Rajendra Kurapati

Dr. Rajendra Kurapati is an Assistant Professor at the School of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM). His research focuses on biodegradable 2D materials for biomedical applications, addressing nanomaterial biopersistence issues through enzymatic degradation studies. He leads the Biomaterials Lab and collaborates with institutions across France, Ireland, Portugal, and the UK.

• Born in Andhra Pradesh, India
• B.Sc. & M.Sc. in Chemistry (Acharya Nagarjuna University, University of Hyderabad)
• Ph.D. in Materials Engineering (Indian Institute of Science, 2014)
• Postdoc: CNRS Strasbourg (2014-2017), CÚRAM Galway (2018-2020)

His research explores 2D material-biopolymer hybrids for drug/gene delivery, nanotheranostics, and antimicrobial coatings. Key article trends include:

• Graphene/MoS2 biodegradation by human enzymes
• Antibacterial coatings for medical implants
• Microplastics' environmental impact
• Lipid nanoparticles for mRNA vaccines
• ZnO quantum dots for bioimaging
• Polymer multilayer drug delivery systems

Major scientific awards:

• DBT Ramalingaswami Fellowship (INR 40 lakhs over 5 years)
• SERB Start-up Grant (32 lakhs over 2 years)
• SERB Special Grant (45 lakhs over 3 years)
• DBT Mission Innovation Grant (18 lakhs over 6 months)

His academic contributions span 15+ high-impact publications in journals like Advanced Materials, Nanoscale, and Chemical Communications, covering topics from graphene biodegradation to antimicrobial coatings and bioimaging. 10+ alumni students have graduated from his lab, with placements at institutions including University of Strasbourg and Dublin City University.