Scientist & Head, Immunology & Molecular Biology Division, Bhagwan Mahavir Medical Research Centre, Hyderabad, Telangana, India, Vijaya obtained her PhD in 1981. Her research experience of 40 years involves immunology and genetics of mycobacterial diseases. Recipient of a project under the ‘Scheme for Young Scientists’ and fellowships for National Biotechnology Associate & Overseas Biotechnology Associate sponsored by GOI. Her contribution to science includes a demonstration of in vitro correlates of immune protection to study the efficacy of BCG vaccination in children and the potential use of the most immunogenic protein of BCG vaccine, Ag85A. She was one of the first investigators to report that the effect of BCG vaccine wanes after 5-7 years. Later, along with her team, she demonstrated deficiencies in immune responses that render individuals, especially house-hold contacts with latent TB progressing to active TB infection.

Vijaya has received several projects funded by the GOI – DBT, ICMR, DST and also by the NIH. In collaboration with Dr. Vankayalapati R, she studied the role of NK cells, monocytes and T regulatory cells in conferring protection to tuberculosis. Having mentored and guided several researchers including 14 Ph.D. scholars and post-graduate research students, she has more than 100 publications. At present, she is the Co-chair, Executive Committee, RePORT (Regional Prospective Observational Research on Tuberculosis) India Consortium under Indo-U.S. TB Vaccine Action Programme. Other posts include Expert member: Vaccine Committee, Indian TB Research Consortium, Indian Council for Medical Research. 

Selected Recent Peer-Reviewed Publications (Total number: 103)

1. Iravatham CC, Neela VSK, Valluri VL. Identifying and mapping TB hot spots in an urban slum by integrating Geographic positioning system and the local postman – A pilot study. Ind J Tuberc 2019, 66:203-8.
2. Devalraju KP, Neela VSK, Chintala S, Krovvidi SS, Valluri VL. Transforming Growth Factor-β Suppresses Interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-1β Production in HIV-Tuberculosis Co-infection. J Interferon & Cytokine Research. http://doi.org/10.1089/jir.2018.0164
3. Devalraju KP, Neela VSK, Valluri VL, et al. IL-17 and IL-22 production in HIV+ individuals with latent and active tuberculosis. BMC Infect Dis. 2018;18(1):321. Published 2018 Jul 11. doi:10.1186/s12879-018-3236-0
4. Devalraju KP, Neela VSK, Valluri VL, et al. Defective MyD88 and IRAK4 but not TLR-2 expression in HIV+ individuals with latent tuberculosis infection. Cytokine. 2018;110:213–221. doi:10.1016/j.cyto.2018.05.005
5. Tripathi D, Welch E, Valluri V, et al. Alcohol enhances type 1 interferon-α production and mortality in young mice infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. PLoS Pathog. 2018;14(8):e1007174. Published 2018 Aug 2. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1007174
6. Neela VSK, Devalraju KP, Valluri VL et. al. Mycobacterial r32-kDa Ag specific T cell responses correlate with successful treatment and heightened antimicrobial response in human leprosy patients. .International Immunology (2016) doi:10.1093/intimm/dxw009
7. Anuradha B, SS Rakh, M Ishaq, KJR Murthy, Valluri VL. Interferon-γ low producer genotype+ 874 overrepresented in bacillus Calmette-Guerin nonresponding children. Pediatr infect Dis J 27 (4), 325-329
8. Bandaru A, Devalraju KP, Paidipally P, Vankayalapati et. al., Valluri VL. Phosphorylated STAT3 and PD-1 regulate IL-17 production and IL-23 receptor expression in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Eur J Immunol 2014 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201343680.
9. Pydi SS, Anuradha B, Sambasivan V, Valluri VL. Vaccine for tuberculosis: Up-regulation of IL-15 by Ag85A and not by ESAT-6, Tuberculosis 91 (2011) 136e139.
10. Iravatham CC, Valluri VL. Identifying and mapping TB hot spots in an urban slum by integrating geographic positioning system and the local postman – A pilot study. Ind J Tuberc 2019, 66(1):203-208.