Thusitha K. Karunarathna

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Dr. Thusitha K. Karunarathna

BVSc(Peradeniya),MSc in Animal Science,MPhil in Virology (HKU- Hong Kong)
Lecturer (on Study Leave)
Address:

Department of Veterinary Public Health & Pharmacology,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine & Animal Science,
University of Peradeniya,
Peradeniya,20400

Contact:

Phone:+94 81-239 5760 / +94 71-860 0466
Email:thusithak@pdn.ac.lk,
thusithakarunarathna@gmail.com
thusithakarunarathna@vet.pdn.ac.lk

  • Post Graduate Research Studentship Award: 2014: Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong. Hong Kong.
  • Awarded a travel grant by The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong to present papers at Options IX for the control of influenza conference, Chicago, Illinois, USA held during 24th -28th August 2016.
  • Best Student Award: First runner-up of the “Best Student Award” offered in the 12th HKU – Pasteur Virology Course held in Hong Kong organized in collaboration with Pasteur Institute, France from 12th to 25th July 2015 on the theme of outbreaks.
  • National Awards for Excellence in Agricultural Research – 2017 by Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research Policy, Ministry of agriculture, Sri Lanka.
  • Best scientific paper award - 2018 The scientific paper presented was selected as the best scientific paper in the 16th annual session of World’s Poultry Science Association Sri Lanka Branch.
  • Best Oral presentation award - 2019 The scientific paper presented was selected as the best oral presentation in the Annual Academic Sessions of the College of Pathologists of Sri Lanka, 2019.
  • Best scientific paper award – 2nd place in oral presentation - 2019 The scientific paper presented was selected as the2nd place in oral presentation in the 52nd annual scientific congress of Sri Lanka Collage of Obstetricians and Gynaecologiests (SLCOG) 2019.
  • Best scientific paper award – 3rd place in oral presentation - 2019 The scientific paper presented was selected as the 3rd place in oral presentation in the 52nd annual scientific congress of Sri Lanka Collage of Obstetricians and Gynaecologiests (SLCOG) 2019.
  • Commonwealth Scholarship Award by United Kingdom-(2019) Full Commonwealth Scholarship Award was awarded by Commonwealth Scholarship commission in United Kingdom to complete the PhD attached to Royal Veterinary Collage (RVC), University of London and The Pirbright Institute, United Kingdom.

  • Teaching Veterinary Public Health to Veterinary undergraduates at the faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science

  • Immune response to influenza A viruses in Human and Animals
  • Zoonotic viral infections
  • Emerging viral infection

Position Current Completed
Research team member (NSF/HPV grant 37 million rupees) 1 -

Active research grants:
1. National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka. Health Science Special Grant Programme 2017.Grant Amount SLRs.37 Million. “Establishment of Molecular Biomarkers Based Detection Tools for Early Screening of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection and Association of HPV in Pathophysiology of Cervical Cancer in Sri Lankan Women”
Research team member. 2017-2021.

Position Mphil/PhD Current Completed
Co supervisor MPhil 2
supervisor

Completed supervisions
  • Herath M.T K. Karunarathna, Ranawaka A. P. M. Perera, Vicky J. Fang, Huiling Yen, Benjamin John Cowling and Malik Peiris. Serum anti-neuraminidase antibody responses in human influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infections. EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS 2019. (Impact factor 6.225)
  • Jimmy Chun Cheong Lai, Herath M.T K. Karunarathna, Ho Him Wong, Joseph S.M. Peiris , John M. Nicholls. Neuraminidase activity and specificity of Influenza A virus are influenced by hemagglutinin-receptor binding. EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS 2019. (Impact factor 6.225).
  • HMTK KARUNARATHNA, RAPM Perera, JCC Lai, HL Yen, BJ Cowling and JSM Peiris (2015). Optimization and application of the Enzyme Linked Lectin Assay (ELLA) for detection of serum anti-neuraminidase antibodies to understand their kinetics, cross reactivity and protective role. Presented at the Research postgraduate Symposium, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong held in December 2015.
  • HMTK KARUNARATHNA, RAPM PERERA, VJ FANG, HL YEN, BJ COWLING AND JSM PEIRIS (2016). Serum anti-neuraminidase antibody (Anti-NA N1) responses in human pandemic H1N1 2009 Influenza A virus infections and cross reactivity with seasonal H1N1 virus. Presented at Options IX for the control of influenza conference, Chicago, Illinois, USA held from 24th to 28th August 2016. (Best poster presentation at the symposium in the theme of Public Health)
  • HMTK KARUNARATHNA, JCC LAI, RAPM PERERA, HL YEN, BJ COWLING AND JSM PEIRIS (2016). Virus Like Particles (VLPs) expressing NA protein only as an antigen source for Enzyme Linked Lectin Assay (ELLA): Comparison with whole virus antigen. Presented at Options IX for the control of influenza conference, Chicago, Illinois, USA held from 24th to 28th August 2016.
  • JCC LAI, HMTK KARUNARATHNA, HH WONG, JSM PEIRIS, JM NICHOLLS (2016). Enzymatic activity of Influenza NA is influenced by HA-receptor binding. Presented at the TRS Symposium, The University of Hong Kong held in September 2016.
  • SEMPLE H. G., KARUNARATHNA HMTK, KOTTAWATTA KSA., SUBHASINGHE I, KALUPHANA A., NEVEL A. AND KALUPAHANA R.S. (2017). Cross sectional survey to find prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus species from layer hens in the Kurunegala district of Sri Lanka. Presented at the INSPIRE National Intercalators’ Reserch Conference, Bristol, UK held in October 2017.
  • S.A.I.C. SUBHASINGHE, H.M.T.K KARUNARATHA, S.P. KODITHUWAKKU, H. M. H. N. BANDARA, R.S KALUPAHANA, K.S.A. KOTTAWATTA (2017). Studying antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of planktonic and biofilm associated Escherichia coli in poultry layer farms. Presented at the Annual Technical Session of World Poultry Science Association, Sri Lanka held in 2017
  • S.A.I.C. SUBHASINGHE, H.M.T.K KARUNARATHA, R.S KALUPAHANA, S.ULUWATTA, K.S.A. KOTTAWATTA (2017). Prevalence of Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp and detection of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) associated with E. coli isolated from commercial poultry layer farms in Kurunegala district. Presented at the Annual Scientific Sessions of Sri Lanka Veterinary Association, Sri Lanka held in 2017.
  • H.C.GALLAGE, K.S.A.KOTTAWATTA, H.M.T.K.KARUNARATHNA, R.S.KALUPAHANA (2017). Preliminary study on methicillin resistant Staphylococcus (MRS) in commercial eggs collected from layer farms in Kurunegala district. Proceedings of the annual research sessions of the University of Peradeniya 2017. Presented at the Annual International Scientific Session of the University of Peradeniya (iPURSE) held on 24th November 2017 at Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
  • S.A.I.C. SUBHASINGHE, H.M.T.K KARUNARATHA, S.P. KODITHUWAKKU, H. M. H. N. BANDARA, R.S KALUPAHANA, K.S.A. KOTTAWATTA (2018). Profiling of antimicrobial resistance in E.coli associated with biofilm in layer chicken farms in Kurunegala district. Presented at the Annual Scientific Sessions of Sri Lanka Veterinary Association, Sri Lanka held in 2018.
  • H.M.T.K KARUNARATHA, H. G. SEMPLE, S.A.I.C. SUBHASINGHE, A. KALUPAHANA, K.S.A.KOTTAWATTA, R.S.KALUPAHANA (2018). Detection of mec A gene in staphylococcus species isolated from poultry layer birds: high possibility of disseminating methicillin resistance determinant. Presented at the Annual Scientific Sessions of Sri Lanka Veterinary Association, Sri Lanka held in 2018.
  • M.R.S. MUHANDIRAM, S.P.C.N. MUNASINGHE, S.W. THRIKAWALA, R.M.P. RATHNAYAKA, S.P. KODITHUWAKKU, H.M.T.K KARUNARATHA, E.H. SIRIWEERA, R.M.C.J. RATNAYAKE (2018). Molecular detection of human papilloma virus prevalence and related cervical dysplasia in clinically normal female cohort in Sri Lanka. Presented at 51th annual scientific congress of Sri Lanka Collage of Obstetricians and Gynaecologiests (SLCOG) 2018.
  • M.R.S. MUHANDIRAM, B.R.G.T.K WEERASINGHE, S.P. KODITHUWAKKU, S.P. Karunarathna, H.M.T.K KARUNARATHA, E.H. SIRIWEERA, R.M.C.J. RATNAYAKE (2018). Awareness on cervical cancer and screening among a Sri Lankan female cohort; knowledge and practices on risk factors and prevention. Presented at 51th annual scientific congress of Sri Lanka Collage of Obstetricians and Gynaecologiests (SLCOG) 2018
  • S.T.H.K. Senanayake, K.S.A. Kottawatta, A. Salgadu, Dulanjee Harshani, R.S. Kaluaphana, H.M.T.K. Karunarathna (2019). Detection of MethicillinResistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Commercial Broilers in Kirindiwela Veterinary Division. Presented at the Annual Scientific Sessions of Sri Lanka Veterinary Association, Sri Lanka held in 2019.
  • L.A.D.E.Weerasinghe, B.C.Nuwandi, W.D.M.Perera, K.G.R.Abayawansha, K.S.A.Kottawatta, R.S.K. Kalupahana, H.M.T.K. Karunarathna (2019). Detection of maternal antibody levels in layer day old chicks against chicken anemia virus. Presented at the Annual Scientific Sessions of Sri Lanka Veterinary Association, Sri Lanka in 2019.
  • H.C. Gallage,H.M.T.K. Karunarathna, Dulanjee Harshani, S. Premaratne, R.S. Kalupahana, K.S.A. Kottawatta (2019). Possible activation of mec A gene in Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus spp when exposed to Oxacillin concentration lower than the minimum inhibitory concentration: an In-Vitro study. Presented at the Annual Scientific sessions of Sri Lanka Veterinary Association, Sri Lanka in 2019.
  • N.G.R.N. Neelawala, D.B.N. Pushpakumara, H.M.T.K. Karunarathna, R.S. Kalupahana, K.S.A. Kottawatta (2019). Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Escherichia coli from Urban Wild Birds in Eastern Wildlife Health Region of Sri Lanka. Presented at the Annual Scientific sessions of Sri Lanka Veterinary Association, Sri Lanka in 2019.
  • Suranimala, W.M.D.H, Karunarathna, H.M.T.K, Kottawatta, K.S.A, Kalupahana, R.S, Kodithuwakku, S.P, Muhandiram, M.R.S, Ratnayake, R.M.C.J (2019). Establishment of a molecular based rapid detection method to identify group b sreptococcus in pregnant women. Presented at 52nd annual scientific congress of Sri Lanka Collage of Obstetricians and Gynaecologiests (SLCOG) 2019.
  • Muhandiram, M.R.S, Kodithuwakku, S.P, Karunarathna, H.M.T.K, Siriweera, E.H, Ratnayake, R.M.C.J (2019). Self sampling based molecular detection of high risk genotypes of human papillomavirus: a pilot study. Presented at 52nd annual scientific congress of Sri Lanka Collage of Obstetricians and Gynaecologiests (SLCOG) 2019.
  • Muhandiram, M.R.S, Siriweera, E.H, Karunarathna H.M.T.K, Kodithuwakku S.P4, Ratnayake R.M.C.J (2019). Molecular detection of high-risk genotypes of human papilloma virus and underlying cervical dysplasia among a Sri - Lankan female cohort. Presented at Annual Academic Sessions of the College of Pathologists of Sri Lanka, 2019