Dr Tripti Singh

Dr Tripti Singh

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About

Dr Tripti Singh specialises in wood preservation research. Her expertise includes all factors relating to wood durability, including timber treatments/remedial treatment, fungal enzymes, and wood preservation standards. Tripti is also involved in wood product development and performance evaluation using national and international testing methods.

Qualifications

PhD (Wood Mycology) Lincoln University, New Zealand - 2006
MSc Hons (Biological Sciences) University of Waikato, New Zealand -1999
BPEd (Physical Education) – Banaras Hindu University, India -1995
BSc (Chemistry, Botany and Zoology) - Purvanchal University, India -1993

Research capabilities

  • Wood product development and performance evaluation
  • Explore and use bio-based products to control fungi that degrade wood products
  • Enhancement of wood properties through chemical modifications
  • Sapstain control including integrated bio-protection system
  • Understanding the mode of action of specific bioactive molecules at wood/fungus/biocide interactions
  • Indoor air quality and mould
  • Lignin degrading microorganisms
  • Fungal enzymes
  • Fungal and bacterial secondary metabolites as sources of bioremediation and other biotechnological applications
  • Building code and NZ/International Standards regarding timber treatments
  • Remedial treatment of timber
  • Leadership role in the direction of research on various aspect of ‘Wood Mycology’ as well as industry liaison on commercial and government funded research in wood preservation.

Career highlights

  • Quality scientific research and leadership locally and internationally led to placing in prestigious awards, such as ‘McDiarmid Young Scientist Award’ in 2008.
  • Member of the Australasian Wood Preservation Committee (AWPC), timber remediation guide advisory board for Department of Building and Housing, and Standards NZ committee.
  • Invited keynote presentations at various national and international conferences and meetings. 

Selected papers

Peer-reviewed journal articles

T. Singh and A. P. Singh (2012): Biotechnological applications of wood-rotting fungi: a review. Biomass and Bioenergy (Submitted)O’Callahan, T. Singh and I. McDonald (2012): Evaluation of lactic acid bacterium from chilli waste as a potential antifungal agent for wood products. Journal of Applied Microbiology (In Press).

I. Hussain, T. Singh and C. Chittenden (2012): Preparation, characterization of chitosan oligomers and their antifungal activities. Holforschung 66: 119-125.

T. Singh and A. P. Singh (2011): A review on natural products as wood protectant. Wood Science and Technology. DOI 10.1007/500226-011-0448-5 (In press).

T. Singh and C. Chittenden (2011): Antifungal activity of essential oils against wood degrading fungi and their applications as wood preservative. International Wood Products Journal, 2: 44-48.

T. Singh and C. Chittenden (2010): Efficacy of natural extracts in inhibiting mould growth on panel products. Building and Environment, 45: 2336-2342. 

A.P. Singh, T. Singh and C.L. Rickard (2010): Visualising impregnated chitosan in Pinus radiata early wood cells using light and scanning electron microscopy. Micron, 41: 263-267.

C. Chittenden and T. Singh (2009): In vitro evaluation of combination of Trichoderma harzianum and chitosan for the control of sapstain fungi. Biological control, 50: 262-266.

T. Singh and C. Chittenden (2008): In vitro antifungal activity of chilli extracts in combination with Lactobacillus casei against sapstain fungi. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 62: 364-367.

T. Singh, D. Vesentini, A.P. Singh and G. Daniel (2008): Effect of chitosan on physiological, morphological and ultrastructural characteristics of wood degrading fungi. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 62(2): 116-124.

T. Singh (2008): Migration of methylene bis thiocyanate in wood and its effect on a wood degrading fungus. European Journal of Forest Research, 127: 195-202.

T. Singh, C. Chittenden and A. Singh (2007): Biotechnology for wood protection at Ensis in New Zealand.  In Jouranl of Saurashtra University, Rajkot, India, Thaker, V.S. (Ed). Special issue on Biotechnology Volume 2: 83-86.

T. Singh, B. Kreber, A. Singh, A. Stewart and M. Jaspers (2006): Microscopic, biochemical and physiological assessment of the effect of methylene bisthiocyanate on the sapstain fungus Ophiostoma floccosum. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 114(3): 317-328.

T. Singh, B. Kreber, R. Wakeling and A. Stewart (2006): Effect of Methylene bisthiocyanate on propagules and established mycelium of two sapstain fungi. Forest Product Journal, 56 (1): 40-45. 

T. Singh, R. Wakeling, B. Kreber, M.V. Jaspers and A. Stewart (2002): Advances in understanding the mode of action of MBT fungicide used in wood protection. New Zealand Plant Protection, 55: 63-67.

Peer reviewed books, book chapters, books edited

T. Singh (2010): Sapstain control: Mode of action of mehylene bisthiocyante on sapstain fungi. ISBN 978-3-8383-5057-8, Lambert Academic Publishing AG & Co. KG., Germany. Pp 181.

Conference proceedings

F. Saxe; A. Singh, M. Eder; T. Singh; I. Burgert (2011): Micromechanical and structural characterisation of chitosan impregnated radiata pine (Pinus radiata) wood. Novel Materials from wood or cellulose; IAWA International Conference 31st August – 2nd September 2011.

D. O’Callahan, T. Singh and I. McDonald (2011): Isolation and evaluation of Lactobacillus brevis from chilli waste for potential use as a wood preservative. International Research Group on Wood Protection. Document IRG/WP 11-10749. Stockholm, Sweden.

I Hussain, C Chittenden and T Singh (2011) Characterisation and evaluation of various chitosan oligomers, and decay resistance.  International Research Group on Wood Protection. Document IRG/WP 11-30562. Stockholm, Sweden.

J. Strong and T. Singh (2010): Screening fungal isolates for mannanase production. Biofuel Science Symposium, Scion, Rotorua.

R. Franich, A. Singh, T. Singh and E. Dunningham (2010): Microscopic and spectroscopic methods for investigation of wood modified with chitosan. The 5th European Wood Modification (ECWM-5) conference, 20-21 September, Riga, Latvia.

T. Singh and C. Chittenden (2010): Protection of natural product from mould using natural extracts – A potential green building product. New Zealand Sustainable building conference (SB 10), 26-28 May, Wellington. Paper No. 64.

A. Singh, T. Singh, A. Masic and I. Burgert (2009): Chitosan for wood protection: advances in imaging chitosan within impregnated wood tissues. Wood Science and Biotechnology Symposium, Chonnam National University, South Korea.

T. Singh and C. Chittenden (2009): Effect of essential oils on decay resistance of wood. III International Conference on Environmental, Industrial and Applied Microbiology (BioMicroWorld2009), 2-4 December, Lisbon Portugal.

T. Singh (2009): Protection of wood against sapstain fungi using an eco-friendly biotechnology.  In Proceedings of “Bioenergy and Biotechnology International Symposium”, Chonnam National University, South Korea.

C. Rickard, T. Singh, A. Singh, and R. Newman (2009): Discovering anti-fungal agents in New Zealand native plants for use in wood protection.  International Research Group on Wood Protection. Document IRG/WP 09-10692. Stockholm, Sweden.

D. O’Callahan, T. Singh, and I. McDonald (2009): A rapid microscale assay for determining growth of wood inhabiting fungi against Lactobacillus metabolities. International Research Group on Wood Protection. Document IRG/WP 09-20412. Stockholm, Sweden.

K. Nasheri, R.F. Franich, T. Singh and M. Hedley (2009): Innovative wood products and processing. FIEA wood preservation conference, Rotorua, New Zealand

T. Singh and C. Chittenden (2009): Natural extracts as a mould inhibitor on panel product. International Research Group on Wood Protection. Document IRG/WP 09.  Stockholm, Sweden.

C. Chittenden and T. Singh (2008): In vitro evaluation of an integrated approach using Trichoderma harzianum and chitosan for the control of sapstain. International Research Group on Wood Protection. Document IRG/WP 08-10659.  Stockholm, Sweden.

T. Singh and C. Chittenden (2008): Antifungal activity of essential oils against common wood degrading/decaying fungi. International Research Group on Wood Protection. Document IRG/WP 08-30465.  Stockholm, Sweden.

K. Bayne, B. Dawson, T. Singh and B. Walford (2008): Life home – Moving beyond green design to enhance occupant lifestyle. The 5th World Sustainable Building Conference, Melbourne, Australia.

T. Singh, D. Vesentini, A.P. Singh and G. Daniel (2007): A comparison of the effect of chitosan at cellular level aginst two wood degrading fungi. In Proceedings of "Biodeterioration of Wood and Wood Products" BWWP 2007, Riga, Latvia, 26-29 August.

T. Singh, A.P. Singh and G. Daniel (2007): Effect of chitosan on the morphology and ultrastructure of two wood inhibiting fungi. International Research Group on Wood Preservation. Document IRG/WP 07-10606.  Stockholm, Sweden.

T. Singh, D. Vesentini, A.P. Singh and A. Osman (2006): An investigation into the mode of action(s) of chitosan.  In Proceedings of "Eco-wood 2006 - 2nd International Conference on environmentally compatible forest products".   Fernando Pessoa University, Porto-Portugal, 20-22 September.

T. Singh, D. Vesentini, A.P. Singh and A. Osman (2006): Mode(s) of action of chitosan: 1. The effect on fungal cell membranes.  In Proceedings of "8th International Mycology Congres, Cairns, Australia, 20-25 August.

T. Singh, B. Kreber, A. Stewart and M. Jaspers (2005): Characterisations of the mode of action(s) of Methylene bisthiocyanate (MBT) in Ophiostoma floccosum. International Research Group on Wood Preservation. Document IRG/WP 05-10554.  Stockholm, Sweden.

C. Chittenden, B. Kreber, N. McDowell and T. Singh (2004): In vitro studies on the effect of chitosan on mycelial growth and spore germination of decay fungi, mould and staining fungi.  International Research Group on Wood Preservation. Document IRG/WP/04-10507.  Stockholm, Sweden.

T. Singh, B. Kreber, R. Wakeling and A. Stewart (2003): Effect of Methylene bisthiocyanate on morphology and ultra-structure of a sapstain fungus, Ophiostoma floccosum. International Research Group on Wood Preservation. Document IRG/WP/03-10471.  Stockholm, Sweden.

T. Singh, R. Wakeling, B. Kreber, and A. Stewart (2002): Advances in understanding the mode of action of methylene bisthiocyanate against Sphaeropsis sapinea.  International Research Group on Wood Preservation. Document IRG/WP/02-30284.  Stockholm, Sweden.

T. Singh, B. Kreber, C. Chittenden, R. Wakeling and A. Stewart (2001): Minimum inhibitory concentration of methylene bisthiocyanate towards selected wood inhabiting fungi in liquid culture and on radiata pine.  International Research Group on Wood Preservation. Document IRG/WP 01-30261.  Stockholm, Sweden.

T. Singh, and R.L. Farrell (1999): Immunolocalisation of Sphaeropsis sapinea in wood.  In Proceedings of “The 2nd New Zealand Sapstain Symposium”, Kreber, B. (Ed). Rotorua, New Zealand, 18-19 November.  Forest Research Bulletin No. 215, pp. 109-116.