Dr Rama Suntharalingam

I obtained a MSci degree in Chemistry (First Class Honours) from Imperial College London in 2008. I carried out PhD research at Imperial College London (2008-2012) funded by an EPSRC-DTA Scholarship under the guidance of Prof. Ramon Vilar. After obtaining the Misrock Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Koch Institute of Integrative Cancer Research I joined Prof. Stephen Lippard’s research group at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (2012-2014). I began independent research in the Department of Chemistry at King’s College London (KCL) after the award of the Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship in 2014. Upon successful completion of the Leverhulme fellowship in 2017 I was appointed as a Lecturer in Bioinorganic Chemistry at KCL. In 2019 I moved to the University of Leicester as an Associate Professor in Inorganic Chemistry within the School of Chemistry. In 2023, I was appointed as the Deputy Head of the School of Chemistry at the University of Leicester.

The Suntharalingam research group aims to use the chemical and physical diversity offered by inorganic compounds to design and develop new generations of metallopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. The group also focuses on engineering new nano-material systems to deliver therapeutics to their site(s) of action.

I am/have been the PI or co-PI on a number of grants fellowships and studentships with a total value in excess of £2 million. Selected projects are listed below: EPSRC New Investigator Grant ‘Immuno-chemotherapeutic Metal Complexes for Cancer Stem Cell-Directed Therapy’ 2019-2022 (role: PI), Innovate UK-UKRI Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Food Attraction Ltd ‘To develop new production processes to extend the shelf-life of food products whilst maintaining product integrity’ 2021-2023 (role: co-PI), Rosetrees Trust 'Immuno-chemotherapeutic pro-drugs for cancer stem cell focused therapy' 2021-2022 (role: PI), Bone Cancer Research Trust 'Bone-seeking metal-based drugs to overcome chemotherapy-resistant osteosarcoma sub-populations' 2021-2023 (role: PI).

Metallopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a distinct population of tumour cells that have the ability to self-renew, differentiate, and form metastatic tumours. CSCs effectively evade conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy as these treatments specifically target fast growing cancer cells, and CSCs, due to their stem cell-like properties, divide more slowly. After surviving treatment, CSCs are able to regenerate the original tumour and/or produce invasive cancer cells that are able to colonise distant organs. For these reasons, CSCs are widely thought to be responsible for cancer relapse. Therefore, to provide a durable response and prevent tumour recurrence, chemotherapeutics must have the ability to remove the entire population of cancer cells, including CSCs. Therapeutic strategies capable of selectively killing CSCs and disrupting the microenvironments (niches) supporting these cells are the focus of several research programmes. Potential CSC therapeutic targets such as cell surface markers and various deregulated signalling pathways have been identified, but there is still no clinically approved drug that specifically kills CSCs. Many academia- and pharmaceutical-led studies aimed at developing chemical or biological anti-CSC agents are ongoing. Our group aims to harness the diversity and versatility offered by metals to develop inorganic compounds capable of potently and selectively killing CSCs (over bulk cancer cells and normal non-proliferating cells).

More generally, our group aims to use the structural, optical, redox, magnetic, and catalytic diversity offered by metal-containing small molecules to design and develop new generations of metallopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer as well as other diseases. The group also focuses on engineering new nano-material systems to deliver therapeutics to their site(s) of action.

I have published 82 peer-reviewed papers in top-flight international journals (over 6000 citations, Scopus), and 58 independently as corresponding author. Of these papers, 18 papers are published in the very top chemistry journals (JACS, Angew. Chemie., Chem. Sci., Chem. Comm.). My current h-index is 32 (Scopus, WoS). I have also written 4 book chapters and hold 3 patents on the use of third-row transition metal-based complexes for cancer treatment.

Publications at Leicester only (post 2019)

1. Feng X, Dhandore S, Liu Y, Singh K, Ortu F*, Suntharalingam K*, “Osteosarcoma Cell and Osteosarcoma Stem Cell Potent Immunogenic Bi-Nuclear Gallium(III) Complexes” Chemistry - A European Journal, 2025, 31, e202500747.
2. Josa D, Herrera-Ramírez P, Feng X, Gutiérrez A, Aguilà D, Grabulosa A, Martínez M, Suntharalingam K*, Gamez P*, “Cyclometalated half-sandwich iridium(iii) and rhodium(iii) complexes as efficient agents against cancer stem-cell mammospheres” Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers, 2025, 12, 2404-2416.
3. Mouriki O, Passeri G, Singh K, Lamorte SD, Singh K, Suntharalingam K*, Kilpatrick AFR*, “Anti-breast cancer stem cell activity of titanocene complexes of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs” Dalton Transactions, 2025, Advance Article DOI: 10.1039/D5DT01491C.
4. Li Y, Hou Z, Xiao Z*, Lu C, Jin J*, He Y, Jin J, Suntharalingam K, “Modulating the Anticancer Activity of Square-Planar Platinum(II) Complex by Its Chelated Diphosphine” Applied Organometallic Chemistry, 2025, e7803.
5. Wang Y, Singh K, Lu C, Suntharalingam K*, “Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Properties of Square Planar Copper(II) Complexes with Vanillin Schiff Base Ligands” Molecules, 2025, 30(7), 1636.
6. Singh K, Northcote-Smith J, Feng X, Singh K, Suntharalingam K*, “The Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Properties of Copper(II)-Terpyridine Complexes with Attached Salicylaldehyde Moieties” ChemBioChem, 2025, 26, e202400703.
7. Fang J, Orobator ON, Olelewe C, Passeri G, Singh K, Awuah SG*, Suntharalingam K*, "A Breast Cancer Stem Active Cobalt(III)-Cyclam Complex Containing Flufenamic Acid with Immunogenic Potential" Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2024, 63, e202317940.
8. Li Y, Fang J, Singh K, Ortu F*, Suntharalingam K*, “An immunogenic anti-cancer stem cell binuclear copper(II)-flufenamic acid complex” Dalton Transactions, 2024, 53, 6410-6415.
9. Winfrey L, Yun L, Passeri G, Suntharalingam K*, Pulis AP*, “H₂O ⋅ B(C₆F₅)₃-Catalyzed para-Alkylation of Anilines with Alkenes Applied to Late-Stage Functionalization of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs” Chemistry - A European Journal, 2024, 30, e202303130.
10. Singh K, Singh K, Johnson A, Suntharalingam K*, “Anti-Breast Cancer Stem Cell Properties of Silver(I)-Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Complexes” European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2024, e202400133.
11. Fang J, Gerschel P, Singh K, Apfel UP*, Suntharalingam K*, “Cobalt(III)-Macrocyclic Scaffolds with Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Activity” Molecules, 2024, 29(12), 2743.
12. Fang J, Singh K, Suntharalingam K*, “Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Cobalt(III)-Polypyridyl Complexes Containing Salicylic Acid” Inorganics, 2024, 12(8), 202.
13. Johnson A*, Olelewe C, Kim JH, Northcote-Smith J, Mertens RT, Passeri G, Singh K, Awuah SG*, Suntharalingam K*, “The anti-breast cancer stem cell properties of gold(I)-non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug complexes” Chemical Science, 2023, 14, 557-565.
14. Osei PB, Northcote-Smith J, Fang J, Singh K, Ortu F*, Suntharalingam K*, “The Bulk Breast Cancer Cell and Breast Cancer Stem Cell Activity of Binuclear Copper(II)-Phenanthroline Complexes” Chemistry - A European Journal, 2023, e202301188.
15. Suntharalingam K*, “Modern Avenues in Metal-Nucleic Acid Chemistry, Vol. 25 of Metal Ions in Life Sciences” Inorganica Chimica Acta, 2023, 557, 121712.
16. Johnson A, Xiao F, Singh K, Ortu F*, Suntharalingam K*, “The Anti-Breast Cancer Stem Cell Potency of Copper(I)-Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Complexes” Molecules, 2023, 28(17), 6401.
17. Singh K, Northcote-Smith J, Singh K, Suntharalingam K*, “Cancer stem cell activity of copper(II)-terpyridine complexes with aryl sulfonamide groups” Dalton Transactions, 2023, 52, 9694-9704.
18. Passeri G, Vincent RA, Xiao Z, Northcote-Smith J, Suntharalingam K*, “Encapsulation and Delivery of an Osteosarcoma Stem Cell Active Gallium(III)-Diflunisal Complex Using Polymeric Micelles” ChemMedChem, 2023, 18(4), e202200599.
19. Passeri G, Northcote-Smith J, Suntharalingam K*, “Payload Release Profile and Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Properties of Compositionally Different Polymeric Nanoparticles Containing a Copper(II) Complex” Molecules, 2023, 28(6), 2506.
20. Northcote-Smith J, Suntharalingam K*, “Targeting chemotherapy-resistant tumour sub-populations using inorganic chemistry: Anti-cancer stem cell metal complexes” Current Opinion in Chemical Biology 2023, 2023, 72, 102237.
21. Vincent RA, Passeri G, Northcote-Smith J, Singh K, Suntharalingam K*, “The Osteosarcoma Stem Cell Activity of a Gallium(III)-Phenanthroline Complex Appended to Salicylate” ChemBioChem, 2022, 23(24), e202200532.
22. Xiao Z*, Northcote-Smith J, Johnson A, Singh K, Suntharalingam K*, “The Cancer Stem Cell Potency of Group 10-Azadiphosphine Metal Complexes” European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2022, 2022(32), e202200427.
23. Ryan AL, Northcote-Smith J, McKeon A, Roe A, O'Dowd P, Twamley B, Ní Chonghaile T, Suntharalingam K*, Griffith DM*, “A trans-Pt(II) hedgehog pathway inhibitor complex with cytotoxicity towards breast cancer stem cells and triple negative breast cancer cells” Dalton Transactions, 2022, 51(47), 18127.
24. Passeri G, Northcote-Smith J, Perera R, Gubic N, Suntharalingam K*, “An Osteosarcoma Stem Cell Potent Nickel(II)-Polypyridyl Complex Containing Flufenamic Acid” Molecules, 2022, 27(10), 3277.
25. Chen CH, Liu Y-H, Eskandari A, Ghimire J, Lin L C-W, Fang Z-S, Wimley WC, Ulmschneider JP, Suntharalingam K*, Hu C-M J*, Ulmschneider MB*, “Integrated Design of a Membrane‐Lytic Peptide‐Based Intravenous Nanotherapeutic Suppresses Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer” Advanced Science, 2022, 9, 2105506.
26. Johnson A, Iffland-Mühlhaus L, Northcote-Smith J, Singh K, Ortu F*, Apfel U-P*, Suntharalingam K*, “A bioinspired redox-modulating copper(II)–macrocyclic complex bearing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with anti-cancer stem cell activity” Dalton Transactions, 2022, 51, 5904–5912.
27. Passeri G, Northcote-Smith J, Suntharalingam K*, “Delivery of an immunogenic cell death-inducing copper complex to cancer stem cells using polymeric nanoparticles” RSC Advances, 2022, 12(9), 5290–5299.
28. Xiao Z, Johnson A, Singh K, Suntharalingam K*, “The Discrete Breast Cancer Stem Cell Mammosphere Activity of Group 10-Bis(azadiphosphine) Metal Complexes” Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2021, 60(12), 6704-6709.
29. Xiao Z, Passeri G, Northcote-Smith J, Singh K, Suntharalingam K*, “Osteosarcoma stem cell potent gallium(III)-polypyridyl complexes bearing diflunisal” Chemistry - A European Journal, 2021 27, 13846-13854.
30. Northcote-Smith J, Kaur P, Suntharalingam K*, “A Cancer Stem Cell Potent Copper(II) Complex with a S, N, S-Schiff base Ligand and Bathophenanthroline” European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2021, 2021, 1770-1775.
31. Johnson A*, Iffland L, Singh K, Apfel U-P*, Suntharalingam K*, “A dithiacyclam-coordinated silver(I) polymer with anti-cancer stem cell activity” Dalton Transactions, 2021, 50, 5779-5783.
32. Johnson A, Northcote-Smith J, Suntharalingam K*, “Emerging Metallopharmaceuticals for the Treatment of Cancer” Trends in Chemistry, 2021, 3(1), 47-58.
33. Northcote-Smith J, Johnson A, Singh K, Ortu F*, Suntharalingam K*, “Breast cancer stem cell active copper(II) complexes with naphthol schiff base and polypyridyl ligands” Inorganics, 2021, 9(1), 5, 1-13.
34. Feld C, Johnson A, Xiao Z, Suntharalingam K*, “Breast cancer stem cell potency of nickel(II)‐polypyridyl complexes containing non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs” Chemistry - A European Journal, 2020, 26, 14011-14017.
35. Eskandari A, Flamme M, Xiao Z, Suntharalingam K*, “The Bulk Osteosarcoma and Osteosarcoma Stem Cell Activity of a Necroptosis‐Inducing Nickel(II)–Phenanthroline Complex” ChemBioChem, 2020, 21, 2854-2860.
36. Eskandari A, Kundu A, Johnson A, Karmakar S, Ghosh S*, Suntharalingam K*, “A tri-metallic palladium complex with breast cancer stem cell potency” Dalton Transactions, 2020, 49, 4211-4215.
37. Robin P, Singh K, Suntharalingam K*, “Gallium(III)-polypyridyl complexes as anti-osteosarcoma stem cell agents” Chemical Communications, 2020, 56, 1509-1512.
38. Kaur P, Johnson A, Northcote-Smith J, Lu C, Suntharalingam K*, “Immunogenic Cell Death of Breast Cancer Stem Cells by an Endoplasmic Reticulum‐Targeting Copper(II) Complex” ChemBioChem, 2020, 21, 3618-3624.
39. Eskandari A, Suntharalingam K*, “A reactive oxygen species-generating, cancer stem cell-potent manganese(II) complex and its encapsulation into polymeric nanoparticles” Chemical Science, 2019, 10, 7792-7800.
40. Eskandari A, Kundu A, Ghosh S*, Suntharalingam K*, “A Triangular Platinum(II) Multinuclear Complex with Cytotoxicity Towards Breast Cancer Stem Cells” Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2019, 58, 12059-12064.
41. Apfel U-P*, Suntharalingam K*, “Bioinspired Reactivity and Coordination Chemistry” Dalton Transactions, 2019, 48, 5859-5860.
42. Zheng P, Eskandari A, Lu C, Laws K, Aldous L, Suntharalingam K*, “Biophysical analysis of cancer stem cell-potent copper(II) coordination complexes” Dalton Transactions, 2019, 48, 5892-5896.
43. Shin J, Eskandari A, Suntharalingam K*, “Modulating the Chemical and Biological Properties of Cancer Stem Cell-Potent Copper(II)-Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Complexes” Molecules, 2019, 24(9), 1677.

Selected ten publications

Fang J, Orobator ON, Olelewe C, Passeri G, Singh K, Awuah SG*, Suntharalingam K*, "A Breast Cancer Stem Active Cobalt(III)-Cyclam Complex Containing Flufenamic Acid with Immunogenic Potential" Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2024, e202317940. DOI: 10.1002/anie.202317940.

Johnson A, Olelewe C, Kim JH, Northcote-Smith J, Mertens RT, Passeri G, Singh K, Awuah SG*, Suntharalingam K*, “The anti-breast cancer stem cell properties of gold(i)-non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug complexes” Chemical Science, 2023, 14, 557-565.

Xiao Z, Johnson A, Singh K, Suntharalingam K*, "The Discrete Breast Cancer Stem Cell Mammosphere Activity of Group 10-Bis(azadiphosphine) Metal Complexes" Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2021, 60, 6704-6709.

Robin P, Singh K, Suntharalingam K*, "Gallium(III)-polypyridyl complexes as anti-osteosarcoma stem cell agents" Chemical Communications, 2020, 56, 1509-1512.

Eskandari A, Kundu A, Ghosh S*, Suntharalingam K*, "A Triangular Platinum(II) Multinuclear Complex with Cytotoxicity Towards Breast Cancer Stem Cells" Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2019, 58, 12059-12064.

Eskandari A, Suntharalingam K*, "A reactive oxygen species-generating, cancer stem cell-potent manganese(II) complex and its encapsulation into polymeric nanoparticles" Chemical Science, 2019, 10, 7792-7800.

Laws K, Bineva-Todd G, Eskandari A, Lu C, O'Reilly N, Suntharalingam K*, "A Copper(II)-Phenanthroline Metallopeptide that Targets and Disrupts Mitochondrial Function in Breast Cancer Stem Cells" Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2018 57, 287-291.

Boodram NJ, Mcgregor IJ, Bruno PM, Hemann MT, Suntharalingam K*, "Breast Cancer Stem Cell Potent Copper(II)-Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Complexes" Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2016, 55, 2845-2850.

Suntharalingam K, Awuah SG, Bruno PM, Johnstone TC, Wang F, Lin W, Zheng Y, Page JE, Hemann MT, Lippard SJ, "Necroptosis-Inducing Rhenium(V) Oxo Complexes" Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2015, 137, 2967-2974.

Suntharalingam K, Lin W, Johnstone TC, Bruno PM, Zheng Y, Hemann MT, Lippard SJ, "A Breast Cancer Stem Cell-Selective, Mammospheres-Potent Osmium(VI) Nitrido Complex" Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2014, 136, 14413-14416.

Bioinorganic Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Cancer Biology, Nanotechnology, Immunotherapy, Stem Cells

PhD and Postdoctoral researcher supervision. I have supervised 7 PhD students to completion, 5 as their primary supervisor and 2 as their secondary supervisor. I currently supervise 8 PhD students as the primary supervisor and 4 PhD students as the secondary supervisor. I have also supervised and mentored 5 postdoctoral researchers; Dr Alice Johnson (EPSRC; 2019-2022), Dr Joshua Northcote-Smith (BCRT; 2023), Dr Chunxin Lu (National Natural Science Foundation of China; 2016-2017), Dr Zhiyin Xiao (Chinese Scholarship Council; 2019-2021), and Dr Damien Onwudiwe (Royal Society of Chemistry; 2018). Dr Johnson, Dr Lu, Dr Xiao, and Dr Onwudiwe have all secured faculty positions (Lecturer/Assistant Professor) and lead independent research groups in Universities in the UK, China, and South Africa. Dr Joshua Northcote-Smith is a senior research associate at a UK University. Dr Gaonan Li will join the lab in Jan 2026 (National Natural Science Foundation of China; 2026-2027).

Undergraduate mentorship. I have successfully supervised 25 final year project students to completion (at University of Leicester and King’s College London). These efforts have led to >15 publications in high-ranked, peer-reviewed, Chemistry journals. Seven of the students were awarded graduation prizes as a result of the work they conducted under my supervision. I have also supervised two M1 year students from ENS Paris and ENS Lyon, and two M2 year students from the University of Strasbourg and Universität Leipzig through the ERAMUS+ programme. So far, this has led to 4 publications in peer-reviewed, Chemistry journals. All of the undergraduate students I have supervised have gone on to undertake PhD studies at universities across Europe and North America or undertake jobs within the teaching, finance, marketing, commerce or civil service sectors.

Chemistry BSc and MChem degrees Modules:  Inorganic Chemistry (CH2202), Inorganic Chemistry (CH2202 DLI), Bioinorganic Chemistry (CH4208 Module Leader)

Previously: General Chemistry (CH1200), Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (CH3202 DLI)

Drug discovery, Cancer, Immunotherapy, Nanotechnology.

Commissions of Trust
2025 - present: Local Organising Committee for the International Conference on Biological Inorganic Chemistry in 2027 (ICBIC)
2025 – present: Advisory Board for Chemistry Proceedings (MDPI)
2022 - present: Royal Society of Chemistry Inorganic Biochemistry Discussion Group (IBDG) Committee Member
2021 - present: EPSRC Peer Review College Member
2021 - present: Associate Editor for Frontiers in Immunology 
2020 - present: Editorial Board Section Member for Molecules (MDPI)
2020 - 2022: Guest Editor for Cancers (MDPI)
2019 - 2020: Guest Editor for Molecules (MDPI)
2018 - 2019: Guest Editor for Dalton Transactions (Royal Society of Chemistry)
2016 - present: EPSRC, BBSRC, MRC, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Czech Science Foundation, and Poland National Science Centre grant reviewer
2016 - present: PhD internal/external/chair examiner for >15 students so far (at Universities of Leeds, Hull, Sheffield, Leicester, Imperial College London, KCL, Francis Crick Institute, University of Cape Town, Technological University Dublin, Indian Institute of Science, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur)

2020: Inorganic Biochemistry Discussion Group Investigator Award (Royal Society of Chemistry)

2018: Rising Star in Coordination Chemistry Award Lecture (International Conference in Coordination Chemistry Committee)

2016: 175 Faces of Chemistry (Royal Society of Chemistry)

2014: Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship (Leverhulme Trust)

2014: Dalton Young Researchers Award (Royal Society of Chemistry)

2014: Imperial College London Junior Research Fellowship (declined)

2012: Misrock Postdoctoral Fellowship (Misrock Foundation)

2012: Irish Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology Postdoctoral Fellowship (declined)

2009: Imperial College London-University of Hong Kong PhD Travelling Scholarship

2008: DTA-EPSRC PhD Scholarship

2008: HVA Briscoe Prize for Excellence in Inorganic Chemistry

2008: Enovik-Degussa Prize MSci Presentation Prize

2007: GlaxoSmithkline Beecham Pharmaceuticals Prize in Practical Inorganic Chemistry

2007: Nuffield Foundation Undergraduate Research Bursary

I have given several invited lectures on my independent work, including at The Francis Crick Institute, University College London, Imperial College London, Trinity College Dublin, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Technological University Dublin, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, IIT Kanpur, Universities of St. Andrews, Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle, Bath, Nottingham, Salford, and Hull. I have also given >10 invited, keynote or plenary lectures at national and international conferences including Inorganic Biochemistry Discussion Group Meeting, RSC Chemistry, Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine Symposium, RSC Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson Dalton Poster Symposium, International Conference on Coordination Chemistry (Rising Star in Coordination Chemistry Award Lecture), European Biological Inorganic Chemistry Conference, Spanish Bioinorganic Scientific Meeting, Metal Complexes for Biomedical Applications Seminar, Metals in Medicine Gordon Research Conference, Bone Cancer Research Trust Conference, Meeting of Inorganic Chemists Recently Appointed.

This academic year I have given/ will give invited talks at the following conferences: Canada-UK Joint Symposium on Inorganic Chemistry (invited), Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition (invited), and Pacifichem 2025 (invited).

Bioinorganic Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Cancer Biology, Nanotechnology, Immunotherapy, Stem Cells

MSci (Imperial College London)

PhD (Imperial College London)

Postdoctoral Misrock Fellowship (Massachusetts Institute of Technology and The Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research)

PGCAPHE (King's College London)