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Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Sneha Singh, Ph.D.

Headshot of Dr. Singh

Assistant Professor
Health Education Building - HEB 204A
3000 Arlington Avenue
Toledo, Ohio 43616
419.383.6580
sneha.singh@utoledo.eduÌý

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Lab Summary

My laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms by which emerging neurotropic RNA viruses compromise blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-retinal barrier (BRB) integrity during congenital and neonatal infection. We study host-pathogen interactions that drive viral dissemination, neuroinflammation, retinal injury, and long-term neurological and visual deficits, with a primary focus on Zika virus and other clinically relevant emerging RNA viruses. Our research integrates molecular virology, immunology, developmental biology, and vascular biology using neonatal mouse models, human barrier cell systems, organoid and organ-on-chip platforms, advanced imaging, and single-cell multi-omics approaches. By defining conserved pathways regulating barrier dysfunction and host responses, we aim to identify host-directed therapeutic strategies that prevent neurovascular and retinal injury. Our long-term goal is to translate fundamental discoveries into interventions that protect the developing brain and retina from virus-induced disease and improve outcomes following early-life infection.

Faculty Profile Information

My research focuses on molecular virology and host-pathogen interactions governing barrier integrity in the central nervous system and retina. We study neurotropic emerging RNA viruses, including Zika virus and other clinically relevant pathogens, with a particular emphasis on neonatal and early-life infections. A central theme of my work is understanding how viral infection disrupts blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-retinal barrier (BRB) function, leading to neuroinflammation, retinal injury, and long-term developmental consequences.

Ongoing research in my laboratory is directed toward defining the mechanisms of BBB and BRB disruption during neonatal RNA virus infection, elucidating host determinants of viral entry, replication, and spread at CNS and ocular barriers, characterizing the developmental vulnerability of the neonatal retina and brain to viral infection, developing organoid- and microphysiological system-based models of BBB and BRB infection, and identifying host-directed therapeutic targets to prevent neurovascular and retinal injury.

I conducted my research at Wayne State University as a postdoctoral associate to study the alterations in the innate immune response and host cell metabolic pathways upon RNA virus infection, including Zika virus, Dengue virus, West Nile virus, and SARS-CoV-2 in the lab of Dr. Ashok Kumar. During the K99 phase of my NIH/NEI grant, I developed a neonatal mouse of congenital Zika virus infection which mimicked the ocular and neurological complications as seen in children infected with ZIKV. I obtained my Ph.D. in Molecular Virology from Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology, University of Kerala to study the pathways regulating vascular leakage induced during severe Dengue virus infection in the lab of Dr. Easwaran Sreekumar.

Our laboratory employs an integrated experimental framework that includes in vitro barrier models of retinal pigment epithelium and brain microvascular endothelium, co-culture systems to model BBB and BRB integrity, neonatal and developmental mouse models of viral infection, molecular virology techniques such as RT-qPCR, plaque assays, immunoblotting, and immunofluorescence microscopy, as well as advanced imaging approaches including confocal microscopy, live-cell imaging, and retinal imaging modalities. It also incorporates transcriptomic and systems-level analyses, including single-cell RNA sequencing and metabolomics.

I am actively seeking interdisciplinary collaborations in virology, neuroscience, ophthalmology, vascular biology, developmental biology, and bioengineering. Interests include organ-on-chip platforms, neurovascular imaging technologies, and computational modeling of host-virus interactions at barrier interfaces.

My research program is supported by National Institute of Health (NIH)/National Eye Institute (NEI) career development funding (K99/R00 award), supporting the transition to an independent research program focused on host-virus interactions at neurovascular and neuroretinal barriers.

I am committed to teaching and mentoring trainees at all levels, including undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers. My teaching interests include microbiology, virology, immunology, ocular and neuroinfectious disease biology, with an emphasis on translational and barrier-focused pathogenesis.

The long-term goal of my laboratory is to define conserved mechanisms of blood-brain and blood-retinal barrier dysfunction during early-life viral infection and translate these findings into host-directed therapeutic strategies that prevent neurodevelopmental and vision-threatening outcomes.

Education

  • Ph.D.Ìý 2012 – 2018: Biotechnology, Elucidation of the role of Endothelial cell Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) signaling in vascular leakage induced by dengue virus; Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, University of Kerala, Kerala, India.
  • M.S.Ìý 2009 – 2011: Applied Microbiology, KIIT School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University, Odisha, India.
  • B.S.Ìý 2006 – 2009: Microbiology Honors, University of Calcutta, West Bengal, India.

Fellowship and Awards

  • 2025ÌýÌýÌý ASV 2025 ASVCares Award, American Society of Virology
  • 2025ÌýÌýÌý Retina Research Foundation/Joseph M. and Eula C. Lawrence Travel Grant (ARVO)
  • 2024ÌýÌýÌý NIH/NEI K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award (2024 – 2029)
  • 2024ÌýÌýÌý ASV 2024 ASVCares Award, American Society of Virology
  • 2024ÌýÌýÌý ISER-Biennial Meeting Travel Grant
  • 2024ÌýÌýÌý WSU Graduate School Postdoctoral Service Award, WSUSOM, Detroit, MI, USA
  • 2023ÌýÌýÌý ASV 2023 ASVCares Award, American Society of Virology
  • 2023ÌýÌýÌý Best Oral Presentation Award, 10th Annual Vision Research Day, KEI, WSUSOM
  • 2023ÌýÌýÌý Early Vision Scientist (EVS) Award, NAEVER/AEVER
  • 2023ÌýÌýÌý Postdoctoral Research Award, WSU Graduate School
  • 2022ÌýÌýÌý Kresge Eye Institute – Translational Research and Innovation Grant (KEI-TRIG)
  • 2021ÌýÌýÌý WSUSOM Oral Presentation Award (1st), 7th Annual Vision Research Day, KEI
  • 2021ÌýÌýÌý C. Stephen and Frances B. Foster Foundation Travel Grant (ARVO)
  • 2020ÌýÌýÌý Retina Research Foundation/Joseph M. and Eula C. Lawrence Travel Grant (ARVO)
  • 2019ÌýÌýÌý Oral presentation Award (2nd), 6th Annual Vision Research Day, KEI, WSUSOM
  • 2019ÌýÌýÌý International Postdoctoral Travel Grant Award, WSU Graduate School
  • 2019ÌýÌýÌý 38th American Society of Virology Travel Grant Award, USA
  • 2017ÌýÌýÌý RGCB (Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology) Student Merit Award, India
  • 2017ÌýÌýÌý Best Oral Presentation Award, University of Kerala, India
  • 2017ÌýÌýÌý International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS) travel grant
  • 2016ÌýÌýÌý Newton Bhabha Ph.D. Fellowship
  • 2014ÌýÌýÌý Department of Biotechnology (DBT) travel grant
  • 2012ÌýÌýÌý DST-INSPIRE Ph.D. Scholarship
  • 2011ÌýÌýÌý Chancellor’s Gold Medal Award, KIIT University, India
  • 2010ÌýÌýÌý KIIT Merit Scholarship, KIIT University, IndiaÌý

Presentations

Invited talks:

2024Ìý Title: Mechanisms regulating breach of blood-retinal barrier upon zika virus infection. Oral presentationsession: October, PM-PM. XXVI Biennial Meeting of the International Society for Eye Research. Sessiontitle: Microbial effects on host response to ocular infections, 2:36 PM - 3:00 PM, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 20-24 October 2024.

2021Ìý Title: Susceptibility and antiviral response of ocular cells to emerging RNA viruses. Chicago-Ophthalmology - Advances in Vision Sciences (COAVS), Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM, November 12, 2021.

Conference: Oral Presentation

  1. Sneha Singh and Ashok Kumar. Elucidation Of the Role of Angiopoietin/Tie 2 Signaling in Regulating The Breach Of Blood-Retinal Barrier Upon Zika Virus Infection. 2025 ARVO Annual Meeting. Session title:Harnessing Innovation in Ocular Virology, May 8, 2025, 11:45AM - 1:30PM.
  2. Sneha Singh, Robert E Wright III, Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami, Shailendra Giri, Ashok Kumar. ABCG1 and SREBP-2 regulate Zika virus replication in RPE via modulating cholesterol homeostasis and antiviral immune 10th Annual Vision Research Workshop 2023, Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
  3. Sneha Singh and Ashok Kumar. SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein activates retinal endothelial and innate immune cells to cause thrombosis in retinal blood vessels. 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting. Session title: Microbial Infection and Immunity, April 26, 2023,10:30AM - 12:15 PM.
  4. Sneha Singh, Robert E Wright III, Gustavo Garcia, Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami, Ljubimov Alexander, Ashok Kumar. SARS-CoV-2 infects human corneal epithelium and elicits an antiviral immune response. Session title: Pathology of Ocular Infections, May 3, 2021, 4:30PM – 6:00PM. May 1- May 7, 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting.
  5. Sneha Singh, Gustavo Garcia, Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami, Ashok Kumar. Temporal analysis of viralreplication and innate responses in SARS-CoV-2 infected human conjunctival epithelial cells. 8th Vision Research Workshop, Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI,
  6. Sneha Singh and Ashok Angiopoietin/Tie2 signaling regulates blood-retinal barrier during Zika virus infection. 6th Annual Vision Research Workshop, Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 2019.
  7. Sneha Singh, Pawan Kumar Singh, Shailendra Giri, and Ashok Kumar. AMPK (AMP activated protein kinase) activationrestricts Zika virus infection and promotes antiviral response in retinal endothelial cells. 38th Annual Society ofVirology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 2019, July 20-24, 2019.
  8. Sneha Singh and Ashok Kumar. Elucidation of mechanisms of blood-retinal barrier disruption by Flaviviruses, 2018 Vision Research Workshop, Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 2018.
  9. Sneha Singh, Anoop M, E Sreekumar. Generation of auto-cleavable reporter tagged expression system for functional studies of dengue viral proteins. 27th Kerala Science Congress, 2015, Allappuzha, Kerala, India.

Conference: Poster Presentation

  1. Sneha Singh, Susmita Das, Prahlad Parajuli, Navnath Gavande, Ashok Kumar. Novel Quinoline Substituted Autophagy Inhibitors Attenuate Zika Virus Replication in Ocular Cells. 2024 ARVO annual meeting.
  2. Sneha Singh, Sukhvinder Singh, Ashok Elucidation of mechanisms regulating the breach of theblood-retinal barrier during endogenous Candida endophthalmitis.7th Annual Vision Research Workshop, Kresge Eye Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 2020.
  3. Sneha Singh, Anupriya MG, E High Throughput Proteomic Analysis of Microvascular Endothelial Cells upon Dengue Infection Signifies the Role of Nucleolar Proteins in Host-Virus Interaction. IUMS conference in Singapore, 2017.
  4. Sneha Singh, Anupriya M G, E Sreekumar. Involvement of Angiopoietin/Tie2 chemistry during dengue induced vascular leakage. Molecular Virology meeting 4, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Kerala, 2015.
  5. Sneha Singh, B P Gupta, Anoop M, K D Manandhar, E Sreekumar. Molecular and evolutionary analysis ofDengue virus serotype 2 strains circulating in Nepal during the 2013 MEEGID XII, Bangkok, Thailand, 2014.
  6. Sneha Singh, Ketaki Ganti, Divija Deshpande, Shobha Gangodkar, Atanu Basu. Characterizing the stressresponse of insect cells to dengue virus infection: joining the dots in the puzzle of multiple co- infections. Molecular Virology meeting 2, Indian Institute of Science (IISc.), Bangalore, 2011.

Teaching, Leadership and Service

  • 2023 - 2026ÌýÌýÌý Chair, WSU Postdoctoral Research Association (PDA), Wayne State University Departmental/School of Medicine/University
  • 2025 – 2028ÌýÌýÌý Member, Member-in-Training (MIT) Committee, Association for Research In Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)

Publications

  1. Arumugaswami, Vaithilingaraja, Robert Damoiseaux, Ashok Kumar, Arjit Vijey Jeyachandran, Anne K. Zaiss, Nikhil Chakravarty, Sneha Singh et al. "Drug screen reveals new potent host-targeted antivirals against Mpox virus." bioRxiv (2025): 2025-05.
  2. Sneha Singh, Faraz Ahmad, Hariprasad Aruri, Susmita Das, Prahlad Parajuli, Navnath S. Gavande, Pawan Kumar Singh, and Ashok Kumar. "Novel quinoline substituted autophagy inhibitors attenuate Zika virus replication in ocular cells." Virus Research 347 (2024): 199419.
  3. Sneha Singh, Robert E. Wright, Shailendra Giri, Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami, and Ashok Kumar. "Targeting ABCG1 and SREBP-2 mediated cholesterol homeostasis ameliorates Zika virus-induced ocular pathology." Iscience 27, no. 3 (2024).
  4. Modak, Ayan, Srishti Rajkumar Mishra, Mansi Awasthi, Arya Aravind, Sneha Singh, and Easwaran "Fingolimod (FTY720), an FDA-approved sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor agonist,restores endothelial hyperpermeability in cellular and animal models of dengue virus serotype 2 infection." IUBMB life 76, no. 5 (2024): 267-285.
  5. Das, Susmita, Zeeshan Ahmad, Sneha Singh, Sukhvinder Singh, Robert Emery Wright III, Shailendra Giri, and Ashok Kumar. "Oral administration of S-nitroso-l-glutathione (GSNO) provides anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective effects during ocular bacterial infections." Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 80, no. 10 (2023): 309.
  6. Hoque, Mehboob, Sneha Singh, and Saadullah Khattak. "Evolution, pathogenesis, host interactions and therapeutic strategies against monkeypox virus." Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 13 (2023): 1303598.
  7. Sneha Singh, Gustavo Garcia Jr, Ruchi Shah, Andrei A. Kramerov, Robert Emery Wright III, Tanya M. Spektor, Alexander V. Ljubimov, Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami, and Ashok "SARS-CoV-2 and its beta variant of concern infect human conjunctival epithelial cells and induce differential antiviral innate immune response." The Ocular Surface 23 (2022): 184-194.
  8. Sneha Singh, Sukhvinder Singh, and Ashok "Systemic Candida albicans infection in mice causes endogenous endophthalmitis via breaching the outer blood-retinal barrier." Microbiology Spectrum 10, no. 4 (2022): e01658-22.
  9. Sneha Singh, Karim Dirani, and Ashok "Intricacy of mitochondrial dynamics and antiviral response during RNA virus infection." Frontiers in Virology 2 (2022): 918806.
  10. Sneha Singh, Robert Emery Wright, Gustavo Garcia, Alokkumar Jha, Andrei Kramergy, Alexander Ljubimov, Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami, and Ashok Kumar. "SARS-CoV- 2 infects human corneal epithelium and elicits an antiviral immune response." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 62, no. 8 (2021): 2688-2688.
  11. Sawant, Onkar B., Sneha Singh, Robert Emery Wright III, Kayla M. Jones, Michael S. Titus, Eugene Dennis,Eric Hicks, Parag Majumudar, Ashok Kumar, and Shahzad I. Mian. "Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2in human post-mortem ocular tissues." The Ocular Surface 19 (2021): 322-329.
  12. Sneha Singh, Onkar Sawant, Shahzad I. Mian, and Ashok Kumar. "Povidone-iodine attenuates viralreplication in ocular cells: implications for ocular transmission of RNA viruses." Biomolecules 11, no. 5 (2021): 753.
  13. Rottmann, Bruce G., Pawan Kumar Singh, Sneha Singh, Sanjay G. Revankar, Pranatharthi H. Chandrasekar, and Ashok Kumar. "Evaluation of susceptibility and innate immune response in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice during Candida albicans endophthalmitis." Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 61, no. 11 (2020): 31- 31.
  14. Sneha Singh, Pawan Kumar Singh, Hamid Suhail, Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami, Philip E. Pellett, Shailendra Giri, and Ashok Kumar. "AMP-activated protein kinase restricts Zika virus replication in endothelial cells bypotentiating innate antiviral responses and inhibiting " The Journal of Immunology 204, no. 7 (2020): 1810-1824.
  15. Singh, Pawan Kumar, Sneha Singh, Dustin Farr, and Ashok "Interferon- stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) restricts Zika virus replication in primary human corneal epithelial cells." The Ocular Surface 17, no. 3 (2019): 551-559.
  16. Sneha Singh, M. G. Anupriya, Ayan Modak, and Easwaran Sreekumar. "Dengue virus or NS1 proteininduces trans-endothelial cell permeability associated with VE-Cadherin and RhoA phosphorylation inHMEC-1 cells preventable by Angiopoietin-1." Journal of General Virology 99, no. 12 (2018): 1658-1670.
  17. Anupriya, M. G., Sneha Singh, Neha Vijay Hulyalkar, and Easwaran Sreekumar. "Sphingolipid signaling modulates trans-endothelial cell permeability in dengue virus infected HMEC-1 cells." Prostaglandins & other lipid mediators 136 (2018): 44-54.
  18. Sneha Singh, Dustin Farr, and Ashok "Ocular manifestations of emerging flaviviruses and the blood-retinal barrier." Viruses 10, no. 10 (2018): 530.
  19. Abraham, Rachy, Sneha Singh, Sreeja R. Nair, Neha Vijay Hulyalkar, Arun Surendran, Abdul Jaleel, and Easwaran Sreekumar. "Nucleophosmin (NPM1)/B23 in the proteome of human astrocytic cells restricts chikungunya virus replication." Journal of proteome research 16, no. 11 (2017): 4144-4155.
  20. Sneha Singh, G. Anupriya, and Easwaran Sreekumar. "Comparative whole genome analysis of dengue virus serotype-2 strains differing in trans-endothelial cell leakage induction in vitro." Infection, genetics and evolution 52 (2017): 34-43.
  21. Gupta, Birendra Prasad, Sneha Singh, Roshan Kurmi, Rajani Malla, Easwaran Sreekumar, and Krishna Das "Re-emergence of dengue virus serotype 2 strains in the 2013 outbreak in Nepal." The Indian journal of medical research 142, no. Suppl 1 (2015): S1.
  22. Sneha Singh, Birendra P. Gupta, Anoop Manakkadan, Krishna Das Manandhar, and Easwaran Sreekumar."Phylogenetic study reveals co-circulation of Asian II and Cosmopolitan genotypes of dengue virus serotype 2in Nepal during " Infection, genetics and evolution 34 (2015): 402 - 409.

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