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 Faculty Details
 Central University of Kerala
02 July 2026

Prof. Dr. K. Muruga Poopathi Raja

Chemical Biology & Biophysical Chemistry Laboratory (CBBCL)


Brief Profile

Professor & Head, Department of Chemistry, Central University of Kerala (Since July 2023)
Professor, Department of Chemistry, Central University of Kerala (Since Sep 2022)
Chief Vigilance Officer, Central University of Kerala (Mar-Jun 2024)
Director, Research & Development Cell, Central University of Kerala (Jan - Oct 2023)

Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai-625021 (Apr 2010 - Aug 2022)

Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology, & Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), J.W. Goethe University-Frankfurt am Main, Germany (Dec 2007 – Mar 2010) Mentor: Prof. Dr. Harald Schwalbe

Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Division of Structural and Computational Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (Sep 2005 – Nov 2007) Mentor: Prof. Dr. Jaume Torres

Ph.D, Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. (Jul 2005) 
Research Supervisor: Prof. Dr. P. Balaram

19

Publications

6

Projects

1

Students

2

Courses Taught


...
Prof. Dr. K. Muruga Poopathi Raja
Professor
Department of Chemistry
  +91-467-2309198
  [email protected]
 Personal Website
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Academic Identity
 Google Scholar ID
 ORCID
 Scopus ID
 Researcher ID

 Research

None

 Education

DegreeCollege NameYear Of Passing
Ph.D.Indian Institute of Science, Banaglore2005
Post GraduationThe American College, Madurai (Madurai Kamaraj University)1997
GraduationS. N. College, Madurai (Madurai Kamaraj University)1993
GraduationThiagarajar College of Preceptors (MKU)1997
Post GraduationMadurai Kamaraj University1998

 Experience

Employer NameDesignationStart FromEnd To
Central University of KeralaProfessor2022
Madurai Kamaraj UniversityAssistant Professor20102022
J. W. Goethe University, Frankfurt-am-Main, GermanyPost-doctoral Fellow20072010
Nanyang Technological UniversityResearch Fellow20062007
Nanyang Technological UniversityResearch Associate20052006

 Teaching & Research Guidance

    Level Of TeachingSubjects
    Post GraduateChemistry
    Research GuidanceChemistry

 Recent and Major Publications

    1. Murugesan Ponmagaram, Krishnan Saranraj and Karuppiah Muruga Poopathi Raja* (2025). "Methyl 3-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]benzoate". IUCrData, 10, x250542

    2. Sithanantham Muneeswaran, and Karuppiah Muruga Poopathi Raja* (2024). "Modes of binding of small molecules dictate the interruption of RBD-ACE2 complex of SARS-CoV-2". ChemPhysChem, 26, e202400751

    3. Krishnan Saranraj, and Karuppiah Muruga Poopathi Raja* (2024). "Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Peptidomimetic trans-Delta-Aminopent-3-enoic Acid and Derivatives". New Journal of Chemistry, 48, 16620-1663

    4. Rajamanikkam Kamaraj, Subhrojyoti Ghosh, Souvadra Das, Shinjini Sen, Priyanka Kumar, Madhurima Majumdar, Renesa Dasgupta, Sampurna Mukherjee, Shrimanti Das, Indrilla Ghose, Petr Pavek, Muruga Poopathi Raja Karuppiah, Anil A. Chuturgoon, and Krishnan Anand (2024). "Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) for Immunotherapy: Understanding Proteolysis Targeting Chimera-Driven Ubiquitin-Proteasome Interactions". Bioconjugate Chemistry, 35 (8), 1089-1115

    5. Cheemala Ashok, Murugan Selvam, Saravanaraman Ponne, Phani K. Parcha, Karuppiah Muruga Poopathi Raja and Sudhakar Baluchamy (2020). "CREB acts as a common transcription factor for major epigenetic repressors; DNMT3B, EZH2, CUL4B and E2F6". Medical Oncology, 37, 68

    6. Rajkumar Misra, K. Muruga Poopathi Raja, Hans-Jörg Hofmann and Hosahudya N. Gopi (2017). "Modulating the Structural Properties of α,γ-Hybrid Peptides by α-Amino Acid Residues: Uniform 12-Helix Versus “Mixed” 12/10-Helix". Chemistry - A European Journal, 23, 16644-52

    7. Rajkumar Misra, Abhijith Saseendran, Gijo George, Kuruva Veeresh, K. Muruga Poopathi Raja, Srinivasarao Raghothama, Hans-Jörg Hofmann and Hosahudya N. Gopi (2017). "Structural Dimorphism of Achiral α,γ-Hybrid Peptide Foldamers: Coexistence of 12- and 15/17-Helices". Chemistry - A European Journal, 23, 3764-72

    8. Mothukuri Ganesh Kumar, Varsha J. Thombare, Mona M.Katariya, KuruvaVeeresh, K. Muruga Poopathi Raja and Hosahudya N. Gopi (2016). "Non-classical Helices with Backbone cis Carbon-Carbon Double Bonds: Structural Features of alpha, gamma-Hybrid Peptide Foldamers". Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 55, 7847-51

    9. Saoussen Ben Halima, Sabyashachi Mishra, K. Muruga Poopathi Raja, Michael Willem, Antonio Baici, Kai Simons, Oliver Bristle, Philip Koch, Christian Haass, Amedeo Caflisch and Lawrence Rajendran (2016). "Specific inhibition of -secretase processing of the Alzheimer’s disease Amyloid Precursor Protein". Cell Reports, 14, 2127-2141

    10. Mothukuri Ganesh Kumar, Sushil N. Benke, K. Muruga Poopathi Raja* and Hosahudya N. Gopi* (2015). "Engineering polypeptide folding through trans double bonds: transformation of miniature -meanders to hybrid helices". Chemical Communications, 51, 13397-13399

    11. Mothukuri Ganesh Kumar, Sachitanand M. Mali, K. Muruga Poopathi Raja and Hosahudya N. Gopi (2014). "Design of Stable beta-Hairpin Mimetics through Backbone Disulfide Bonds". Organic Letters, 17, 230-233

    12. Anupam Bandyopadhyay, Sachitanand M. Mali, Pooja Lunawat, K. Muruga Poopathi Raja and Hosahudya N. Gopi (2011). "Synthesis and Structural Investigations of Functionalizable Hybrid beta-Hairpin". Organic Letters, 13, 4482-4485

    13. Reza Dastvan, Bela E. Bode, Muruga Poopathi Raja Karuppiah, Andriy Marko, Sevdalina Lyubenova, Harald Schwalbe and Thomas Prisner (2010). "Optimization of Transversal Relaxation of Nitroxides for PELDOR Spectroscopy in Phospholipid Membranes". The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 114, 13507-13516

    14. Reza Dastvan, Bela E. Bode, Muruga Poopathi Raja Karuppiah, Andriy Marko, Sevdalina Lyubenova, Harald Schwalbe and Thomas Prisner (2010). "Optimization of Transversal Relaxation of Nitroxides for PELDOR Spectroscopy in Phospholipid Membranes". The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 114, 13507-13516

    15. Anindita Sengupta, S. Aravinda, N. Shamala, K. Muruga Poopathi Raja and P. Balaram (2006). "Structural studies of model peptides containing beta-, gamma- and delta-amino acids". Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, 4, 4214-4222.

    16. K. Ananda, Prema G. Vasudev, Anindita Sengupta, K. Muruga Poopathi Raja, N. Shamala and P. Balaram (2005). "Polypeptide Helices in Hybrid Peptide Sequences". Journal of American Chemical Society, 127, 16668-16674

    17. K. Ananda, S. Aravinda, P. G. Vasudev, K. Muruga Poopathi Raja, H. Sivaramakrishnan, K. Nagarajan, N. Shamala and P. Balaram (2003). "Solid state conformations and solution equilibria". Current Science, 85, 1002-1011

    18. E. Y. Cheung, E. E. McCabe, K. D. M. Harris, R. L. Johnston, E. Tedesco, K. Muruga Poopathi Raja, and P. Balaram (2002). "C-H•••O Hydrogen Bond Mediated Chain Reversal in a Peptide Containing a gamma-Amino Acid Residue, Determined Directly from Powder X-ray Diffraction Data". Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 41, 494-496

    19. E. Tedesco, K. D. M. Harris, R. L. Johnston, G. W. Turner, K. Muruga Poopathi Raja and P. Balaram (2001). "Ab initio structure determination of a peptide beta-turn from powder X-ray diffraction data". Chemical Communications, 1460-1461


 Group Members

 Available Positions

 Research Projects Undertaken

Project TitleProject TypeCommencement YearCompletion YearFunding Agency
National Network Project of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-[40237]Basic Research20242029Department of Biotechnology
Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Potential Peptidomimic Inhibitors for β-Secretase (BACE1) Enzyme of Neurodegenerative Alzheimer’s DiseaseBasic Research20182022SERB
Poly-Glutamine Peptides Aggregation of Neurodegenerative Spinocerebellar Ataxias: Mechanistic Investigation towards Developing InhibitorsBasic Research20192022SERB
Development and Evaluation of Anti-Viral Peptidomemitics to Combat SARS-CoV-2Translational Research20202022BRNS
Design, validation, and development of novel peptidomimetic therapeutics targeting SARS-CoV-2 replicationTranslational Research20202023SERB-IRHPA
Development of Anti-viral Peptide Aptamers for SARS-CoV-2: Design and EvaluationTranslational Research20202022Department of BioTechnology (Govt. of India)

 Books / Chapters

  • Chapter(s) - Co-Author, (2022). Alzheimer's Disease: Recent Findings in Pathophysiology, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Modalities, Royal Society of Chemistry, UK, 978-1-83916-230-5

  • Chapter(s) - Co-Author, (2021). Antiviral Drug Discovery and Development, Springer, Singapore, 978-981-16-0267-2

    •  Patents

    1. Graphene and functional graphenes in frictional materials and uses thereof, S. Venkatesh and K. Muruga Poopathi Raja, Application No : 202141003489 (Filed Date: 25 Jan, 2021)

    2. Cis (z) 4-t-butylgabapentin and its Synthesis. Kuppuswamy, Nagarajan; Hariharan, Sivaramakrishnan; Iyer, Venkatachalam Shankar; Balakrishnan, Suresh Babu; Krishnamurthi, Gopalakrishnan; Kuppana, Ananda; Karuppiah, Muruga Poopati Raja; Padmanabhan, Balaram; Subrayashastry, Aravinda; Prema, GouriammaVasudev; Narayanaswamy, Shamala. (Hikal Limited, India; Indian Institute of Science). European Patent Application Number: EP2172445 A1 (07 Apr, 2010)

    3. Gabapentin analogues and Process thereof. Kuppuswamy, Nagarajan; Hariharan, Sivaramakrishnan; Iyer, Venkatachalam Sankar; Balakrishnan, Suresh Babu; Krishnamurthi, Gopalakrishnan; Kuppanna, Ananda; Karuppiah, Muruga Poopati Raja; Padmanabhan, Balaram; Subrayashastry, Aravinda; Prema, Gouriamma Vasudev; Narayanaswamy, Shamala. (Hikal Limited, India; Indian Institute of Science). U.S. Pat. No. US7632864 B2 (Dec 15, 2009).

    4. 4-t-butylgabapentin and its Synthesis. Kuppuswamy, Nagarajan; Hariharan, Sivaramakrishnan; Iyer, Venkatachalam Shankar; Balakrishnan, Suresh Babu; Krishnamurthi, Gopalakrishnan; Kuppana, Ananda; Karuppiah, Muruga Poopati Raja; Padmanabhan, Balaram; Subrayashastry, Aravinda; Prema, GouriammaVasudev; Narayanaswamy, Shamala. (Hikal Limited, India; Indian Institute of Science). PCT International Publication Number: WO2005/087709 A1 (22 Sep, 2005),

     Miscellaneous

     Membership/Fellowship of other institutions/professionals societies : 
    Life member, National Magnetic Resonance Society, India
Life member, Indian Peptide Society, India 
Life Member, Chemical Research Society of India 
Life member, Association of Chemistry Teachers 
Member, Royal Society of Chemistry 
Member, American Chemical Society
     Student related co-curricular, extension and field based activities and counseling.
     Contribution to corporate sector-management of the department and institution through participation in academic and administration,committees and responsibilities.
     Other activities/Responsibilities :
     Any other relevant information, if not given above :

     Contact

    Full Name
    		 Prof. Dr. K. Muruga Poopathi Raja
    Address
    		 Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, # 104, Sabarmati Building, Tejaswini Hills Central University of Kerala Periye, Kasaragod District - 671 320, Kerala
    Telphone Number
    (With STD Code)
    		 +91-467-2309198
    PinCode
    		 671320