Research expertise

Sheeba Santhini Basil (Manoharan-Basil) is a molecular microbiologist and bioinformatician dedicated to advancing the understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) evolution in pathogenic and commensal Neisseria species. Her research integrates multi-omic technologies—including genomics, transcriptomics, and shotgun metagenomics—to elucidate the mechanisms of resistance acquisition and transmission, with a focus on horizontal gene transfer across different niches.

Her work encompasses interconnected areas: 
•    leveraging human commensal Neisseria as indicators for AMR surveillance (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2025.107870), 
•    advancing methods to detect minimum selective concentrations (MSCs) of antimicrobials using in vitro and in vivo (Galleria mellonlla), models
•    dissecting genetic basis of antibiotic tolerance, 
•    resistance evolution in spirochetes, particularly Treponema species,  
•    developing molecular frameworks to understand the early emergence of AMR in both clinical and community settings.

She is a member of the ESGEM-AMR Neisseria gonorrhoeae subgroup.

Sheeba earned her M.Sc. and M.Phil. in Microbiology in India before completing her Ph.D. in Biology at the University of Iceland, where she specialized in molecular genetics and bioinformatics. Her interdisciplinary background includes early work on lichen symbiosis, the discovery of new lichen species —Peltigera islandica and systems biology of microalgae, followed by a transition to clinical AMR research. She is currently a Scientific Fellow in the unit of Prof. Chris Kenyon, where she focuses on advancing AMR mitigation strategies. Her research investigates antimicrobial resistance, antibiotic tolerance, and horizontal gene transfer, utilizing a range of methods including genomics, transcriptomics, shotgun metagenomics, and molecular microbiology approaches.