Dr. Shreekumar Pillai

Shreekumar Pillai, DVM, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology
Department of Biological Sciences
E-mail: spillai@alasu.edu
Phone: 334-229-7501

Dr. Pillai has a B.V.Sc. degree in veterinary medicine, and a Masters degree in Food Safety and Public health from Bombay Veterinary College. He obtained his Ph.D. in veterinary medicine from Auburn University. Dr. Pillai’s laboratory is primarily engaged in research on nanotechnology for food safety.

Dr. Pillai's research focuses upon the development of nanobiosensors (RQCM, FET, Electrochemical) for the early and reliable detection of Salmonella typhimurium a major foodborne pathogen. The long term goal of this program is to develop reliable biosensors for the rapid, reliable and cheap detection of multiple foodborne pathogens. Dr. Pillai collaborates with Dr. Ashok Kumar of the Department of Engineering at University of South Florida, and Dr. Charlie Johnson at the University of Pennsylvania for the development of the biosensors.

A second area of research is the application of silver coated carbon nanotubes for the inhibition of foodborne pathogens. Our preliminary findings suggest that silver coated carbon nanotubes efffectively inhibit bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. The laboratory collaborates with Drs. Vijaya Rangari and Shaik Geelani at Tuskegee university in this effort.

Selected Publications

1. Rangari VK, Mohammad GM, Jeelani S, Hundley A, Vig KV, Singh SR, Pillai SR. 2009. Synthesis of Ag/CNTs hybrid nanoparticles and fabrication of their Nylon-6 polymer nanocomposite fibers for antimicrobial applications. Nanotechnology. 21:095102

2. Subbarayan P., Qin H, Pillai SR, Lee JJ, Pfendt AP, Willing G, Dennis VA, Singh SR. 2010. Expression and characterization of a multivalent human respiratory syncytial virus protein. J. Mol. Biol. 44 (3).

3. Vig K, Lewis N, Moore EG, Pillai SR, Dennis VA, Singh SR. 2009. Silencing the RSV fusion protein gene using RNA interference with implications of secondary RNA structure. Virus Genes. In press

4. Boyoglu S,  Vig K, Pillai SR, Rangari V, Dennis VA, Khazi F, Singh SR. 2009. Enhanced Delivery and Expression of a Nanoencapsulated DNA Vaccine Vector for RSV. Nanomedicine. 5: 463 – 472.

5. Wu H, Dennis VA, Pillai SR, Singh SR. 2009. RSV fusion (F) protein DNA vaccine provides partial protection against viral infection.Virus Res. 145:39-47.

6. Shawkey M, Pillai SR, Hill GE. 2009. Do feather degrading bacteria affect sexually selected plumage color? Naturwissenschaften. 96:123–128.

10. Singh SR, Hulett K, Pillai SR, Dennis VA, Oh MK, Scissum-Gunn K. 2006. Mucosal immunization with recombinant MOMP genetically linked with modified cholera toxin confers protection against Chlamydia trachomatis infection.Vaccine. 24: 1213 – 1224.

11. Jayarao BM, Pillai SR, Wolfgang DR, Griswold DR, Rossiter CA, Tewari D, Burns CM, Hutchinson LJ. 2005. Evaluation of the IS900-PCR assay for detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies Paratuberculosis infection in cattle using quarter milk and bulk tank milk samples. Foodborne Pathog. and Dis. 1: 17-26.

7. Vig, K, Herzog, R, Martin DR, Moore, EG, Dennis, VA, Pillai, SR, Singh SR. 2009.Recombinant adeno-associated virus as vaccine delivery vehicles. Gene Ther Mol Biol. 12: 277-292, 2008

8. Shawkey MD, Pillai SR, Hill, GE, Seifferman, LM, Roberts, SR. 2006. Bacteria as an agent for change in structural plumage color: correlational and experimental evidence. The American Naturalist. 169: S112 – 121.

 12. Jayarao BM, Pillai SR, Sawant AA, Wolfgang DR, Hegde NV. 2004. Guidelines for monitoring bulk tank milk somatic cell and bacterial counts. J Dairy Sci. 87: 3561-73.

13. Jayarao BM, Pillai SR, Wolfgang DR, Griswold DR, Rossiter CA, Tewari D, Burns CM, Hutchinson LJ. 2004. Evaluation ofIS900-PCR assay for detection of Mycobacterium avium Subsp. Paratuberculosis infecton in cattle using quarter milk and bulk tank milk samples. Foodborne Pathogens and Dis. 1: 17-26.

 14. Shawkey MD, Pillai SR, Hill GE. 2003. Chemical warfare? Effects of uropygial oil on feather-degrading bacteria. J. Avian Biol. 34: 345-349.

15. Pillai SR, Mays Jr. H, Ley D, Luttrell P, Farmer K, Roberts SR. 2003. Molecular variability of house finch Mycoplasma gallisepticum isolates as revealed by sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the pvpA gene. Avian Dis. 47: 640-648.