Mechanism · Measurement · Decision
Molecular biology that closes the loop on plant disease, from sample to inference, on commercial crop systems.
About Me
Plant pathologist and molecular biologist at the University of California, Davis, working on grapevine–virus interactions and the metabolic consequences of viral infection in berries. Current research under the mentorship of Dr. David E. Block continues a project initiated by the late Dr. Anita Oberholster and is co-conducted with Dr. Mysore R. Sudarshana (USDA-ARS, UC Davis) on Grapevine Red Blotch Virus impact in Merlot berries and wine quality.
Doctoral training at Banaras Hindu University focused on mycotoxin control through plant-based nano-encapsulated formulations, combining wet-lab efficacy studies with computational target identification. Published research spans 37 peer-reviewed articles and 21 book chapters across transcriptomics, targeted metabolomics, nanoencapsulation, and computational biology.
Recent commentaries in Plant Physiology, co-authored with Dr. Ritu Singh, cover plant defense against Sclerotinia and Xanthomonas in Brassica, extending a long-standing interest in how pathogens rewrite host metabolism and how that rewriting can be interrupted with practical molecular tools.
Research Interests
SKILLS
Molecular Diagnostics & Assay Development
13 skillsExperience
Sep 2023 — Present
Sep 2023 — Present
Postdoctoral Scholar
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA, USA
Mentor: Dr. David E. Block (current); Dr. Anita Oberholster (former, deceased Jan 2025)
CDFA- and USDA-funded research on the molecular and metabolic impact of Grapevine Red Blotch Virus (GRBV) on Vitis vinifera cv. Merlot berries and wine quality, co-conducted with Dr. Mysore R. Sudarshana (USDA-ARS, UC Davis).
- Quantified GRBV titer across more than ten vineyard blocks using RT-qPCR and digital PCR
- Integrated RNA-Seq, LC-MS/MS, and GC-MS data to map virus-induced changes in sugar accumulation, anthocyanin biosynthesis, and berry cell-wall composition
- Performed DESeq2 differential expression and GO, KEGG, and MapMan pathway enrichment on HPC infrastructure
- Co-authored two manuscripts in preparation with the Sudarshana group (USDA-ARS)
- Presented results at ASEV 2024 and 2025, and at ASPB Plant Biology 2024 (Honolulu)
Sep 2025 — Present
Sep 2025 — Present
MOVE Fellow, AI Trainer (part-time)
Handshake AI
Remote
Scientific reasoning evaluation and biology-domain response grading for frontier large language models on Projects Canary and Cobalt.
2017 — 2023
2017 — 2023
Ph.D. Research Scholar
Banaras Hindu University
India
Mentor: Dr. Bhanu Prakash
Thesis on plant-based bioactive formulations against food-borne microbes, spanning wet-lab formulation, mechanism-of-action assays, and computational target work.
- Optimized a ternary essential-oil formulation (Zingiber, Trachyspermum, Coleus at 1:4:1) by augmented simplex-centroid mixture design
- Nano-encapsulated the formulation in chitosan–cinnamic acid nanogels via EDC carbodiimide crosslinking
- Suppressed Aspergillus flavus growth and aflatoxin biosynthesis at sub-MIC concentrations in model food systems
- Mapped binding poses of essential-oil components against Nor-1, Omt-1, and Vbs in the aflatoxin pathway using AlphaFold, Rosetta, AutoDock, and Amber16 molecular dynamics with MM-PBSA binding-energy analysis
- Identified tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase as a druggable antibacterial target by molecular docking
Education
2017 — 2023
2017 — 2023
Ph.D. in Plant Pathology/Postharvest/Food Safety
Banaras Hindu University
India
Thesis: Assessment and amelioration of plant-based bioactive formulation against food-borne pathogens
2015 — 2017
2015 — 2017
M.Sc. in Botany (Gold Medalist)
Banaras Hindu University
India
Specialization: Plant Pathology and Plant Protection, Microbial Genetics and Biotechnology, Conservation and Restoration Ecology
2012 — 2015
2012 — 2015
B.Sc. in Botany
Banaras Hindu University
India
Foundation in plant sciences and biological research methods.
Research Impact
2,326
Total Citations
25
h-index
38
i10-index
Since 2021
1,895
Citations
24
h-index
36
i10-index
Citations per Year
Publications
Grapevine Red Blotch Disease: An Emerging Threat to Global Viticulture
P. P. Singh, K. Reddy, A. M. Boghozian, A. Oberholster, M. R. Sudarshana
Temporal dynamics of Grapevine red blotch virus accumulation in grapevine leaves is influenced by fruit maturity stages
P. P. Singh, K. Reddy, H. Scully, A. M. Boghozian, C. Medina-Plaza, A. Oberholster, M. R. Sudarshana
Rethinking Arsenal: Non-TAL Effectors Drive Xanthomonas Virulence in Brassica
R. Singh, P. P. Singh
Systematic investigation of aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus inhibition: Integrating essential oils-based formulation with mathematical modeling and transcriptomic analysis
P. P. Singh, R. Singh, P. K. Verma, B. Prakash
Ceramide and C1P: a lipid love story of Brassica–Sclerotinia interaction
R. Singh, P. P. Singh
Microbial genome editing with CRISPR–Cas9: recent advances and emerging applications across sectors
C. Dudeja, A. Mishra, A. Ali, P. P. Singh, A. K. Jaiswal
59 publications (38 journal articles, 21 book chapters) in venues including Food Chemistry, Scientific Reports, and Food Control.
Research Projects
GRBV Impact on Wine Quality
Multi-year, omics-driven project funded by CDFA and USDA to dissect the metabolic and transcriptional impacts of Grapevine Red Blotch Virus on Vitis vinifera cv. Merlot berries and wine quality.
Identified key metabolic pathways disrupted by GRBV, informing vineyard management for the $58B California wine industry.
GRBV Quantification Assays
Developed and validated RT-qPCR and digital PCR assays to quantify GRBV titers across >10 vineyard blocks, enabling spatial and seasonal tracking of infection load.
Enabled early detection and spatial mapping of virus spread, helping growers make informed replanting decisions.
Nano-encapsulated Antifungal Formulation
Engineered a chitosan-gel matrix nano-encapsulated essential oil formulation that significantly inhibited Aspergillus flavus growth and aflatoxin B1 production in postharvest applications.
Achieved >90% aflatoxin inhibition using green, food-safe materials — a viable alternative to synthetic preservatives.
Multi-omics Biomarker Discovery
Integrated multi-platform datasets (GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, RNA-Seq) to identify putative biomarkers linked to virus-induced changes in grape cell wall composition and metabolite profiles.
Discovered novel biomarkers that could serve as diagnostic tools for early GRBV detection in field conditions.
Sustained-Release Delivery System
Developed a green, cost-effective, and scalable chitosan-based delivery system with enhanced formulation stability and sustained release over 60 days in postharvest conditions.
Extended antifungal protection from days to 60+ days, reducing reapplication frequency and cost for food storage.
Antifungal Mechanism Elucidation
Multi-disciplinary R&D pipeline integrating antifungal screening, GC-MS metabolomics, SEM imaging, and gene expression analysis to uncover mechanisms involving oxidative stress and membrane disruption.
Revealed a dual-target mechanism (membrane disruption + oxidative stress) opening new avenues for rational antifungal design.
Latest from the Blog
View all posts →From Peach Defense Chemistry to Grapevine Sensing: What This Week Reveals About Smarter Plant Disease Management
New reports on plant defense compounds, nano-agrochemicals, and crop sensing point to a more precise way of managing disease and stress. For grapevine research, the message is clear: connect host responses, delivery systems, and field-scale phenotyping.
Single-Cell Mapping and New Mass Spectrometry Tools Point to a Sharper Future for Plant Multi-Omics
Two recent tool-focused updates, one in single-cell DNA-protein mapping and one in mass spectrometry, highlight where multi-omics is heading. For plant-pathogen research, including grapevine virology, the message is clear: better resolution and better measurement will shape the next wave of discovery.
From Point Clouds to Pathogens: What New Plant Research Suggests for Smarter Grapevine Disease Work
Recent papers on grapevine structure extraction, pruning automation, plant water-status biomarkers, and pathogen ecology point toward a more integrated way to study vineyard health. For grapevine virology, the common thread is clear: better phenotyping and ecological context can sharpen how we track stress, infection, and management outcomes.
Get In Touch
I am open to industry Scientist / Scientist II roles in plant pathology, molecular diagnostics, NGS workflow, and trait discovery. Also available for research collaborations and consulting.
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