Dhanushka Weerasekara is originally from Sri Lanka and obtained his B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. He then pursued a master’s degree in molecular biology and biochemistry at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, before moving to the USA for graduate studies. During his doctoral studies at the University of Kansas, he worked on the development of separation-based detection systems using microchip capillary electrophoresis techniques to monitor the production of oxidants and antioxidants in immune cells.

curriculum vitae

Publications:

• Privitera, A.; Cardaci, V.; Weerasekara, D.; Saab, W. M.; Diolosà, L.; Fidilio, A.; Jolivet, R. B.; Lazzarino, G.; Amorini, A. M.; Camarda, M.; Lunte, M.; Caraci, F.; Caruso, G., Microfluidic/HPLC combination to study carnosine protective activity on challenged human microglia: focus on oxidative stress and energy metabolism. Frontiers in Pharmacology 2023, 14, 1161794.
• Weerasekara, D. B.; Lunte, S. M., Separation and Detection of Tyrosine and Phenylalanine-derived Oxidative Stress Biomarkers Using Microchip Electrophoresis with Electrochemical Detection. Electroanalysis 2022, 34 (12), 1913-1927.
• Griffin, J. D.; Christopher, M. A.; Thati, S.; Salash, J. R.; Pressnall, M. M.; Weerasekara, D. B.; Lunte, S. M.; Berkland, C. J., Tocopherol Emulsions as Functional Autoantigen Delivery Vehicles Evoke Therapeutic Efficacy in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. Molecular Pharmaceutics 2019, 16 (2), 607-617.

Presentations:

• Weerasekara, D., Lunte, S. “Use of a Copper Complexing Buffer with Microchip Electrophoresis - Electrochemical Detection System for the Separation and Detection of Oxidative Products of Tyrosine and Phenylalanine” - oral presentation at Pittcon, Virtual, 2021.
• Weerasekara, D., Lunte, S. “A Microchip Electrophoresis – Electrochemical Detection (ME-EC) System to Monitor Oxidative Modifications of Protein-Bound Tyrosine and Phenylalanine as in vivo Biomarkers for Oxidative Stress” – poster presentation at International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (µTAS), Bazel, Switzerland, 2019.
• Weerasekara, D., Lunte, S. “Detection and Quantification of Intracellular Peroxynitrite by Using Microchip Electrophoresis Coupled with Laser-Induced Fluorescence” - oral presentation at Pittcon, Philadelphia, PA, 2019.
• Weerasekara, D., Lunte, S. “Simultaneous detection and quantification of nitric oxide and superoxide by using microchip electrophoresis coupled with laser-induced fluorescence” – poster presentation at ACS Midwest Regional Meeting, Lawrence, KS, 2017.

• Burton & Cheryle MacKenzie Scholarship, Department of Chemistry, University of Kansas, 2021
• Cornelius McCollum Research Scholarship, Department of Chemistry, University of Kansas, 2022