Kalhari Bandara-Goonewardene BVSc, PhD

• BVSc, University of Peredeniya, Sri Lanka, 2010
• PhD, University of Saskatchewan, 2019

I was born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka. I graduated with BVSc from Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science,  University of Peradeniya in 2010. Then I moved to Saskatoon in 2012 for my PhD at the Department of Veterinary Pathology. The big picture of my research project was to develop an alternative to antibiotics for the commercial poultry industry. Due to public health concerns such as the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria, poultry industry is withdrawing from the use of antibiotics and actively seeking for alternatives. Through my projects, we were able to deliver an immunostimulatory synthetic DNA molecule called CpG-ODN as an intrapulmonary aerosol to baby chickens and protect them from a lethal bacterial infection. We were also able to demonstrate the cellular and molecular events of this immune modulation by studying cytokine gene expressions, immune cell infiltrations and metabolomics. Using a multidisciplinary approach, were also able to develop a large scale poultry nebulizer through collaborations with engineers. We tested its efficacy at commercial hatcheries in SK and BC through a series of CFIA approved field trials.

Currently I’m at the verge of finishing my PhD and seeking a post-doctoral opportunity in the areas of immunology, pathology, microbiology and life sciences.

• 2018:  Best Clinical Science Paper, Best Interdisciplinary Paper & 2nd place in Clinical Sciences I poster.  Life and Health Sciences Expo.
• 2018:  1st Place Microbiology Category, WCVM Research Poster Day.
• 2018:  2nd Place Graduate Student Award of Merit.  Western College of Veterinary Medicine GSA.
• 2018:  Nominated by the American Association of Avian Pathologists for the BioOne Ambassador Award for work on Intrapulmonary Delivery of CpG-ODN Micro-Droplets Provides Protection against Escherichia coli Septicemia in Neonatal Broiler Chickens, published in Avian Diseases.
• 2016:  SOHL New Volunteer Award.  Saskatchewan Association for Heritage Languages.
• 2016:  Student Life Leadership Award.  University of Saskatchewan Residence Department.
• 2016:  1st Place in Microbiology and Immunology.  WCVM Research Poster Day.
• 2016:  3rd Place in Immunology.  Life and Health Sciences Research Expo.
• 2015:  Featured in Young Innovators series:  Student Find Alternatives to Antibiotics.
• 2015:  International Peace Scholarship.  PEO Sisterhood.
• 2015:  Graduate Scholarship.  University of Saskatchewan.
• 2015:  Best Poster Presentation. World Association of Veterinary Diagnosticians (WAVLD) International Symposium.  Saskatoon, SK.
• 2015:  1st Place in Immunology and Toxicology.  WCVM Research Poster Day.