Biography

Dr. Harsharan K.Singh is a translational physician-scientist whose practice and clinical research interests are in polyomavirus infection in the setting of renal and other solid organ transplantation. She is also interested in the application of electron microscopy and ultrastructural pathology in the setting of renal transplantation. A major contribution exemplifying her professional commitment is to be seen in her research that culminated in the characterization and development of a novel, non-invasive, diagnostic test (Urine PV-Haufen test) to diagnose a major infectious complication post kidney transplantation known as Polyomavirus Nephropathy. This new diagnostic technique developed in collaboration with colleagues at UNC avoids invasive biopsy procedures, and could potentially have profound implications for the care of kidney allograft recipients’ worldwide. The clinical impact of this novel discovery is now being confirmed in a prospective study with funding from Astellas Pharma, US Inc. The transplant research group in the Division of Nephropathology at UNC (headed by Dr. Volker Nickeleit) has developed a mouse model of Polyomavirus Nephropathy. Dr. Singh is heavily involved in animal studies using their mouse model in evaluating the specific conditions under which PV-Haufen develop and are shed into the urine (proof of concept studies). Dr. Singh and her colleagues are also spearheading a multi-center study in children post-bone marrow transplantation evaluating Polyomavirus infections and the application of the urine PV-Haufen test to diagnose Polyomavirus Nephropathy in this subset of patients. These research activities allow Dr. Singh to combine and integrate the diverse areas of her expertise in electron microscopy, cytopathology and renal pathology. Dr. Nickeleit and Dr. Singh (UNC) are the lead investigators with 9 centers participating from the US, Canada, and Europe in developing an International Consensus Classification of Polyomavirus Nephropathy which is nearing completion. A new BANFF multicenter study spearheaded by Drs. Nickeleit and Singh (central reviewers) is underway on T-cell mediated rejection (TCMR-BANFF working group) with 8 centers participating from the US, Canada, and France.