Rajeshkumar Manne, PhD, has been promoted to medical instructor in the Department of Pathology, effective Aug. 1, 2026. He previously served as a senior research associate in the laboratory of Endowed Chair Professor Hui-Kuan “Kevin” Lin, PhD.
Manne has contributed to several high-impact discoveries in cancer biology. He was a key contributor to a landmark Nature Cell Biology study led by Lin that identified the unexpected role of the metabolic enzyme ALDH4A1 in cellular energy production. The research showed that loss of ALDH4A1 disrupts mitochondrial metabolism, forcing cancer cells to rely on the less efficient Warburg effect. These findings established ALDH4A1 as a novel tumor suppressor and identified a promising target for future cancer therapies.
He also contributed to a collaborative study published in Cell by investigators from Duke University School of Medicine, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, and the University of Arkansas. The study developed a strategy to improve the cellular uptake of Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs), advancing the therapeutic potential of this emerging class of targeted cancer drugs.
In addition, Manne supported several successful National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01-funded projects in the Lin Laboratory, including research aimed at identifying novel regulators of cancer stem cells in non-small cell lung cancer and uncovering mechanisms that control oncogenic Akt activation in cancer.
“Rajesh is an outstanding scientist who has made significant contributions to cancer research,” said Lin. “His work has helped define the composition of the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier for mitochondrial pyruvate transport and TCA cycle entry. He has also advanced our understanding of how proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) enter cells, providing important insights for advancing the PROTACs technology.
"I'm honored to join the faculty and continue my research at Duke Pathology," said Manne. "I’m grateful to Dr. Lin for his mentorship and support, and I look forward to advancing our understanding of cancer metabolism and developing new therapeutic strategies that can ultimately benefit patients."
Manne earned his PhD in Biotechnology from the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) in Pune, India. He joined Lin's laboratory at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in 2019 as a postdoctoral fellow and completed his fellowship in 2023 before joining Duke as a senior research associate.
His research focuses on understanding how aging and metabolic reprogramming influence cancer development, progression, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Using advanced technologies including CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, organoid models, patient-derived xenografts, and both in vitro and in vivo systems, Manne investigates metabolic pathways that drive cancer and develops strategies to overcome drug resistance. His long-term goal is to translate these discoveries into more effective therapies for patients with cancer.