My Expertise
Dengue fever, Viral hepatits, Malaria, Leptospirosis, RNA virus phylogenetics
Fields of Research (FoR)
Infectious DiseasesBiography
Chaturaka is a NHMRC investigator (Viral Immunology Systems Program, Kirby Institute), Senior Lecturer (Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences) and a physician. His research focus is on infectious diseases (Hepatitis C, Malaria, Dengue, Coronaviruses and Leptospirosis) and evolutionary biology of RNA viruses. He is also interested in evidence based medicine as an author affiliated to Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group, Liverpool,...view more
Chaturaka is a NHMRC investigator (Viral Immunology Systems Program, Kirby Institute), Senior Lecturer (Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences) and a physician. His research focus is on infectious diseases (Hepatitis C, Malaria, Dengue, Coronaviruses and Leptospirosis) and evolutionary biology of RNA viruses. He is also interested in evidence based medicine as an author affiliated to Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group, Liverpool, UK. He is currently an associate editor for BMC Infectious Diseases, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Systematic Reviews and Cochrane Clinical Answers.
My Grants
Investigator Initiated Research grant, Seqirus Australia (Industry grant), Prevalence of missed Q fever in Australia, 2021-2022
H2Seq: Viral genomics for public health interventions in HIV and HCV - Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), 2021 - 2026
NHMRC Investigator grant (Emerging Leader 1 category), 2020 - 2024
SOMS Early Career Research support grant 2018 -2019
Research Infrastructure Support Scheme (3 grants) , UNSW 2017, 2018
My Qualifications
MBBS MRCP(UK) MD PhD FHEA FRCP
My Awards
- Paper of the Month, December 2020, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW
- Award for Adaptability and Innovation in Pathology teaching, 2020, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW
- Paper of the Month, January 2020, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW
- University award for teaching excellence (early career and rising star), UNSW Sydney, 2019
- Robert Dixon award for the best presentation (Hepatitis) at the annual workshop of the Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis Virology Research. Canungra, QLD, Australia 2019
- Award for teaching excellence (early career staff), Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney 2018
- University International Postgraduate Research Award / Scholarship for PhD studies, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. 2014 – 2017
- Top-up scholarship for PhD studies, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Sydney. 2014-2017
- Robert Dixon award for the best oral presentation at the annual workshop of the Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis Virology Research. Barossa Valley, SA, Australia 2017
- Paper of the Month, October 2016, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW
- Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference Scholarship. Gold coast, Australia. 2016
- New Investigator Scholarship, 5th International symposium on hepatitis care in substance users. Oslo, Norway. 2016
- Victorian infectious diseases reference laboratory (VIDRL) educational grant (Hepatitis). Awarded at the annual workshop of the Australian Centre for HIV and Hepatitis Virology Research. Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia 2015
- Training fellowship. Cochrane infectious diseases group. Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom. 2014
- Excellence award for the most outstanding junior researcher of Sri Lanka awarded by the Committee of Vice-chancellors and Directors (CVCD). 2012
- Award for scientific publications by the President of Sri Lanka 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
- University Research Award for best researcher in Faculty of Medicine, 2014. University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
My Research Activities
Vulnerability to severe dengue infection, Next generation sequencing, molecular epidemiology and evolutionary analysis of RNA viruses, Host immunity against RNA virus infections
My Research Supervision
Areas of supervision
Honours, ILP and PhD students
Completed Supervisions - PhD
1. Dr. Nasir Riaz (joint primary supervisor), Single molecule whole genome sequencing of the Hepatitis C (HCV) virus and its applications, Kirby Institute, UNSW, 2017 -2020.
2. Dr. Arunasingam Abayasingam (joint primary supervisor), Neutralizing antibody responses in acute hepatitis C and SARS-nCoV-2 infection, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW, 2017- 2021
Currently supervising
PhD Students
1. Dr. Hossain Sazzad (secondary supervisor), Dynamics of hepatitis C transmission in NSW prisons, Kirby Institute, UNSW, 2018-2021
2. Dr. Braulio Valencia Arroyo (joint primary supervisor), Influence of host immunogenetics in determining the disease phenotype in influenza, Ross river virus, Epstein Barr virus and dengue virus infections, Kirby Institute, UNSW, 2018-2021
3. Mr. Anurag Adhikari (secondary supervisor), Identification of protective anti-HCV antibodies in subjects that clear infection to inform vaccine design, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW, 2018 – 2021
4. Ms. Samaneh Moallemi (primary supervisor), Biomarkers for severe dengue infection, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW, 2020 – 2024
5. Mr Ahnsul Kabir (joint primary supervisor), Molecular diagnostics for viral infections. School of Medical Sciences, UNSW, 2021 – 2024
My Teaching
Please see myEducation portfolio for the full teaching profile
Co-convener
1. PATH3205 - Molecular basis of disease, Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences
2. PATH3206 - Cancer Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences
Pathology teaching and assessments
1. MD/MBBS - Phase 1, 2 and 3
2. PATH2201 - Processes of Disease
3. PATH3205 - Molecular Basis of Disease
4. PATH3206 - Cancer Pathology
5. PATH3207 - Musculoskeletal Diseases
Location
Publications
ORCID as entered in ROS
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2189-9177