Neeharika Verma

Neeharika Verma is a Research Investigator at the Population Council. She is involved with reproductive health translational research. She has conducted mechanistic research on the role of hormone in mucosal HIV-1 infection to inform prevention strategies. Her current focus is on multipurpose prevention technology products development at the Council. These projects aim to provide multiple convenient choices to women to address their unmet needs. This includes multiple methods like intravaginal rings and inserts to provide contraception with protection against sexually transmitted diseases (bacterial and viral STIs including HIV-1), and/or bacterial vaginosis. She is involved with preclinical safety and efficacy assessments of the candidate active ingredients in vitro and in vivo. Verma has expertise in cell and tissue based preclinical research with focus on signaling mechanisms. She also has expertise in murine anti-STI safety and efficacy studies.

Verma earned her PhD from the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), India. Her thesis was based on signaling mechanism studies of autophagy and its impairment. Her experience and expertise provided her with strong base to pursue the translational research at the Council.