Dr Rajesh Kuppusamy

Visiting Fellow

Medicine & Health

School of Optometry and Vision Science

I am a dynamic and innovative researcher, currently pursuing the development of new antibiotics, antivirals, and disinfectants to tackle community and hospital-acquired infections.

Throughout my vast experience in industry and academia, I have developed many novel compounds used to treat important human diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and bacterial infections. I am passionate about med chem research projects, training new researchers, and translating research into new products, and want to contribute my research for the benefit of working organisations and society. 

E-mail

r.kuppusamy@unsw.edu.au

Journal articles | 2025

Aziz MA; Maulvi F; Desai DT; Kuppusamy R; Mazumder K; Hui A; Stapleton F; Willcox M, 2025, 'Designing a contact lens with atropine base using a microemulsion technique', Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, 48, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2025.102381

Journal articles | 2025

Maulvi FA; Sahu A; Ren X; Desai DT; Kalaiselvan P; Yasir MA; Kuppusamy R; Shah DO; Willcox MDP, 2025, 'Mel4-coated hyaluronic acid-laden etafilcon A contact lenses: Improved wettability with retained antimicrobial properties', International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 304, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.140701

Journal articles | 2025

Mishra SK; Kuppusamy R; Nguyen C; Doeur J; Atwal H; Attard S; Sørensen K; Lin JS; Wong EHH; Hui A; Barron AE; Kumar N; Willcox M, 2025, 'Evaluation of the Synergistic Activity of Antimicrobial Peptidomimetics or Colistin Sulphate with Conventional Antifungals Against Yeasts of Medical Importance', Journal of Fungi, 11, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jof11050370

Journal articles | 2025

Mishra SK; Yasir M; Kuppusamy R; Wong EHH; Hui A; Sørensen K; Lin JS; Jenssen H; Barron AE; Willcox M, 2025, 'Antimicrobial activity of peptoids against Metallo-β-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and other WHO priority pathogens, including Candida auris', Journal of Applied Microbiology, 136, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jambio/lxaf031

Journal articles | 2025

Suresh D; Yu TT; Kuppusamy R; Sabir S; Das T; Black DSC; Willcox MDP; Kumar N, 2025, 'Novel cationic dihydropyrrol-2-one compounds as antimicrobial agents and quorum sensing inhibitors', Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 122, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bmc.2025.118137

Journal articles | 2025

Urmi UL; Willcox MDP; Kuppusamy R; Attard S; Kumar N; Islam S; Chen H; Ren X; Vijay AK, 2025, 'Antiviral activity of peptide and peptide mimic coated surfaces', Applied Surface Science, 702, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2025.163242

Journal articles | 2024

Abdullah Aziz M; Kuppusamy R; Mazumder K; Hui A; Maulvi F; Stapleton F; Willcox M, 2024, 'Absorption and attachment of atropine to etafilcon A contact lenses', Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, 47, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2024.102246

Journal articles | 2024

Bahatheg G; Kuppusamy R; Yasir M; Bridge S; Mishra SK; Cranfield CG; StC. Black D; Willcox M; Kumar N, 2024, 'Dimeric peptoids as antibacterial agents', Bioorganic Chemistry, 147, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107334

Journal articles | 2024

Enninful GN; Kuppusamy R; Tiburu EK; Kumar N; Willcox MDP, 2024, 'Non-canonical amino acid bioincorporation into antimicrobial peptides and its challenges', Journal of Peptide Science, 30, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/psc.3560

Journal articles | 2024

Hong Z; Yu TT; Yasir M; Sara M; Black DSC; Willcox MDP; Kuppusamy R; Kumar N, 2024, 'Daidzein-Based Amphiphilic Small Molecular Antimicrobial Peptidomimetics as Novel Antimicrobial Agents with Anti-Biofilm Activity', Chemistryselect, 9, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/slct.202400502

Journal articles | 2024

Maulvi FA; Desai DT; Kalaiselvan P; Dumpati S; Kuppusamy R; Masoudi S; Shah DO; Willcox MDP, 2024, 'Lipid-based eye drop formulations for the management of evaporative dry eyes', Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, 47, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2024.102154

Journal articles | 2024

Sara M; Yasir M; Kalaiselvan P; Hui A; Kuppusamy R; Kumar N; Chakraborty S; Yu TT; Wong EHH; Molchanova N; Jenssen H; Lin JS; Barron AE; Willcox M, 2024, 'The activity of antimicrobial peptoids against multidrug-resistant ocular pathogens', Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, 47, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2024.102124

Journal articles | 2024

Urmi UL; Vijay AK; Willcox MDP; Attard S; Enninful G; Kumar N; Islam S; Kuppusamy R, 2024, 'Exploring the Efficacy of Peptides and Mimics against Influenza A Virus, Adenovirus, and Murine Norovirus', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms25137030

Journal articles | 2023

Browne K; Kuppusamy R; Walsh WR; Black DSC; Willcox MDP; Kumar N; Chen R, 2023, 'Antimicrobial Peptidomimetics Prevent the Development of Resistance against Gentamicin and Ciprofloxacin in Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas Bacteria', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms241914966

Journal articles | 2023

Kuppusamy R; Browne K; Suresh D; Do Rosario RM; Chakraborty S; Yang S; Willcox M; Black D; Chen R; Kumar N, 2023, 'Transition Towards Antibiotic Hybrid Vehicles: The Next Generation Antibacterials', Current Medicinal Chemistry, 30, pp. 104 - 125, http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0929867329666220613105424

Journal articles | 2023

Kuppusamy R; Yasir M; Yu TT; Voli F; Vittorio O; Miller MJ; Lewis P; Black DSC; Willcox M; Kumar N, 2023, 'Tuning the Anthranilamide Peptidomimetic Design to Selectively Target Planktonic Bacteria and Biofilm', Antibiotics, 12, pp. 585, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12030585

Journal articles | 2023

Sabir S; Das T; Kuppusamy R; Yu TT; Willcox MD; Black DSC; Kumar N, 2023, 'Novel quinazolinone disulfide analogues as pqs quorum sensing inhibitors against Pseudomonas aeruginosa', Bioorganic Chemistry, 130, pp. 106226, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106226

Journal articles | 2023

Urmi UL; Attard S; Vijay AK; Willcox MDP; Kumar N; Islam S; Kuppusamy R, 2023, 'Antiviral Activity of Anthranilamide Peptidomimetics against Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and a Coronavirus', Antibiotics, 12, pp. 1436, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12091436

Journal articles | 2023

Urmi UL; Vijay AK; Kuppusamy R; Islam S; Willcox MDP, 2023, 'A review of the antiviral activity of cationic antimicrobial peptides', Peptides, 166, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171024

Journal articles | 2023

Urmi UL; Willcox MDP; Islam S; Kuppusamy R; Vijay AK, 2023, 'Ocular signs and symptoms of monkeypox virus infection, and possible role of the eye in transmission of the virus', Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, 46, pp. 101808, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2022.101808

Journal articles | 2023

Willcox MDP; Bahatheg G; Carnt N; Kalaiselvan P; Kumar N; Kuppusamy R; Rayamajhee B; Sara M; Stapleton F; Vijay AK; Yasir M; Yu TT, 2023, 'Biofilms and contact lenses: problems and solutions', Microbiology Australia, 44, pp. 96 - 99, http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/MA23027

Journal articles | 2022

Aldilla VR; Chen R; Kuppusamy R; Chakraborty S; Willcox MDP; Black DSC; Thordarson P; Martin AD; Kumar N, 2022, 'Hydrogels with intrinsic antibacterial activity prepared from naphthyl anthranilamide (NaA) capped peptide mimics', Scientific Reports, 12, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26426-1

Journal articles | 2022

Bahatheg G; Kuppusamy R; Yasir M; Black DSC; Willcox M; Kumar N, 2022, 'Short Tryptamine-Based Peptoids as Potential Therapeutics for Microbial Keratitis: Structure-Function Correlation Studies', Antibiotics, 11, pp. 1074, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11081074

Journal articles | 2022

Browne K; Kuppusamy R; Chen R; Willcox MDP; Walsh WR; Black DS; Kumar N, 2022, 'Bioinspired Polydopamine Coatings Facilitate Attachment of Antimicrobial Peptidomimetics with Broad-Spectrum Antibacterial Activity', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23, pp. 2952, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms23062952

Journal articles | 2022

Kalaiselvan P; Kuppusamy R; Kumar N; Willcox M, 2022, 'Antimicrobial activity of RK-7 peptide mimic against Staphylococcus aureus in solution and when immobilised onto contact lenses', Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, 45, pp. 101607 - 101607, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2022.101607

Journal articles | 2022

Kalaiselvan P; Yasir M; Kuppusamy R; Willcox M; Vijay AK, 2022, 'Ability of Essential Oil Vapours to Reduce Numbers of Culturable Aerosolised Coronavirus, Bacteria and Fungi', Antibiotics, 11, pp. 393, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11030393

Journal articles | 2022

Peguda HK; Carnt NA; Gu Z; Kumar N; Willcox MDP; Kuppusamy R, 2022, 'The Anti-Amoebic Activity of a Peptidomimetic against Acanthamoeba castellanii', Microorganisms, 10, pp. 2377, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10122377

Journal articles | 2022

Wu J; Yu TT; Kuppusamy R; Hassan MM; Alghalayini A; Cranfield CG; Willcox MDP; Black DS; Kumar N, 2022, 'Cholic Acid-Based Antimicrobial Peptide Mimics as Antibacterial Agents', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23, pp. 4623, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms23094623

Journal articles | 2021

Chakraborty S; Kuppusamy R; Roohani I; Walsh WR; Willcox MDP; Kumar N; Chen R, 2021, 'Antibacterial peptidomimetic and characterization of its efficacy as an antibacterial and biocompatible coating for bioceramic-based bone substitutes', Materials Advances, 2, pp. 6369 - 6379, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d1ma00648g

Journal articles | 2021

Sabir S; Yu TT; Kuppusamy R; Almohaywi B; Iskander G; Das T; Willcox MDP; Black DS; Kumar N, 2021, 'Novel seleno-and thio-urea-containing dihydropyrrol-2-one analogues as antibacterial agents', Antibiotics, 10, pp. 321, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10030321

Journal articles | 2021

Tummanapalli SS; Kuppusamy R; Yeo JH; Kumar N; New EJ; Willcox MDP, 2021, 'The role of nitric oxide in ocular surface physiology and pathophysiology', Ocular Surface, 21, pp. 37 - 51, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtos.2021.04.007

Journal articles | 2021

Yu TT; Kuppusamy R; Yasir M; Hassan MM; Sara M; Ho J; Willcox MDP; Black DS; Kumar N, 2021, 'Polyphenylglyoxamide‐based amphiphilic small molecular peptidomimetics as antibacterial agents with anti‐biofilm activity', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22, pp. 7344, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms22147344

Journal articles | 2020

Yasir M; Dutta D; Hossain KR; Chen R; Ho KKK; Kuppusamy R; Clarke RJ; Kumar N; Willcox MDP, 2020, 'Mechanism of Action of Surface Immobilized Antimicrobial Peptides Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa', Frontiers in Microbiology, 10, pp. 3053, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.03053

Journal articles | 2020

Yu TT; Bhadbhade M; Kuppusamy R; Black DSC; Kumar N, 2020, 'A facile synthesis of meta- and para-terphenylglyoxamide-based peptidomimetics', Tetrahedron Letters, 61, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tetlet.2020.152560

Journal articles | 2020

Yu TT; Kuppusamy R; Yasir M; Hassan MM; Alghalayini A; Gadde S; Deplazes E; Cranfield C; Willcox MDP; Black DS; Kumar N, 2020, 'Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of biphenylglyoxamide-based small molecular antimicrobial peptide mimics as antibacterial agents', International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21, pp. 1 - 38, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms21186789

Journal articles | 2019

Kuppusamy R; Willcox M; Black DSC; Kumar N, 2019, 'Short cationic peptidomimetic antimicrobials', Antibiotics, 8, pp. 44, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics8020044

Journal articles | 2018

Kuppusamy R; Yasir M; Berry T; Cranfield CG; Nizalapur S; Yee E; Kimyon O; Taunk A; Ho KKK; Cornell B; Manefield M; Willcox M; Black DSC; Kumar N, 2018, 'Design and synthesis of short amphiphilic cationic peptidomimetics based on biphenyl backbone as antibacterial agents', European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 143, pp. 1702 - 1722, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.10.066

Journal articles | 2018

Kuppusamy R; Yasir M; Yee E; Willcox M; Black DSC; Kumar N, 2018, 'Guanidine functionalized anthranilamides as effective antibacterials with biofilm disruption activity', Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, 16, pp. 5871 - 5888, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c8ob01699b

Journal articles | 2016

Chittimalla SK; Koodalingam M; Bandi C; Putturu S; Kuppusamy R, 2016, 'Expedient Baylis-Hillman reaction protocol to functionalize cyclohexa-2,4-dienones', Rsc Advances, 6, pp. 1460 - 1465, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c5ra21842j

Journal articles | 2015

Chittimalla SK; Kuppusamy R; Akavaram N, 2015, 'Palladium-catalyzed regioselective synthesis of oxygenated biphenyls', Synlett, 26, http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1379987

Journal articles | 2015

Chittimalla SK; Laxmi S; Ming Liing AC; Kai Jun JL; Kuppusamy R; Putturu S; Bandi C, 2015, 'An approach towards expanding the scope of masked o-benzoquinone dimers to generate diverse compound libraries', Rsc Advances, 5, pp. 29391 - 29396, http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c5ra03627e

Journal articles | 2015

Devasthale P; Wang W; Mignone J; Renduchintala K; Radhakrishnan S; Dhanapal J; Selvaraj J; Kuppusamy R; Pelleymounter MA; Longhi D; Huang N; Flynn N; Azzara AV; Rohrbach K; Devenny J; Rooney S; Thomas M; Glick S; Godonis H; Harvey S; Cullen MJ; Zhang H; Caporuscio C; Stetsko P; Grubb M; Huang C; Zhang L; Freeden C; Murphy BJ; Robl JA; Washburn WN, 2015, 'Non-basic azolotriazinone MCHR1 antagonists for the treatment of obesity: An empirical brain-exposures-driven candidate selection for in vivo efficacy studies', Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 25, pp. 4412 - 4418, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bmcl.2015.09.018

Journal articles | 2014

Chittimalla SK; Bandi C; Putturu S; Kuppusamy R; Boellaard KC; Tan DCA; Lum DMJ, 2014, 'Access to 3-arylindoles through a tandem one-pot protocol involving dearomatization, a regioselective michael addition reaction, and rearomatization', European Journal of Organic Chemistry, 2014, pp. 2565 - 2575, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ejoc.201400079

Journal articles | 2014

Chittimalla SK; Kuppusamy R; Bandi C, 2014, 'A detour route for meta functionalization of phenols', Synlett, 25, pp. 1991 - 1996, http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1378395

Journal articles | 2013

Chittimalla SK; Kuppusamy R; Thiyagarajan K; Bandi C, 2013, 'Reaction of nitrile oxides with masked o-benzoquinones; Synthesis of highly functionalized isoxazolines', European Journal of Organic Chemistry, pp. 2715 - 2723, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ejoc.201201670

Journal articles | 2012

Chittimalla SK; Kuppusamy R; Chakrabarti A, 2012, '[3+2] Cycloaddition of masked o-benzoquinones with azomethine ylides', Synlett, 23, pp. 1901 - 1906, http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0031-129043
Preprints | 2023

Urmi UL; Attard S; Vijay AK; Willcox M; Kumar N; Islam S; Kuppusamy R, 2023, Antiviral Activity of Anthranilamide Peptidomimetics against Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and a Coronavirus, http://dx.doi.org/10.20944/preprints202308.2017.v1

Conference Papers | 2022

Peguda HK; Kuppusamy R; Kumar N; Willcox MDP, 2022, 'Anti-amoebic activity of RK-7 peptide mimic against Acanthamoeba spp trophozoites', in INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE, ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000844437003302&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1

Conference Papers | 2022

Sara M; Alex H; Chen R; Kumar N; Rajesh K; Kumar Mishara SK; Barron A; Yasir MUHAMMAD; Willcox M; Yasir M, 2022, 'Antimicrobial activity of peptoids against clinical pathogens.', in Antimicrobial activity of peptoids against clinical pathogens., USA, presented at peptoidsummit2022, USA, 11 August 2022 - 12 August 2022

Patents | 2021

Kumar N; Willcox M; Nizalapur S; Black D; Yu TT; Kuppusamy R, 2021, Antimicrobial compounds, Patent No. United States 2021 pat no. 10988444

Conference Abstracts | 2021

Sara M; Kuppusamy R; Afzal M; Khan M; Yasir M; Kalaiselvan P; Hui A; Kumar N; Willcox M, 2021, 'Synergistic activity of a peptide mimic with quinolones and cephalosporins against Staphylococcus aureus', in INVESTIGATIVE OPHTHALMOLOGY & VISUAL SCIENCE, ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC, Vol. 62, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000690760500400&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1

Conference Papers | 2013

Wang W; Devasthale P; Longhi D; Azzara A; Devenny J; Cullen MJ; Zhang M; Caporuscio C; Zhang L; Huang C; Rampulla R; Mathur A; Shi H; Sun L; Levesque P; Apedo A; Moore D; Hicks M; Krishna K; Radhakrishnan S; Kuppusamy R; Selvaraj J; Dhanapal J; Washburn W; Robl J; Murphy B, 2013, 'Discovery of pyrazolopyrrolidinone-derived melanin concentrating hormone receptor-1 antagonists as anti-obesity agents', in ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, AMER CHEMICAL SOC, IN, Indianapolis, presented at 246th National Meeting of the American-Chemical-Society (ACS), IN, Indianapolis, 08 September 2013 - 12 September 2013, https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000329618405018&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=891bb5ab6ba270e68a29b250adbe88d1

Development of aerosolised disinfectant

BridgeTech REDI Fellowship through MTP connects ($10000)
Academic Research Excellence Research Award by the School of Optometry and Vision Science UNSW

My research focuses on

Design and Synthesis of new antimicrobial peptides and peptidomimetics to kill many different types of microbes including bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
Isolation of Bacteriophages.
Working on understanding the mode of action of antibacterial compounds.
Working on the self-assembly properties of developed peptidomimetic compounds for drug-delivery applications.

My Research Supervision

Co-supervisor for Ph.D. students on various projects such as the development of antibacterials, antivirals, drug delivery, surface coating of antibacterials, and engineering peptides

Ghayah Bahatheg
Mst Umme Laila Urmi
Md Abdullah Aziz
George Enninful
Samuel Attard
Manjulatha Sara

My Teaching

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