Leishmaniasis – Projects
  • Antibody response to sand fly salivary antigens of Phlebotomus argentipes as potential biomarkers of vector exposure and effect of vector control measures (S. B Piyasiri, PhD, 2025)
  • Host innate immune mechanisms, parasite phenotypes and genetics in the pathogenesis of cutaneous leishmaniasis caused my Leishmania Donovani (H. Riyal, PhD, 2023)
  • Parasite determinants that influence the treatment outcome in cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka (Dr. N.H Silva, PhD, 2022)
  • Insecticide resistance status and population genetic structure of Phlebotomus argentipes s.l. (Diptera:Psychodidae) in Sri Lanka. (D. Pathirage, PhD, 2022)
  • Study of antigen profile and immuno-epidemiology of human leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka (M.A.B Deepachandi, PhD, 2020)
  • Role of host innate cellular immune response in infections by L. donovani in Sri Lanka (H. Wijesooriya, MPhil, 2019).
  • Host factors in the pathogenesis of cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania donovani in Sri Lanka (Dr. N. Manamperi, PhD, 2018)
  • Phenotypic and genetic characteristics of Leishmania donovani that causes cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka (U. Kariyawasam, PhD, 2018).
  • Serological aspects of leishmaniasis (Dr. S. Ranasinghe, MSc, 2012).
  • A candidate gene association study of genetic susceptibility to cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka (Dr. T. N Samaranayake, PhD, 2011).
  • Clinical epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka & the molecular identification of the parasite (Dr HVYD Siriwardana, PhD, 2009).
Year Name Degree Title of the Thesis Supervisors Present Position
2008 Dr. H. V. Y. D Siriwardana Ph.D Studies on the clinical epidemiology of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka and the molecular identification of the parasite Macaca sinica Prof. K.N. Mendis, Prof. Rajitha Wickremasinghe, Dr. Michael Chance, Dr. Nicholas Beeching Senior Lecturer, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo
2011 Dr. T. N. Samaranayake Ph.D A candidate gene association study of genetic susceptibility to cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka Prof. D. Fernando, Prof V. Dissanayake Senior Lecturer, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo
2018 Dr. Udeshika Kariyawasam Ph.D Phenotypic and genetic characteristics of Leishmania donovani that causes cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka Prof N. Karunaweera Post doc fellow, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA
2019 Dr. Nuwani Manamperi Ph.D Host factors in the pathogenesis of cutaneous leishmaniasis due to L. donavani in Sri Lanka Prof N. Karunaweera Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, Ragama, University of Keleniya
2020 Hiruni Wijesooriya M.Phil. Host Innate Cellular Immune Response Against Leishmania donovani Causing Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka Prof N. Karunaweera, Dr. N. Samaranayake Project Manager, Centre for Combating Tobacco, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo
Dr. Sanath Senanayake Ph. D.

Ongoing

Studies on vector of leishmaniasis and its transmission Prof N. Karunaweera Senior Lecturer, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo
Dr. Hermali Silva Ph.D

 

Parasite determinants that influence the treatment outcome in cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka Prof N. Karunaweera, Dr. N V Chandrasekharan Probationary Lecturer, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo
2021 Mrs. Bhagya Deepachandi Ph.D Study of antigen profile and immuno-epidemiology of human leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka. Dr. H. V. Y. D. Siriwardana, Prof. S.S.B.D.P. Soysa Research Trainee, PDRU, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Colombo
Mrs. Dulani Pathirage Ph.D

 

Phlebotomus argentipes, the vector of leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka; mechanisms and propagation of insecticide resistance Prof N. Karunaweera Research Trainee, PDRU, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Colombo
Mrs. Hasna Riyal Ph.D

 

Host innate immune mechanisms parasite phenotypes and genetics in pathogenesis cutaneous leishmaniasis in Sri Lanka Prof N. Karunaweera, Dr. T. N. Samaranayake Research Trainee, PDRU, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Colombo