Professor Mandira Varma Basil

Prof. Mandira Varma Basil is a Professor of Medical Microbiology at Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India where she is in charge of the Mycobacteriology unit. She obtained her MBBS degree and MD in Microbiology from the University of Delhi and her DNB from the National Board of Examinations, Delhi, India. Her main areas of interest include studying the mechanisms of drug resistance in M. tuberculosis, molecular epidemiology of M. tuberculosis, and non-tuberculous mycobacteria. She also has a keen interest in the development of new diagnostic tools for tuberculosis that are simple enough to be used in peripheral regions of the world, leading her team to develop uncomplicated molecular diagnostic assays to differentiate between M. tuberculosis complex and nontuberculous mycobacteria.

She is a member of the national committee for TB Diagnostic Research; and also serves as technical advisor on several committees in the University of Delhi. She is the recipient of the Department of Biotechnology (Government of India) Overseas Associateship and the Indian Council of Medical Research International Fellowship.  As an academician, she leads a team of medical personnel and Research fellows pursuing their MD or PhD in Medical Microbiology; and has several publications and book chapters to her credit.