Lab Members 

Amit Singh, Ph.D, 

Professor, Dept. of Biology, Schuellein Endowed Chair in Biology,                                                                                                        

Interim Director of Center for Tissue Regeneration and Engineering at Dayton (TREND), University of Dayton,                      

300 College Park, Dayton, Ohio 45469                               

Affiliated Member, Center for Genomic Advocacy (TCGA), Indiana State University, Terre Haute , Indiana, IN                                                                                                           Office: (937)-229-2894,    Lab: (937)-229-2505      Fax: (937)-229-2021                           

Office: SC303C    Laboratory: SC345/347                                                                                                                                                                                          Email: asingh1@udayton.edu  amitsingh60@gmail.com

Current Members

Anuradha C.V., M.S. (Graduate)

Received her B.Sc.  Plant Biotechnology from Stella Maris College, followed by M.Sc. Human Genetics from Sri Ramachandra University, India. She worked in a cancer biology lab to explore the interaction between PAK1 (a Ser/Thr kinase) and STAT3 (a transcription factor). Currently, She is pursuing her doctoral degree to study the function of different domains of dve protein in eye development and growth using Drosophila eye model. 


Dr. Manivannan Subramanian, B.S., M.S., Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow

Received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from the University of Mysore, Mysore, PhD from National Centre for Biological Sciences, affiliated to University of Mysore in 2014. He studied genetic interactions between inositol triphosphate signaling and insulin signaling pathways using Drosophila model. He moved to Dr. Joong-Jean Park’s lab, Korea University for his postdoctoral research and studied the dim light effect in Alzheimer’s disease conditions using Drosophila model. He moved to Dr. Kweon Yu’s lab, KRIBB/KIST for his postdoctoral research and identified UBE4B, a microRNA-9 target gene that promotes autophagy-mediated Tau degradation in Alzheimer’s disease. He joined Dr. Singh lab in 2022. His research is focused on understanding the importance of defective proventriculus (Dve) in retinal diseases and birth defects and its regulation by miRNAs using Drosophila eye model.

Anjali Sangeeth, B.S., M.S. (Graduate)


Received her Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from Amrita School of Biotechnology. Pursued her MSc Biochemistry and Molecular Biology  from Central University of Kerala. Qualified UGC/CSIR exam  to pursue PhD in India. Worked in a Stem cells and Hematopoiesis lab at University of Hyderabad to study the role of long non coding RNAs during megakaryocyte development. Joined SIngh Lab at University of DAytona dn working on role of signaling pathways in Dorso-Ventral Patterning in eye.

Dr. Radhika Padma, B.S., M.S., Ph.D. , Postdoctoral fellow

Received Her Master's (2009) and PhD (2016) in Genetics and Taught Genetics (2016-2019) from the University of Mysore, India. Worked as a Women Scientist at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal (2019-2022).Worked on the Evolution of the nauta-albomicans complex of Drosophila. In postdoctoral research, worked towards profiling the chromatin landscape of two closely related Drosophila species. Joined Singh lab (2022) and will be working on miRNA based regulation of dve expression in Drosophila eye. 

Ms. Sunanda Yogi, B.S., M.S. (Graduate)

She graduated from Shaheed Rajguru College, University of Delhi, with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry (Hons). Received Master's in Biochemistry at the School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad. She worked in a Biosensor lab on her dissertation project "Fluorescence probing of the respiring membranes using environment-sensitive rotor dyes" at the University of Hyderabad.  

Alumni Singh Lab

Post doctoral Fellows

Dr. Akanksha Raj, B.S., M.S., Ph.D., Post Doctoral Fellow (2019-2021)

Received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree  from Miranda House, Delhi. She got her PhD from Delhi University in 2017 studying nanoparticle toxicity using Drosophila model.  She joined Singh lab in 2018. Her research is focused on understanding the molecular basis of retinal diseases and birth defects using Drosophila eye model. 

Dr. Catherine Yeates, B.S., B.A., Ph.D., Post Doctoral Fellow (2019-2020)

Catherine  got a B.A. in Music and a B.S. in Biology from University of Iowa. She went on to complete a Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Iowa, studying homeostatic plasticity. Joined Singh lab in 2018 and is working on DRosophila eye model of neurodegeneration. Outside of lab, Catherine enjoys drawing and hiking, often accompanied by her rambunctious dogs.  


Graduate Students

Dr. Meghana Tare (Ph.D., 2007-2013) , 

Genetic Mechanisms Involved in Axial Patterning and Neurodegeneration in Drosophila Eye 

Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani,, India https://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/pilani/meghanatare/profile 



Dr. Oorvashi Roy Puli (Ph.D., 2009-2014),

Defective proventriculus (Dve), a Novel Role in Dorsal-Ventral Patterning of the Drosophila Eye 

Post Doctoral Fellow MD Anderson cancer Center, Houston, Texas

H. Lee Moffit Cancer Ctr. & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida

Ms. Erika Wittkorn (M.S., 2011-2013), 

Role of Growth Regulatory Pathways in Eye Development and Differentiation             DO Program, Ohio Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine,  Dublin Campus, Columbus, Ohio


Dr. Ankita Sarkar, (Ph.D., 2013-2018), 

Ph.D: Biology of neurodegenerative disease, Post Doctoral Fellow, Cornell, NY.

Presently, Senior Scientist at Rhenonix, Inc.




Dr. Abihjit Singh Mehta, B. Tech, M. Tech, (Ph.D., 2016-2019)

Ph.D: Regeneration tool kit using fruit fly model                                                                   Post Doctoral Fellow, UC Davis, (2019-)




Dr. Neha Gogia, B.Tech, M.Tech, (Ph.D., 2014-2019)

Ph.D: Biology of neurodegenerative disease and development,                                         Post Doctoral Fellow, Yale, CT.

Prajakta Deshpande, B.S., M.S., (Graduate) (2018-2023)   

Ph.D. Biology Genetics of neurodegenerative disorders                                 Post Doctoral Fellow, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 

 Received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Hyderabad Central University, India. Worked as a project Assistant at the Centre for Human Genetics, Bangalore, India, and Molecular Biologist at Datta Meghe Inst. of Medical Sciences, India. She joined the Singh Lab in 2018. She is interested in understanding the molecular mechanism of human diseases and finding effective therapeutic treatments. 

Research Staff

Dr. Shimpi Bedi (2011-2013)






Ms. Shiranee Gunashekera (2009-2011)

Undergraduate Researchers


Sarah M Oros Honors (2007-2010), MD, Presently, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY




Rohan Modi Honors/JAMS (2008-2011), MD, GI Fellow at University of Virginia.




Jaison Nainaparampil, MD

Berry/Honors 2008-2011




Christopher Johns, MD         

 Honors (2009-2011). 



Micheala Minichello Honors (2009-2011)





Lindsey E Salchli (2010-2012)




Andrew Steffensmeier BSTI/Honors (20011-2014)




Madison Irwin  BSTI/         Honors (2012-2015)



Timothy Cutler,BSTI/         Honors (2012-2015)




Michael E Moran (2012-2014)




Jacob Farber (2010-2011)




Sarah Stalder BSTI (2014-2015)





Kevin Farley Honors (2013-2016)






Matthew Riccetti Honors (2015-2017)





Jason Kleppel, Honors (2015-2017)




Neil Glenn (2016-2017)





Sarah Byrne, Honors (2015-2017)




Evan Wypasek, Honors (2015-2017)



Lydia Payton (2017-2018)




Steven E Borchers, BSTI/Honors (2017-2019)




Elizabeth E Borchers, Honors (2017-2019)





Jordan Dubbs

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow

Kush Patel (University of Cincinnati)                2010

Joshua E Little (University of Chicago)             2014 

Aditi Singh (University of Pittsburgh)             2018

Manisha Kuller (Ohio State University)           2017, 2018 

Visiting Masters Student



Mr. Eric Moyer, MS in Regenerative Medicine and Technology, ,  UMC Utrecht, Universiteit Utrecht,  (2019-2020)

Soumya Bajpai, B.S., M.S. (2021-2024

Received her Bachelor’s degree in 2020 and Master’s degree from Fergusson College (Autonomous), affiliated to Savitribai Phule Pune University, in 2022. Worked in a fly lab with different chaperones (Heat Shock Proteins) to identify their roles as modifiers of neurotoxic eye phenotype in human tau (hTau) expressing Drosophila melanogaster at the National Center for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune. She joined Dr. Singh's Lab in 2022 to study the role of defective proventriculus (Dve) in eye development using the Drosophila eye model.