Member Profile
Membership type: full
Nadira D. Karunaweera
Country of origin: Sri Lanka Currently in: Sri Lanka, Colombo General field of specialization: Biological Systems and Organisms-
Degrees
1993 Doctorate Biological Systems and Organisms -
Current Research Activities
Biological Systems and Organisms
Immunology and pathogenesis of malaria. Clinical disease, pathogenesis, epidemiology and transmission of leishmaniasis
Publications resulting from Research:
1. Carter R, Karunaweera ND. The Role of Improved Housing and Living Environments in Malaria Control and Elimination. Malaria Journal. (2020) 19:385. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-020-03450-y
2. Karunaweera ND, Ferreira MU. (2018). Leishmaniasis: current challenges and prospects for elimination with special focus on the South Asian region. Parasitology. 12:1-5. doi: 10.1017/S0031182018000471.
3. Silva H, Liyanage A, Deerasinghe T, Sumanasena B, Munidasa D, de Silva H, Weerasingha S, Fernandopulle R, Karunaweera ND. (2021).Therapeutic response to thermotherapy in cutaneous leishmaniasis treatment failures for sodium stibogluconate: A randomized controlled proof of principle clinical trial. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 104(3): 945-950. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.20-0855
4. Karunaweera ND, Ginige S, Senanayake S, Silva H, Manamperi N, Samaranayake N, Siriwardana Y, Gamage D, Senerath U, Zhou G. (2020). Spatial Epidemiologic Trends and Hotspots of Leishmaniasis, Sri Lanka, 2001–2018. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 26(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2601.190971
5. Dewasurendra RL, Dewasurendra RL, Baniecki ML, Schaffner S, Siriwardena HVYD, Moon J, Doshi R, Gunawardena GSA, Daniels RF, Neafsey D, Volkman S, Chandrasekharan NV, Wirth DF, Karunaweera ND. 2020. Use of a Plasmodium vivax genetic barcode for genomic surveillance and parasite tracking in Sri Lanka. Malaria Journal.19:342. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-020-03386-3
6. Pathirage DRK, Karunaratne SHPP, Senanayake SC, Karunaweera ND. (2020). Insecticide susceptibility of the sand fly leishmaniasis vector Phlebotomus argentipes in Sri Lanka. Parasit Vectors 13(1): 246. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04117-y
7. Samarasinghe SR, Samaranayake N, Kariyawasam U, Siriwardana Y, Imamura H, Karunaweera ND. (2018). Genomic insights into virulence mechanisms of Leishmania donovani: evidence from an atypical strain. BMC Genomics. 28;19(1):843. doi: 10.1186/s12864-018-5271-z.
8. Kariyawasam KKGDUL, Siriwardana HVYD, Senerath U, Karunaweera ND. (2018). Dermotropic Leishmania donovani in Sri Lanka: Visceralizing potential in clinical and preclinical studies. Parasitology. 145(4):443-452. https://doi.org/10.1017/S003118201700169X
9. Refai W, Madarasingha N, Sumanasena B, Weerasingha S, De Silva A, Fernandopulle R, Satoskar A, Karunaweera ND. (2017). Efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness of thermotherapy in the treatment of Leishmania donovani-induced cutaneous leishmaniasis: A randomized controlled clinical trial. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 97(4):1120-1126. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0879.
10. Karunaweera ND, Ferreira MU, Munasinghe A, Barnwell JW, Collins WE, King CL, Kawamoto F, Hartl DL, Wirth DF. (2008). Extensive Microsatellite Diversity in the Human Malaria Parasite Plasmodium vivax. Gene, 410(1):105-112
Current profession
Current professional activities type:ResearchAdministrationTeachingSenior Professor and Chair of Parasitology: engage in teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate medical trainees; Team leader of leishmaniasis research team
Affiliations
Harvard University, USA -
Other Awards
Jan 2021Fellowship, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)Elected Fellow of the The World Academy of SciencesOct 2020International Fellow, American Society of Tropical Medicine and HygieneElected Distinguished International Fellow, American Society of Tropical Medicine and HygieneOct 2019Member, American Academy of Arts and SciencesElected member, American Academy of Arts and SciencesAug 2011Fellow, National Academy of Sciences of Sri LankaElected Fellow, National Academy of Sciences of Sri LankaAug 2005Fellowship, Harvard University, USAFellowship award, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies, Harvard University, USAAug 2006Fulbright FellowshipFulbright Advanced Research and Lecturing award, USA