 malaria vaccine candidate” (GAP-4003). Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu, India

June 2008 ~ Sep 2010                 Scientist-1, Research and Development “HPV vaccine and malaria antigens discovery”  

                                         Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., Pune, India

Apr 2004~Mar 2007                   Junior Research Fellow, Project entitled: “Research on bacteria and archea under the

                                         taxonomic capacity building” Department of Biological Sciences, Rani Durgavati          

                                         University, Jabalpur, (M.P.), Sponsor: Ministry of Environment & Forest, New Delhi, India.

Fellowships:

• Post-doctoral fellowship in id-MALVAC project by Danish Council for Strategic research (grant 13127), Denmark in 2013.
• Post-doctoral fellowship as an International researcher by University of Copenhagen, Denmark in 2011.
• Junior research fellowship for doctoral degree by Ministry of Environment & Forest, New Delhi, India in 2004.

Publications:

1. Arunaditya Deshmukh, Bishwanath Kumar Chourasia, Sonali Mehrotra, Ikhlaq Hussain Kana, Gourab Paul, Ashutosh Panda, Inderjeet Kaur, Susheel K Singh, Sumit Rathore, Aparup Das, Priya Gupta, Kalamuddin Md, SK Ghakar, Asif Mohmmed, Michael Theisen and Pawan Malhotra “Plasmodium falciparum MSP3 exists in a complex on the merozoite surface and generates antibody response during natural infection” Infection and Immunity (2018 Accepted)IF-3.731.

2. Ikhlaq Hussain Kana, Asier Garcia-Senosiain, Susheel K Singh, Régis W Tiendrebeogo, Bishwanath Kumar Chourasia, Pawan Malhotra, Surya K. Sharma, Manoj K. Das, Subhash Singh, Bright Adu, and Michael Theisen “Cytophilic antibodies against key Plasmodium falciparum blood stage antigens contribute to protection against clinical malaria in a high transmission region of Eastern India” Journal of Infectious Diseases, (2018 May 4);IF-6.272

3. Susheel K Singh, Régis W. Tiendrebeogo, Bishwanath Kumar Chourasia, Ikhlaq Hussain Kana, Subhash Singh and Michael Theisen “Lactococcuslactis provides an efficient platform for production of disulfide-rich recombinant proteins from Plasmodium falciparum” Microbial Cell Factories, (2018 April5);17(1):55IF-3.681 

4. Gourab Paul, Arunaditya Deshmukh, Bishwanath Kumar Chourasia, Md  Kalamuddin, Ashutosh Panda, Susheel K Singh, Puneet K Gupta, Asif Mohmmed, Virander S Chauhan, Michael Theisen, Pawan Malhotra “Protein-protein interaction studies reveal the Plasmodium falciparum  Merozoitesurface protein-1 region involved in complex formation that binds to humanerythrocytes” Biochemical Journal, (2018 March 29);475(6):1197-1209IF-3.797

5. Will JR Stone, Joseph J Campo, André Lin Ouédraogo, Lisette Meerstein-Kessel, Isabelle Morlais, Dari Da, Anna Cohuet, Sandrine Nsango, Colin J Sutherland, Marga van de Vegte-Bolmer, RianneSiebelink-Stoter, Geert-Jan van, Gemert, Wouter Graumans, Kjerstin Lanke, Adam D Shandling, Jozelyn V Pablo, Andy A Teng, Sophie Jones, Roos M de Jong, Amanda Fabra-García, John Bradley, Will Roeffen, Edwin Lasonder, Giuliana Gremo, Evelin Schwarzer , Chris J Janse, Susheel K Singh, Michael Theisen, Phil Felgner, Matthias Marti, Chris Drakeley, Robert Sauerwein, Teun Bousema and Matthijs M. Jore. “Unravelling the immune signature of Plasmodium falciparum transmission reducing immunity” Nature Communications, (2018 Feb 8);9(1):558IF-12.124

6. Linda E Amoah, Festus K Acquah, Ruth Ayanful-Torgby, AkuaOppong, Joana Abankwa, Evans K Obboh, Susheel K Singh and Michael Theisen “Dynamics of anti-MSP3 and Pfs230 antibody responses and multiplicity of infection in asymptomatic children from southern Ghana” Parasites & Vectors, (2018 Jan 5);11(1):13IF-3.035

7. LE Amoah, SV Nuvor, EK Obboh, FK Acquah, K Asare, Susheel K Singh, JN Boampong, M Theisen and KC Williamson “Natural antibody responses to Plasmodium falciparum MSP3 and GLURP(R0) antigens are associated with low parasite densities in malaria patients living in the Central Region of Ghana” Parasites & Vectors, (2017 Aug 23)10:395 IF-3.035

8. Ulrik H Mistarz^†, Susheel K Singh^†, Tam TTN Nguyen, Will Roeffen, Fen Yang, Søren Madsen, Astrid Vrang, Régis Wendpayangde Tiendrebeogo, Ikhlaq Hussain Kana, Robert W Sauerwein, Michael Theisen, Kasper D Rand “Expression, purification and characterization of GMZ2’.10C, a complex disulphide-bonded fusion protein vaccine candidate against the asexual and sexual life-stages of the malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum parasite” Pharmaceutical Research,(2017 Sep); 34(9):1970-1983^†Equal contributionIF-3.002

9. Festus K Acquah, Evans K Obboh, Kwame Asare, Johnson N Boampong, Samuel Victor Nuvor, Susheel K Singh, Michael Theisen, Kim C Williamson and Linda Eva Amoah “Antibody responses to two new Lactococcus lactis produced recombinant Pfs48/45 and Pfs230 proteins increase with age in malaria patients living in the Central Regionof Ghana”  Malaria Journal, (2017 Aug 1); 16(1):306IF-2.715

10. Susheel K Singh, Susan Thrane, Christoph M Janitzek, Morten A Nielsen, Thor G Theander, Robert W Sauerwein, Michael Theisen, Ali Salanti, Adam F Sander “Improving the malaria transmission-blocking activity of a Plasmodium falciparum 48/45 based vaccine antigen by SpyTag/SpyCatcher mediated virus-like display”  Vaccine, (2017 June 27); 35(30):3726-3732IF-3.235

11. Susheel K Singh, Will Roeffen, Ulrik H Mistarz, Bishwanath Kumar Chourasia, Fen Yang, Kasper D Rand, Robert Sauerwein and Michael Theisen “Construct design, fermentation, and purification of Plasmodium falciparum 48/45 R0.6C subunit protein produced in Lactococcus lactis as candidate vaccine” Microbial Cell Factories,(2017 May  31);16(1):97IF-3.681

12. Ikhlaq H Kana, Bright Adu, Régis W Tiendrebeogo, Susheel K Singh, Daniel Dodoo, and Michael Theisen “Naturally acquired antibodies target the Glutamate-Rich Protein (GLURP) on intact merozoites and predict protection against febrile malaria in Ghanaian children” Journal of Infectious Diseases,(2017Feb 15);215(4):623-630IF-6.272

13. Gourab Paul, Arunaditya Deshmukh, Inderjeet Kaur, Sumit Rathore, Surbhi Dabral, Ashutosh Panda, Susheel K Singh, Asif Mohmmed, Michael Theisen and Pawan Malhotra “A novel Pfs38 protein complex on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum blood-stage merozoites” Malaria Journal,(2017 Feb 16); 16(1):79.IF-2.715

14. Harvinder Kour Khera, Susheel K Singh, GN Bhat, Subhash Singh “Conserved cysteines in malaria Chorismate Synthase indicate their important role in protein structure and function” Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics,(2016) 53 (161-168). IF-1.02

15. HK Khera, Susheel K Singh, R Mir, V Bhardwaj, S Singh  “A HR-MS Based Method for the Determination of Chorismate synthase Activity” Protein and peptide letters, (2016)24(3):229-234IF-0.964

16. Susan L Baldwin, Will Roeffen, Susheel K Singh, Regis W Tiendrebeogo, Michael Christiansen, Elyse Beebe, Darrick Carter, Christopher B Fox, Randall F Howard, Steven G Reed, Robert Sauerwein, and Michael Theisen “A synthetic TLR4 agonist enhances bifunctional antibodies and polyfunctional CD4+T cell response against a Plasmodium falciparum multistage protein vaccine” Vaccine,(2016 April 27);34(19):2207-2215IF-3.235

17. Regis W Tiendrebeogo, Bright Adu, Susheel K Singh, Morten H Dziegiel, IssaNébié, Sodiomon B Sirima, Michael Christiansen, Daniel Dodoo,  Michael Theisen “Antibody-dependent cellular inhibition is associated with protection against febrile malaria in a longitudinal cohort study involving Ghanaian children” Open forum Infectious diseases,(2015 April 10)2(2):ofv044IF-1.05

18. Susheel K Singh, Will Roeffen, Gorm Andersen, TeunBousema, Michael Christiansen, Robert Sauerwein and Michael Theisen “A Plasmodium falciparum 48/45 single epitope R0.6Csubunit protein elicits high levels of transmission blocking antibodies” Vaccine,(2015 April 15); 33(16):1981-6IF-3.235

19. Regis W Tiendrebeogo, Bright Adu, Susheel K Singh, Daniel Dodoo, Morten H Dziegiel, Benjamin Mordmüller, Issa O Nebie, Sodiomon B Sirima, Michael Christiansen, Michael Theisen “High-throughput tri-color flow cytometry technique to assess Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia in bioassays” Malaria Journal,(2014Oct 20);13:41213:412IF-2.715

20. Michael Theisen, Will Roeffen, Susheel K Singh, Gorm Anderson, Linda Amogh, Marga van de Vegte-Bolmer, Theo Arens, Régis Wendpayangde Tiendrebeogo, Sophie Jones, Teun Bousema, Bright Adu, Morten H Dziegiel, Michael Christiansen, and Robert Sauerwein; “A multi-stage malaria vaccine candidate targeting both transmission and asexual parasite life-cycle stages” Vaccine,(2014 May 7);32(22):2623-30.IF-3.235

21. Sharma Anjana, Susheel K Singh, Kori Lokesh, Bora Chandan R. and Shukla Varsha “Evaluation of water quality of river Narmada and its correlation with occurrence of interopathogens” Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering,(2014 Jan) 56(1): 45-52.

22. Micha P Jepsen, Prajakta S Jogdand, Susheel K Singh, Meral Esen, Michael Christiansen, Saadou Issifou, Aurore B Hounkpatin, UlysseAteba-Ngoa, Peter G Kremsner, Morten H Dziegiel, Severin Olesen-Larsen, Søren Jepsen, Benjamin Mordmüller and Michael Theisen “The malaria vaccine candidate GMZ2 elicits high level functional antibodies in individuals from malaria-endemic and non-endemic areas”Journal of Infectious Diseases,(2013 Aug 1); 208(3):479-88IF-6.272

23. Prajakta S Jogdand^†, Susheel K Singh^†, Michael Christiansen, Morten H Dziegiel, Subhash Singh and Michael Theisen “Mitochondrial dye CMXRos Red stains live populations of Plasmodium falciparum and could be reliably used to monitor parasite growth inhibition in Antibody-Dependent Cellular Inhibition assay” Malaria Journal, (2012 July 20); 11:235. ^†Equal contributionIF-2.715

24. Anjana Sharma, Susheel K Singh and Divya Bajpai “Phenotypic and Genotypic characterization of Shigella spp with reference to its virulence genes and Antibiogram analysis from river Narmada” Microbiological Research,(2010); 165(1):33-42. IF-3.037

25. Anjana Sharma, Susheel K Singh and Lokesh Kori “Molecular epidemiological characteristics of Shigella spp isolated from river Narmada during the period 2005-2006”Journal of Environmental Health,(2009) 71(6): 61-66.IF-0.48

26. Anjana Sharma, Susheel K Singh and Sunita Patra “Intra and interspecies variations among environmental Klebsiella isolates” Asian Journal of Experimental Sciences,(2007) 21(2); 435-443.

Abstracts Published International (I)/National (N)

1. Susan L Baldwin, Will Roeffen, Susheel K Singh, Regis W Tiendrebeogo, Michael Christiansen, Elyse Beebe, Christopher B Fox, Randall F Howard, Steven G Reed, Robert Sauerwein, Michael Theisen “A synthetic TLR4 agonist enhances bi-functional antibodies and multi-functional CD4 (+) T-cell responses against a Plasmodium falciparum multistage protein vaccine” 64^th Annual meeting of American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), Philadelphia marriott downtown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA. October 25-29, 2015

2. Susheel K Singh, Bishwanath Kumar Chourasia, John Hickey, Andrew Lees, Jordan Plieskatt, Robert W Sauerwein and Michael Theisen “Characterization of a Plasmodium falciparum 48/45 R0.6C subunit protein produced in Lactococcus lactis” 67^th Annual meeting of American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), The Baltimore Convention Center Baltimore, Maryland USA. November 05-09, 2017

References:

1. Michael Theisen, Ph.D, D.Sc

                Senior Scientist, Department for Congenital disorders, Statens Serum Institute

                5, Ørestads Boulevard, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark

                Tel: +45 32 68 85 52, mobile: +45 20 88 83 02;  E-mail: [email protected]

         2. Theander Thor Grundtvig, Ph.D

              Professor and Head,

             Centre for Medical Parasitology (CMP),

             Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology,
            Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen 

            Maersk Tower 07-11, Panum Institute, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark

          Tel: +45 35327675 Fax No.: +45 3532 7851;    Email: [email protected]

         Prof. R.W. Sauerwein (Robert), Ph.D

         Head, Division of Medical Parasitology, Medical Microbiology  Radboud University Medical Center

        Geert Grooteplein 28  (route 268), P.O.Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen (268), The Netherlands
        Tel: +31 (0)24 361 0577; mobile: +31- (0)627070550,

       E-mail: [email protected]

Date: 01/06/2018

Place: Copenhagen, Denmark                                                                                                                                              (SUSHEEL K. SINGH)