Postdoctoral Researcher at Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at Technical University Munich, Germany
Dr. Sanjai Karanth is a dynamic biophysicist with a multidisciplinary background that fuses biotechnology, software engineering, and cutting-edge biophysical chemistry 🔬💡. His professional journey spans globally acclaimed institutes in Germany and the USA, where he’s contributed to frontier research on mechanoreceptors, DNA-lipid nanodiscs, and nanoparticle-biomembrane interactions 🌱🧪. A blend of academic excellence and industrial expertise, Sanjai’s work reflects deep curiosity and technical dexterity. His transition from software engineering at Wipro to award-winning research demonstrates adaptability and passion for science 🔄🧠. With a poster prize at the Linz Winter Workshop and scholarships funded by the German Federal Ministry, Sanjai is emerging as a promising scientist in interface biophysics and sensory chemistry 🌍🏅. His collaborative spirit, cross-domain experience, and global exposure equip him to contribute to innovations in sustainable food systems and membrane biochemistry.
Professional Profile
Orcid
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🎓 Education
Dr. Sanjai Karanth’s academic voyage began with a Bachelor of Engineering in Biotechnology from DSCE, Bengaluru, where he laid the foundation of his scientific interests 🧫🎓. Excelling with a 76.4% grade, he pursued a Master’s in Biophysics at Ulm University, Germany 🇩🇪, where his thesis on light transmission spectroscopy reflected early signs of his analytical depth 💡🔬. He graduated with a CGPA of 2.4 under the German grading system. His academic peak was reached during his PhD at the University of Greifswald, focusing on the physicochemical interactions of proteins and nanoparticles under nitric oxide stress—a niche and impactful topic in biophysical chemistry ⚗️🧬. Under Prof. Mihaela Delcea’s guidance, his doctoral research combined interface dynamics, nanoscience, and membrane biochemistry, forming the scientific bedrock of his postdoctoral work. Sanjai’s education trajectory reveals a commitment to science that is both deep and multidisciplinary.
🧪 Professional Experience
Dr. Sanjai Karanth has accumulated robust international research experience that spans the United States and Germany 🌍🔍. Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at TUM, he delves into the sensory realm of mouthfeel, focusing on plant-based texture-enhancers through biophysical identification of receptors 🌱👄. Previously, at Kent State University (USA), he worked on engineering DNA-lipid nanodiscs—a cutting-edge tool in structural biology 🧬🔬. At the University of Greifswald, he investigated how plastic nanoparticles interact with blood proteins and lipid membranes, contributing to the evolving field of environmental biophysics 🌐🧫. Earlier, Sanjai also served in the corporate realm at Wipro Technologies, evolving from Software Engineer to Quality Assurance Team Lead 🖥️🔧. His ability to lead teams, handle client deliverables, and translate business needs into code highlights an interdisciplinary aptitude uncommon in many academic researchers.
🔬 Research Interests
Dr. Sanjai Karanth’s research interests converge at the intersection of biomolecular interfaces, nanotechnology, and sensory biophysics 🔍🧪. His fascination lies in exploring how biomolecules behave under physical and chemical stresses—especially in lipid bilayers, membrane proteins, and nano-bio interactions. Whether it’s decoding how nanoparticles influence blood components or how texture is sensed at the molecular level in plant-based foods, Sanjai thrives on bridging fundamental science with real-world applications 🌾👨🔬. His postdoctoral studies have advanced the understanding of mechanoreceptors and chemoreceptors, essential for innovating sustainable food systems 🌱🧠. Earlier, he explored nitric oxide-induced stress on biomimetic membranes during his PhD—laying the groundwork for his multidisciplinary approach. By integrating spectroscopy, nanodisc technology, and physicochemical assays, Sanjai seeks to demystify complex interactions that underlie both health and sensory science 🧬👅. His ambition lies in continuing to unravel molecular secrets that have societal, environmental, and nutritional relevance.
🏅 Awards and Honors
Dr. Sanjai Karanth’s scientific journey has been punctuated with notable recognitions 🏆📚. In 2025, he secured the 3rd Prize for his poster at the Linz Winter Workshop in Austria—a testament to the relevance and quality of his biophysical research ❄️🔬. Earlier, in 2016, he was honored with a prestigious scholarship from Ulm University, funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), enabling him to pursue advanced biophysics research 💶🎓. His excellence wasn’t confined to academia—during his time at Wipro Technologies, he was celebrated as an Outstanding Team Player in 2014, a recognition of his leadership and teamwork skills in the IT sector 🌐💼. These accolades span both technical and interpersonal domains, demonstrating Sanjai’s rare ability to excel in collaborative environments across science and industry. Each award not only honors past achievement but also reflects his potential to contribute meaningfully to future scientific innovation.
Publications Top Notes
1.Title: Biomolecular and biophysical AFM probing reveals distinct binding of bitter peptide VAPFPEVF to TAS2R16 without inducing an intracellular calcium response
Authors: Phil Richter, Sanjai Karanth, Rita dos Santos Natividade, Alessandro Nicoli, Małgorzata M. Kogut-Guenthel, Julia Benthin, Antonella Di Pizio, Melanie Koehler, Veronika Somoza
Year: 2025
Citation: Food Chemistry, Vol. 484, 2025, Article 144448
Source: DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.144448
Summary:
This study used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to demonstrate that the bitter peptide VAPFPEVF binds specifically to the human bitter taste receptor TAS2R16 but does not trigger the typical intracellular calcium signaling. Instead, it affects cAMP pathways in gastric cells, suggesting alternative signaling mechanisms for taste perception.
2.Title: Fava Bean Protein Nanofibrils Modulate Cell Membrane Interfaces for Biomolecular Interactions as Unveiled by Atomic Force Microscopy
Authors: Sanjai Karanth
Year: 2024
Citation: Foods, 13(21), 2024
Source: DOI: 10.3390/foods13213411
Summary:
Explores how fava bean protein nanofibrils interact with cell membranes, altering biomolecular interfaces. AFM imaging revealed the structural changes at the membrane interface, advancing understanding of plant protein interactions at the cellular level.
3.Title: The path to the G protein‐coupled receptor structural landscape: Major milestones and future directions
Authors: Not specified
Year: 2024
Citation: British Journal of Pharmacology, 2024
Source: DOI: 10.1111/bph.17314
Summary:
A comprehensive review summarizing significant progress in the structural biology of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), highlighting key milestones and potential future research directions in receptor pharmacology.
4.Title: Nanodisc Technology: Direction toward Physicochemical Characterization of Chemosensory Membrane Proteins in Food Flavor Research
Authors: Sanjai Karanth
Year: 2024
Citation: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2024
Source: DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c01827
Summary:
Discusses the use of nanodisc technology to stabilize chemosensory membrane proteins for physicochemical characterization, with applications in understanding flavor perception and food chemistry.
5.Title: Biophysical investigations using atomic force microscopy can elucidate the link between mouthfeel and flavour perception
Authors: Sanjai Karanth
Year: 2024
Citation: Nature Food, 2024
Source: DOI: 10.1038/s43016-024-00958-3
Summary:
Highlights how atomic force microscopy can be employed to study biophysical interactions relevant to mouthfeel and flavor, shedding light on the molecular basis of sensory perception.
6.Title: Interaction of Polystyrene Nanoparticles with Supported Lipid Bilayers: Impact of Nanoparticle Size and Protein Corona
Authors: Sanjai Karanth
Year: 2023
Citation: Macromolecular Bioscience, 2023
Source: DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202200464
Summary:
Investigates how size and protein corona of polystyrene nanoparticles influence their interactions with model lipid membranes, providing insights into nanoparticle-biomembrane interactions important for nanotoxicology.
7.Title: Identification of a critical lipid ratio in raft-like phases exposed to nitric oxide: An AFM study
Authors: Sanjai Karanth
Year: 2021
Citation: Biophysical Journal, June 2021
Source: DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.06.009
Summary:
AFM was used to reveal how nitric oxide exposure affects the lipid composition and organization in membrane raft-like domains, which has implications for cellular signaling under stress conditions.
8.Title: Biopolymer-coated gold nanoparticles inhibit human insulin amyloid fibrillation
Authors: Sanjai Karanth
Year: 2020
Citation: Scientific Reports, December 2020
Source: DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64010-7
Summary:
Shows that biopolymer-coated gold nanoparticles can effectively inhibit the formation of insulin amyloid fibrils, offering potential therapeutic avenues for amyloid-related diseases.
9.Title: Changing surface properties of artificial lipid membranes at the interface with biopolymer coated gold nanoparticles under normal and redox conditions
Authors: Sanjai Karanth
Year: 2020
Citation: Biophysical Chemistry, December 2020
Source: DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2020.106465
Summary:
Examines how the interaction between biopolymer-coated gold nanoparticles and lipid membranes changes under normal and redox stress, providing insights into nanoparticle–membrane dynamics.
10.Title: Nitrosative stress affects the interaction of integrin alphaIIbbeta3 with its ligands
Authors: Sanjai Karanth
Year: 2020
Citation: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Biomembranes, May 2020
Source: DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183198
Summary:
Studies how nitrosative stress modifies the binding of integrin alphaIIbbeta3 to its ligands, which can affect platelet function and blood coagulation processes.
🎯 Conclusion
Dr. Sanjai Karanth exemplifies a new generation of interdisciplinary scientists—those who comfortably straddle the realms of computation, chemistry, and biology to solve complex problems 🌐🔬. From developing membrane models in Germany to crafting nanodiscs in the USA, and now shaping food texture perception in Bavaria, his trajectory illustrates global competence, scientific curiosity, and translational vision 🌍🧠. Backed by academic accolades and industrial experience, Sanjai brings both intellectual rigor and a practical mindset to every project he undertakes. As he continues to decode sensory and molecular systems at the forefront of science, Sanjai’s future looks rich with collaborative potential, societal relevance, and scientific breakthroughs 🚀🌿. His story is one of reinvention, cross-border achievement, and unwavering passion for biophysical chemistry. With each milestone, he reinforces his role as a researcher committed to understanding the invisible interactions that make our world work—right from the nanoscale to the sensory scale.