Alumni Faculty

Biography

After completing Masters Degree in Biochemistry (University of Kerala, India), Rajesh moved to Philipps University- Germany for his doctoral studies. There, he worked on proteolytic enzymes that play critical roles in human pathological states, such as lysosomal storage disorders. Further, at University of Pennsylvania in a postdoctoral appointment, Rajesh worked towards elucidating the mechanisms leading to egress of the malaria parasite- Plasmodium falciparum. These investigations lead to the discovery of critical host factors mediating the release of parasites upon completion of an infectious cycle (Science 2009, Molecular & Cellular Proteomics 2011). In 2009, he joined the Singapore MIT Alliance for Research & Technology Centre (SMART) and applied multi-disciplinary techniques to study plasmodial egress (PLoS One 2011) and host invasion.

At SUTD, Rajesh continues to work on interdisciplinary aspects of Malaria Biology bringing together diverse technology platforms such as chemical biology, proteomics, cell bio-mechanics and computational biology. The overall focus of his research is to identify and prioritize novel drug targets relevant to infectious diseases with an interest to design new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies.

Education

• PhD Human Biology, Philipps University- Marburg, Germany (2006)
• MSc Biochemistry, University of Kerala- India (2001)
• BSc Biochemistry, University of Kerala- India (1999)

Research Interests

• Mechanistic understanding of Egress and Invasion of Human Malaria parasites using multi-disciplinary approaches
• Characterization of host-pathogen communication systems in parasitic infections
• Identification of novel drug targets and targeted design of pharmacologically active scaffolds

Key Publications

1. Gowtham Subramanian, C. P. Babu Rajeev, CD Mohan, Ameya Sinha, Trang T. T. Chu, Sebastian Anusha, Huang Ximei, Julian E. Fuchs, Andreas Bender, KS. Rangappa, Rajesh Chandramohanadas* & Basappa* [Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of hydrazinyl phthalazines against malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum], Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters
2. Megan K. Dearnley, Chu Thi Thu Trang, Yao Zhang, Oliver Looker, Changjin Huang, Nectarios Klonis, Jeff Yeoman, Shannon Kenny, Mohit Arora, James Osborne, Rajesh Chandramohanadas*, Sulin Zhang*, Matthew W.A. Dixon* and Leann Tilley* [Reversible host cell remodeling underpins deformability changes in malaria parasite sexual blood stages], Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), USA.
3. Anusha Sebastian, Ameya Sinha, Babu Rajeev C.P, Trang TT Chu, Jessin Mathai, KS. Rangappa, Basappa and Rajesh Chandramohanadas* [Synthesis, characterization and in vitro evaluation of novel sulphonamide antimalarials], Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry.
4. Jee-Sun Cho, Bruce Russell, Varakorn Kosasaivee, Rou Zhang, Yves Colins, Olivier Bertrand, Rajesh Chandramohanadas, Cindy S. Chu, Francois Nosten, Laurent Renia, Benoit Malleret [Unambiguous determination of Plasmodium vivax reticulocyte invasion by flow cytometry, International Journal of Parasitology.
5. Ameya Sinha, Trang TT Chu, Ming Dao and Rajesh Chandramohanadas* [Single-cell evaluation of red blood cell bio-mechanical properties upon chemically induced mild oxidative stress], Scientific Reports, IF 5.2.
6. Gowtham Subramanian, Ameya Sinha, Chu Thi Thu Trang and Rajesh Chandramohanadas* [Chemical Biology and Proteomics for Hunting Drug Targets for Human Malaria: An Update] MOJ Proteomics and Bio-informatics Issue 5.
7. Rajesh Chandramohanadas, Basappa, Russell B, Liew K, Yau YH, Chong A, Liu M, Gunalan K, Raman R, Renia L, Nosten F, Shochat SG, Dao M, Sasisekharan R, Suresh S and Peter Preiser. [Small Molecule Targeting Malaria Merozoite Surface Protein-1 (MSP-1) Prevent Host Invasion by Divergent Plasmodia], Journal of Infectious Diseases.
8. Millholland MG*, Rajesh Chandramohanadas*, Pizzarro A, Wehr A, Shi H, Darling C, Lim CT, Greenbaum DC [The Malaria Parasite Progressively Dismantles the Host Erythrocyte Cytoskeleton for Efficient Egress], #Shared First Author, Molecular & Cellular Proteomics.
9. Rajesh Chandramohanadas, Park Y, Lui L, Li A, Quinn D, Liew K, Diez-Silva M, Sung Y, Dao M, Lim CT, Preiser PR and Suresh S. [Bio-physics of Malarial Parasite Exit From Infected Erythrocytes] PLoS ONE.
10. Lucumi E, Darling C, Jo H, Napper AD, Rajesh Chandramohanadas, Fisher N, Shone AE, Jing H, Ward SA, Biagini GA, DeGrado WF, Diamond SL and Greenbaum DC [Discovery of potent small molecule inhibitors of multi‐drug resistant P. falciparum using a novel miniaturized highthroughput luciferase-based assay], Antimicrobial Agents & Chemotherapy.
11. Rajesh Chandramohanadas, Davis PH, Beiting DP, Harbut MB, Darling C, Velmourougane G, Lee MY, Greer PA, Roos DS and Greenbaum DC [Apicomplexan Parasites Co‐opt Host Calpains to Facilitate Their Escape from Infected Host Cells], Science.
12. Harbut MB, Velmourougane G, Reiss G, Rajesh Chandramohanadas and Greenbaum DC. [Development of bestatin-based activity-based probes for metallo-aminopeptidases], Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters.