Dr. Mahendran K. R., Ph.D

Dr. Mahendran K. R. is a Faculty Scientist (E-II) at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram, where he leads research in membrane biophysics and single-molecule science. He obtained his Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering from Jacobs University Bremen, Germany, after completing his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Biotechnology at Bharathiar University. Dr. Mahendran has held prestigious international research positions at the University of Oxford and Jacobs University Bremen, supported by fellowships such as the Marie Curie Fellowship and the DBT-Ramalingaswamy Re-entry Fellowship. His research focuses on molecular membrane transport, ion channels, and the design of synthetic membrane pores for applications in nanotechnology and medicine. He is a recipient of several national and international awards, including the Merck Young Scientist Award, DST-SERB Early Career Research Award, and the Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award. In 2024, he was appointed as a Member of the National Committee of the International Union of Pure and Applied Biophysics (IUPAB). Dr. Mahendran has published extensively in leading journals such as Nature Communications, ACS Nano, and JACS, and holds patents in the area of synthetic transmembrane peptide pores. He continues to contribute actively to cutting-edge research, mentoring doctoral scholars and leading externally funded research programmes.