Dr Sushant Bhat

Sushant Bhat was born in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Starting his professional career as a veterinary graduate, he completed the bachelor’s degree in veterinary science and animal husbandry (B.V.Sc & A.H) in the year 2009 from GADVASU, Ludhiana, India. His fascination with influenza viruses began in 2009 when he started his research career working on development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against nucleoprotein of (HPAI) H5N1 avian influenza virus. He obtained the masters degree in veterinary immunology from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India in the year 2011. During his doctoral research work, carried out at ICAR-NIHSAD (an OIE reference lab for Avian Influenza), Bhopal, India, he worked on the development of a reverse genetics-based DIVA marker vaccine against HPAI H5N1 viruses as control strategy for HPAI avian influenza infections in chickens. He obtained his PhD degree from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India in the year 2015. Sushant has gained experience working in ICAR-NIHSAD’s Biosafety Level 3 (BSL 3) lab and Animal Biocontainment facility (BSL3+). He has also extended his services to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal, India for the upcoming animal house facility. Going a step ahead in his career, he joined The Pirbright Institute in the year 2016 as an Influenza Molecular Virologist. He is working with Prof. Munir Iqbal’s Avian Influenza group where he is studying the transmission and pathogenesis of H7N9 viruses in poultry and mammals.