Portfolio
Education
Sep 2018 – Jan 2023
Ph.D. in Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Northeastern University
Boston, MA 02115
Mar 2013 – Mar 2017
B.Sc. (Hons) in Immunology and Integrative Molecular Biology
Faculty of Science, University of Colombo
SRI LANKA
Professional Research Experience
Aug 2023 – Present
Research Fellow
Harvard Medical School/ Boston Children’s Hospital
Boston, MA 02115
Focus: Heart Regeneration
Jan 2023 – Aug 2023
Scientist I
Boston Institute of Biotechnology
Southborough, MA 01772
Focus: Downstream Process Development
Sep 2018 – Jan 2023
Graduate Researcher / Teaching Assistant
Northeastern University
Boston, MA 02115
Focus: DNA damage Tolerance and Protein engineering
Focus: Structural Genomics Research
Mar 2017 – Aug 2018
Associate Scientist
Sun Pharma Industries
Sri Lanka
Focus: Process Development
Mar 2013 – Aug 2017
Undergraduate researcher/ Research Associate
Wilderness and Wildlife Conservation Trust and University of Colombo
SRI LANKA
Focus 01: Structure Guided Drug Design
Focus 02: Leopard Project
Focus 03: Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension
Organizations and Leadership Experiences
Mar 2023 – Present
Sigma XI
Aug 2021 – July 2025
Northeastern Section Young Chemist Committee
Sep 2019 – Dec 2022
New England Future Faculty Workshop
Aug 2018 – Present
American Chemical Society
Editorial Services
2023 – Present
Review Editor in Animals of Clinical Epidemiology
2023 – Present
Review Editor in Frontiers in Chemistry
2023 – Present
Review Editor in Advances in Clinical Toxicology
Awards and Nominations
2023 – 2025 – Kaplan postdoctoral Fellowship
2022 – Ph.D. Network travel grant
2020, 2021, 2022 – American Chemical Society Virtual Meeting scholarship award
2021 – Best poster presentation – FALL – American Chemical Society
2021 – Nominated for College of Science Dean’s Graduate Student Excellence Award in Leadership
Selected Publications
Biochemical Activity of 17 Cancer-Associated Variants of DNA Polymerase Kappa Predicted by Electrostatic Properties
We investigated how cancer-associated mutations affect the activity of human DNA polymerase kappa, an enzyme involved in DNA damage bypass and chemotherapy response. Using machine learning–based structural predictions combined with bioinformatic tools, we identified variants likely to disrupt catalytic function. We then experimentally characterized 17 variants and found several with significantly reduced enzymatic activity. This study highlights how integrated computational and biochemical approaches can efficiently prioritize functionally impactful mutations from large genomic datasets.
Functional annotation of haloacid dehalogenase superfamily structural genomics proteins
Haloacid dehalogenases (HAD) belong to a large and functionally diverse enzyme superfamily, many of whose members remain poorly characterized. In this study, we combined computational predictions based on chemical and electrostatic properties with direct biochemical assays to determine the functions of several structural genomics proteins within the HAD superfamily. We successfully predicted and experimentally validated five previously uncharacterized proteins, identifying one as a dehalogenase and four as sugar phosphatases with varying substrate specificities. This work demonstrates how integrated computational and experimental approaches can accelerate functional annotation of structurally resolved but biologically undefined proteins
Edge effects and distribution of prey forage resourcesinfluence how an apex predator utilizes Sri Lanka’s largestprotected area
Apex carnivores play a vital role in ecosystem function, yet their populations are declining worldwide. In Sri Lanka, the endangered endemic leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) serves as the top predator, but fine-scale patterns of habitat use remain poorly understood. Using camera traps and spatially explicit capture-recapture methods in Wilpattu National Park, we estimated leopard density and analyzed factors influencing habitat selection. Our findings reveal high core-area densities, avoidance of park boundaries due to human disturbance, and a preference for prey-associated resources over areas of highest prey abundance, providing key insights for protected area management and conservation planning.
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