Dr Vinayak Singh
Affiliations
- Associate Member, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine
- Principal Investigator, Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre
Key Expertise
Anti-microbial Resistance, Bacterial Infections, Drug Discovery, Drug Resistance, TB
Main Research Focus
Vinayak Singh's primary research focus is on discovering and developing novel therapeutic strategies to combat priority pathogens. This includes: Mycobacterium tuberculosis: The causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), a major global health threat with millions of cases and deaths annually. The goal is to accelerate TB drug development by establishing animal TB infection models at the UCT, to evaluate potential TB drug candidates more effectively. ESKAPE pathogens: A group of six multidrug-resistant bacteria (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter cloacae) posing a significant challenge due to their resistance to many existing antibiotics.
Most Significant Paper Authored in 2024
Tuberculosis treatment-shortening.
Singh, V. (2024).
The article discusses that recent advancements in tuberculosis (TB) treatment have shown significant progress in shortening treatment duration, exemplified by studies like Study 31. Ongoing clinical trials further explore strategies to reduce the lengthy standard treatment. The drug discovery pipeline holds promise for novel therapies, indicating a positive outlook for future TB treatment. However, optimizing early diagnosis and strengthening healthcare systems are crucial to complement these advancements and ensure effective TB control.