Dr. Chameera Ekanayake Weeramange

Dr Chameera Ekanayake Weeramange is an early career Research Fellow and an inventor at Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University. He is a biomedical researcher with a remarkable track record in translational research, with a major emphasis on Human papillomavirus (HPV) associated head and neck cancer (HNC). He has published several seminal research articles demonstrating the utility of non-invasive biomarkers such as circulating tumour cells (CTC), micro-RNA and HPV DNA for head and neck cancer detection and prognostication. Further, his pioneering work demonstrates the association between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene variations and the risk of HPV-driven HNC. Currently, he is engaged in several revolutionary research projects including specially resolved single-cell RNA sequencing for the identification of biomarkers for HNC recurrence and developing a CTC/ctDNA-based workflow for oropharyngeal cancer patient prognostication and monitoring. Further, he coordinates an NHMRC-funded research project on “multi-analyte liquid biopsy-based biomarkers for oropharyngeal cancer”. With the knowledge and experience gained through biomarker research, he recently devised a workflow to isolate and culture CTCs from HNC patients’ blood with unparalleled efficiency. Currently, he is working on leveraging these CTC cultures for personalizing HNC treatment.

External links:

• Chameera Ekanayake Weeramange Profile: Griffith Experts