Dr. Muralidhara Rao Maradana

Dr. Muralidhara Rao Maradana

Associate Professor
Qualification : DBT Ramalingaswami Fellow
Email : muralidm1@srmist.edu.in

Dr. Maradana is an early-career researcher with experience in the field of immunology, inflammatory disorders, infectious diseases, and diet-based therapeutic development. In his PhD work at the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, he demonstrated the therapeutic potential of liposomal anti-inflammatory drug delivery to treat metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) using diet-induced obesity model system (Metabolism, 2017). Dr. Maradana completed his postdoctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. Brigitta Stockinger at the Francis Crick Institute, London, UK in 2018. In Stockinger’s lab he focused on identifying the role of the environmental sensor Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), which recognizes diet and gut microbiota derived indole derivates (AHR-ligands), in colon tumorigenesis. Dr. Maradana utilized stem-cell derived 3D organoids and multi-omics approaches to define the molecular mechanism by which AHR execute its cancer preventive functions (Nature Communications, 2022). In collaboration with molecular parasitologist Dr. Adam Sateriale, Dr. Maradana investigated the therapeutic potential of dietary AHR-ligands in cryptosporidiosis that cause significant diarrhea-related morbidity and mortality to infants and young ruminant animals (Cell Host Microbe, 2023). He has been awarded DBT-Ramalingaswami Fellowship (2023) and ANRF Early Career Award (2025) to continue his work on cryptosporidiosis as he envisions to translate his findings to humans and farm animals.

S.No. Degree Year Subject University/Institution
1 B.Sc. 2006 Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Microbiology The Andhra University
2 M.Sc. 2008 Bioinformatics The University of Madras
3 Ph.D 2016 Medicine The University of Queensland, Australia.
S.No. Positions held Name of the Institute From To
1 Research Assistant Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, India May 2009 Apr 2011
2 Postdoctoral Research Fellow The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK Jan 2018 Jun 2023
3 Associate Professor SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, India Jul 2023 Present
  • Intestinal Immunity, Enteric Infection, Metabolic Inflammation, and Tissue Regeneration & Repair

Funded Projects

  • Title: The Impact of Cryptosporidium parasite infection on fatty liver disease development in childhood obesity.
    Role: PI
    Funding Agency: Anusandhan National Research Foundation, India
    Year & Duration: 2025, 3 years
    Sanctioned Amount: Rs. 63,18,240
  • Title: Influence of host and environmental factors on host-parasite interactions and immune response in Cryptosporidium infection
    Role: PI
    Funding Agency: Department of Biotechnology (DBT), India
    Year & Duration: 2023, 3 years
    Sanctioned Amount: Rs. 40,50,000

Publications:

2026

  • Korpe, P., Chilufya, R., Maradana, M. R., Greigert, V., Pallett, M., Nötzel, C., Walzer, K. A., Balestra, A., Key, M., Shaw, S., Baragaña, B., & Meyers, M. J. (2026). The second Cryptosporidium meeting: Edinburgh's parasite deep dive. Trends in parasitology, 42(8), 674–679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2026.06.004
  • Sebastian, A. M., Aswathy, B., Sathya, E. R., Karthikeyan, S., Maradana, M. R., & Haridoss, M. (2026). Systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis among children in India. Gut pathogens, 18(1), 72. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13099-026-00836-2

2023

  • Maradana, M. R., Marzook, N. B., Diaz, O. E., Mkandawire, T., Diny, N. L., Li, Y., Liebert, A., Shah, K., Tolaini, M., Kváč, M., Stockinger, B., & Sateriale, A. (2023). Dietary environmental factors shape the immune defense against Cryptosporidium infection. Cell host & microbe, 31(12), 2038–2050.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2023.11.008
  • Liebert, A., Shapiro, M., Maradana, M. R., Li, Y., Powell, N., Zilbauer, M., & Stockinger, B. (2024). Dysregulation of the Environmental Sensor Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Affects Differentiation of Human Colon Organoids. Cellular and molecular gastroenterology and hepatology, 17(3), 507–510. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcmgh.2023.11.002
  • Hu, X. L., Xiao, W., Lei, Y., Green, A., Lee, X., Maradana, M. R., Gao, Y., Xie, X., Wang, R., Chennell, G., Basson, M. A., Kille, P., Maret, W., Bewick, G. A., Zhou, Y., & Hogstrand, C. (2023). Aryl hydrocarbon receptor utilises cellular zinc signals to maintain the gut epithelial barrier. Nature communications, 14(1), 5431. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-41168-y
  • Bhuyan, Z. A., Rahman, M. A., Maradana, M. R., Mehdi, A. M., Bergot, A. S., Simone, D., El-Kurdi, M., Garrido-Mesa, J., Cai, C. B. B., Cameron, A. J., Hanson, A. L., Nel, H. J., Kenna, T., Leo, P., Rehaume, L., Brown, M. A., Ciccia, F., & Thomas, R. (2023). Genetically encoded Runx3 and CD4+ intestinal epithelial lymphocyte deficiencies link SKG mouse and human predisposition to spondyloarthropathy. Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.), 247, 109220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clim.2022.109220

2022

  • Shah, K., Maradana, M. R., Joaquina Delàs, M., Metidji, A., Graelmann, F., Llorian, M., Chakravarty, P., Li, Y., Tolaini, M., Shapiro, M., Kelly, G., Cheshire, C., Bhurta, D., Bharate, S. B., & Stockinger, B. (2022). Cell-intrinsic Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor signalling is required for the resolution of injury-induced colonic stem cells. Nature communications, 13(1), 1827. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29098-7

2021

  • Moentadj, R., Wang, Y., Bowerman, K., Rehaume, L., Nel, H., O Cuiv, P., Stephens, J., Baharom, A., Maradana, M., Lakis, V., Morrison, M., Wells, T., Hugenholtz, P., Benham, H., Le Cao, K. A., & Thomas, R. (2021). Streptococcus species enriched in the oral cavity of patients with RA are a source of peptidoglycan-polysaccharide polymers that can induce arthritis in mice. Annals of the rheumatic diseases, 80(5), 573–581. https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2020-219009

2020

  • Obata Y, Castaño Á, Boeing S, Bon-Frauches AC, Fung C, Fallesen T, de Agüero MG, Yilmaz B, Lopes R, Huseynova A, Horswell S, Maradana Muralidhara Rao, Boesmans W, Vanden Berghe P, Murray AJ, Stockinger B, Macpherson AJ, Pachnis V. (2020). Neuronal programming by microbiota regulates intestinal physiology. Nature, 578(7794), 284-289.

2019

  • Shruthi, S., Mohan, V., Maradana, M. R., & Aravindhan, V. (2019). In silico identification and wet lab validation of novel cryptic B cell epitopes in ZnT8 zinc transporter autoantigen. International journal of biological macromolecules, 127, 657–664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.01.198

2018

  • Metidji, A., Omenetti, S., Crotta, S., Li, Y., Nye, E., Ross, E., Li, V., Maradana, M. R., Schiering, C., & Stockinger, B. (2018). The Environmental Sensor AHR Protects from Inflammatory Damage by Maintaining Intestinal Stem Cell Homeostasis and Barrier Integrity. Immunity, 49(2), 353–362.e5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2018.07.010
  • O'Sullivan, B. J., Yekollu, S., Ruscher, R., Mehdi, A. M., Maradana, M. R., Chidgey, A. P., & Thomas, R. (2018). Autoimmune-Mediated Thymic Atrophy Is Accelerated but Reversible in RelB-Deficient Mice. Frontiers in immunology, 9, 1092. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01092

2017

  • Nair, P. M., Starkey, M. R., Haw, T. J., Ruscher, R., Liu, G., Maradana, M. R., Thomas, R., O'Sullivan, B. J., & Hansbro, P. M. (2018). RelB-Deficient Dendritic Cells Promote the Development of Spontaneous Allergic Airway Inflammation. American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, 58(3), 352–365. https://doi.org/10.1165/rcmb.2017-0242OC
  • Maradana, M. R., Yekollu, S. K., Zeng, B., Ellis, J., Clouston, A., Miller, G., Talekar, M., Bhuyan, Z. A., Mahadevaiah, S., Powell, E. E., Irvine, K. M., Thomas, R., & O'Sullivan, B. J. (2018). Immunomodulatory liposomes targeting liver macrophages arrest progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Metabolism: clinical and experimental, 78, 80–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2017.09.002

2015

  • Irvine, K. M., Clouston, A. D., Gadd, V. L., Miller, G. C., Wong, W. Y., Melino, M., Maradana, M. R., MacDonald, K., Lang, R. A., Sweet, M. J., Blumenthal, A., & Powell, E. E. (2015). Deletion of Wntless in myeloid cells exacerbates liver fibrosis and the ductular reaction in chronic liver injury. Fibrogenesis & tissue repair, 8, 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13069-015-0036-7

2013

  • Maradana, M. R., Thomas, R., & O'Sullivan, B. J. (2013). Targeted delivery of curcumin for treating type 2 diabetes. Molecular nutrition & food research, 57(9), 1550–1556. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.201200791

2012

  • Aravindhan, V., Mohan, V., Surendar, J., Rao, M. M., Anuradha, R., Deepa, M., & Babu, S. (2012). Effect of filarial infection on serum inflammatory and atherogenic biomarkers in coronary artery disease (CURES-121). The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 86(5), 828–833. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2012.11-0773

2011

  • Surendar, J., Mohan, V., Rao, M. M., Babu, S., & Aravindhan, V. (2011). Increased levels of both Th1 and Th2 cytokines in subjects with metabolic syndrome (CURES-103). Diabetes technology & therapeutics, 13(4), 477–482. https://doi.org/10.1089/dia.2010.0178
  • Surendar, J., Aravindhan, V., Rao, M. M., Ganesan, A., & Mohan, V. (2011). Decreased serum interleukin-17 and increased transforming growth factor-β levels in subjects with metabolic syndrome (Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study-95). Metabolism: clinical and experimental, 60(4), 586–590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2010.06.003

2010

  • Aravindhan, V., Mohan, V., Surendar, J., Rao, M. M., Ranjani, H., Kumaraswami, V., Nutman, T. B., & Babu, S. (2010). Decreased prevalence of lymphatic filariasis among subjects with type-1 diabetes. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 83(6), 1336–1339. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2010.10-0410
  • Aravindhan, V., Mohan, V., Surendar, J., Muralidhara Rao, M., Pavankumar, N., Deepa, M., Rajagopalan, R., Kumaraswami, V., Nutman, T. B., & Babu, S. (2010). Decreased prevalence of lymphatic filariasis among diabetic subjects associated with a diminished pro-inflammatory cytokine response (CURES 83). PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 4(6), e707. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0000707
S.No. Name of the Award Awarding Agency Year
1 PM-ANRF Early Career Award Anusandhan National Research Foundation 2025
2 DBT-Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship Department of Biotechnology (DBT), India 2023
3 The University of Queensland International Scholarship (UQI) The University of Queensland, Australia 2012

PhD Scholars

  • Name: Ann Marry Sebastian
    Email: as1097@srmist.edu.in
    Education: M.Sc Medical Biotechnology
    Area of interest: Parasitology and Infectious disease
  • Name: Ashwathy B
    Email: ab8859@srmist.edu.in
    Education: M.Sc Biotechnology
    Area of interest: Parasitology, Infectious disease and Proteomics
  • Name: Brindhavanam P T
    Email: bt6190@srmist.edu.in
    Education: M.Sc Biotechnology
    Area of interest: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • Co-Guide for
    Name: Sathya E R
    Email: se9779@srmist.edu.in
    Education: M.Sc Biochemistry
    Area of interest: Biochemistry, Infectious disease and Pharmocology

Availability: Available

Research Area: Influence of Environmental Factors on Enteric Immunity and Infections.

Number of Positions: 3

Eligibility / Preferred

Background: M.Sc in Biotechnology/Biochemistry/Microbiology, Preferably with own fellowship (CSIR-NET or equivalent)

Mode of Registration: Full-time