Research & Grants

Research Interests

• Gene manipulations in plants - Expression of gluten proteins in rice endosperm to develop “wheat like rice”. Over expression of fruit Bromelain gene in prokaryotic host. Use of fungal chitinase and glucanase genes to engineer plant defense against fungal pathogens. Overexpression of Salt Tolerance Homolog 2 (STH2) gene in Bg 250 Sri Lankan rice variety to develop salinity and drought resistant rice.
• Study of gene manipulations in fungi& bacteria - Isolation and characterization of cellulase gene complex of Aspergillus niger. Cloning and expression of cellulase and xylanase genes of Trichoderma species. Genetic engineering of yeast to express cellulase and hemicellulase enzymes from Trichoderma species to degrade biomass for production of ethanol.
• Study of polymorphism in pathogenic fungi using molecular markers - Determination of genetic variation of rice blast fungus (Magneporthe grisea) using molecular markers. Detection of Variability of Rigidiporus microporus- The Causative fungus of the white root disease of rubber’.
• Molecular Biology of filarial parasites - Purification and characterization of lactate dehydrogenase from cattle filarial nematode Setaria digitata. Development of DNA based techniques to detect cattle filarial nematode Setaria digitata. Development of oligonucleotide-based hybridization assay for the detection of Wuchereria bancrofti. Characterization of heat shock protein gene of Wuchereria bancrofti. Use of molecular markers to differentiate Setaria digitata and Setaria labiatopapillosa, filarial parasites found in cattle. Isolation and characterization of gene encoding nematode specific fatty acid and retinol binding protein (far-1) from cattle filarial parasite, Setaria digitata.
• DNA based diagnosis of genetic diseases - Screening for Fragile X Syndrome among children presenting with learning difficulties. BRCA1, BRCA2 and P53 gene mutation detection in Sri Lankan breast cancer patients using PCR. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) mutation detection using Multiplex PCR.
• DNA base diagnosis of infectious diseases - Development of ELISA based non-radioactive detection system to increase the sensitivity of detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in PCR amplified products of clinical samples. Determination of drug resistant gene mutations among strains of M. tuberculosis. Development of gold nanoparticle based lateral flow assay for detection of point mutations in drug resistant M. tuberculosis Detection of Salmonella using PCR.
• Genetic basis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - Genotyping the Sri Lankan woman with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): towards a novel diagnosis.