Dinusha Pathiranage Rajapaksha

Dynamic research professional with extensive experience at Chungnam National University, specializing in zebrafish modeling and biofilm analysis. Proven ability to enhance quality assurance processes and develop innovative microbiological products. Skilled in ELISA and PCR techniques, complemented by strong academic writing and training capabilities, driving impactful results in laboratory settings.

• Graduate Research Assistant, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea, 34134, 09/01/19, Current, Application of microbiological, molecular biological, drug encapsulation and zebrafish disease modeling aspects in assessing the effectiveness of potential marine (peptide and pectin) drugs for antimicrobial, wound healing and immune modulatory activities., Design experiments and working on basic screening, mechanism of actions (FE SEM, TEM, confocal, flow cytometry), cell culturing, protein extraction, western blot, ELISA, RNA extraction, CDNA synthesis qRT PCR, metagenomics analysis and zebrafish models to check the effectiveness of used as a treatments for respective diseases in human and animals., Basic zebrafish system handling (Breeding, rearing, feeding, cleaning and brood stock maintaining) and zebrafish tissue isolation, larvae staining, bacterial infection and inflammatory bowel disease model development (adult and larvae)., RNA extraction (Kit and trisole method), CDNA synthesis, western blot and ELISA from zebrafish tissues and cell culture samples., All basic microbiological aspects including stock preparation, sequencing and design experimental procedures for expected mechanism of actions., Antimicrobial peptide encapsulation with carbox-ymethyl chitosan and chitosan premix and study drug delivery and mechanism of action (planned to apply patent soon)., Development of experimental set up for analysis of microbial biofilm and quorum sensing activities., Bacterial DNA, RNA and plasmid isolation, fluorescence tagging, and transformation., Involved in Olive flounder handling, bacterial infectious model development, and exosome extraction from the fish blood., Provide progress presentations on designing experiments and the results obtained with detailed clarification to justify the results., Establishment of laboratory protocols for the newly established laboratory aspects thorough trial and errors., Working as teaching assistant to the local and foreign undergraduates in their laboratory training period at Aquatic animal disease laboratory (conducting experiments, data analysis, poster preparations and small lab theoretical sessions).
• Quality Assurance Executive, Mc Curry Green Foods (Pvt) Ltd., Sri Lanka, 02/01/16, 06/30/17, Review quality assurance policies, procedures, and recommend implementing improvements., Conducting research and develop new products considering microbiological aspects., Supervising the compliance to quality procedures, standards and specifications., Conduct workshops and provide in-house training for staff members.
• Quality Assurance, Research, and Development Specialist, Pasanka (Pvt) Ltd., Sri Lanka, 07/01/17, 07/31/18, Review quality assurance policies, procedures, and recommend implementing improvements., Conducting research and develop new products considering microbiological aspects., Supervising the compliance to quality procedures, standards and specifications., Conduct workshops and provide in-house training for staff members.

• Mahanam De Zoysa, Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea, 34134, +82 10-6799-4686, mahanama@cnu.ac.kr
• Hyun-Jin Shin, Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea, 34134, +82 42-821-6760, shin0089@cnu.ac.kr

• English
• Korean
• Sinhala, Native
• English, Advanced
• Korean, Advanced

• Date of Birth: 11/10/90
• Gender: Female
• Nationality: Sri Lankan
• Marital Status: Married

• Patent, Antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity of Octopus minor-derived peptide Octopromycin against Acinetobacter baumannii, 제 10-2262261 호, 06/02/21
• Outstanding award for academic achievement, Among Korean government scholarship students, 2020
• Best research publication award, 2021
• Poster presentation award, Co-author: Korean Society of Aquatic Sciences, International Conference, 2021
• Korean Government Scholarship (GKS), For Masters, 09/01/18, 08/31/21

• MSc, Preventive Veterinary Medical Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea, 34134, 09/01/19, 08/31/21, 4.37, Study of antibacterial and antibiofilm functions of novel peptide 'Octopromycin' against multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, Genetic Engineering Technique, Aquatic Animal Pathology, Research Ethics, Advanced Veterinary Parasitology, Aquatic Animal Health and Medicine, Veterinary Public Health, Aquatic Animal Anatomy, Novel peptide design from Octopus minor, encapsulation, and study the mechanism of actions against pathogenic bacteria., Development of zebrafish model of inflammatory bowel disease and screen therapeutic agents (Pectin and PDRN).
• BSc (Hons), Agricultural Technology & Management (Major: Animal Science and technology), University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, 01/01/11, 12/31/15, 3.42, Comparison of metabolizable energy values of different types of poultry feeds estimated using regression equation and feeding trials.