Professor Chaithanya Madhurantakam is a structural biologist and protein biochemist whose career spans extensive international research and high-impact contributions to macro-molecular architecture. He earned his PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur (2008), where he had a strong foundation in structural characterization using X-ray crystallography. At the Karolinska Institute in Sweden (2008-2010), his work centered on structural immunology, altered peptide ligands, and mammalian allergens; at the University of Zurich in Switzerland (2010-2013), he focused on protein engineering and designed Armadillo repeat proteins (dArmRPs); and at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VIB) in Belgium (2013-2014), he investigated bacterial surface-layer (S-layer) proteins.

In 2014, Professor Madhurantakam returned to India and joined the TERI School of Advanced Studies (TERI SAS) in New Delhi, as an Assistant Professor. In 2015, Prof. Madhurantakam received the prestigious Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship awarded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India. He now serves as a Professor in the Department of Biotechnology and heads the Structural and Molecular Biology Laboratory (SMBL). The laboratory uses a combination of X-ray crystallography, biophysical tools, and Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD) to unravel the 3D structures and functions of macromolecules involved in microbial resistance, host immunity, and structural immunology. He served as the Head of the Department of Biotechnology, from 2016 -2019 and 2022-2025.

Professor Madhurantakam's current research program targets critical human pathogens, particularly Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Helicobacter pylori. His lab has achieved breakthroughs in understanding the "waxy wall" of M. tuberculosis—including providing the first atomic-level characterization of the mycolic acid methyltransferase enzyme MmaA1 in three functional states (apo, SAM-bound, and SAH-bound)—and applying reverse vaccinology to develop next-generation multi-epitope vaccine candidates. Supported by major Extra-Mural Research (EMR) grants from leading funding bodies, including the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), his group continues to drive innovations at the intersection of antimicrobial discovery, vaccine design, and macromolecular engineering. In addition to his academic research, Professor Madhurantakam actively contributes to the broader scientific community through peer review and expert evaluation roles. He serves as a Reviewer and Rapporteur for prestigious international fellowship programs and funding schemes, including the European Union's Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) and the Khorana Program for Scientific Exchange. On the national front, he contributes as an expert reviewer for premier Indian scientific agencies such as the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), helping evaluate competitive research proposals and advance high-level scientific research.

Research Group: 
Chaithanya Madhurantakam (Ramalingaswamy Fellow, DBT- GOI) 

Structural and Molecular Biology Laboratory (SMBL), TU-DBT:

Researchers at SMBL are involved in deciphering the molecular architecture and intricacies of macromolecules (proteins & nucleic acids) which play crucial role in host immunity, microbial resistance and pathogenicity as well as mammalian allergenic proteins through X-ray crystallography, protein engineering and biochemistry. 

More Information @ www.madhurantakam.com