Navjot (Vimi) Singh, PhD

As a Special Projects Development Scientist at the Advanced Genomic Technologies Cluster (AGTC), I develop NGS-based solutions within AGTC and collaborate with principal investigators to design and implement innovative sequencing methodologies that advance both biomedical research and public health initiatives.

One of my key contributions is the development of a novel hybrid capture assay for pathogen enrichment, enabling direct sequencing from clinical samples without requiring pure isolates. This assay has been successfully applied to detect Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in stool and Legionella pneumophila in sputum and autopsy samples. It is currently under evaluation for identifying antibiotic resistance markers and associated bacterial pathogens in wastewater.

Additionally, I have established long-read sequencing workflows to generate complete bacterial genomes and plasmids, significantly contributing to antimicrobial resistance research. My expertise also extends to RNA sequencing, where I have developed tools for the research and surveillance of rabies, SARS-CoV-2, and Lyme disease using the Illumina platform. I have also studied the immune responses to Candida albicans infection in intestinal mucosa using the NanoString platform and conducted direct RNA sequencing assays with the Oxford Nanopore platform.

By leveraging cutting-edge sequencing technologies and bioinformatics, I apply genomics in novel ways to advance biomedical research, track disease outbreaks, and enhance public health surveillance efforts.