Dr. Kannapiran Ponraj
Protein biochemist, molecular pharmacologist, and formally university-trained bioinformatician with five years of postdoctoral experience across two positions and nearly nine years of faculty teaching, research supervision, and curriculum development.
Mechanistic biochemistry with systems-level interpretation
Experience spans cytochrome P450 systems, drug metabolism, enzyme kinetics, protein interactions, redox biology, DNA repair, virology, structural analysis, and computational biology.
My current research investigates how interacting cytochrome P450 enzymes and redox partners regulate drug metabolism in human liver systems, with particular emphasis on alcohol-associated remodeling, non-additive enzyme behavior, and fluorogenic assay development. Earlier work examined topoisomerase-mediated DNA repair, HIV-related kinase biology, redox-enzyme moonlighting, membrane proteins, plant biotechnology, and machine-learning approaches for biological sequence classification.
Academic and research experience
A career integrating postdoctoral research, university teaching, student mentoring, laboratory development, and interdisciplinary biochemical investigation.
Research Associate
Department of Chemistry, Washington State University
Ongoing postdoctoral work in cytochrome P450 systems, human drug metabolism, enzyme–enzyme interactions, alcohol-associated remodeling of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters, fluorogenic probe development, and quantitative interpretation of microsomal enzyme kinetics.
Assistant Professor of Biotechnology
Mepco Schlenk Engineering College, India
Taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses in molecular biology, bioinformatics, structural biology, computational biology, protein engineering, molecular pathogenesis, cell biology, genetics, and omics. Mentored more than 30 student research projects and contributed to curriculum design, laboratory administration, academic advising, and institutional committees.
DBT Research Associate
Structural and Computational Biology Group, ICGEB, New Delhi
Postdoctoral research in protein biochemistry, recombinant expression, membrane proteins, redox enzymes, enzyme kinetics, spectroscopy, structural interpretation, and molecular cloning.
Graduate Researcher
Department of Biochemistry, University of Hyderabad
Investigated HIV-associated topoisomerase IIβ kinase, DNA repair mechanisms, protein purification, biochemical characterization, kinase assays, and inhibitor design with potential antiviral relevance.
Multidisciplinary training
Formal training combines experimental life sciences with protein structure analysis and computational biology.
PhD in Biochemistry
University of Hyderabad · 2011
Specialization: protein biochemistry and virology.
Thesis: HIV-associated topoisomerase IIβ kinase—purification,
characterization, and inhibitor design.
Advanced Diploma in Bioinformatics
Jawaharlal Nehru University · 2005
Specialization: protein structure analysis.
Project: structural analysis of NAD-binding sites across
experimentally determined protein structures.
MSc in Agricultural Biotechnology
Indira Gandhi Agricultural University · 2003
Specialization: genetic engineering for biotic stress.
Thesis: Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of
Solanum melongena.
BSc in Agriculture
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University · 2001
Broad training in agricultural sciences, genetics, plant biology, microbiology, and biotechnology.
Experimental (Wet-lab) to Computational capabilities
Technical expertise spans protein production, biochemical characterization, microsomal pharmacology, structural analysis, and data-driven biological interpretation.
Protein biochemistry
- Recombinant protein expression
- Affinity, ion-exchange, and size-exclusion purification
- Membrane proteins and redox enzymes
- Site-directed mutagenesis
- Protein–protein interaction analysis
Enzymology and pharmacology
- Steady-state enzyme kinetics
- Km, Vmax, kcat, and IC50 analysis
- Cytochrome P450 catalytic assays
- reducatase / kinase assays
- Fluorogenic probe development
Spectroscopy and biochemical assays
- UV–visible spectroscopy
- CO-difference spectroscopy
- P450/P420 characterization
- Redox and antioxidant assays
- Plate-based fluorescence measurements
Molecular and cellular biology
- Gene cloning and vector construction
- siRNA-based perturbation
- cell line and Primary Cell Culture
- radiolabeling in-situ
- anti-viral assays
- Human liver microsomal studies
- DNA-damage and repair assays
Structural and computational biology
- Protein structure analysis
- PyMOL and molecular visualization
- Sequence and binding-site analysis
- QSAR and CoMFA
- Large-scale structural data interpretation
Programming and data science
- Python and R
- Machine learning and stacked generalization
- Data visualization
- Web-based scientific tools
- GitHub: proteinexplorers
Awards, professional contributions, and intellectual property
Selected recognition, peer-review service, scientific mentoring, and published patent applications.
Awards and fellowships
- ASPET Early Career Scientist Travel Award, 2024
- DBT Research Associateship, 2012–2014
- CSIR Doctoral Fellowship, 2005–2010
- DBT Bioinformatics Fellowship, 2004–2005
- DBT Agricultural Biotechnology Fellowship, 2001–2003
Professional service
- SURCA Judge, Washington State University
- Reviewer, Bio-Protocols
- Reviewer, Frontiers in Pharmacology
- Reviewer, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
- Science Mentor and Review Editor, Frontiers for Young Minds
- Reviewer, Frontiers in Plant Science
Patents
- Machine Learning Approaches for Bioinstrumentation Data Analysis
- Method for Extraction of Phosvitin from Chicken Egg Yolk
Nearly nine years of university-level instruction
Teaching experience spans foundational biology, advanced protein science, molecular pathogenesis, bioinformatics, and laboratory-based experimental training.
Teaching profile
Designed and delivered undergraduate and postgraduate courses, developed laboratory exercises, contributed to autonomous curriculum revisions, supervised thesis research, coordinated online learning resources, and advised students on higher education and research careers.
Mentoring includes three completed postgraduate thesis projects and 29 undergraduate research projects.