Shiji Raju

I am a nanomedicine expert with over nine years of experience in the synthesis, characterization, and in vitro and in vivo studies of various nanomaterials for biomedical applications, including drug delivery and imaging, with a particular focus on oncology. Currently, I am a postdoctoral researcher at Tampere University, where I specialize in the bio-fabrication of immunotherapeutic-loaded nanomedicine for pancreatic cancer. My project, which aims to enhance image-guided cancer treatment through immunomodulation by integrating nanomedicine and immunotherapy, was internationally selected for funding by the Tampere Institute for Advanced Study for the 2023–2025 period.

I hold a Ph.D. in Biotechnology from the University of Kerala, with research conducted at the Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. My doctoral work was supported by a 5-year University Grants Commission - Junior Research Fellowship (CSIR/UGC JRF) awarded in 2015 through a highly competitive national examination by the Department of Higher Education, Government of India. My thesis, ‘Evaluation of Punica Granatum Fruit Rind Polysaccharide Nano-constructs for Theranostic Applications in Cancer’, focused on the development of theranostic nanomedicine.

My fascination with immunology began during my master's studies, where I was captivated by the body’s defence mechanisms against diseases, particularly the intricate interplay of humoral and cell-mediated immunity. During my Ph.D., I explored nanotechnology's applications in biomedicine, and now, in my postdoctoral research, I am privileged to synergize nanotechnology with immunology. My professional goal is to establish myself as an independent researcher and contribute to translational nanomedicine-immunotherapy research that directly benefits patient care.

• Animal cell culture: Media preparation, culture and storage of different cancer and normal cell lines, sterilization, handling and maintenance of culture room and equipment.
• Handling experimental animals:  Different strain mice - BALB/c, C57 Black, NCr nude.
• Nanomaterial preparation and characterization
• Molecular biology: Isolation of RNA and protein, cDNA preparation, PCR, agarose gel electrophoresis, SDS PAGE, western blotting, ELISA
• Imaging: Bright and fluorescence imaging of cells, in vivo fluorescence imaging, image processing and interpretation.
• In vitro studies: Hemolysis assay, MTT assay, flowcytometric apoptotic assays, cox lox assay, colony formation assay, glucose uptake assay, drug release profiling.
• In vivo studies: Toxicity studies, bio-distribution studies, tumor reduction studies.
• Writing and interpretation of data.
• Histopathology: Tissue processing and Hematoxylin and Eosin staining for histopathological analysis.

Fellowships and qualifications

• International Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2023)
  Tampere Institute for Advanced Study, Tampere University, Finland.
• Chief Minister’s Navakerala Postdoctoral Fellowship (2023)
  The Kerala State Higher Education Council, Govt of Kerala, India.
• CSIR-UGC Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Lectureship in Biotechnology (June 2015)
  Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Govt of India.
• ARS-NET Lectureship in Agricultural Biotechnology (2014)
  Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt of India.
• CSIR-UGC NET Lectureship in Biotechnology (December 2013)
  Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Govt of India.

Honors

• Dr. Divya Ravindran Memorial Award (2023)
  Best Research Paper, Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.

Nanomedicine, Immunotherapy, Targeted therapy, Cancer

Research articles

1.   Shiji, R., Joseph, M.M., Anitha, S., Raveendran Pillai, K., Unnikrishnan, B.S. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2022. Galactomannan armed superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as a folate receptor targeted multi-functional theranostic agent in the management of cancer. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 219, pp.740-753. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.07.185

2.   Shiji, R., Joseph, M.M., Raveendran Pillai, K., Preethi, G.U. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2020. A biocompatible glycol-capped nano-delivery system with stimuli-responsive drug release kinetics abrogates cancer cell survival. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 165, pp.568-581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.09.121

3.   Shiji R., Joseph M.M, Raveendran Pillai, K., Himabindu P., Preethi G.U., Sreelekha T.T., 2020. Polysaccharide enabled biogenic fabrication of pH sensing fluorescent gold nanoclusters as a biocompatible tumor imaging probe. Microchimica Acta, 187, pp.1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-020-4189-8

4.   Unnikrishnan, B.S., Preethi, G.U., Anitha, S., Shiji, R., Archana, M.G., Sreekutty, J., Anusree, K.S., Syama, H.P., Deepa, M., Anil, P. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2021. Impact of galactoxyloglucan coated iron oxide nanoparticles on reactive oxygen species generation and magnetic resonance imaging for tumor management. Journal of Cluster Science, pp.1-14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10876-020-01971-9

5.   Unnikrishnan, B.S., Anitha, S., Preethi, G.U., Joseph, M.M., Maya, S., Shiji, R., Anusree, K.S. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2020. Folic acid-appended galactoxyloglucan-capped iron oxide nanoparticles as a biocompatible nanotheranostic agent for tumor-targeted delivery of doxorubicin. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 168, pp.130-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.11.205

6.   Syama, H.P., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Sreekutty, J., Archana, M.G., Joseph, M.M., Preethi, G.U., Anusree, K.S., Reshma, P.L., Shiji, R. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2022. Bio fabrication of galactomannan capped silver nanoparticles to apprehend Ehrlich ascites carcinoma solid tumor in mice. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 76, p.103649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103649

7.   Reshma, P.L., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Preethi, G.U., Syama, H.P., Archana, M.G., Remya, K., Shiji, R., Sreekutty, J. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2019. Overcoming drug-resistance in lung cancer cells by paclitaxel loaded galactoxyloglucan nanoparticles. International journal of biological macromolecules, 136, pp.266-274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.06.075

8.   Padinjarathil, H., Joseph, M.M., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Preethi, G.U., Shiji, R., Archana, M.G., Maya, S., Syama, H.P. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2018. Galactomannan endowed biogenic silver nanoparticles exposed enhanced cancer cytotoxicity with excellent biocompatibility. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules,118, pp.1174-1182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.06.194

9.   Preethi, G.U., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Sreekutty, J., Archana, M.G., Anupama, M.S., Shiji, R., Pillai, K.R., Joseph, M.M., Syama, H.P. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2020. Semi-interpenetrating nanosilver doped polysaccharide hydrogel scaffolds for cutaneous wound healing. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 142, pp.712-723. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.10.012

10. James, A.R., Shiji, R., Kusumakumary, P., Nair, M., George, S.K. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2016. Profiling gene mutations, translocations, and multidrug resistance in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a step forward to personalizing medicine. Medical Oncology, 33, pp.1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-016-0809-x

11. Preethi, G.U., Sreekutty, J., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Archana, M.G., Syama, H.P., Deepa, M., Shiji, R., Anusree, K.S. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2020. Doxorubicin eluting microporous polysaccharide scaffolds: An implantable device to expunge tumour. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 107, pp.1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2019.110332

12. Preethi, G.U., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Joseph, M.M., Shiji R., Sreelekha, T.T., 2019. Biogenic silver nanoparticles adorned Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofibrous Scaffolds avert Tumour and Bacterial Growth. Current Science, 116, pp.1735-1741. doi: 10.18520/cs/v116/i10/1735-1741

13. James, A.R., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Priya, R., Joseph, M.M., Manojkumar, T.K., Raveendran Pillai, K., Shiji, R., Preethi, G.U., Kusumakumary, P. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2017. Computational and mechanistic studies on the effect of galactoxyloglucan: Imatinib nanoconjugate in imatinib resistant K562 cells. Tumor Biology, 39, pp.1-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/1010428317695946

14. Shiji, R., George, J., Sunitha, S., Vandhana, A. and Muthuraj, R., 2015. Effect of NAA and IBA on in vitro regeneration and hardening in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz.). Journal of Root Crops, 40, pp.12-20.

15. Shiji, R., George, J., Sunitha, S. and Muthuraj, R., 2014. Micropropagation for rapid multiplication of planting material in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz). Journal of Root Crops, 40, pp. 23-30.

Book chapter

1.   Shiji, R., Manu, M.J., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Preethi, G.U. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2017. Fluorescent Gold Nanoclusters as a Powerful Tool for Sensing Applications in Cancer Management. In: Anuj Tripathi and Jose Savio Melo (eds), Advances in Biomaterials for Biomedical Applications (pp. 385-428). Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3328-5_10

2.   Rajkumar, S. and Shiji, R., 2023. Recent Developments in Two-Dimensional (2D) Inorganic Nanomaterials-Based Photothermal Therapy for Cancer Theranostics. In: Malviya R and Sundram S (eds), Targeted Cancer Therapy in Biomedical Engineering. Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering (pp.563-595). Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9786-0_16

3.   Komeri, R., Syama, H.P., Preethi, G.U., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Shiji, R., Archana, M.G., Mohan, D., Tripathi, A. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2021. Prospects of Cell Immobilization in Cancer Research and Immunotherapy. In: Anuj Tripathi and Jose Savio Melo (eds), Immobilization Strategies (pp. 165-193). Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7998-1_4

Review articles

1.   Akhilesh, K.Y., Nagaraj, B., Saba, S., Shiji, R., Rajkumar, S., Prathap, S., Uthappa, U.T. and Gholamreza, A., 2024. Emerging Trends of Gold Nanostructures for Point-of-Care Biosensor-Based Detection of COVID-19. Molecular Biotechnology, pp.1-25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12033-024-01157-y

2.   Unnikrishnan, B.S., Joseph, M.M., Preethi, G.U., Shiji, R. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2017. Green Chemistry Approach as a Versatile Platform for Nanoparticles with Biomedical Applications. Nanoscience and Nanotechnology-Asia, 7, pp.26-40. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/2210681206666161121160505

3.   Preethi, G.U., Joseph, M.M., Unnikrishnan, B.S., Shiji, R. and Sreelekha, T.T., 2015. Biomedical applications of natural polymer based nanofibrous scaffolds. International Journal of Medical Nano Research, 2, pp.1-9. https://doi.org/10.23937/2378-3664/1410010