Research Associate
Sreeja Narayanan
- sreeja@cvjsynbio.org , narayanan.sreeja@cusat.ac.in
Centre for Synthetic Biology and Bio-Manufacturing, CUSAT
I am a multidisciplinary scientist working at the intersection of immunomodulation, nanomedicine, and translational biotechnology. I hold an M.Tech–PhD in Nanomedical Science from the Faculty of Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. Following this, I was a UGC-DS Kothari Postdoctoral Fellow and subsequently a DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance Early Career Fellow at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT).
My research has evolved from combinatorial nanomedicine and advanced core–shell nanocarrier systems for targeted drug delivery to the design of bio-inspired delivery platforms, including vaccine adjuvants and enteric-coated systems. I focus on developing cost-effective, clinically translatable solutions for conditions such as gut inflammation and cancer, integrating approaches from in vitro to in vivo biological systems.
Breif Research Statement
My research program is centred on engineering immune responses through innovative biomaterial and biomimetic platforms. I am particularly interested in:
- Designing nano- and micro-scale delivery systems for targeted immunomodulation
- Developing bio-inspired/ bio-mimetic modalities for immunomodulation
- Exploring host–microbiome–immune system interactions, especially in gut health
- Advancing translational strategies that bridge laboratory discoveries with real-world clinical applications
A key goal of my lab is to create scalable, affordable, and biologically intelligent therapeutic platforms that can be applied in infection control, cancer immunotherapy, and regenerative medicine.
Current Projects:
Immunomodulatory Effects of Biomimetic Nano- and Micro-Particulate Systems: From Cellular Responses to In Vivo Validation, DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance, 2020-2026
Collaborations:
- Prof. Praveen Kumar Vemula, DBT-Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, Bengaluru
- Dr. Sayuj Koyyappurath, Department of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi
- Prof. Sarita G. Bhat, Department of Biotechnology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi
- Dr. Raji Vijayamma, School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam
Publications
- Pradeep A, Mathew AI, Vemula PK, Bhat SG, Narayanan S*. Investigating the pro- inflammatory differentiation of macrophages with bacterial ghosts in potential infection control, Archives in Microbiology, 206, 8, 361 , https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-024-04089-y , 2024
- Adheena PB, Bhat SG, Narayanan S*. Investigating the Immunomodulatory Effects of Antigenic PLGA Nanoparticles and Nutritional Synergy in Caenorhabditis elegans. BioNanoScience, 1-13, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12668-024-01330-2 , 2024
- Reghu G., Vemula PK., Bhat SG., Narayanan S*. Harnessing the Innate Immune System by Revolutionizing the Macrophage-Mediated Cancer Immunotherapies. Journal of Biosciences. 49, 63, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-024-00441-y , 2024
- Narayanan S*., Adheena PB., Muhamad M., Joseph A., Vemula PK., Bhat SG. Demonstrating the Immunostimulatory and Cytokine- Augmentation Effects of Bacterial Ghosts on Natural Killer Cells and Caenorhabditis Elegans. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 121, 3, 959-970 https://doi.org/10.1002/bit.28619 , 2023
- Narayanan S, Kurian N, Bhat SG. Ultra-small pyomelanin nanogranules abiotically derived from bacteria-secreted homogentisic acid show potential applications in inflammation and cancer. BioNanoScience, 10, 191–203, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12668-019-00689-x, 2020
- Narayanan S, Mony U, Vijaykumar DK, Manzoor K, Bindhu Paul- Prasanth, Menon D. Sequential release of Epigallocatechin gallate and Paclitaxel from PLGA-Casein core/shell nanoparticles sensitizes drug- resistant breast cancer cells. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine:6:1399-406, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nano.2015.03.015, 2015
- Narayanan S, Pavithran M, Viswanath A, Narayanan D, Mohan CC, Manzoor K, Nair SV, Menon D. Sequentially releasing dual-drug-loaded PLGA-casein core/shell nanomedicine: Design, synthesis, biocompatibility and pharmacokinetics. Acta biomaterialia,10:2112-24, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2013.12.041, 2014
- Narayanan S, Sathy BN, Mony U, Koyakutty M, Nair SV, Menon D. Biocompatible magnetite/gold nanohybrid contrast agents via green chemistry for MRI and CT bioimaging. ACS applied materials & interfaces 4:251-60, https://doi.org/10.1021/am201311c, 2012.
- Narayanan S, Binulal NS, Mony U, Manzoor K, Nair S, Menon D. Folate targeted polymeric 'green' nanotherapy for cancer. Nanotechnology 21:285107, 10.1088/0957- 4484/21/28/285107, 2010.
- Menon D, Thomas RT, Narayanan S, Maya S, Jayakumar R, Hussain F, Lakshmanan V-K, Nair SV.A novel chitosan/polyoxometalate nano- complex for anti-cancer applications. Carbohydrate Polymers 84:887-893, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.12.030, 2011.
- Pradeep A, Mathew AI, Vemula PK, Bhat SG, Narayanan S*. Organic Nanoparticles in Postharvest Management and the Mechanisms Involved (2023). In: Chapter in Edited Book. CRC Press. [ISBN: 9781003142287].
- Narayanan S*. Cancer Nanomedicine: Leveraging Nanotechnology to Tackle Cancer (2019). In: Chapter in Edited Book. Publication Division, St. Thomas Collage (Autonomous) Trissur. [ISBN: 978-81-935819-4-0].Achievements
achievements
- A hydrogel system for improved probiotic viability in gastrointestinal fluids and method of preparation thereof (Innovators: Sreeja Narayanan, Aiswarya P, and Sarita G Bhat), Filed (No. 202541052670), Indian Patent, May 2025; Published in Patent Office Journal No. 29/2025 dated July 18, 2025 under section 11A of the Indian Patents Act, 1970.
- Best Paper Award, 34th Swadeshi Science Congress, Nov 7-9, ICAR-CIFT, Kochi, 2024
- Recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Letter of Appreciation, Cochin University of Science and Technology, 2023.
- Best Paper Award, International Conference on Antimicrobial Seminar (ICAMR 2023) September 29 - 30, MES College, Kochi, 2023
- Best Paper Presentation Award, Kerala Science Congress-2023, Idukki, Kerala, February,2023.
- DBT-Wellcome Trust India Alliance Early Career Award, 2020.
- Recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Letter of Appreciation, Cochin University of Science and Technology, 2020.
- UGC-DS Kothari Postdoctoral fellowship, 2017.
- ICMR JRF/SRF for PhD (2009, 2011)
- GATE-2007 for MTech