KS

Karan Singh, M.Phil, Ph.D.

NYU Langone Medical Center

ORCID iD 0000-0002-2496-028X
Follow

About

Dr. Karan Singh is a Senior Research Scientist at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine, USA. His scientific journey began with a bachelor's degree in Microbiology from Devi Ahilya University, India, followed by a master's degree in Microbiology from the University of Rajasthan. Motivated by a deep interest in scientific research, he cleared the M.Phil. entrance exam at Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, where he gained his first hands-on research experience.
His academic excellence was reflected in his strong performance in competitive examinations, securing an All India Rank of 115 in GATE and qualifying for the National Eligibility Test (NET). Inspired and guided during his M.Phil. and teaching years by mentors including Dr. Sudhir Tomar, Dr. Balwant Singh Khajja, and Mr. Anurag Sharma (Director, RIMS Roorkee), he moved forward to pursue a Ph.D. in Evolutionary Genetics within the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) system.
Dr. Singh completed his Ph.D. at IISER Mohali—an Institute of National Importance—under the mentorship of Dr. Nagaraj Prasad. His doctoral research led to the publication of ten research papers and one additional manuscript on bioRxiv, covering Evolutionary Genetics, Microbiology, and Stem Cell Biology. He received several awards and grants, including the prestigious Nature Travel Award, enabling him to present his work at renowned international conferences such as the Gordon Research Conference on Genomic Evolution, the Society for the Study of Evolution, the European Society for the Study of Evolutionary Biology, EMPSEB, and events organized by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.
In 2016, Dr. Singh moved to the United States, beginning with a short tenure at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, before joining NYU School of Medicine as a postdoctoral researcher. His Ph.D. research gained international recognition for identifying a novel natural pathogen of Drosophila—Staphylococcus succinus spp. succinus PK-1—contributing significantly to the field of evolutionary immunology. He further advanced the understanding of the genetic basis of cold shock tolerance and its cross-effects on other stress responses, including pathogen resistance.
During his postdoctoral research under Prof. Daniel Rifkin, Dr. Singh uncovered a novel role of latent TGFβ binding protein 3 (LTBP3) in stem cell differentiation into adipocytes and early metastatic events. He previously worked in molecular biology, focusing on the development of therapeutics for obesity and vascular disease.
Currently, he is conducting scientific research to identify therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of genetic diseases at the molecular level, with a focus on Hirschsprung disease and colorectal cancer. Specifically, he is investigating the genetic etiology of Down syndrome in the context of Hirschsprung disease (HSCR), as individuals with Down syndrome have a more than 100-fold higher risk of developing HSCR. His research explores how dosage of chromosome 21 genes modulates HSCR-associated genes that affect enteric neural crest-derived cells (ENCDCs) and enteric neurons. He is also exploring the relationship between chromosome-specific copy number alterations and tumorigenesis. Outside the lab, he enjoys gardening, making tea, and preparing halva. He also enjoys volunteering and teaching middle and high school students at City of Science.

Employment

  • NYU Langone Medical Center Senior Research Scientist
    2022 - Present

Education

Education history is unavailable.

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (13)