Staff Profile

Educational Qualification

M.Sc., M.Phil., Ph.D (Statistics)

Personal Statement

I possess over twenty years of experience in biomedical research, contributing to research proposal design, data management, and statistical analysis in clinical trials, epidemiological studies, and vaccine research. I am proficient in SPSS, STATA, SAS, and REDCap, with strong expertise in sample size calculation, randomization, case report form design, and quality control. My experience includes studies on both communicable and non-communicable diseases. I have co-authored over 30 research publications in reputed national and international journals. I am dedicated to applying advanced statistical methodologies to support high-quality research, enhance public health outcomes, and advance scientific knowledge.

Research Focus

• Infectious and Non-Communicable Disease Research

• Expertise in epidemiological modeling and analysis of multi-centric studies on tuberculosis, HIV, ophthalmology, and chronic diseases

• Clinical Trial Design and Analysis

• Biostatistical Methods

• Data Management and Quality Control

Ongoing projects as Principal investigator

Co-Investigator:
1. Effect of Pulmonary rehabilitation on the exercise tolerance in sputum positive pulmonary TB patients.
2. Population-based Health Surveys at Model Rural Health Research Units in India.
3. Prevalence, pattern and progression of post TB Lung Disease in India: A prospective single arm study.
4. Comparative evaluation of intensified short course regimen and standard regimen for adults TB meningitis: an open label randomized controlled trial (INSHORT trial)

Significant Publications

1. Poorana Gangadevi Navaneeethapandian, Banurekha Velayutham, Mahalakshmi Rajendran, Prabhakaran Rathinam, ZufireHassan MohamedKhan. Contact Screening and Yield of Tuberculosis from Pediatric TB Index Cases. Tamil Nadu Journal of Public Health and Medical Research 2024, Apr 5;4(Special Edition on Tuberculosis):14-18. Article ID: 2024:04:01:02.

2. C. Padmapriyadarsini, Mrinalini Das, Sharath Burugina Nagaraja, Mahalakshmi Rajendran, Richard Kirubakaran, Sarabjit Chadha, and Prathap Tharyan. Is chemoprophylaxis for child contacts of drug-resistant TB patients beneficial? A systematic review. Tuberculosis Research and Treatment, 2018, Article ID 3905890, 8 pages.

3. S. R. Kumar, N. Pooranagangadevi, M. Rajendran, K. Mayer, T. Flanigan, R. Niaura, S. Balaguru, P. Venkatesan, S. Swaminathan. Physician’s advice on quitting smoking in HIV and TB patients in south India: a randomised clinical trial. Public Health Action 2017; Mar;7(1):39-45.

4. Poorana Ganga Devi Navaneethapandian, Mahalakshmi Rajendran, Ramesh K, Thiruvalluvan Elangovan, Sudha Subramanyan, Rajapandian Thanapandy, Prabhakaran Rathinam and Soumya Swaminathan. Growth of Infants Born to HIV-Infected Women in Madurai, South India. Journal of AIDS and Clinical Research 2016; 7(9).

5. M. Srinivasan, P. Lalitha, R. Mahalakshmi, N. V. Prajna, J. Mascarenhas, J. D. Chidambaram, S. Lee, K. C. Hong, M. Zegans, D. V. Glidden, S. McLeod, J. P. Whitcher, T. M. Lietman, N. R. Acharya. Corticosteroids for Bacterial Corneal Ulcers. British Journal of Ophthalmology 2009, Oct;93:198–202.

6. M. Srinivasan, M. P. Upadhyay, B. Priyadarsini, R. Mahalakshmi, J. P. Whitcher. Corneal Ulceration in South-East Asia III: Prevention of Fungal Keratitis at the Village Level in South India Using Topical Antibiotics. British Journal of Ophthalmology 2006, Dec;90:1472–1475.

7. Balasubbu Suganthalakshmi, Rajendran Anand, Ramasamy Kim, Rajendran Mahalakshmi, Sundaramoorthi Karthikprakash, Perumalsamy Namperumalsamy, Periasamy Sundaresan. Association of VEGF and eNOS Gene Polymorphisms in Type 2 Diabetic Retinopathy. Molecular Vision 2006, Apr;12:336–341.

8. N. Venkatesh Prajna, Praveen K. Nirmalan, Rajendran Mahalakshmi, Prajna Lalitha, Muthiah Srinivasan. Concurrent Use of 5% Natamycin and 2% Econazole for the Management of Fungal Keratitis. Cornea 2004, Nov;23(8):793–796.

9. Survival Model for Predict the Factors of Heart Disease. Mahalakshmi R, Senthamarai Kannan K, and Manikandan M. Dickensian Journal 2022, Mar;22(3):357-362.

10. Determination of Hazard State of Non-Communicable Diseases Using Semi-Markov Model. Balasubramaniam R, K. Senthamarai Kannan and R. Mahalakshmi. International Journal of Medical Sciences and Nursing Research 2021, Dec;1(2):23-28

Research Profiles