Ramanujan Hegde

Dr Ramanujan Hegde FRS (cropped)

Ramanujan Hegde is a cell biologist and biochemist known for his research in the field of protein targeting and membrane biology. He is currently a Group Leader at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Early Life and Education

Ramanujan Hegde was born in India. He completed his undergraduate studies in biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States. He then pursued his Ph.D. in cell biology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he worked under the supervision of Peter Walter.

Research and Career

After completing his Ph.D., Hegde conducted postdoctoral research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States. His research focused on the mechanisms of protein translocation across the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. He made significant contributions to understanding how proteins are targeted to and inserted into the ER membrane.

In 2008, Hegde joined the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge as a Group Leader. His research group investigates the molecular mechanisms of protein targeting, membrane insertion, and quality control. They use a combination of biochemistry, genetics, and cell biology techniques to study these processes.

Key Contributions

Hegde's research has led to several important discoveries in the field of protein targeting and membrane biology. Some of his key contributions include:

• Elucidating the role of the signal recognition particle (SRP) in targeting proteins to the ER membrane.
• Identifying novel pathways for the insertion of membrane proteins.
• Investigating the mechanisms of protein quality control in the ER.

Awards and Honors

Ramanujan Hegde has received several awards and honors for his contributions to cell biology and biochemistry. These include:

• The EMBO Young Investigator Award
• The Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award
• Election to the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)

Personal Life

Hegde is married and has two children. He enjoys hiking, reading, and traveling in his spare time.

See Also

• Cell biology
• Biochemistry
• Protein targeting
• Membrane biology
• Endoplasmic reticulum