Dr. S. Balaji, M. Sc., Ph. D.,
Applied Microbiology
Permanent Address
Address for Communication
#54, Mint Street
Department of Bacteriology
Guruvarajapet Post
National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis
Arakkonam Taluk
(Formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre)
Vellore District
#1, Sathyamoorthy Road,
Tamil Nadu-631 101.(INDIA)
Chetput, Chennai-600031. (INDIA)
e- mail: trcbalaji@gmail.com
Phone: +91-9444405992 (Mobile); +91-44-28369644 (Off); +91-4177-243258 (Res).
DESCRIPTION OF SKILLS

Carryout microbiological techniques with scientific and research temper

Preparation of standard operating procedures

Protocol preparation for new experiments

Documentation and compilation of the results of research experiments

Preparation of standard manuscript of research outputs to publish in scientific
journals

Preparation of proposals for projects to funding agencies

Capable of using various search engines on the web to collect scientific information
EDUCATION
Degree/Course
Ph. D. Applied
Microbiology
Name of the University/Institution
Percentage
University of Madras, Chennai – 600 005. INDIA.
Title “Rapid diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis”
(December 2011)
M. Sc. Applied
Sri Sankara Arts and Science College,
Microbiology
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.
1
58.5%
“University of Madras”
(June 2001-April 2003)
Sri Sankara Arts and Science College,
B. Sc.
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.
Microbiology
“University of Madras”
62.8%
(June 1998-April 2001)
H. S. C
M. G. H. Sec. School, Guruvarajapet post,
Examination
Arakkonam (TK), Vellore Dist, Tamil Nadu.
S. S. L. C
M. G. H. Sec. School, Guruvarajapet post,
Examination
Arakkonam (TK), Vellore Dist, Tamil Nadu.
70.5%
66%
EXPERIENCE
Name of Organization
Designation (including
years) & Key Areas of
Experience
Key Responsibilities
National Institute for
Research in
Tuberculosis (Formerly
Tuberculosis Research
Centre), Chennai.
Consultant Microbiologist
(22nd April – 2011 To Till
Date).
Key Area: TB Diagnostics
 External quality assurance of
sputum smear microscopy.
Experience
(in months)
 Monitoring
of
state
intermediate
reference
laboratories for culture and
drug susceptibility testing of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
 Training of personnel for
culture and DST of M.
tuberculosis.
17
 Accreditation
of
new
laboratories for culture and
DST of M. tuberculosis.
 Performance of second line
DST for the detection of
XDR-TB.
National Institute for
Research in
Tuberculosis
National Institute for
Research in
Tuberculosis
National Institute for
Senior Research Fellow
(August – 2007 To 21st
April - 2011).
Key Area: Rapid TB
Diagnostics
Junior Research Fellow
(June – 2005 To July 2007).
Key Area: Rapid TB
Diagnostics
Laboratory Technician
(August-2003 to December
2
 Development of luciferase
reporter phage assay for the
rapid detection and DST of
M. tuberculosis.
45
 Liquid based rapid detection
of M. tuberculosis.
26
 Sputum smear microscopy
(FM & ZN)
17
Research in
Tuberculosis
 Processing of sputum
samples for primary isolation
of M. tuberculosis.
 DST (MIC & PST) and
Identification of M.
tuberculosis.
2004)
Key Area:
Mycobacteriology
TECHNIQUES & METHODS KNOWN

Conversant with all mycobacteriological techniques: Sample reception, Sputum
processing, primary isolation and drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium
tuberculosis.
Conventional smear: Ziehl Neelsen and Auramine phenol methods
Conventional culture: processing of specimens by modified Petroff’s method and
growth on Lowenstein-Jenson (LJ) medium.
DST: Economic variant PST and MIC on LJ
Rapid culture: Bactec 460, MGIT 960 and Luciferase reporter phage assay
Molecular methods: Line probe assay
Rapid speciation: Capilia TB-Neo

Propagation of Bacteriophages

Luciferase Reporter Phage assay (LRP)

Phage Amplified Biologically assay (Pha B)

Isolation and Characterization of Actinomycetes from marine samples

Isolation of bioactive metabolites from actinomycetes
INSTRUMENTS HANDLED

BACTEC 460

BACTEC MGIT 960

Cuvette Luminometer (Manual)

Plate Luminometer (Software Assisted)

Other basic instruments in mycobacteriology lab
PUBLICATIONS/PATENTS
1.
Balaji, S. 2004. Mycobacteriophages: ideal molecular tool for mycobacterial
research. Advanced Biotech. 3: 30-32.
2.
Vanaja Kumar, S. Balaji, N. S. Gomathi, P. Venkatesan, Gomathi Sekar, K.
Jayasankar, and P. R. Narayanan. 2007. Phage cocktail to control the exponential
3
growth of normal flora in processed sputum specimens grown overnight in liquid
medium for rapid TB diagnosis. Journal of Microbiological methods. 68: 536542. (Impact Factor: 2. 442)
3.
Gomathi, N. S., Sameer, H., Vanaja Kumar, S. Balaji, V. N. Azger Dustackeer and
P. R. Narayanan. 2007. In silico analysis of mycobacteriophage Che12 genome:
characterization of genes required to lysogenise Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Computational Biology and Chemistry. 31: 82-91. (Impact Factor: 2.135)
4.
Radhakrishnan, M., S. Balaji., R. Balagurunathan. 2007. Thermotolerant
actinomycetes from Himalayan Mountain: antagonistic potential, characterization
and identification of selected strains. Malaysian Applied Biology. 36: 59-63.
5.
Azger
Dusthackeer,
Vanaja
Kumar,
Selvakumar
Subbian,
Gomathi
Sivaramakrishnan, Guofang Zhu, Balaji Subramanyam, Sameer Hassan,
Selvakumar Nagamaiah, John Chan and Narayanan Paranji Rama. 2008.
Construction and evaluation of luciferase reporter phages for the detection of nonreplicating tubercle bacilli. Journal of Microbiological methods. 73: 18-25.
(Impact Factor: 2. 442)
6.
Vanaja Kumar, Prabakaran Loganathan, Gomathi Sivaramakrishnan, Jordan
Kriakov, Azger Dusthakeer, Balaji Subramanyam, John Chan, Narayanan
ParanjiRama. 2008. Characterization of temperate phage Che12: application in
diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis. 88: 616-623. (Impact
Factor: 3. 425)
7.
Balaji
Subramanyam,
Gomathi
Sekar,
Azger
Dusthackeer,
Gomathi
Sivaramakrishnan, Fathima Rehman, and Vanaja Kumar. 2009. An alternative
sputum processing method using chitin for the isolation of Mycobacterium
tuberculosis. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 26: 523-526.
(Impact Factor: 1. 082).
8.
Sameer Hassan, Azger Dusthackeer, Balaji Subramanyam, Ponnuraja C, Gomathi
N.
Sivaramakrishnan
and
Vanaja
Kumar.
2010.
Lytic
Efficiency
of
Mycobacteriophages. The Open Systems Biology Journal. 3: 21-28.
9.
Balaji Subramanyam, Vanaja Kumar, Venkatesan Perumal and Selvakumar
Nagamiah. 2010. Phage lysin to supplement phagebiotics to decontaminate
4
processed sputum specimens. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology &
Infectious Diseases. 29: 1407-1412. (Impact Factor: 2.605).
10. Balaji Subramanyam and Vanaja Kumar. 2011. Effect of bacteriophage lysin on
lysogens. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine. 4(4): 306-308.
11. Balaji Subramanyam, N. S. Gomathi, Azger Dusthackeer, N. Selvakumar and
Vanaja Kumar. 2011. Phage lysin to substitute antibiotics to detect Mycobacterium
tuberculosis from sputum samples using BACTEC MGIT 960 system. Clinical
Microbiology and Infection. 18(5): 497-501. (Impact Factor: 4.014).
12. Azger Dusthackeer, Balaji Subramanyam, N. S. Gomathi, N. Selvakumar and
Vanaja Kumar. 2011. Diagnostic luciferase reporter phage assay for active and non
replicating persistors to detect tubercle bacilli from sputum samples. Clinical
Microbiology and Infection. 18(5): 492-496. (Impact Factor: 4.014).
Under Revision
1.
Balaji Subramanyam, Azger Dusthackeer, N. S. Gomathi and Vanaja Kumar.
2011. Phage lysin to control the overgrowth of normal flora in processed sputum
samples for the rapid and sensitive detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by
luciferase reporter phage assay. BMC Infectious Diseases. (Impact Factor: 3.12).
2.
Gomathi Sivaramakrishnan, Jayasankar Kandasamy, Balaji Subramanyam,
Ponnuraja C and Vanaja Kumar. Luciferase Reporter Phage phAE85 for rapid
detection of rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolate.
Asian Pacific J Tropical Biomedicine.
PATENTS
1.
Vanaja Kumar, Balaji Subramanyam and Selvakumar Nagamiah Title: Sputum
processing method for mycobacteria. Filed through Intellectual Property Rights
Unit of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India. (File No:
2819/DEL/2008).
2.
Vanaja Kumar, Azger Dusthackeer, NS Gomathi and Balaji Subramanyam. Title:
A luciferase reporter phage assay for detection of tubercle bacilli. Filed through
Intellectual Property Rights Unit of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR),
New Delhi, India. (File No: 2530/DEL/2010)
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ACHIEVEMENTS

University rank for languages in under graduation.

Won Two Medals: one for university rank and another one for securing second
price for TNSCST project in a competition conducted by the same organization.

Best paper cash award for the oral presentation of a paper titled ‘‘An alternative
method of sputum processing to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis’’ in a national
symposium on recent trends in microbial biotechnology organized by Sri Sankara
Arts and Science College, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, INDIA.
ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS/CERTIFICATIONS

MS Office from SSI Computer Education, Kanchipuram.

Diploma in Basics of Electronics from Tamil Nadu Advanced Technical
Training Institute, Guindy, Chennai.
PROJECT WORKS
(1) Project Title: Studies on Protoplast Fusion between Streptomyces sp and
Escherichia coli Submitted to the University of Madras.
(2) Project Title: Potential Bioactive substances from Marine Actinomycetes against
plant fungal pathogens. (Funded by Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and
Technology (TNSCST) and submitted to the same).
CONFERENCES
1.
Participated and presented a paper in the State level seminar on “Recent Trends in
Microbial Biotechnology” organized by Sri Sankara Arts and Science College,
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, INDIA. January 30-31, 2001.
2.
Participated in the “Fourth National Conference of the Society for Indian Human
and Animal Mycologists and International Symposium on Mycotic infection in 21st
Century organized by Raja Muthah Medical College, Annamalai University,
Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, INDIA. January 18-20, 2002.
3.
Participated in the “State level seminar on Biochemistry” organized by Sri Sankara
Arts and Science College, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, INDIA. January 23-24, 2002.
6
4.
Participated in the “International Seminar on Recent Advances in Biotechnology”
organized by Ponnaiyah Ramajayam College, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, INDIA.
February 24-25, 2003.
5.
Participated and presented a paper in the State level seminar on “Recent Trends in
Microbial Biotechnology” organized by Sri Sankara Arts and Science College,
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, INDIA. December 29-30, 2003.
6.
Participated and presented a paper in the national symposium on “Recent Trends in
Microbial Biotechnology” organized by Sri Sankara Arts and Science College,
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, INDIA. December 29-30, 2005.
7.
Participated and presented a paper in the 5th National conference of Indian
Association of Applied Microbiologists on “Emerging trends and Evolving
Technologies in Applied Microbiology with Special Reference to Microbial
Nanotechnology” organized by Sri Sankara Arts and Science College,
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, INDIA. January 11-12, 2007.
8.
Participated and presented a paper in the national conference and CME program on
“Newer antituberculosis drugs: antibiotics from untapped sources and from
synthesized compounds” jointly organized by the L & T Microbiology Research
Centre, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya and IAMM (TN & PY
Chapter), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, INDIA. February 24, 2007.
9.
Participated as a resource person in a team to explain phage technologies to the
delegates in the “Regional symposium to enhance HIV/AIDS Research capacity”
organized by AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP), USA
and Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced and Scientific Research (JNCASR),
Bangalore, INDIA. July 9-13, 2007.
10. Participated in the National seminar on “Mycotic Diseases in the 21st Century”
organized by Sri Sankara Arts and Science College, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu,
INDIA. February 28, 2008.
11. Participated and presented a paper in the SAARC Second International Conference
on “Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Respiratory Diseases” organized by SAARC
Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal. December 15-18, 2008.
7
12. Participated as a resource person in a team to explain tuberculosis research and
technologies to the delegates in the National Symposium on “Glacial Overview of
Tuberculosis” organized by St. James Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chalakudy, Kerala,
INDIA. March 20-21, 2009.
13. Participated and presented a paper in the “64th National Conference on Tuberculosis
and Chest Diseases” organized by Tuberculosis Association of India at Science City
Auditorium, Kolkatta, INDIA. December 26-29, 2009.
14. Participated in the International Symposium on “Diagnostics in Infections”
organized by Sir Dorabji Tata Centre for Research in Tropical Diseases, Innovation
Centre, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, INDIA. March 10-11, 2010.
15. Participated in a symposium on “Best Practices in Mycobacteriology” at
Tuberculosis Research Centre, Chennai organized by Becton Dickinson. March 30,
2010.
16. Participated and presented a poster in the “65th National Conference on
Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases” organized by Tuberculosis Association of India
at NIMHANS, Bangalore, INDIA. January 10-12, 2011.
17. Participated and presented a paper in the “66th National Conference on Tuberculosis
and Chest Diseases” organized by Tuberculosis Association of India at AMN
Ghosh Auditorium, Dehradun, INDIA. November 19-20, 2011.
PERSONAL DATA
Date of Birth
:
01/07/1979
Age
:
32 years
Father’s Name
:
M. S. Subramanyam
Nationality
:
Indian
Marital status
:
Married
Languages known
:
Tamil and English (Read, Write and Speak)
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REFEREES
Dr. Vanaja Kumar
Dr. R. Balagurunathan
Scientist ‘F’ & Head
Head of the Department
Department of Bacteriology
Department of Microbiology
National Institute for Research in
Periyar University
Tuberculosis
Salem
(Formerly Tuberculosis Research Centre)
Tamil Nadu-INDIA.
Chetput, Chennai-600 031.
Phone Number: +91-427-2346267 (Off)
Tamil Nadu-INDIA
+91-9443446325 (M)
Phone Number: +91-44-2836 9659 (Off)
e-mail: rbalaguru@yahoo.com
+91-9444734005 (M)
e-mail: vanaja_kumar51@yahoo.co.in
9