CURRENT STUDENTS
Sodini Ariyaratne Ph.D. Candidate
Eco-epidemiology of spotted fever groups rickettsiae
Sodini is studying tick-borne spotted fever group rickettsioses in the Central Province. She will be looking at the types of pathogens, vertebrate reservoir host community composition and tick species involved in circulation and maintenance of pathogens.
Sampath Jayatilake Ph.D. Candidate
Canine tick borne diseases
Sampath is a veterinarian at r the Sri Lanka Air Force. He is studying canine vector-borne diseases especially the military working dogs that have been imported or locally bred. He is investigating the diversity, distribution, phylogenetics of species such as Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Hepatozoon, Leishmania and rickettsial infections.
Gayani Kapukotuwa M.Phil Candidate
Anthropogenic contaminants in Rawan Oya tributary of Mahaweli River
Gayani is investigating the level of faecal indicator bacteria, microplastics and the physico-chemical parameters of water and their effect on the diversity, abundance and distribution of freshwater fishes in the Rawan Oya tributary. She is also analysing the microplastics and microfibres in commercial table salt products in Sri Lankan market.
Santhushya Hewapathiranage M.Phil. Candidate
Marine turtle conservation and biology
Santhushya is investigating the nest success and sex ratio of hatchery relocated eggs of green turtle and olive ridelys. She measured the nest temperatures, incubation duration and determined the hatching success of the eggs. She also collected information on the time gap between collection of eggs and reburial in the hatchery premises, method of transport, transport distance and other practices of egg suppliers and hatchery keepers to determine the effect of these factors on the hatching success. Temperature during the middle third of incubation period of each nest will be used to estimate the sex ratio of the hatchlings.
Nuwan Karunarthna M.Phil. Candidate
Ecotoxicology and Amphibian conservation
Nuwan has studied the prevalence of deformed frogs in two nature reserves, Sinharaja and Knuckles representing undisturbed areas, their peripheries and areas where there is extensive use of agrochemicals such as paddy fields, tea plantations. Water samples were collected from the above sites where deformed frog present and the levels commonly used pesticides especially agrochemicals were analyzed. Levels of UV B radiation reaching breeding sites and water columns in the study sites was also be measured. Nuwan also looked at how the adults of frog species are affected by direct exposure to pesticides.
Sriyani Ranatunga Undergraduate
Canine Babesiosis
Sriyani studied the prevalence and intensity of canine babesiosis in dogs brought to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya. The types of Babesia species was genetically identified and phylogenetic analysis was carried out using sequencing. Ticks were also collected from the dogs and identified as potential vectors.
Chethiya Waththuhewa Undergradaute
Sea turtle conservation
Chethiya studied the hatching success and incubation duration of hatchery relocated sea turtle eggs. He determined effect of different factors such as the time gap between collection eggs and relocate in the hatchery premises, container type used to transport the eggs to relocation site, the mode of transport of eggs to the hatchery from the place they were excavated, the reburial methods practiced at hatcheries on the hatching success of the eggs. For this study was carried out at the Galbokka Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Centre at Kosgoda in the southwestern beach of Sri Lanka. The owner of the hatchery was very cooperative in providing the necessary facilities to collect data.
Anuradha Waralanda Undergradaute
Genetic structure of olive ridleys
Anuradha has determined the population structure of olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) nesting on the Southwestern coast of Sri Lanka using mitochondrial DNA Sequencing. She found that the Sri Lankan population to be genetically distinct from the rest of the populations on regional and global scale highlighting the requirement of conservation prioritization.
Charuni Samarasekara Undergradaute
Rickettsia in dogs
Charuni is collecting ectoparasites from household animals including pets and livestock and in a rural, agricultural, peri-urban and urban areas where there are recent cases of rickettsia is recorded (based on hospital records) within the Kandy District. Ticks, fleas and lice feeding on all domesticated animals including dogs, cats and livestock will be collected by hand picking and combing. All the samples will be preserved in 95% ethanol will be brought to the laboratory for identification and further molecular studies. Identification will be done using standard keys and descriptions. DNA extraction followed by PCR will be done using a DNA extraction kit. Then all the positive samples will be subjected to sequencing.
Sumudu Jayakody M.Sc.
Sea Turtle Conservation
Sumudu will measure the nest temperature of the sea turtle eggs relocated in hatchery enclosures using Temperature data loggers (iButtons) . At the end of incubation period, iButtons will be recovered and the nest temperature data will be downloaded onto a computer. Mean nest temperature over the entire incubation period will be calculated for each nest. Sex ratio will be estimated by plotting the temperature data against incubation period.
Dr Vindya Perera PhD
Canine Anaplasmosis