Rajendra Gajula is a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He received his BS in Biology and Chemistry from Kakatiya University in India in 1998, an MSc in Biochemistry from University of Hyderabad in India in 2001, and a PhD in Biotechnology from National Center for Cell Science in India in 2008. His PhD and postdoctoral research has focused on the roles of long noncoding RNAs and transgenic mouse models in tumorigenesis. He has expertise in molecular and cell biology techniques relevant to investigating Twist1-induced resistance to EGFR inhibitors in lung cancer.

1. Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, First, Middle): Gajula, Rajendra.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Provide the following information for the key personnel and other significant contributors in the order listed on Form Page 2.
Follow this format for each person. DO NOT EXCEED FOUR PAGES.
NAME POSITION TITLE
Rajendra P. Gajula Postdoctoral Fellow
eRA COMMONS USER NAME
EDUCATION/TRAINING (Begin with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, and include postdoctoral training.)
DEGREE
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION YEAR(s) FIELD OF STUDY
(if applicable)
Kakatiya University, Warangal (India) BS 1995-1998 Biology, Chemistry
University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad (India) MSc 1999-2001 Biochemistry
National Center for Cell Science, Pune (India) PhD 2001-2008 Biotechnology
A. Personal Statement
The goal of the proposed research is to investigate Twist1-induced resistance to EGFR inhibitors in lung
cancer using novel Twist1 reagents. I have the expertise and motivation necessary to successfully
complete the proposed work. I have a strong background in molecular and cell biology, with specific
training and expertise in key research areas for this application. As a PhD student at the National Center
for Cell Science in Pune, India, I carried out basic research on long noncoding RNAs and their role in
tumorigenesis. During my postdoctoral research fellowship at MD Anderson and here at Johns Hopkins I
have expanded my research expertise using small animal imaging and inducible transgenic mouse models.
In summary, I have a demonstrated record of successful and productive research projects germane to the
proposal and have a mentor who is highly experienced in the content of my proposal that has positioned me
well to conduct the proposed project.
B. Positions and Honors.
Positions and Employment
2001-2008 PhD Student at National Center for Cell Science/ University of Pune, Pune, India. (Advisor:
Anjali Shiras, PhD)
2008-2009 Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Molecular Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston,
USA. (Advisor: Rakesh Kumar, PhD)
2009-2010 Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular biology, George Washington
University, Washing D.C. USA. (Advisor: Rakesh Kumar, PhD)
2010- Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Radiation Oncololgy and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Sidney
Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University- School of Medicine,
Baltimore, USA. (Advisor: Phouc T. Tran, MD, PhD).
Honors
2001 Graduate Aptitude Test of Engineering (conducted by IITs and IISc) India-95.6 Percentile.
2001 Project research Fellow award, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) India.
2001-2002 Junior research fellowship, (Dept. of Biotechnology, India/ NCCS Pune).
2002-2004 Junior research fellowship, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) India.
2004-2007 Senior research fellowship, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) India.
PHS 398/2590 (Rev. 09/04, Reissued 4/2006) Page 1 Biographical Sketch Format Page

2. Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, First, Middle): PI Name Gajula, Rajendra
C. Selected peer-reviewed publications.
1. Shiras A, Chettiar ST, Shepal V, Rajendran G, Prasad GR, Shastry P. Spontaneous transformation
of human adult nontumorigenic stem cells to cancer stem cells is driven by genomic instability in a
human model of glioblastoma. Stem Cells. 2007 Jun;25(6):1478-89.
2. Reddy SD, Gajula RP, Pakala SB, Kumar R. MicroRNAs and cancer therapy: the next wave or here
to stay? Cancer Biol Ther. 2010 Apr;9(7):479-82.
3. Zeng J, See AP, Aziz K, Thiyagarajan S, Salih T, Gajula RP, Armour M, Phallen J, Terezakis S,
Kleinberg L, Redmond K, Hales RK, Salvatori R, Quinones-Hinojosa A, Tran PT, Lim M. Nelfinavir
induces radiation sensitization in pituitary adenoma cells. Cancer Biol Ther. 2011 Oct 1;12(7):657-63.
4. Tran PT, Hales RK, Zeng J, Aziz K, Salih T, Gajula RP, Chettiar S, Gandhi N, Wild AT, Kumar R,
Herman JM, Song DY, Deweese TL. Tissue biomarkers for prostate cancer radiation therapy. Curr
Mol Med. 2012 Jul 1;12(6):772-87.
C. Research Support
Ongoing Research Support
None.
PHS 398/2590 (Rev. 09/04, Reissued 4/2006) Page 2 Continuation Format Page