Contact:
Colombo Regional Center ,
Office: +94112881000, Ext: 6301
E-mail: dtwij@ou.ac.lk
Areas of Specialization:
Immunology
Research interests:Immune responses in viral infections
Course Coordination:MDU5303 Immunology & Serology
MDU4406 Histopathology
MDU5210 Special Topics in MLS
MDU5212 Literature Review
Awards:- NRC Merit award for Scientific Research-Effective delivery of hydrophobic drugs to breast (MCF-7) and Liver (HepG2) cancer cells: A detailed investigation using Cytotoxicity assays, fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry
- President’s awards
- Organization for Women in Science for the developing world (OWSD) Early Career fellowship (approx. USD 50,000) in 2020
- President’s award in 2018 for “Quantification of dengue virus specific T cell responses and correlation with viral load and clinical disease severity in acute dengue infection”
- President’s award in 2018 for “Regulatory T cells in acute dengue viral infection”
- Full scholarship to attend the 6th NIF Winter School on Advanced Immunology in Singapore (2017)
- Best scientific publication by a research student in School of Surgery, University of Western Australia (2015)
- Scholarship for International Research Fees, University of Western Australia (2010)
Current
MPhil research project-Association of functional peripheral blood Natural Killer cell responses with clinical disease severity of dengue viral infection”
Completed
Undergraduate research project -A comparative study of erythrocyte sedimentation rate using conventional Westergren tube method and linear Therma ne analyzer
Publications:
INDEXED JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
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Wijeratne D.T., Fernando S., Gomes L., Jeewandara C., Jayarathna G., Perera Y., Wickramanayake S., Wijewickrama A., Ogg G.S., Malavige G.N., (2019) Association of dengue virus-specific polyfunctional T-cell responses with clinical disease severity in acute dengue infection. Immunity Inflammation and Disease.7(4):276-285. doi: 10.1002/iid3.271.
- Wijesinghe, A., Gamage, J., Goonewardena, H., Gomes, L., Jayathilaka, D., Wijeratne, D. T., de Alwis, R., Jeewandara, C., Wijewickrama, A., Ogg, G. S., & Malavige, G. N. (2020). Phenotype and functionality of follicular helper T cells in patients with acute dengue infection. Journal of biomedical science, 27(1), 50. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-020-00641-2
- Wijeratne,D., Rodger.J.Stevenson,A.,Wallace.,H.,Prele.,C.M.,Wood,F.M., & Fear,M.W (2018). Ephrin-A2 affects wound healing and scarring in a murine model of excisional injury.Burns.45(3):682-690
- Manatunga, D., de Silva, R., de Silva, K., Wijeratne, D., Malavige, G. and Williams, G. (2018). Fabrication of 6-gingerol, doxorubicin and alginate hydroxyapatite into a bio-compatible formulation: enhanced anti-proliferative effect on breast and liver cancer cells.Chemistry Central Journal12(1)119
- Wijeratne, D.T, Fernando, S., Gomes, L., Jeewandara, C., Ginneliya, A., Samarasekara, S., Wijewickrama, A., Hardman, C.S, Ogg, G.S. and Malavige, G.N. (2018). Quantification of dengue virus specific T cell responses and correlation with viral load and clinical disease severity in acute dengue infection. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 12(10),
- Palanivelu V, Maghami S, Wallace HJ, Wijeratne D, Wood FM, Fear MW.Loss of Type A neuronal cells in the dorsal root ganglion after a non-severe full-thickness burn injury in a rodent model. Burns. 2018
- Manatunga DC, de Silva RM, Nalin de Silva KM, NeelikaMalavige G, Wijeratne DT, Williams GR, Jayasinghe CD, UdagamaPV.”Effective delivery of hydrophobic drugs to breast (MCF-7) and Liver (HepG2) cancer cells: A detailed investigation using Cytotoxicity assays, fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry”.Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2018 (17)31346-2
- Jayaratne,E., Wijeratne,D.,Fernando,S., Kamaladasa,A., GomesL., Wijewickrama,A., Ogg,G.S., Malavige G.N. “Regulatory T cells in acute dengue viral infection”Immunology” 2018 154(1):89-97.
- Wijeratne, D.T., Rodger,J., Wallace,H., Maghami,S., Sykes,M., Wood,F.M., Fear,M.“Ephrin-A2 and Ephrin-A5 are important for the functional development of cutaneous innervation in a mouse model” Journal of Investigative Dermatology (22 September 2014) doi:10.1038/jid.2014.407
- Marano, R. J., Wallace, H. J., Wijeratne, D., Fear, M. W., San Wong, H. &O’Handley, R. 2015. Secreted biofilm factors adversely affect cellular wound healing responses in vitro. Sci Rep,(17 August 2015) doi: 10.1038/srep13296
- Wijeratne, D.T., Rodger, J., Wood, F., andFear, M.W “The role of Eph receptors and Ephrins in the skin” International Journal of Dermatology (2015) 55:3-10
- Shih B, Wijeratne D, Brown J, Armstrong D J, Lindau T, Day P JR, Bayat A (2009). “Identification of Biomarkers in Dupuytren’s disease by comparative Analysis of fibroblasts versus tissue biopsies in disease specific phenotypes,”The Journal of Hand Surgery 34:124-136
- Tan K.T., Wijeratne D., Shih B., Baildam, A.D., Bayat A (2010) “Tumour necrosis factor-α expression is associated with increased severity of periprosthetic breast capsular contracture”European Surgical Research45:327-32
Presentations at conferences and meetings of professional associations (Published as abstracts)
- Wijeratne, D.T., Fernando,S., Kamaladasa,A., Gomes.,L., Jeewandara,C.,Ginneliya,A., Samarasekara,S., Wijewickrama., Malavige,N. Role of Dengue Virus Specific T cell Responses in the Pathogenesis of Acute Dengue Infection (2017) The 6thNIF Winter School on Advanced Immunology, Singapore (Oral presentation)
- Wijeratne D.T, Rodger J, Wallace H.J, Wood F.M, & Fear M.W .The role of Ephrin-A2 and -A5 in normal skin development and wound healing. (2013) the UWA school of Surgery symposium. Perth, Australia (Oral presentation).
- Wijeratne D.T, Rodger J, Wallace H.J, Wood F.M, & Fear M.W .The role of Ephrin-A2 and -A5 in normal skin development and wound healing. (2013)Australian and New Zealand Burn Association Annual scientific meeting. . Perth, Australia (Oral presentation)
- Wijeratne D.T, Rodger J, Wallace H.J, Wood F.M, & Fear M.W .The role of Ephrin-A2 and -A5 in normal skin development and wound healing.(2013) American Burn Association 45thannual meeting. Palms Springs, USA (Oralpresentation)
- Wijeratne D.T, Rodger J, Wallace H.J, Wood F.M, & Fear M.W .The role of Ephrin-A2 and -A5 in normal skin development and wound healing. (2012) Conjoint Annual wound and tissue repair society and Australasian society for dermatology research conference. Sydney, Australia (Poster presentation)
- Wijeratne D.T, Rodger J, Wallace H.J, Wood F.M, & Fear M.W ‘The role of Ephrin-A2 and -A5 in normal skin development and wound healing.(2012) the UWA school of Surgery symposium. Perth, Australia (Poster presentation)
- Wijeratne D.T, Rodger J, Wallace H.J, Wood F.M, & Fear M.W ‘The role of Ephrin-A2 and -A5 in normal skin development and wound healing.(2011) McCoomb day. Perth, Australia (Oral presentation)