As Principal Investigator (PI)
Establishing a model for influenza surveillance in Tamil Nadu, India (MIST)
Funding Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Year: 2022-2025
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: ₹6 crores
Description: Developing a real-time surveillance model to monitor and track influenza trends in Tamil Nadu.
Impact: Enhancing early detection and response to seasonal influenza outbreaks, reducing disease burden.
Papers/ outputs: link, surveillance dashboard
Collaborators: Madurai Medical College, Govt. Medical College Salem, Coimbatore Medical College
Epihub: a platform for epidemic intelligence and interpretation of infectious disease epidemiology
Funding Agency: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) - PM-ABHIM
Year: 2023-2026
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: ₹1.8 crore (first year)
Description: Creating a centralized digital platform for epidemic forecasting and infectious disease data interpretation.
Impact: Strengthening India's epidemic preparedness and response capabilities through AI-driven analytics.
Collaborators: IISc Bengaluru (FSID)
Website: link
Capacity building and framework development for SARI burden estimation and forecasting in India
Funding Agency: Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Atlanta, USA
Year: 2022-2027
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: USD 250,000
Description: Establishing a robust surveillance system for estimating the burden of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI).
Impact: Improving pandemic preparedness by providing reliable forecasting models for respiratory infections.
Collaborators: Madurai Medical College, AIIMS Raipur, Government Medical College Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad)
Data mining centre of the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory Network
Funding Agency: Department of Health Research (DHR)
Year: 2021-present
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: ₹60 lakhs/year
Description: Managing a data mining center to enhance research and diagnostic efficiency in virus surveillance.
Impact: Strengthening India's diagnostic capabilities for emerging viral infections.
Data entry portal: link
Dashboard: link
Collaborators: 160 medical colleges
Advanced online course on systematic reviews and meta-analysis
Funding Agency: Department of Health Research (DHR)
Year: 2024-2027
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: ₹29.4 lakhs
Description: Designing an advanced online training program for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Impact: Improving research quality and evidence-based decision-making in the healthcare sector.
Personalized recommender system for Virus Research and Diagnosis Laboratory Network: advancing diagnostic decision-making through artificial intelligence
Funding Agency: Department of Health Research (DHR)
Year: 2024-2026
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: ₹68 lakhs
Description: Implementing an AI-based recommender system for virus research and diagnostics.
Impact: Enhancing diagnostic accuracy and efficiency, leading to better patient outcomes.
Collaborators: Amity University
Flu portal
Funding Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Year: 2024-2026
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: ₹36.5 lakhs
Description: Develop and maintain a data management and analytics portal for the Pan-India Surveillance for Respiratory Viruses
Impact: Real-time alerts and trends of respiratory viruses epidemiology across the country
Collaborators: 60 medical colleges / hospitals
Burden of digital health information technology in primary care
Funding Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Year: 2025-2026
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: ₹34.2 lakhs
Description: Assessing the impact of digital health technologies on the workload and efficiency of primary healthcare providers.
Impact: Informing policy on the integration of digital health tools in clinical practice.
Collaborators: Various state governments
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As Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
ICMR Centre for Outbreak Science (ICOS)
Funding Agency: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) - PM-ABHIM
Year: 2023-2026
Role: Co - Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Funding: ₹1.5 crore (first year)
Description: A fellowship program for ICMR scientists on Outbreak Sciences
Impact: Strengthening India's epidemic preparedness by creating trained professionals capable of carrying out strong outbreak investigations
Curriculum: link
Effect of nutritional labelling and lower pricing of healthier foods in restaurant menus on food choices and operational feasibility of nutritional labelling at workplace food outlets in a South Indian city
Funding Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Year: 2024-2026
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Funding: ₹1.8 crores
Description: Evaluating the impact of menu labelling and pricing strategies on consumer food choices in workplaces.
Impact: Providing evidence for healthier food policy implementation in urban settings.
Collaborators: IISc Bengaluru, ICMR Delhi, NIN Hyderabad
Event-based surveillance for emerging and re-emerging infections
Funding Agency: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) - PM-ABHIM
Year: 2024-2027
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Funding: ₹3.5 crores
Description: Developing an event-based surveillance system to track emerging infectious diseases.
Impact: Strengthening India’s capacity to detect and respond to new disease threats in real time.
Collaborators: 10 medical colleges
Building a surveillance model for detecting zoonotic spillover in increased animal-human interaction setting using a one health approach: a study at selected slaughterhouses – Data management centre
Funding Agency: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) - PM-ABHIM
Year: 2024-2026
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Funding: ₹94 lakhs
Description: Establishing a data management system to monitor zoonotic disease spillover risks in slaughterhouses.
Impact: Strengthening India's one-health approach to emerging infectious diseases.
Collaborators: ICAR-NIVEDI, ICAR-NMRI, 3 medical colleges and veterinary colleges in Punjab, Assam and Telengana
Hospital-Based Surveillance of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) - Data management centre
Funding Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Year: 2024-2025
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Funding: ₹6.4 lakhs
Description: Conducting hospital-based surveillance to track cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).
Impact: Providing real-time data for better AES prevention and treatment strategies.
Collaborators: JIPMER Pondicherry, 12 medical colleges/hospitals
Antibody response following one dose of Cervavac® as compared to one dose of Gardasil® vaccine in healthy girls aged 9-14 years: s non-inferiority, multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial - Data management centre
Funding Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Year: 2024-2026
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Funding: ₹49 lakhs
Description: Evaluating the antibody response of two HPV vaccines in young girls to determine their effectiveness.
Impact: Contributing to HPV vaccination policies and cervical cancer prevention strategies in India.
Collaborators: NITVAR Pune, NICPR Noida, NIRBI Kolkata
Development of a draft methodology for prioritizing high-threat pathogens (ZISM)
Funding Agency: World Health Organization (WHO) - SEARO
Year: 2021-2022
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Funding: 10.7 lakhs
Description: Developing a methodology to define and prioritize high-threat pathogens (HTPs) in the WHO South-East Asia Region. This includes creating criteria for identifying HTPs and a framework for prioritization.
Impact: Strengthening preparedness for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases by providing a systematic approach to prioritize HTPs, ensuring better resource allocation and rapid response strategies.
Papers:
As Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding Agency: Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine (IAPSM)
Year: 2012
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: ₹20,000
Description: This study examined the prevalence and determinants of sexual health problems among rural males in Haryana and assessed the need for healthcare interventions.
Impact: Findings helped shape policies addressing sexual health concerns in rural healthcare programs.
Paper: link
Funding Agency: World Health Organization (WHO) - SEARO
Year: 2014
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: USD 5,000
Description: A comprehensive assessment of tobacco-related data sources and trends in South-East Asia.
Impact: Provided evidence-based recommendations to WHO for strengthening tobacco control policies in the region.
Funding Agency: World Health Organization (WHO) - SEARO
Year: 2015
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: USD 7,000
Description: A systematic review of the relationship between smokeless tobacco use and cancer incidence in India.
Impact: Strengthened advocacy for stricter tobacco regulations and public awareness campaigns.
Funding Agency: World Health Organization (WHO) - SEARO
Year: 2015
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: USD 9,000
Description: Analyzed trends and mortality risks associated with tobacco use across multiple SEAR countries using GYTS data.
Impact: Informed regional tobacco control measures and policy recommendations.
Funding Agency: World Health Organization (WHO) - SEARO
Year: 2015
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: USD 5,000
Description: A global systematic review assessing the mortality risks of smokeless tobacco use.
Impact: Provided evidence supporting stricter international tobacco control policies.
Papers: link
Funding Agency: World Health Organization (WHO) - SEARO
Year: 2017
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: USD 8,000
Description: Analysis of Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) data for four SEAR countries to assess youth tobacco use patterns.
Impact: Guided targeted interventions for tobacco prevention among adolescents.
Funding Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Year: 2021-2022
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: ₹10 lakhs
Description: A multi-center study examining mortality risks and adverse outcomes in Mucormycosis patients.
Impact: Influenced treatment guidelines and management strategies for Mucormycosis in India.
Paper: link
Funding Agency: Governments of Odisha and Chhattisgarh
Year: 2022-2023
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: ₹14 lakhs
Description: Developed and conducted a specialized epidemiology training course for public health professionals.
Impact: Enhanced state-level capacity in disease surveillance and vector-borne disease control.
Converted into an online course on SWAYAM.
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As Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Funding Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Year: 2022-2023
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Funding: ₹40 lakhs
Description: Analyzed the accessibility of essential diagnostic tests in healthcare facilities across India.
Impact: Helped identify gaps in diagnostic infrastructure and recommended solutions for improvement.
Funding Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Year: 2022-2023
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Funding: ₹10 lakhs
Description: Investigated risk factors for post-COVID Mucormycosis to guide clinical management.
Impact: Strengthened national preparedness for post-COVID fungal infections.
Papers published: link
Funding Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Year: 2023-24
Role: Principal Investigator (PI)
Funding: ₹10 lakhs
Description: Estimated the national burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) as part of the Global Burden of Disease study.
Impact: Informed health policies and interventions for CKD prevention and management.
Funding Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Year: 2023-2024
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Funding: ₹1.5 crores
Description: Investigating potential risk factors for unexplained sudden deaths among young adults across multiple centers in India.
Impact: Providing critical insights for early detection, prevention, and policy formulation to reduce unexplained mortality in young adults.
Paper: link
Funding Agency: World Health Organization (WHO)
Year: 2023-24
Role: Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Funding: ₹20 lakhs
Description: Reviewed global evidence on the effectiveness of menu labelling and portion size control in restaurants.
Impact: Provided policy recommendations for improving food environments and combating obesity.
Paper: link