Did you know that 8% of the human genome comprises DNA of viruses? Our genome is an ongoing construction of a lego set and latent viruses bring in the individual blocks of DNA and try to fit them right. This makes us question if viruses are our friends or foes.

I am a virologist who sees from the viral perspective to reason out their pathogenesis. I have reached to this understanding after obtaining my MD in medical microbiology from Christian Medical College, Vellore, India and my PhD in viral immunology from Yokohama City University, Japan. My field of expertise is immunology of chronic viral infections HIV and EBV. I have researched on SARS-CoV-2 since the COVID-19 pandemic times warranted for it. I am currently exploring epigenetic mechanisms of EBV induced oncogenesis and the role of platelet serotonin in viral replication and cancer progression.

I have a fellowship in teaching for higher education from the UK. My academic experience includes teaching medical undergraduate students in Velammal Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Madurai, India, and in Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain). I have guided and supervised graduate and master students' research projects and currently doing so in RCSI Bahrain and University of Limerick, Ireland.

Serotonin is ubiquitously known as the happiness hormone acting on the brain. Now there is a paradigm shift in our understanding of serotonin as it has been shown to bind directly to the DNA and alter gene expression. Virus replication and cancer genesis are heavily dependent on the influence of serotonin. My research interest is to unearth the role of serotonin in viral and cancer biology through the notorious oncogenic virus, EBV.

My principal teaching interests would be on virology, immunology, cancer biology and research methodology. I am experienced in classroom based teaching and lab based training.