Research
Dr. Singh’s research focuses on understanding fungal pathogenesis and its interaction with the host immune system and translates this knowledge to model fungal diseases and develop novel vaccines and immunotherapies.
Dr. Singh’s laboratory currently focuses on an emerging multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen, Candida auris, which has rapidly spread globally and is designated as “Urgent/Top Threat” by public health agencies. Candida auris colonizes and spreads in healthcare facilities. Candida auris can colonize human skin and cause lethal invasive infections (~60% mortality), particularly in immunocompromised and hospitalized patients with indwelling medical devices such as central venous catheters. The pathogenic and virulence mechanisms of Candida auris remain largely unknown, despite the clinical challenges it poses.
Dr. Singh’s laboratory employs cutting-edge bioinformatics, immunoproteomics, molecular biology, and immunological and animal modeling approaches to unravel and characterize novel virulence factors, with the goal of translating this knowledge into innovative immune-based prophylactic and therapeutic interventions.
Biography
Dr. Shakti Singh obtained his PhD in Experimental Surgery/Immunology in 2015 from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. His first postdoctoral research at the National Cancer Institute at Frederick (NIH) focused on HIV immunology and vaccine development, followed by additional postdoctoral research on fungal pathogenesis and vaccine/immunotherapeutic development at The Lundquist Institute. Dr. Singh has received grants from the American Heart Association, the UCLA CTSI KL2 award, and the NIH for ongoing research in his laboratory.