Contact information
Research groups
Deshni Jayathilaka
Postdoctoral Research Assistant
Research Interest
Investigation of immunological bases of infectious diseases in order to develop preventive and therapeutic strategies.
My current research interest is on T cell Immunology, in which I am investigating the role of SARS-CoV2 specific T cells in COVID 19 vaccination and breakthrough infection. The research will focus on investigating protective T cell responses and other T cell responses which results immunopathogenesis during SARS-CoV2 infection. The association between mild disease and T cell responses could support in understanding of protective immunity for COVID—19 and this could be useful in future COVID-19 Vaccine design.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic my research was focused on Dengue infection. I was interested in determining the role of dengue NS1 and NS1 antibodies in the pathogenesis of Dengue infection.
Recent publications
T cell memory response to MPXV infection exhibits greater effector function and migratory potential compared to MVA-BN vaccination
Journal article
Chen J-L. et al, (2025), Nature Communications, 16
Comparison of the immunogenicity of five COVID-19 vaccines in Sri Lanka.
Journal article
Jeewandara C. et al, (2022), Immunology, 167, 263 - 274
Kinetics of immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 proteins in individuals with varying severity of infection and following a single dose of the AZD1222
Journal article
Jayathilaka D. et al, (2022), Clinical and Experimental Immunology, 208, 323 - 331
Kinetics of immune responses to the AZD1222/Covishield vaccine with varying dose intervals in Sri Lankan individuals
Journal article
Jeewandara C. et al, (2022), Immunity, Inflammation and Disease, 10
Sensitivity and specificity of two WHO approved SARS-CoV2 antigen assays in detecting patients with SARS-CoV2 infection.
Journal article
Jeewandara C. et al, (2022), BMC infectious diseases, 22