P.

Namperumalsamy Regional Research

Center (PNRRC), Aravind Eye Hospital, Coimbatore

- Qualification: MD (Microbiology) or PhD (Microbiology).
- Experience: Hands-on experience in a diagnostic microbiology laboratory is essential.

Appointment: Full time.

- Designation (Consultant or Scientist) will depend on qualification and experience
- Salary: Commensurate with qualification and experience

The role

- Aravind Eye Hospital, Coimbatore, is looking for a microbiologist to lead its Molecular and Diagnostic Microbiology program at PNRRC. The position carries full responsibility for the diagnostic microbiology laboratory and for the molecular diagnostics research program.

Diagnostic service

- Run the diagnostic microbiology laboratory serving a high-volume tertiary eye hospital: microbial keratitis, endophthalmitis and ocular surface infections
- Maintain quality standards, standard operating procedures and turnaround times, and lead the laboratory towards accreditation
- Work closely with the cornea, retina and other clinical teams on result interpretation and difficult cases

Molecular diagnostics

- Lead the molecular diagnostics program, which currently includes CRISPR/Cas12a-based rapid pan-fungal detection, PCR-based pathogen identification and metagenomic sequencing on an in-house Nanopore platform
- Take assays from development through optimization, analytical validation and clinical validation, and into routine use where warranted
- Contribute to the design and conduct of the ICMR-funded multicentre program on molecular diagnosis of fungal endophthalmitis, and related work on infectious keratitis

Research and training

- Design,



conduct and publish studies drawing on the hospital's large clinical specimen base
- Contribute to grant applications and external collaborations
- Supervise technical staff and postgraduate trainees

Essential

- MD (Microbiology) or PhD (Microbiology)
- Experience running, or working at a senior level in, a routine diagnostic microbiology laboratory
- Working knowledge of laboratory quality systems
- Ability to function as part of a clinical service and communicate with clinicians
- Demonstrated interest in research (publications, projects or grants)

Desirable

- Molecular diagnostic assay development and validation
- PCR, sequencing (including Nanopore metagenomics)

What Aravind offers

- A high-volume tertiary eye hospital: the laboratory receives approximately 1000 ocular specimens a year
- An established molecular laboratory with real-time PCR, a Nanopore sequencer, etc. and a team of 6 technical staff
- An ICMR-funded multicentre program in molecular diagnostics for endophthalmitis, with assay validation and metagenomic sequencing under way
- Daily working contact between clinicians and researchers, and a research group with a record of publication in ocular infection and molecular diagnostics
- Support for research proposals, conference presentation and postgraduate supervision
- How to apply
- Send the following to [email protected] with the subject line "Application: Molecular and Diagnostic Microbiology":
- Curriculum vitae, including a list of publications
- A one-page statement of research interests and relevant diagnostic laboratory experience
- Names and contact details of two referees

📌 Consultant / Scientist: Molecular and Diagnostic Microbiology (Coimbatore)
🏢 Aravind Eye Care System
📍 Coimbatore