I received a Ph.D. in Biotechnology from Pondicherry Central University and postdoctoral training from Texas Tech University and University of Georgia (USA). My academic career started as Assistant Professor at SASTRA University and then continued as Associate professor at MGM Advanced Research Institute, SBV. I have supervised PhD thesis and co-supervised MD, MDS, M.Sc dissertation in the areas of viral diseases. I have around 60 international publications, served as reviewer for many Journals like iScience, JID, ERJ, Scientific Reports etc., Associate editor for IJMR, flagship Journal of ICMR, editorial member in Journal Hospital Infection, Biomedical reports, recipient of ICMR-DHR international award for senior biomedical scientist, Visiting fellow at NUS Singapore. My Research focuses on endothelial proteins and its role in understanding the clinical outcomes of viral diseases like dengue, identify predictive biomarkers and develop prognostic devices.
Institute of Advanced Virology, Trivandrum
MGM Advanced Research Institute, SBV
CIDRF, SBV
CIDRF, SBV
School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA University
Biotechnology, Immunology (Biomarkers for Infectious diseases)
2024
Present: Associate Editor, IJMR, ICMR, Govt of India
2019-2020
ICMR-DHR International fellowship for senior Indian Biomedical Scientist, ICMR-DHR, Govt of India
2019
Fellow Royal Society of Entomology, FRES (UK)
2018
International Travel award-DST-SERB
2017
Best Presentation award, 13th Conference on vectors and vector borne disease-CUTN
2016
Dr. Reuben Award for best paper, National conference on medical Arthropodology: Organized by Sir Ronal Ross institute for Parasitology
2007
Indo-Australian award, QIMR, Brisbane, Australia
2005
WHO-TDR award, Mahidol University, Bangkok
1997-99
Merit Scholarship (Biotechnology Program)
My research focuses on identifying and characterizing predictive biomarkers for debilitating viral diseases, with the goal of developing prognostic devices. We try to understand the role of endothelial cell & platelet derived proteins in severe dengue manifestation, particularly their contribution to clinical symptoms such as thrombocytopenia and plasma leakage. We employ advanced metabolomic and lipidomic approaches to characterize proteins and lipids associated with severity symptoms in dengue and other haemorrhagic viral diseases. Additionally, Machine learning models are used to analyse data and predict clinically relevant markers proteins. By identifying critical biomarkers and pathways, we aim to contribute to the development of targeted interventions, improving patient care and disease management. Our work is strongly supported by collaborations with clinicians and scientists of national and International repute.
2026-2029
Validation of host RNA biomarker panel to diagnose bacterial and viral etiology in undifferentiated acute febrile infections”- ICMR, Govt of India
2025-2028
Evaluating selected endothelial protein biomarkers as prognostic indicators for severe dengue- An invitro, clinical and machine learning approach”- Flagship Research Grant, IAV, Govt of Kerala.
2022-2025
Elucidating the role of selected endothelial proteins and platelet miRNA in dengue pathogenesis using machine learning models and in vitro approach, ICMR, Govt. of India
2021-24
Modern Biology in health Research; DHR, Govt. of India
2020-21
Role of Bradykinins, soluble ACE2 and miRNA in predicting the outcome of SARS-CoV2 infection, SBECPT: Private funding
2019-21
Lipidomic study to identify potential platelet lipids as biomarker for the early prediction of severe dengue and to assess the role of lipids in platelet dysfunction and dengue pathogenesis, CSIR, Govt. of India
2023
SERB grant for research and discovery of entry factors for emerging viral infections (Co-investigator)
2014-17
Platelet associated molecular targets for inflammation vascular integrity, thrombocytopenia and disease severity in dengue infection, DBT, Govt. of India
Agiesh Kumar Balakrishna Pillai, Sunil V. Manjila and S.R. Rao (Eds): Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Management, and Preparedness, Academic Press. 2025, ISBN: 978-0-443-13833-1, DOI: 10.1016/C2022-0-02817-8
Jean Pierre AR, Kasirajan A, Green SR, Sivaprakasam M, Sahaya Raj RS, Josyula JVN, Mutheneni SR, Subramanyam V, Pillai AB. Clinical correlations of plasma sphingosine-1-phosphate and sphingolipid key enzymes in severe dengue using laboratory and machine learning approach. Clin Chim Acta. 2025 Jun 15;574:120335. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2025.120335. Epub 2025 Apr 28. PMID: 40306535.
Mariappan V, Adla D, Jangili S, Ranganadin P, Green SR, Mohammed S, Mutheneni SR, Pillai AB. Understanding COVID-19 outcome: Exploring the prognostic value of soluble biomarkers indicative of endothelial impairment. Cytokine. 2024 Aug 1;180:156673.
JV, JeanPierre AR, Jorvekar SB, Adla D, Mariappan V, Pulimamidi SS, Green SR, Pillai AB, Borkar RM, Mutheneni SR. Metabolomic profiling of dengue infection: unraveling molecular signatures by LC-MS/MS and machine learning models. Metabolomics. 2024 Oct;20(5):1-7
Balakrishna Pillai A, Mariappan V, JeanPierre AR, Rao SR. Restoration of vascular endothelial integrity by mesenchymal stromal/stem cells in debilitating virus diseases. Hum Cell. 2022 Nov;35(6):1633-1639. doi: 10.1007/s13577-022-00785-3. Epub 2022 Sep 6. PMID: 36068397; PMCID: PMC9447969.
Mariappan V, Adikari S, Shanmugam L, Easow JM, Balakrishna Pillai A. Differential expression of interferon inducible protein: Guanylate binding protein (GBP1 & GBP2) in severe dengue. Free Radic Biol Med. 2022 Nov 29;194.
Pillai AK, Chu JJ, Mariappan V, JeanPierre AR. Platelets in the pathogenesis of flavivirus disease. Current opinion in virology. 2022, vol 52, 220-228
Mariappan V, Adikari S, Shanmugam L, Easow JM, Pillai AB. Expression dynamics of vascular endothelial markers: endoglin and syndecan-1 in predicting dengue disease outcome. Translational Research. 2021 Jun 1;232:121-41.
Cherupanakkal C, Samadanam DM, Muthuraman KR, Ramesh S, Venkatesan A, Balakrishna Pillai AK, Rajendiran S. Lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, and apoptosis in dengue fever. IUBMB life. 2018 Nov;70(11):1133-43. (IF:4.7)
Soundravally R, Agieshkumar B, Daisy M, Sherin J, Cleetus CC. Ferritin levels predict severe dengue. Infection. 2015 Feb;43:13-9.
Soundravally R, Hoti SL, Patil SA, Cleetus CC, Zachariah B, Kadhiravan T, Narayanan P, Kumar BA. Association between proinflammatory cytokines and lipid peroxidation in patients with severe dengue disease around defervescence. International Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2014 Jan 1;18:68-72.
Pillai AB, Xu W, Zhang O, Zhang K. Sphingolipid degradation in Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2012 Dec 20;6(12):e1944.
Ranganadin P, Balakrishnan AK, Mariappan V. Soluble Bradykinin as a clinical prognostic marker for SARS-CoV2?. European Respiratory Journal. 2023; 62: Suppl. 67, PA3846.
Tomo S, Sindhujadevi M, Kumar V, Sevathy S, Daisy MS, Agieshkumar BP, Soundravally R. Differential platelet receptor expression for viral capture (DC-SIGN) and plasma leakage in patients with dengue infection. Journal of Clinical Virology Plus. 2021 Sep 1;1(3):100039.
Samadanam DM, Muthuraman KR, Mariappan V, Kadhiravan T, Parameswaran N, Balakrishna Pillai AK, Rajendiran S. Altered platelet fatty acids in dengue cases by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Intervirology. 2019 Aug 29;62(2):57-64.
SS SG, Pillai AB, Ramachandrappa VS, Kadhiravan T, Dhodapkar R, Kah J, Rajendiran S. Increased serum levels of macrophage activation marker sCD163 in Dengue patients. Journal of Clinical Virology. 2017 Jan 1;86:62-7.
Jebamalar AA, Prabhat, Balakrishnapillai AK, Parmeswaran N, Dhiman P, Rajendiran S. Cerebrospinal fluid ferritin and albumin index: potential candidates for scoring system to differentiate between bacterial and viral meningitis in children. Biomarkers. 2016 Jul 3;21(5):424-8.
Vivekanand T, Vinoth P, Agieshkumar B, Sampath N, Sudalai A, Menéndez JC, Sridharan V. Highly efficient regioselective synthesis of pyrroles via a tandem enamine formation–Michael addition–cyclization sequence under catalyst-and solvent-free conditions. Green Chemistry. 2015;17(6):3415-23.
Project Scientist
shanaz.ss@d1.iav.res.in
Project Associate
lekshmitac@gmail.com