Dr. Neera Tewari-Singh Honored with 2025 MSUCOM Excellence in Research Award
Dr. Neera Tewari-Singh, Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology at Michigan State University, has been selected to receive the prestigious 2025 Excellence in Research Award from the College of Osteopathic Medicine. This honor recognizes her exceptional contributions to biomedical research, particularly in developing medical countermeasures against chemical threats and environmental exposures.
Since joining MSU in 2019, Dr. Tewari-Singh has established an impressive research program that has garnered continuous federal funding and national recognition. She currently serves as Principal Investigator on multiple NIH grants totaling almost $2 million in research funding. Her work addresses critical questions in chemical defense and toxicology, making her lab one of only a few worldwide studying the toxicity of emerging chemical threats.
"Dr. Tewari-Singh's research has direct relevance to our nation's preparedness and medical response capabilities," noted colleagues in her nomination. Her groundbreaking work has garnered recognition from Representative Elissa Slotkin of Michigan's 8th Congressional District, underscoring the tangible impact of her research on homeland security and public health.
Dr. Tewari-Singh's scholarly productivity is remarkable, with eight peer-reviewed publications in just the last eighteen months. Her lifetime work has been cited nearly 2,000 times, and her H-index score of 20 is considered exceptional for her career stage. Beyond her research achievements, she served as an expert committee member for the National Academies of Sciences study on preventing and responding to weapons of mass destruction terrorism.
A dedicated mentor, Dr. Tewari-Singh currently guides four doctoral candidates, including a DO/PhD student, as well as several postdoctoral fellows and undergraduate researchers. Her trainees are thriving, publishing papers, presenting at conferences, and earning their own awards—a testament to her commitment to developing the next generation of scientists.
In addition to her research excellence, Dr. Tewari-Singh makes significant contributions to education and service. She directs a graduate toxicology course and participates in medical school teaching. Nationally, her service includes leadership roles in the Society of Toxicology and the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, as well as serving on NIH review panels and chairing the COM Committee on Research and Graduate Studies.