Dhanushka Hewa Bostanthirige

A highly motivatedphysician, Senior lecture, and researcher with an objectiveto translate the recent advancements of basic science into therapeutic strategies with CRISPR gene editing. Research experience in Prostate, Neuroblastoma and Breast cancer, Genetics, Molecular Biology and Xenograft studies culminating to peer reviewed publications. Ability to interpret and analyze data critically, design experiments, work independently. Being a team player, excellent troubleshooting, and protocol optimization skills with an ability to achieve goals in a timely manner. Consultant and senior lecture at Faculty of medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka. Currently working as postdoctoral fellow at CRCHUS Sherbrooke QC Canada

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Postdoctoral Fellw CRCHUS Sherbrooke QC

• Develop neurofibromatosis Gene therapy model

Consultant /SeniorLecture, Faculty of Medicine, RajarataUniversity of Sri Lanka

• Research on COVID-19 treatment using miRNA interference and as Principalinvestigator.
• WGS study on chronic kidney disease unknown etiology in Anuradhapura as Principal investigator
• Wrote a RS 100M grant (Australian soft loan) to establish new genetic lab in university.

Postdoctoral Fellow, St Jude Research Hospital

• Ability to do cloning with CRISPR for gene editing.
• Ability to work with mice models and maintain animalhouse.
• Developed neuroblastoma animal model for drugtreatments.
• High throughput drug screening

Mentor: Dr. Jun Yang

Doctor of Philosophy, CCRTD Clark Atlanta University

• Discovered a signaling mechanism of ID4 dependent prostatecancer stemness maintainpathway (to be published) which is responsible for tumor recurrence.
• Expert on Recombinant DNA cloning, site directed mutagenesis
• Lectured the Cell Biology, General Anatomy and Physiology courses at CAU.
• Strategies for production of recombinant proteinsfrom bacterial and Mammalian host systems
• Culture bacteria at bioreactor scale for recombinant protein expression
• Expertise with AKTA Prime and Purifier FPLC systems
• Generate stable cell lines using Lentiviral transduction.
• Immunoprecipitation(IP) and Westernblot analysis
• ELISA, Gel shift (EMSA),
• Fluorescence based Mobilityshift assays.
• PCR methodologies includingquantitative RT-PCR
• Chromatin-IP (ChIP)
• Working with SNP array
• Immunofluorescence
• Luciferase assay, transwellmigration, Tunnel Assay and Kinaseassay
• Drafted research manuscripts to educate researchers or academic staffregarding ID4 dependentprostate cancer stemnessmaintain pathway
• Performed flow cytometryon prostate cancer cell (LNCaP, LNCaP-ID4,

DU145, DU145-ID4) and other cell lines to assess cell surface markerexpression using the BD FacsCaliburTM.

• Composed and submittedcompetitive research grant awards for funding.
• Composed multiple abstracts.

Mentor: Dr. Jaideep Chaudhary

Master of Science (M.S. Experimental Biotechnology) Post Graduate Institute of Science Peradeniya

• Mainly involved in clinical research,initially gathered familyinformation who were affected with chronic kidney disease (CKD) from the field and make their family pedigree.

• Collect blood sample from diseased patients and healthy volunteers. Then PCR was performed to identify specific primers to detect early detection of occurring CKD.

Mentor: Dr. Suneth Sooriyapathirana and Dr Choola Gunasekara Clinical Research experience

• Teaching HospitalAuradhapura (THA) : Study of warfare injuries draining to THA

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE                                                                     

Working at Department of Anatomy facultyof Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata university of Sri Lanka and consultant geneticist at Teaching Hospital Anuradhapura (from 2020)

Neurosurgical Medical Doctor at Teaching Hospital Kandy Sri Lanka (April 2014- Sep 2014)

• Assessing and treating patients with neurosurgical problem
• Prepare and do some surgical procedure.
• Keep patient’s data records and do some statistical analysis.

Mentor: Dr. RanjithWickramasinghe (Consultant Neurosurgeon)

General Surgical Medical Doctor at Teaching Hospital Anuradhapura (October 2007-April 2014)

• Manage patents with any kind of trauma and I was the first contact person with those victims and treated them accordingly to serve their life.
• Keep every data in the system to follow up thosepatient’s.
• Doing daily word round
• Treated more than 20000 war casualty persons during 2007 to 2009 during Sri Lanka civil war

Mentors: Dr. V.Y Sabarathnam (Consultant Surgeon)

Internship,Teaching Hospital Anuradhapura Sri Lanka (October 2006-October 2007)

• During this period, I did my residency on General/pediatric medicine and Surgery under the supervision of Dr Mahinda Mallawathanthri

Currently doing VIARES Clinical research associate course 2022 VIARES remoteand centralized monitoring trainingcourse 2022

Postdoctoral fellow 2019-2020

St Jude Research Children Hospital, Memphis Tennessee, USA

Doctor of Philosophy, Cell and MolecularBiology 2014- 2019

Center for Cancer Research and Therapeutic DevelopmentClark Atlanta University

Dissertation Title: Inactivation of ID4 promotes prostatecancer stemness

Master of Science,Biology; 2009-2013

Post Graduate Institute of Science Peradeniya Sri Lanka

Thesis Title: D N A markers for non-diabetic end stage kidney disease in the north central province, Sri Lanka

Bachelor of Medicine,Bachelor of Surgery 2000-2006

Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka