Univ.-Prof. Dr. Krishnaraj Rajalingam

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Krishnaraj Rajalingam

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Krishnaraj Rajalingam

Head Cell Biology Unit

Krishnaraj (Krishna) Rajalingam is W3 Professor and Head of the Cell Biology Unit at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. He studied Life Sciences (M.Sc.) at Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli (India), before moving to the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin, where he completed his PhD in Molecular Cell Biology with Prof. Thomas Rudel and Prof. Thomas F. Meyer and subsequently worked as a scientist. He then established his first independent group as C1 Oberassistent at the Institute of Medical Radiation and Cell Research (MSZ), University of Würzburg. In 2008 he moved to the Institute of Biochemistry II (IBCII), Goethe University Frankfurt, as DFG Emmy Noether Group Leader and later BIF PLUS3 Fellow and Senior Group Leader. Since 2014 he has held a W3 Heisenberg Professorship in Cell Biology at JGU Mainz and, since 2018, he has headed the Cell Biology Unit at the University Medical Center Mainz. Since 2018, he has also served as Distinguished Visiting Research Director at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR, Singapore.

Krishna's research focuses on the molecular signalling machinery that controls fundamental cellular processes such as cell death and survival, cell migration and differentiation, and how their deregulation drives cancer and immune disorders. His work has uncovered key principles of oncogenic and immune-regulatory signalling, including the prohibitin–RAS–CRAF axis, ubiquitin/IAP-mediated control of RAF and ERK5 pathways, RhoGTPases, and the role of ERK3/MAPK6 in IL-8 signalling, actin dynamics and KRAS-driven tumour progression. Through proteogenomic analysis of patient samples, his team has uncovered novel gene fusions and molecular drivers of papillary thyroid cancers (PTCs). Using interdisciplinary approaches spanning cell biology, proteomics, multi-omics and translational oncology, his team aims to translate mechanistic insights into first-in-class targeted therapies.

To accelerate clinical translation, Krishna has founded several biotech companies, including KHR Biotec GmbH, KRAS Research GmbH and SJP Biotec GmbH. These companies develop RAS- and translation-targeted therapeutics and flavagline-based antibody–drug conjugate (ADC) payloads for treatment-resistant cancers and many of them are in Phase I/II clinical trials. He is the author of more than 100 scientific publications and inventor or co-inventor on more than 110 patent applications worldwide.

Academic education

1995 - 2000 - M.Sc. in Life Sciences Bharathidasan University, Thiruchirapalli, India. Thesis advisors: Prof. Dr. K. V. Krishnamurthy and Prof. Dr. T. Rudel

Scientific degrees

2004 - PhD in Molecular Cell Biology, Max Planck Institut for Infections Biology, 2004; Thesis advisors: Prof. Dr. T. Rudel and Prof. Dr. T. F. Meyer

Professional career

  • 2023–present – Founder, Managing Director, KRAS Research GmbH, Germany; SJP Biotec GmbH, Switzerland
  • 2021–present – Founder, Managing Director, KHR Biotec GmbH, Germany
  • 2018–present – Distinguished Visiting Research Director, IMCB, A*STAR, Singapore
  • 2018–present – Head, Cell Biology Unit, University Medical Center Mainz
  • 2014–2020 – W3 Heisenberg Professor in Cell Biology, JGU Mainz (tenured)
  • 2013–2014 – BIF PLUS3 Fellow and Senior Group Leader, Institute of Biochemistry II, Goethe University Frankfurt
  • 2008–2013 – DFG Emmy Noether Group Leader, Institute of Biochemistry II, Goethe University Frankfurt
  • 2006–2008 – C1 Oberassistent, Institute of Medical Radiation and Cell Research (MSZ), University of Würzburg
  • 2005–2006 – Scientist, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin
  • 2004–2005 – Postdoctoral Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin

Selected Awards and Fellowships

  •  Distinguished Visiting Research Director, IMCB, A*STAR, Singapore (since 2018)
  •  Else Kröner-Fresenius key project grant "groundbreaking proposals" (2018)
  •  Best Alumni Award, Bharathidasan University, India (2017)
  •  Honorary Adjunct Professor, IIT Madras, School of Biotechnology (2016– 2019)
  •  Spitzenforscher ("Top Researcher") Grant, State of Rhineland-Palatinate (2014)
  •  Gutenberg Forschungskolleg (GFK) Fellowship, JGU Mainz (since 2014)
  •  W3 Heisenberg Professorship in Cell Biology, DFG (first Heisenberg Professor at UMC Mainz, 2013)
  •  PLUS3 Fellow, Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation (2012)
  •  Top Lecturer, "Leben und Leiden" seminars, Goethe University (2010–2013)
  •  BOGS Stipend, German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (2008)
  •  Selected for the DFG Emmy Noether Programme
  •  AACR-AFLAC Scholar-in-Training Award (2005)
  •  PhD and Postdoc Fellowships, Max Planck Society (2000–2006)
  •  EMBO/FEBS/UNESCO Fellowship (1998)

Editorial and Advisory Roles

  • Editorial boards: Cell Death and Disease, FEBS Journal, Bioscience Reports, Translational Oncology, Discover Oncology, Genetics and Genomics Next
  •  Advisory board member, SGRF Foundation, India (until 2021)
  •  Scientific Advisory Board member, Worldwide Cancer Research, Edinburgh, UK (since 2025)
  •  Scientific awards committee member and co-chair, SGRF (until 2021)
  •  Steering committee member, Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center Mainz
  •  Research coordinator, Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Mainz, section “Oncogenic Signaling and Resistance”
  •  Selection committee member and Investigator, TransMed Clinician Scientist Program, University Medical Center Mainz
  •  Mentor and advisory council member, MeMentUM program for career advancement of female scientists, University Medical Center Mainz
  •  Reviewer for major funding agencies including DFG, DKH, Wellcome Trust, NHMRC Singapore, Genesis Oncology Trust (New Zealand), and AKH (Austria), among others
  •  Scientific advisory to Indivumed Group and additional industry and academic partners

International Patents (Selection)

Selected patent families related to RAS signalling and targeted therapies include:

  • Prohibitin as a target for cancer therapy (inventors: K. Rajalingam, T. Rudel). Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V. PCT/EP2005/010339; WO2006/032528.
  • Derivatives for inhibition of KRAS oncogene activation (inventors: K. Rajalingam, J. Yurugi). UMC, JGU Mainz, Germany. EP18200610.6; PCT/EP2019/077916; ZA202103150B; US20230165829A1 – licensed to KHR Biotec.
  • A method for detecting clustering of RAS proteins (inventors: W. Zhao, H. Mu, K. Rajalingam). Nanyang Technological University; UMC, JGU Mainz, Germany. WO2023107011A2; PCT/SG2022/050896.
  • Furo[3,2-c]pyridine derivatives as RAS inhibitors for use in the treatment of hyperproliferative diseases or genetic disorders (inventor: K. Rajalingam). KHR Biotec GmbH. PCT/EP2022/025399; EP23158214.9; WO2023030687A1 and related filings.
  • Novel RAS inhibitors (inventor: K. Rajalingam). KHR Biotec GmbH. PCT/EP2022/025396; WO2023030685A1.
  • Methods and compositions for treating cancer (inventors: K. Rajalingam, S. M. Fruchtman, M. Parris, S. C. Cosenza). Onconova Therapeutics (now Traws Pharma, Inc.). PCT/US2023/023624; WO2023230288A1.
  • Repurposed RAS inhibitors (inventor: K. Rajalingam). KHR Biotec GmbH. EP22020284; EP22020272 and related applications.

Selected Original Articles

  • Bogucka-Janczi K, Harms G, Coissieux MM, Bentires-Alj M, Thiede B, Rajalingam K. ERK3/MAPK6 dictates CDC42/RAC1 activity and ARP2/3-dependent actin polymerization. Elife. 2023 Apr 14;12:e85167. doi: 10.7554/eLife.85167.
  • Renaud E, Riegel K, Romero R, Suryamohan K, Distler U, Tenzer S, Schad A, Musholt TJ, Rajalingam K. Multiomic analysis of papillary thyroid cancers identifies BAIAP2L1-BRAF fusion and requirement of TRIM25, PDE5A and PKCδ for tumorigenesis. Mol Cancer. 2022 Oct 10;21(1):195. doi: 10.1186/s12943-022-01665-y.
  •  Mooz J, Riegel K, Ps H, Sadanandam A, Marini F, Klein M, Werner U, Roth W, Wilken-Schmitz A, Tegeder I, Rajalingam K. ARAF suppresses ERBB3 expression and metastasis in a subset of lung cancers. Sci Adv. 2022 Mar 18;8(11):eabk1538. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abk1538.
  • Bogucka K, Pompaiah M, Marini F, Binder H, Harms G, Kaulich M, Klein M, Michel C, Radsak MP, Rosigkeit S, Grimminger P, Schild H, Rajalingam K (2020) ERK3/MAPK6 controls IL-8 production and chemotaxis. Elife; 9:e52511. doi: 10.7554/eLife.52511
  • Krishnan A, Berthelet J, Renaud E, Rosigkeit S, Distler U, Stawiski E, Wang J, Modrusan Z, Fiedler M, Bienz M, Tenzer S, Schad A, Roth W, Thiede B, Seshagiri S, Musholt TJ, Rajalingam K. Proteogenomics analysis unveils a TFG-RET fusion and druggable targets in Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas. Nat Commun. 2020 11(1):2056. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-15955-w.
  • Buehler U, Schulenburg K, Yurugi H, Solman M, Abankwa D, Ulges A, Tenzer S, Bopp T, Thiede B, Zipp F, Rajalingam K. Targeting Prohibitins at the cell surface prevents Th17-mediated autoimmunity. EMBO J. 2018 Aug 15;37(16):e99429. doi: 10.15252/embj.201899429.
  • Takeda AN, Oberoi-Khanuja TK, Glatz G, Schulenburg K, Scholz RP, Carpy A, Macek B, Remenyi A, Rajalingam K (2014) Ubiquitin dependent regulation of MEKK2/3-MEK5-ERK5 signaling module by XIAP and cIAP1. EMBO J. 33(16):1784-801.
  • Oberoi TK, Dogan T, Hocking JC, Scholz RP, Mooz J, Anderson CL, Karreman C, Meyer zu Heringdorf D, Schmidt G, Ruonala M, Namikawa K, Harms GS, Carpy A, Macek B, Köster RW, Rajalingam K (2011) IAPs regulate the plasticity of cell migration by directly targeting Rac1 for degradation. EMBO J. Nov 25. doi: 10.1038/emboj.2011.423.
  • Dogan T, Harms GS, Hekman M, Karreman C, Oberoi TK, Alnemri ES, Rapp UR, Rajalingam K. X-linked and cellular IAPs modulate the stability of C-RAF kinase and cell motility. Nat Cell Biol. 2008 Dec;10(12):1447-55. doi: 10.1038/ncb1804.
  • Rajalingam K, Wunder C, Brinkmann V, Churin Y, Hekman M, Sievers C, Rapp UR, Rudel T. Prohibitin is required for Ras-induced Raf-MEK-ERK activation and epithelial cell migration. Nat Cell Biol. 2005 Aug;7(8):837-43. doi: 10.1038/ncb1283.