Dr. Neera Tewari-Singh is an Associate Professor at the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and an affiliated faculty at the Institute for Integrative Toxicology at Michigan State University. She received her doctoral degree from the School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi but mainly carried out her doctoral research under the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) fellowship at the Institute of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany. She was a postdoctoral fellow at the Colorado State University and then a Research Associate, Instructor and Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Denver.

With an extensive background in molecular biology and toxicology, the long-term goal of her research is to pursue basic and translational research to develop countermeasures/ targeted therapies against the toxic chemical and environmental exposures including vesicating agents, urticants, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, that can cause harmful effects/mass casualties as well as long-term illness/diseases to the human population. Her lab focuses on understanding the mechanisms of toxicity and inflammation from mainly dermal and ocular exposures to toxic chemical agents employing state-of-the-art molecular techniques and systems toxicology approaches. Increasing levels of technology and industrialization could lead to occupational or accidental exposures, and possible use of chemical agents in warfare and terrorism; this makes Dr. Tewari-Singh’s work highly significant for both the civilian and military populations.

Dr. Tewari-Singh is a principal investigator in the National Institutes of Health’s Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats (CounterACT) and the Department of Defense programs and has demonstrated record of successful and productive research projects. She is also serving as a Dermal Toxicology Expert on the Scientific Advisory Board, National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She has extensively published her work and received numerous honors and awards including the Society of Toxicology-Association of Scientists of Indian Origin Young Investigator Award, Ocular Toxicology Innovation and Impact Award, and the Dermal Toxicology Best Paper of the Year award. Dr. Tewari-Singh has developed strong research collaborations, mentors postdoctoral fellows, graduate and under graduate students, and has demonstrated leadership and service in professional societies and academic institutions. She is currently the elected president of the Dermal Toxicology Specialty Section and Treasurer of the Ocular Toxicology Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology. She is also the Chairperson, Committee on Research and Graduate Studies for the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University. In addition, Dr. Tewari-Singh serves on the editorial boards of toxicology journals like Toxics, Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods and Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology.

Selected Awards and Fellowships

2019 – Michigan State University, Academic Communications Fellowship
2018 – Society of Toxicology, Dermal Toxicology Speciality Section, Annual Paper of the Year Award
2017- Society of Toxicology -Taylor and Francis Prize for the outstanding paper in Ocular Toxicology published in Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology
2016 – Society of Toxicology-Association of Scientists of Indian Origin, Young Investigator Award
2013 – Society of Toxicology – Association of Scientists of Indian Origin, Best abstract Award
2012 – Society of Toxicology, Dermal Toxicology Speciality Section, Stratacor Award for Research and Presentation
2019-2010 – National Institutes of Health (NIH)-Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats Young Investigator Award
2008 – Outstanding Postdoctoral Research and Oral Presentation Award at the University of Colorado Denver Skaggs School Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Retreat
2003 – DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Fellowship and Research visit, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz University, Hannover, Germany
1997 – DAAD Fellowship for Ph.D. research in biotechnology and molecular biology at the Institute of Molecular Genetics, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany
1993 – Jawaharlal Nehru University-University Grants Commission, Junior and Senior Research Fellowship

Selected Achievements

• Scientific Societies
  • 2019 – Vice President-Dermal Toxicology Specialty Section, Society of Toxicology
  • 2018-2019 – Vice President Elect-Dermal Toxicology Specialty Section, Society of Toxicology
  • 2017-2019 – Treasurer, Ocular Toxicology Specialty Section, Society of Toxicology
  • 2016-2018 -Treasurer-Secretary, Dermal Toxicology Specialty Section, Society of Toxicology
  • 2014-2016 – Junior and Senior Councilor, Dermal Toxicology Specialty Section, Society of Toxicology
• Editorial Boards
  • 2018-present – Editorial Board, Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, Francis and Taylor Journal
• Committees & Activities
  • 2019 – Member, Faculty Advisory Committee, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University
  • 2018 – Member, Faculty Engagement and Accountability Committee, School of Pharmacy, University of Colorado Denver
  • 2017-2018 – Grant Review Panel for the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) programs
  • 2018 – Chair and organizer ‘Continuing Education Course’ session “Beauty of the Skin Is in the Eye of the Beholder: A Basic Course on Dermal and Ocular Toxicology” for the Society of Toxicology 2019 meeting
  • 2017- Reviewer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Draft Chemical Specific Provisional Advisory Level, Technical Support Document for toxic agents
  • 2015 – Member, Career Panel Academia, Committee on Diversity Initiatives, Undergraduate Education Program, Society of Toxicology
  • Member, Society of Toxicology
  • Member, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
  • Member, The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Committees & Activities