Dr. Neetu Shahi
(National Fellow)
| Name | Dr. Neetu Shahi |
| Designation | ICAR-National Fellow |
| Qualifications | Post Doc. (Kesetsart University, Thailand and NARIC-HAKI, Hungary) Ph.D. (Fish Biotechnology, ICAR-CIFE, Mumbai, India) M.F.Sc. (Fish Genetics and Biotechnology, ICAR-CIFE, Mumbai, India) |
| E-mail address | neetuicar@gmail.com; neetu.shahi@icar.gov.in; shahineetu@rediffmail.com |
| Professional experience | 17 years (ARS Since 2009) |
| Current area of research | Vaccine development, CRISPR technology, Bacterial genomics and AMR |
| Area of research expertise | Fish Biotechnology and Fish Bacteriology |
| Research gate link | https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Neetu-Shahi?ev=brs_overview |
| ORCID ID | 0000-0001-8078-6995 |
| Patent | 1. Patent obtained: Application number: 202011057122 Dated 30-12-2020. Title “Composition, protocol and diagnostic kit for detection of bacterial pathogen Lactococcus garvieae” Type- India Patent |
| Product developed | 1. Product developed for commercialization; Aqua FSD 2. Product developed for commercialization; DCFR Lg Kit |
| Awards | 1. Received ICAR-National Fellow in the year 2026. 2. Received Kasetsart university reinventing postdoctoral fellowship in the year 2021 to pursue postdoc at faculty of veterinary medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.3. International Travel Award from Department of Biotechnology (DBT), India to participate and present paper in 2nd International Mahseer conference at Chiang Mai, Thailand during 11-15thFebruary 2020. 4. Received “Gold medal” from Coldwater Fisheries Society of India (CFSI) for research contributions in hill aquaculture of India during the year 2018.5. Received “Certificate of Appreciation” by Zoological Society of India during National Seminar on “Strategies, Innovations and Sustainable Management for Enhancing Coldwater Fisheries and Aquaculture” from 22-24 September, 2017 held at ICAR-DCFR, Bhimtal. 6. Received “Hungarian Scholarship” from Tempus Public Foundation for research stay from November 2015-March 2016 at NARIC-HAKI, Szarvas, Hungary. 7. Conferred with “Fellow of Society of Applied Biotechnology (FSAB) 2012” by Society for applied biotechnology, Dharward, Karnataka. 8. International Travel Award from Department of Biotechnology (DBT), India to participate and present paper in Aquaculture 2013 at Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain. 9. Recipient of “Institutional Fellowship” from Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai for PhD in Fish Biotechnology. 10. First Rank holder in PhD entrance of Central Institute of Fisheries Education, for the subject area, Fish Biotechnology in the year 2003. 11. Recipient of “Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)” from Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi for studying in Master Program at CIFE, Mumbai. 12. First Rank holder in All India Competitive Entrance Examination for JRF, conducted by ICAR, New Delhi, for the year 2001. 13. Received Andaman and Nicobar Island Scholarship to carry out U.G in Fish and Fisheries Science at FC&RI, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India. |
Important Research Papers
Ongoing Projects:-
Externally Funded:-
1. Development of fast, easy and onsite CRISPR/CFPS based detector of major bacterial pathogens of rainbow trout (ICAR-National Fellow Project) (P.I.)
2. Development of autogenous vaccine against Lactococcus garvieae infection in farmed rainbow trout: An alternative to antibiotics DBT, India (P.I.)
3. Network Programme on Antimicrobial Resistance in Fisheries. ICAR, India (Co-P.I)
4. All India Network Project on Fish Health (AINP-FH). ICAR, India. (Co-P.I)
Institutional Project:-
1. Development of Vaccine Targeting Aeromonas salmonicida the Causative Agent of Furunculosis in Fish. ICAR, India (P.I)
Completed project:-
2. Network programme on mahseer of genus Tor and Neolissochilus from central and eastern Himalayan region of India. ICAR, India (P.I)
3. Genome editing in common carp, Cyprinus carpio using CRISPR/Cas9 system. ICAR, India (P.I)
4. Development of anti-infective synthetic peptide against Lactococcus garvieae and other pathogenic bacteria isolated from rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, ICAR Extramural, India. (Co-P. I.)
5. Development of fish viral peptide based nano system for intracellular delivery of biomolecules. ICAR, India (Co-P. I)
6. Molecular characterization and gene expression profiles of kiss genes in golden mahseer during different gonadal development stages. ICAR, India (P.I)
7. Development of bacterial bioremediation measures for the mitigation of microalgae blooms in freshwater aquaculture ponds. DBT, India (P.I)
8. Potential bacterial pathogens from rainbow trout fish farm of northern India and maintenance of bacterial agents. ICAR, India (Co- P.I)
9. Evaluation of genetic toxicity and ecological damage caused by coalmines on fish fauna of Simsang river, Garohills, Meghalaya and development of microbial bioremediation measures. DBT, India (Co-P.I)
Research papers 2020 onwards:-
1. Mallik, S.K., Pathak, R., Kala, K., Patil, P.K., Shahi, N., Tandel, R.S., Chatterjee, N.S., Nadella, R.K. and Kunal, K., 2025. Pharmacokinetics of praziquantel in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum 1792) following a single dose oral administration. Veterinary Research Communications, 49(6), pp.1-14.
2. Shahi, N., Singh, B., Pande, A., Chandra, S., Kunal, K. and Mallik, S.K., 2025. Safe and efficacious inactivated immersion vaccine against KG+ phenotype of emerging bacterial pathogen Lactococcus garvieae for early developmental stage of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in India. Vaccine, 59, p.127266.
3. Arya, M., Shahi, N., Bisht, I., Pandey, N. and Mallik, S.K., 2025. Probiotic potential of Bacillus velezensis STPB10 sourced from the gut microbiota of a hillstream fish Schizothorax richardsonii (Gray, 1832) for aquaculture applications. Scientific Reports, 15(1), p.17580.
4. Laskar, M.A., Sarma, D., Nath, R., Kharbani, R., Shahi, N., Haldar, R.S. and Ganie, P.A., 2024. Morphometric trait normalization, cluster analysis and molecular phylogenetic analysis in delimiting sympatric Neolissochilus hexastichus and N. hexagonolepis in Umngi River, Meghalaya (India). Journal of Environmental Biology, 45(6), pp.705-713.
5. Pathak, R., Mallik, S.K., Patil, P.K., Kala, K., Shahi, N., Nadella, R.K., Pandey, N., Kunal, K. and Pandey, P.K., 2024. Assessing the effect of therapeutic level of oxytetracycline dihydrate on pharmacokinetics and biosafety in Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792). Scientific Reports, 14(1), p.22752.
6. Kala, K., Mallik, S.K., Shahi, N., Pathak, R., Sharma, P., Chandra, S., Patiyal, R.S., Pande, V., Pandey, N., Pande, A. and Pandey, P.K., 2024. Emergence of Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. masoucida MHJM250: unveiling pathological characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility in golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) in India. Veterinary Research Communications, 48(6), pp.3751-3772.
7. Pathak, R., Mallik, S.K., Patil, P.K., Shahi, N., Kala, K., Bhat, R.A.H., Nadella, R.K., Pandey, N. and Pandey, P.K., 2025. Assessment of Single‐Dose Pharmacokinetics of Oxolinic Acid in Rainbow Trout and Determination of In Vitro Antibacterial Activity Against Pathogenic Bacteria From Diseased Fish. Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 48(1), pp.44-55.
8. Mallik, S.K., Patil, P.K., Shahi, N., Kala, K., Singh, S., Pathak, R., Tandel, R.S., Pande, A. and Pandey, P.K., 2024. Assessing safety, efficacy and residue depletion in golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822): biochemical and physiological responses to graded concentrations of oxytetracycline dietary supplementation. Veterinary Research Communications, 48(3), pp.1573-1593.
9. Sarmah, R., Das, U.K., Sarma, D. and Shahi, N., Morphometric and Molecular Assessment of Tor putitora and Neolissochilus hexagonolepis Population in Jia Bhoroli river Ecotone Zone, Assam. Indian Journal of Animal Research, 1, p.8.
10. Mallik, S.K., Pathak, R., Shahi, N., Kala, K., Chandra, S., Das, P., Singh, B., Singh, M., Giri, A.K., Tandel, R.S. and Sarma, D., 2023. Pathological analysis and antimicrobial susceptibility of Chryseobacterium balustinum RTFCP 298 isolated from diseased rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Scientific Reports, 13(1), p.13268.
11. Shahi, N., Sarma, D., Singh, B., Mallik, S.K., Baruah, D., Posti, R., Haldar, R. and Linthoingambi, I., 2023. Characterizing the dark Mahseer, Naziritor chelynoides (McClelland, 1839): A morphological, osteological, and molecular approach. Genetics of Aquatic Organisms, 7(2).
12. Shahi, N., Singh, M., Mallik, S.K., Singh, B., Kala, K., Sahoo, M., Sarma, D. and Pandey, P.K., 2024. First report of characterization and pathogenicity of Basidiobolus sp. Ind SN1 recovered from gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis as an outbreak in a coldwater fish species rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) in India. Aquaculture International, 32(1), pp.795-815.
13. Shahi, N., Singh, B., Mallik, S.K., Sarma, D. and Surachetpong, W., 2023. RNA-Seq reveals differential gene expression patterns related to reproduction in the Golden Mahseer. Fishes, 8(7), p.352.
14. Mallik, S.K., Singh, S., Shahi, N., Pathak, R., Kala, K., Das, P., Singh, B., Giri, A.K., Chandra, S., Sarma, D. and Pandey, P.K., 2023. Characterization and pathological analysis of Flavobacterium tructae recovered from farmed rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792), in the Indian Himalayan Region. Aquaculture International, 31(4), pp.2399-2420.
15. Mallik, S.K., Singh, S., Shahi, N., Patil, P.K., Kala, K., Pathak, R., Giri, A.K., Das, P., Tandel, R.S., Chandra, S. and Krishna, N., 2023. Biosafety, histological alterations and residue depletion of feed administered anti-parasitic drug emamectin benzoate in golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) as a model candidate fish for sport fishery and conservation in temperate waters. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 14, p.1106124.
16. Mallik, S.K., Shahi, N., Pathak, R., Kala, K., Patil, P.K., Singh, B., Ravindran, R., Krishna, N. and Pandey, P.K., 2023. Pharmacokinetics and biosafety evaluation of a veterinary drug florfenicol in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum 1792) as a model cultivable fish species in temperate water. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 14, p.1033170.
17. Jha, P.N., Mallik, S.K., Saxena, A., Shahi, N., Das, P., Giri, A.K. and Pandey, P.K., 2022. Leaf powder of Eupatorium odoratum Enhances non-specific immune response and resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila Infection in Cyprinus carpio (Linn. 1758). Indian Journal of Animal Research, 56(7), pp.880-886.
18. Mallik, S.K., Kala, K., Shahi, N., Das, R.P.P., Patil, P.K. and Pandey, P.K., 2022. Determination of lethal dose of Aeromonas hydrophila RTMCX1 and in vitro efficacy of oxytetracycline hydrochloride in golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822). Indian Journal of Animal Research, 56(7), pp.887-892.
19. Patil, P.K., Mishra, S.S., Pradhan, P.K., Manna, S.K., Abraham, J.T., Solanki, H.G., Shahi, N., Swain, P., Sahoo, S.N., Avunje, S. and Sharma, K.S., 2022. Usage pattern of chemicals, biologicals and veterinary medicinal products in Indian aquaculture. Reviews in Aquaculture, 14(4), pp.2038-2063.
20. Singh, S., Mallik, S.K., Kala, K., Shahi, N., Pathak, R., Giri, A.K., Chandra, S., Pant, K. and Patiyal, R.S., 2021. Characterization of Flavobacterium columnare from farmed infected rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792) of Central Indian Himalayan region, India. Aquaculture, 544, p.737118.
21. Shahi, N., Mallik, S.K. and Sarma, D., 2022. Muscle growth in targeted knockout common carp (Cyprinus carpio) mstn gene with low off-target effects. Aquaculture, 547, p.737423.
22. Kala, K., Shahi, N., Singh, S., Rawat, S., Patiyal, R.S., Pande, V. and Mallik, S.K., 2021. New host record of Vibrio anguillarum associated with haemorrhagic septicaemia in golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) from India. Indian J. Comp. Microbiol. Immunol. Infect. Dis, 42(1), pp.71-83.
23. Mallik, S.K., Joshi, N., Shahi, N., Kala, K., Singh, S., Giri, A.K., Pant, K. and Chandra, S., 2020. Characterization and pathogenicity of Aeromonas veronii associated with mortality in cage farmed grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes, 1844) from the Central Himalayan region of India. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, 113(12), pp.2063-2076.
24. Shahi, N. and Mallik, S.K., 2020. Emerging bacterial fish pathogen Lactococcus garvieae RTCLI04, isolated from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): Genomic features and comparative genomics. Microbial Pathogenesis, 147, p.104368.
25. Shahi, N., Mallik, S.K., Kala, K., Joshi, N., Patiyal, R.S., Chandra, S., Singh, S. and Sarma, D., 2020. Seasonal emergence of benign epidermal tumor in farm-reared adult grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) caused by lymphocystis disease virus at Uttarakhand, India. Aquaculture, 526, p.735408.
26. Bhat, R.A.H., Thakuria, D., Pant, V., Khangembam, V.C., Tandel, R.S., Shahi, N., Sarma, D., Tripathi, G., Krishnani, K.K. and Krishna, G., 2020. Antibacterial and antioomycete activities of a novel designed RY12WY peptide against fish pathogens. Microbial Pathogenesis, 149, p.104591.
27. Shahi, N. and Mallik, S.K., 2020. Emerging bacterial fish pathogen Lactococcus garvieae RTCLI04, isolated from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): Genomic features and comparative genomics. Microbial Pathogenesis, 147, p.104368.
Important Research Papers:-
1. Shahi, N., Singh, B., Pande, A., Chandra, S., Kunal, K. and Mallik, S.K., 2025. Safe and efficacious inactivated immersion vaccine against KG+ phenotype of emerging bacterial pathogen Lactococcus garvieae for early developmental stage of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in India. Vaccine, 59, p.127266.
2. Shahi, N., Mallik, S.K. and Sarma, D., 2022. Muscle growth in targeted knockout common carp (Cyprinus carpio) mstn gene with low off-target effects. Aquaculture, 547, p.737423.
3. Shahi, N. and Mallik, S.K., 2020. Emerging bacterial fish pathogen Lactococcus garvieae RTCLI04, isolated from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): Genomic features and comparative genomics. Microbial Pathogenesis, 147, p.104368.
4. Shahi, N., Mallik, S.K., Kala, K., Joshi, N., Patiyal, R.S., Chandra, S., Singh, S. and Sarma, D., 2020. Seasonal emergence of benign epidermal tumor in farm-reared adult grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) caused by lymphocystis disease virus at Uttarakhand, India. Aquaculture, 526, p.735408.
5. Shahi, N. and Mallik, S.K., 2020. Emerging bacterial fish pathogen Lactococcus garvieae RTCLI04, isolated from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): Genomic features and comparative genomics. Microbial Pathogenesis, 147, p.104368.
6. Mallik, S.K., Shahi, N., Joshi, N., Pant, K., Kala, K., Chandra, S. and Sarma, D., 2020. The emergence of zoonotic Fusarium oxysporum infection in captive‐reared fingerlings of golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) from the central Himalayan region of India. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 67(2), pp.555-563.
7. Shahi, N., Ardó, L., Fazekas, G., Gócza, E., Kumar, S., Rèvèsz, N., Sándor, Z.J., Molnár, Z., Jeney, G. and Jeney, Z., 2018. Immunogene expression in head kidney and spleen of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) following thermal stress and challenge with Gram-negative bacterium, Aeromonas hydrophila. Aquaculture International, 26(3), pp.727-741.
8. Shahi, N., Mallik, S.K., Sahoo, M., Chandra, S. and Singh, A.K., 2018. First report on characterization and pathogenicity study of emerging Lactococcus garvieae infection in farmed rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), from India. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 65(4), pp.1039-1048.
9. Shahi, N., Sharma, P., Pandey, J., Bisht, I. and Mallik, S.K., 2018. Characterization and pathogenicity study of Chryseobacterium scophthalmum recovered from gill lesions of diseased golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) in India. Aquaculture, 485, pp.81-92.
10. Shahi, N., Singh, A.K., Sahoo, M., Mallik, S.K. and Thakuria, D., 2017. Molecular cloning, characterization and expression profile of kisspeptin1 and kisspeptin1 receptor at brain-pituitary-gonad (BPG) axis of golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) during gonadal development. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 205, pp.13-29.
11. Shahi, N. and Mallik, S.K., 2014. Recovery of Pseudomonas koreensis from eye lesions in golden mahseer, Tor putitora (Hamilton, 1822) in Uttarakhand, India. J Fish Dis, 37(5), pp.497-500.
12. Shahi, N., Sahoo, M., Mallik, S.K., Sarma, D. and Das, P., 2012. The microcystins-induced DNA damage in the liver and the heart of zebrafish, Danio rerio. Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry, 94(2), pp.340-349.