Dr (Ms). UTN Senaratne

• PhD
• M.Sc (Medical Microbiology)
• M.Sc (Bio statistics)
• B.Sc (Chemistry special with Biotechnology)

Published research papers in journals

• Jayathilaka, N., Pathirana, T., Kumari, C., Navaratne, V., Gunasekara, S., Nakkawita, D. and Senaratne, T., 2023. Fosfomycin: A potential oral option for treatment of urinary tract infections in Sri Lanka in the context of high antibiotic resistance. Germs, 13(4), p.314.
• H Abeygoonawardena, H Jayasinghearachchi, T Senaratne, P Jayasekera, D Nakkawita, N Mubarak, U Kulasekera, P Kawyangana, D Govindapala, AD De Silva. A SARS-CoV-2 variant of C-36 lineage with L452R mutation infects a family in Sri Lanka, but has limited spread – A case series. Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases13 (1):1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v13i1.8512
• Dumitha Govindapala, Dhanuka Dhanaratna, Uththara Senarath, Dilusha Lamabadusuriya, Thamarasi Senaratne, Wasantha Wijenayake, Dasun Wijewardena, Dilini Nakkawita, Pawanie Kawyangana, Upeksha Kulasekara, Aruna Darshan De Silva, Nayana Fernando. Reactogenicity and persistence of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 among recipients of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine: A single centre experience from Sri Lanka 2023 International Journal of Health Sciences (17) 36-43 ISSN: 1658-3639
• X Carbonell-Estrany, EAF Simões, LJ Bont, A Gentile, N Homaira, MC Scotta, RT Stein, JP Torres, J Sheikh, S Broor, N Khuri-Bulos, DJ Nokes, PK Munywoki, Q Bassat, AK Sharma, S Basnet, M Garba, SP Lupisan, MC Nunes, M Divarathna, JR Fullarton, BS Rodgers-Gray, I Keary, MDC Reñosa, C Verwey, DP Moore, F Noordeen, S Kabra, MS do Vale, R Paternina-De La Ossa, C Mariño, J Figueras-Aloy, L Krilov, E Berezin, HJ Zar, K Paudel, MAP Safadi, G Dbaibo, I Jroundi, R Jha, RAM Rafeek, RS Pinheiro, M Bracht, R Muthugala, M Lanari, F Martinón-Torres, I Mitchell, G Irimu, A Pandey, A Krishnan, A Mejias, MSC da Costa, S Shrestha, JM Pernica, FC de Carvalho, RE Jalango, H Ibrahim, A Ewa, G Ensinck, R Ulloa-Gutierrez, AL Miralha, MF Lucion, MZ Hassan, Z Akhtar, MA Aleem, F Chowdhury, P Rojo, C Sande, A Musau, K Zaman, L Helena, F Arlant, P Ghimire, A Price, KU Subedi, H Brenes-Chacon, DR Goswami, MZ Rahman, ME Hossain, MJ Chisti, NE Vain, A Lim, A Chiu, J Papenburg, MDV Juarez, T Senaratne, S Arunasalam, TA Strand, A Ayuk, O Ogunrinde, LVS Tavares, C Garba, BI Garba, J Dawa, M Gordon, E Osoro, CN Agoti, B Nyawanda, M Ngama, C Tabu, JL Mathew, A Cornacchia, GK Rai, A Jain, MS Giongo, BA Paes.Identifying the research, advocacy, policy and implementation needs for preventing and managing respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract infection in low- and middle-income countries. 2022 Frontiers in Pediatrics (10) 1033125-1033125
• DS Govindapala, RMUS Senarath, W Wijenayake, TD Wijewardwna, WMID Nakkawita, UTN Senaratne, P Kawyangana, AD De Silva, NS Fernando. Adverse events following ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (Covisheild) vaccine administered in two-dose regimen: A single centre experience from Sri Lanka. Journal of the Ceylon College of Physicians (1) 2022
• Bushran N Iqbal, Shiyamalee Arunasalam, Maduja V M Divarathna, AAOM Jabeer, PDNN Sirisena, Thamarasi Senaratne, Rohitha Muthugala, Faseeha Noordeen. Diagnostic utility and validation of a newly developed real time loop mediated isothermal amplification method for the detection of SARS CoV-2 infection, Journal of Clinical Virology Plus, 2022
• NGN Gayathri, P Sirisena, UTN Senaratne, F Noordeen. Knowledge, attitude and practices towards dengue among undergraduate students at a University in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases 11 (2). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v11i2.8407
• Senaratne UTN, Murugananthan K, Sirisena PDNN, Carr JM, Noordeen F (2020). Dengue virus co-infections with multiple serotypes do not result in a different clinical outcome compared to mono infections. Epidemiology and Infection 148
• Thamarasi Senaratne, Harith Wimalaratne, D. G. S. Alahakoon, Nirmali  Gunawardane, Jillian Carr, and Faseeha Noordeen. Characterization of Dengue Virus Infections in a Sample of Patients Suggests Unique Clinical, Immunological, and Virological Profiles That Impact on the Diagnosis of Dengue and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever. Journal of Medical Virology 2016. doi:10.1002/jmv.24525
• Thamarasi Senaratne, Jillian Carr, Faseeha Noordeen. Elevation in liver enzymes is associated with increased IL-2 and predicts severe outcomes in clinically apparent dengue virus infection. Cytokine 2016 Vol 83.182-188. doi: 10.1016/j.cyto.2016.04.010
• Senaratne UTN and Noordeen F. Diagnosis of dengue in Sri Lanka: improvements to the existing state of the art in the island. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2014 doi:10.1093/trstmh/tru131
• T Senaratne, F Noordeen, N Dissanayake, KGRA Kumara. Comparison of a rapid immunochromatography assay with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti-dengue virus IgM detection. Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases 2014 Vol.4 (2):77-82. doi:: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v4i2.5925
• Agampodi SB, Thevanesam V, Senaratne T Validity of a commercially available IgM ELISA test for diagnosing acute leptospirosis in high endemic districts of Sri Lanka..Sri Lankan Journal of Infectious Diseases 2014 Vol.4(2):83-89. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljid.v4i2.6952
• Suneth B. Agampodi, Sharon J. Peacock, Vasanthi Thevanesam, Danaseela B. Nugegoda, Lee Smythe, Janjira Thaipadungpanit, Scott B. Craig, Mary Ann Burns, Michael Dohnt, Siriphan Boonsilp, Thamarasi Senaratne, Athula Kumara, Paba Palihawadana, Sahan Perera, and Joseph M. Vinetz. Leptospirosis outbreak in Sri Lanka in 2008: Lessons for assessing the global burden of disease. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 85(3), 2011, pp. 471–478 doi:http://www.ajtmh.org/content/85/3/471.abstract
• S.B Agampodi ,V.Thevanesam, H.Wimalarathna, T.Senaratne, M.H Wijedasa  A preliminary study on prevalent serovars of leptospirosis among patients admitted to Teaching hospital, Kandy, Sri Lanka.. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology, 2008, Vol 26, 4, pages 405-406. doi: http://www.ijmm.org/text.asp?2008/26/4/405/43557

Research presentation Oral/ Posters

• Ilukkumbura, I.K.B., Fernando, P.D.M., Sumedha, K.W., Seneratne, U.T.N. and Nakkawita, W.M.I.D., 2023. Prospective Surveillance of Peripheral Intravenous Cannula Site Phlebitis among Patients Admitted to Medical and Surgical Wards at University Hospital Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka.
• Adverse Events Following ChAdOx1nCoV-19 Vaccine in the First Phase of Vaccine Roll Out in Sri Lanka.DS Govindapala, WMID Nakkawita, UTN Senaratne, W Wijenayake, RMUS Senarath, TD Wijewardena, P Kawyangana, AD De Silva and NS Fernando -Proceedings of the 14th International Research Conference organized by KDU.9th and 10th September 2021.
• Multi-Drug Resistance in Bacteria Isolated from Respiratory Specimens of COVID-19 Pneumonia Patients Admitted to a Tertiary Care Hospital in Sri Lanka. WMID Nakkawita, T Senaratne and S Weerasinghe -Proceedings of the 14th International Research Conference organized by KDU.9th and 10th September 2021.
• Identification of New Variant of SARS CoV-2 Virus of C-36 lineage with L452R Mutation at University Hospital KDU (UHKDU) Sri Lanka. H Abeygoonawardena, UTN Senaratne, MMPT Jayasekera, WMID Nakkawita, FN Mubarak, US Kulasekera, DGP Kawyangana, DS Govindapala and AD De Silva. – Proceedings of the 14th International Research Conference organized by KDU. 9th and 10th September 2021.
• Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices on E-health Literacy among FAHS Undergraduates of KDU. WON De Silva, RAN Hansamali, BDJ Carmel, SU Kankanamge and UTN Senaratne -Proceedings of the 14th International Research Conference organized by KDU.9th and 10th September 2021.
• Detection of the Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations for Meropenem in Resistant Coliform Isolates at National Cancer Institute Maharagama.CSK Welagedara, WGMCH Perera, MRS Costa, NDL Kalinga, V Navaratne, SP Gunasekara and UTN Senaratne -Proceedings of the 14th International Research Conference organized by KDU.9th and 10th September 2021.
• The long term association between dengue incidence and the climate. Senaratne T, Noordeen F, Abeynayake NR -Proceedings of the Research Conference in Health Sciences 2021 – FAHS, USJ 31st March 2021
• SARS-COV-2 specific IgM and IgG response among quarantined health care workers following exposure to COVID-19 confirmed co-workers in a University Hospital, Sri Lanka. Govindapala DS, Nakkawita WMID, Senaratne UTN, Jayasena DH, Jayasekara MMPT, Navaratne PBV, Abeygoonawardhena H, Gamage P, De Silva AD
  -Proceedings for the National Conference on “COVID 19: Impact, Mitigation, Opportunities and Building Resilience” 27-28 January 2021
• The diagnostic precision of NS1 to detect acute dengue virus infection along with serology in a selected sample of dengue patients Senaratne UTN, Amarakoon AADGU and Noordeen F-Proceedings for the 8th Annual conference and scientific sessions of the Sri Lankan society for microbiology 25^th October 2019
• Factors affecting the service quality of national medicine regulatory authority of Sri Lanka: customers’ perspective.T.V.K.Y.Malaka, I.K.Ariyadasa , S.U.Kankanamge, K. Jayasinghe and UTN Senaratn-Proceedings for the 12th International Research Conference organized by KDU.11^th 12^th September 2019
• An elevation on the changing trends in dengue in Sri Lanka using descriptive statistics and GIS mapping.  Illangakoon IPUD, Daranagama DAS, Senaratne UTN and Noordeen   – Proceedings for the 7^th Annual conference and scientific sessions of the Sri Lankan society for microbiology 26^th October 2018
• Co-infections with multiple dengue virus serotypes in patients from 3 different Provinces of Sri Lanka, a dengue hyper endemic country. Thamarasi Senaratne, Nadeera Nilupamali Sirisena, Kalamathy Muruganathan, Jillian Carr and Faseeha Noordeen
  -Proceedings for the 17th International Congress on Infectious Diseases (ICID) Hyderabad, India .March 2-5, 2016
• Elevations in liver enzymes are associated with increased IL-2 and may predict severe outcomes of dengue virus infection in a Sri Lankan cohort. Senaratne UTN, Carr J and Noordeen F
  – Proceedings for the 17th International Congress on Infectious Diseases (ICID) Hyderabad, India .March 2-5, 2016
  -Proceedings for the Sri Lankan College of Microbiologists annual sessions 2015
• TNF-α and IL-2 levels in dengue patients – Changes with clinical profiles. Thamarasi Senaratne, Faseeha Noordeen and Jillian Carr
  -Proceedings for the international conference on Public health 2015
  -Proceedings for the 2nd annual conference of institute of biotechnology and molecular medicine 2015
  -Proceedings for the Sri Lanka medical Association annual sessions 2015
  -Poster presentation at iPURSE 2015
• Combining PCR and IgM will be useful for detecting DENV infection at an early phase. Senaratne UTN , Noordeen F,Wimalaratne H, Alahakoon DGS and Gunawardane N
  -Proceedings for the Sri Lankan College of Microbiologists annual sessions 2015
• The suitability of RT-PCR in the diagnosis of dengue virus infection in a cohort of clinically suspected hospitalized dengue patients. Senaratne UTN and Noordeen F
  -Proceedings for the Sri Lankan society of Microbiologists annual sessions 2014
• Clinical Profiles of Dengue Fever (DF) and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) Suspected Patients at Teaching Hospital, Kandy. Senaratne UTN and Noordeen F
  -Poster presentation at the Sri Lankan society of Microbiologists annual sessions 2013
• Comparison of a Rapid Dengue Test with ELISA for the IgM Detection at the Teaching Hospital Peradeniya. Thamarasi Senaratne, Nilanthi Dissanayake, Athula Kumara and Faseeha Noordeen.
  -Proceedings for the 6th Asian Congress of Paediatric Infectious Diseases .28th November-1st December 2012 .pages 90-91
  -Poster presentation at the Sri Lanka College of Microbiologists 21st Annual sessions 28th-30th August 2012. Awarded 2nd place under the poster presentation category
  -Poster presentation at the 6th Asia Pacific Military Nursing Exchange 6th-10th August 2012.
  -Proceedings for the 15th International congress on infectious diseases-International Scientific Exchange, Bangkok Thailand June 2012
  -Proceedings for the PURSE 2012
• A rapid culture method for mycobacterium tuberculosis. Thamarasi Senaratne, Vasanthi Thevanesam, Manil Peiris and N.B. Eriyagama Proceedings for the Peradeniya University Research Sessions-2010, Vol 15, pp. 80-82.Serological survey of leptospirosis in human in Kandy and Polonnaruwa. S.B Agampodi ,V.Thevanesam, H.Wimalarathna, T.Senaratne, M.H Wijedasa.
  -Proceedings for the Peradeniya University Research Sessions-2008, Vol 13, pp. 247-248
• Serological survey of leptospirosis in human in Kandy and Polonnaruwa. S.B Agampodi ,V.Thevanesam, H.Wimalarathna, T.Senaratne, M.H Wijedasa.
  -Proceedings for the Peradeniya University Research Sessions-2008, Vol 13, pp. 247-248

Ongoing research

• Research activities related to Medical Microbiology and Bio Statistics

• Principal investigator (grant holder) of the university grant KDU/RG/2022/FAHS for “Molecular detection of carbapenem resistance genes in urine culture isolates and its correlation with clinical outcome”
• Co-investigator of the university grant KDU/RG/2021/FOM/004 for the “molecular detection of respiratory viruses and atypical pathogens at University hospital General Sir John Kotelawala defence University”
• Co-investigator of the university grant KDU/RG/2020/FOM/002for the “Assessment of degree of exposure, outcomes and the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgM and IgG among quarantined healthcare workers following an exposure to PCR confirmed COVID-19 patients in the government and semi- government hospitals in the western province of Sri Lanka”. 
• Co-investigator of the NRC/CVD 20-12 grant awarded by National Research Council Sri Lanka for the development of COVID-19 diagnostics.
• Co-investigator KDU research grant 2021” SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion and side effects among Recombinant Corona Virus Vaccine (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) recipients at the University Hospital KDU”
• Co-investigator KDU research grant 2021 “Establishment of a respiratory panel for the molecular detection of respiratory viruses and atypical pathogens in patients presenting with atypical pneumonia at UHKDU”
• National Research Council (NRC) merit award for scientific publication in 2011,2014 and 2016
• Awarded a scholarship by the National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka for the PhD studies (03.09.2012 to-25.09.2015)

Previous academic Positions

• Visiting lecturer to the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences University of Peradeniya for the B.Sc Medical Laboratory Science programme for the 2nd year 2nd semester (batch 2009/2010) from 03.12.2012 to 21.04.2013
• Temporary lecturer at the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya. (01.06.2012 – 01.09.2012)
• Temporary lecturer at the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya. (01.11.2007 – 31.10.2009)

Previous Administrative Positions

• Secretary 16^th International Research Conference of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University 2023
• Coordinator – Basic and Applied Sciences Sessions, 10^th International Research Conference of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
• Faculty coordinator Open day 2017
• Coordinator orientation programme 2019

Current Administrative Positions

• Senior Scientist at Molecular Laboratory Unit, Microbiology Department, University Hospital KDU
• Secretary of the Ethical Review Committee FOM KDU
• Student counsellor to FAHS
• Member of the Management Committee of the FERCSL

• Member of European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID)
• Member of International society of infectious diseases
• Committee member of the Sri Lanka Association of advancement of Science section D
• Member of Sri Lankan Society for Microbiology
• Member of The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD)
• Member of Sri Lanka Academy of Young Scientists (SLAYS)

Undergraduate Teaching

• Undergraduate teaching at Faculty of Allied Health Sciences KDU
  • Areas of Teaching
  • Virology
  • Microbiology
  • Research Methodology
  • Statistics
• Undergraduate teaching at Faculty of Engineering KDU (BSc -Bio medical engineering)
  • Areas of teaching -Microbiology
• Undergraduate teaching at Faculty of Medicine KDU
  • Areas of teaching -Molecular biology

Postgraduate Teaching and Supervision

• Supervision of a Mphil student in the area of antibiotic resistance
• Postgraduate Teaching at Faculty of Engineering KDU- For MSc in Biomedical engineering
  • Areas of teaching – Microbiology
                                         Research methodology

• Examiner for M.Sc in Medical Microbiology at Postgraduate Institute of Science University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka since 2019
• Examiner for PhD thesis defense at higher degrees committee, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya Sri Lanka  in 2020
• Visiting lecturer to the MSc in Medical Microbiology at Postgraduate institute of Science, University of Peradeniya  Sri Lanka -2020 to date

• Training Programme on Computer Based Data Analysis conducted by Department of Decision Sciences, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka from 22 November 2015 – 30 January 2016

• Working as a reviewer for the ”Journal of clinical virology plus” published by Elsevier October 2021 to date
• Reviewer for the journal ”Virus Disease” 2017-to date
  Reviewer for the 10^th -12^th International Research Conference of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University
• Reviewer for the SLAAS annual sessions 2020,2021
• Internal reviewer for undergraduate research projects at FAHS KDU