RAKESH MENGJI
Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Korea University, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Palamuru University, Sai Life Sciences Limited
Research areas: Engineering · Biomedical Engineering · Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics · Luminescence and Fluorescent Materials · Photodynamic Therapy Research Studies
0000-0002-5647-2897
About
I am a Scientist-1 (ICMR) in the Department of Chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad). My research focuses on developing next-generation photoactive molecular systems and precision theranostic platforms for cancer diagnosis and therapy.
I received my Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from CSIR–Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad. I subsequently carried out postdoctoral research at Korea University, South Korea, under the supervision of Professor Jong Seung Kim, where I worked on activatable molecular probes, phototheranostics, and smart nanomedicine for precision oncology.
My current research is centered on flavin-based photoactive systems, molecular imaging, targeted drug delivery, enzyme-responsive therapeutics, and fluorescence-guided cancer theranostics. I am particularly interested in designing intelligent molecular and nanoplatforms that integrate diagnosis, therapy, and real-time therapeutic monitoring to achieve precise and personalized cancer treatment.
My broader research interests include chemical biology, photodynamic therapy, tumor microenvironment-responsive systems, molecular imaging, and translational nanomedicine. Through interdisciplinary research at the interface of chemistry, biology, and materials science, I aim to develop clinically translatable technologies that improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Employment
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Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad Scientist 12026 - Present
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Korea University Research Professor (Postdoctoral)2025 - 2026
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Sai Life Sciences Limited Associate Research Scientist2024 - 2025
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Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Senior Research Fellow (SRF-Direct)2021 - 2024
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Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Project Assistant II2016 - 2021
Education
- 2018 - 2024
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palamuru university Msc 5 years integrated chemistry2009 - 2014
Projects & Funding
Projects & funding information is unavailable.
Publications (20)
- Immune-Evasive NIR-II Nanoplatforms for Repeatable Photodynamic Therapy Save
- Next-generation therapeutic triggers for on-demand, site-specific, enzyme-gated prodrug and nanocarrier systems Save
- SIGNAL-Nano: a sequentially gated red light-activable silicon–rhodamine nanoplatform for mitochondria-targeted theranostics Save
- Viscosity-Tuned Mitochondrial Probe for Precision Tumor Theranostics and Apoptosis Imaging Save
- MitoSiege-Driven Catalase Collapse: A GSH-Responsive, Mitochondria-Targeted COF Prodrug for Amplified Chemodynamic Therapy Save
- Single-Photon Deep-Red Light-Triggered Direct Release of an Anticancer Drug: An Investigative Tumor Regression Study on a Breast Cancer Spheroidal Tumor Model Save
- BODIPY-Based Mitochondrial Targeted NIR-Responsive CO-Releasing Platform for the On-Demand Release of CO to Treat Cancer Save
- Photoactivable AIEgen-based Lipid-Droplet-Specific Drug Delivery Model for Live Cell Imaging and Two-Photon Light-Triggered Anticancer Drug Delivery Save
- Spatiotemporal photo-release of hydrogen sulphide from β-carboline-derived nanoparticles for therapeutic applications Save
- One- and Two-Photon Uncaging of Carbon Monoxide (CO) with Real-Time Monitoring: On-Demand Carbazole-Based Dual CO-Releasing Platform to Test over Single and Combinatorial Approaches for the Efficient Regression of Orthotopic Murine Melanoma In Vivo Save
- NIR-Responsive Lysosomotropic Phototrigger: An “AIE + ESIPT” Active Naphthalene-Based Single-Component Photoresponsive Nanocarrier with Two-Photon Uncaging and Real-Time Monitoring Ability Save
- NIR-Responsive Lysosomotropic Phototrigger: 'AIE + ESIPT' Active Naphthalene Based Single Component Photoresponsive Nanocarrier with Two-Photon Uncaging and Real-Time Monitoring Ability Save
- An improved tumor-specific therapeutic strategy by the spatio-temporally controlled in situ formation of a Cu(ii) complex, leading to prompt cell apoptosis via photoactivation of a prodrug Save
- Mitochondria-localizedin situgeneration of rhodamine photocage with fluorescence turn-on enabling cancer cell-specific drug delivery triggered by green light Save
- A lysosome-specific near-infrared fluorescent probe for in vitro cancer cell detection and non-invasive in vivo imaging Save
- ‘AIE + ESIPT’ assisted photorelease: fluorescent organic nanoparticles for dual anticancer drug delivery with real-time monitoring ability Save
- ESIPT-induced fluorescent o-hydroxycinnamate: a self-monitoring phototrigger for prompt image-guided uncaging of alcohols Save
- ESIPT-induced fluorescent o-hydroxycinnamate: a self-monitoring phototrigger for prompt image-guided uncaging of alcohols Save
- Redox-responsive xanthene–coumarin–chlorambucil-based FRET-guided theranostics for “activatable” combination therapy with real-time monitoring Save
- Red-Light Triggered Photouncaging from Dicyanomethylene-4H-pyran Phototrigger in Aqueous Solution: Applied as a Single Component Nano-Drug Delivery System for Cancer Therapy Save