Dr. Uthpala A. Jayawardena

Senior Lecturer (G II)


Zoology
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Website
Senior Lecturer
Contact:

Central Campus, Department of Zoology, Ground Floor, Science and Technology Building, Room No :005

Office: +94112884446, Ext: 277

E-mail: uajay@ou.ac.lk uthpala57@yahoo.com

Web: https://www.linkedin.com/in/uthpala-jayawardena-55509125/

Senior Lecturer in Zoology

Last Updated on 2 years

Areas of Specialization:

Ecotoxicology

Research interests:

Ecotoxicology and environmental contamination; Nanotoxicology

Affiliations:

NULL

Course Coordination:

ZLU 1181-Biogeography- Senior coordinator, ZLU 2280- Animal Form and Function -Practical coordinator

Awards:
  1. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), Asia Pacific student travel award 2016
  2. NRC merit award for scientific publications, December 2015
  3. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), Asia Pacific student travel award 2014
  4. Second prize for the best research study and presentation at the annual sessions of the Allergy and Immunology society of Sri Lanka in 2014. PhD research work at the University of Colombo
  5. FP Amerasinghe Memorial Postgraduate Research Award for the best research in 2013 (M.Phil research), University of Peradeniya
  6. Presidential Award for Research, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016
  7. University award for the academic Excellence in 2004-2005. University of Peradeniya

 

Researches:

Research Projects

  • Cytogenotoxic evaluation of drinking water from disease endemic areas of the chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in the Anuradhapura District.
  • Study of toxic effects of selected heavy metals, as xenobiotics on Euphlyctis hexadactylus (Indian green frog) in a polluted urban wetland in Sri Lanka
  • Effect of pesticides, cercariae and Ultraviolet radiation on the survival, growth and development of abnormalities of Polypedates cruciger and Bufo melanostictus.
  • A field survey on the diversity of cercariae in fresh water streams at Kurunegala, Matale and Dambulla
  • Prevalence and the intensity of Digenetic trematodes (cercariae) in freshwater snails in Sarasavi Oya.

Peer reviewed journal articles

  • Jayawardena, U. A., Angunawela, P., Wickramasinghe, D. D., Ratnasooriya, W. D. and Udagama, P. V. (2017), HEAVY METAL INDUCED TOXICITY IN THE INDIAN GREEN FROG: BIOCHEMICAL AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS. Environ Toxicol Chem.9999.1-13.doi:10.1002/etc.3848
  • Eranga Roshan Balasooriya, Chanika Dilumi Jayasinghe, Uthpala Apekshani Jayawardena, Ranasinghe Weerakkodige Dulashani Ruwanthika, Rohini Mendis de Silva, and Preethi Vidya Udagama, “Honey Mediated Green Synthesis of Nanoparticles: New Era of Safe Nanotechnology,” Journal of Nanomaterials, vol. 2017, Article ID 5919836, 10 pages, 2017. doi:10.1155/2017/5919836
  • Uthpala A. Jayawardena, Wanigasekara D Ratnasooriya, Deepthi Wickramasinghe, Preethi V Udagama (2016). Heavy metal mediated innate immune responses of the Indian green frog, Euphlyctis hexadactylus (Anura: Ranidae): Cellular profiles and associated Th1 skewed cytokine response. Science of the Total Environment. 566, 1194-1204.
  • Jayawardena, U. A., Navaratne, A. and Amerasinghe, P.H. Rajakaruna, R.S., Rohr, J.R. (2016). Combined effect of pesticides and trematode infections on hourglass tree frog, Polypedates cruciger. EcoHealth. 13(1). 111-22.
  • Priyadarshani, S. Madushani, WAN, Uthpala A. Jayawardena, Deepthi Wickramasinghe, Preethi V Udagama. Heavy metal mediated immunomodulation of Euphlyctis hexadactylus (Anura:Ranidae) in urban wetlands. Ecotoxicology and Environmental safety.116.40-49.
  • Jayawardena U. A., Amerasinghe P. H. and Rajakaruna R. S. (2013). In-vitro encystment and excystment of xiphidiocercariae (Trematoda: Digenea). Frontiers of Biological and Life Sciences. 1 (1), 9-12.
  • Jayawardena U. A., Rajakaruna R. S and Amerasinghe P. H. Comparative effect of UV-B radiation on the tadpoles of Polypedates cruciger and Bufo melanostictus (Anura: Ranidae) in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Journal of Science. 42 (2), 45-53.
  • Uthpala Jayawardena and Rupika Rajakaruna (2013). Understanding possible etiologies of Amphibian crisis in Sri Lanka. FrogLog 108. 21 (4), 47-49.
  • Jayawardena U. A., Vasyl V. Tkach, Rajakaruna R. S., Navaratne A. N. and Amerasinghe P. H. (2013) Malformation and mortality In Asian common toad induced by the exposure to pleurolophocercous cercariae (Trematoda: Triptogonimidae). Parasitology International. 62, 246-252.
  • Jayawardena U. A., Rajakaruna R. S and Amerasinghe P. H. (2011). Cercariae of trematodes in freshwater snails in three climatic zones in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Journal of Science.39 (2), 95-108.
  • Jayawardena, U. A., Rajakaruna, R.S., Navaratne, A. and Amerasinghe, P.H. (2011) Acute and chronic toxicity of four commonly used agricultural pesticides on the Asian common toad, Bufo melanostictus’ Journal of National Science Foundation. 39 (2). 165-174.
  • Jayawardena, U.A., Rajakaruna, R.S., Navaratne, A.N., and Amerasinghe P. H. (2010) Monostome cercariae induced malformations in amphibians; effect of infection at the pre-limb bud stage tadpoles of Polypedates cruciger Blyth. Journal of National Science Foundation. 38 (4). 241-248.
  • Jayawardena, U.A., Rajakaruna, R.S., Navaratne, A.N., and Amerasinghe P. H. (2010) Toxicity of agrochemicals to common hourglass tree frog, Polypedates cruciger (Blyth, 1852) in acute and chronic exposure. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology. 12. 641-648.
  • R.S. Rajakaruna, P.M.J.R. Piyatissa, U.A. Jayawardena, Navaratne, A. and P.H. Amerasinghe. (2008). Trematode infection and development of malformation in common hourglass treefrog, Polypedates cruciger in Sri Lanka. Journal of Zoology. 275(1). 89-95.

Research communications

  • U.A. Jayawardena, D.D. Wickramasinghe, W.D. Ratnasooriya and P.V. Udagama (2015). Neuro-endocrine and reproductive toxic effects of heavy metal exposure in the Indian green frog, Euphlyctis hexadactylus. Proceedings of the Annual Research Symposium, University of Colombo, 2016.
  • U.A. Jayawardena, D.D. Wickramasinghe, W.D. Ratnasooriya and P.V. Udagama (2016). Heavy metal contamination in an urban wetland and its implications on a common amphibian SETAC Asia Pacific Conference 2016. Singapore.Pp.154.
  • Eranga Roshan Balasooriya · Uthpala Jayawardena · Chanika Jayasinghe · Rohini M. de Silva · K.M. Nalin de Silva · N.V. Chandrasekharan · Preethi V. Udagama (2016). Genotoxicity Assessment of Polyethyleneimine (PEI) and Polyethyleneimine Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (PEI-IONPs) by the Allium cepa Bioassay. Proceedings of the iSciTech, Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Conference; Frontiers in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.
  • U.A. Jayawardena, D.D. Wickramasinghe, W.D. Ratnasooriya and P.V. Udagama (2015). Dose dependent modulation of in vitro phagocytic activity, cell proliferation and cytokine production of amphibian immune cells by heavy metal exposure.  SETAC North America 2015. Salt lake city, Utah, North America.Pp.319.
  • U.A. Jayawardena, D.D. Wickramasinghe, W.D. Ratnasooriya and P.V. Udagama (2015). Toxicity and mutagenicity of a selected heavy metal mixture revealed by the Allium cepa bioassay. Proceedings of the Annual Research Symposium, University of Colombo, 2015.
  • U.A. Jayawardena, D.D. Wickramasinghe, W.D. Ratnasooriya and P.V. Udagama (2014). Th1 biased immunomodulation of Euphylictis hexadactylus (Anura: Ranidae) under natural and empirical exposure to heavy metals. SETAC Asia Pacific Conference 2014. Adelaide, Australia.
  • U.A. Jayawardena, D.D. Wickramasinghe, W.D. Ratnasooriya and P.V. Udagama (2014). Heavy metal mediated immunotoxicity of Euphlyctis hexadactylus: A comparative study of field and empirical exposure. SETAC Asia Pacific Conference 2014. Adelaide, Australia.
  • U.A. Jayawardena, W.D. Ratnasooriya, D.D. Wickramasinghe and P.V. Udagama (2014). Immunomodulation of IL6, IL10, IFNγ and TNFα levels associated with heavy metal exposure in Euphlyctis hexadactylus (Anura:Ranidae). Proceedings of the Allergy and Immunology Society of Society of Sri Lanka.25
  • U.A. Jayawardena, D.D. Wickramasinghe, W.D. Ratnasooriya and P.V. Udagama (2014). Histopathological quantification of heavy metal mediated tissue damages detected in Euphlyctis hexadactylus (Anura: Ranidae) in an urban polluted wetland in Sri Lanka. HETC Symposium 2014. Pp-10
  • U.A. Jayawardena, D.D. Wickramasinghe, W.D. Ratnasooriya and P.V. Udagama (2013). Heavy metal induced toxicity of the Indian green frog, Euphlyctis hexadactylus (Ranidae) in the Bellanwila-Attidiya sanctuary. Proceedings of the Annual Research Symposium, University of Colombo. Pp-190.
  • Uthpala A. Jayawardena, Vasyl V. Tkach, Ayanthi N. Navaratne, Priyanie H. Amerasinghe, Rupika S. Rajakaruna (2013). Malformations and mortality in the Asian Common Toad induced by exposure to pleurolophocercous cercariae (Trematoda: Cryptogonimidae). FrogLog 21 (2), 106, p-86.
  • U.A. Jayawardena, A.N. Navaratne, P.H. Amerasinghe and R.S. Rajakaruna (2012). Experimental exposure of UV-B radiation, pesticides and parasitic trematodes to common hourglass treefrog and Asian Common toad. Proceedings of the Conference on Herpetological Conservation and Biology. Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya. PP-59.
  • Jayawardena U. A., Rajakaruna R. S., Navaratne A. N. and Amerasinghe P. H.(2008). Study of the effect of UV-B radiation on tadpoles of P. cruciger and B. melanostictus under laboratory conditions. Proceedings and abstracts of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, 406/D, pp-78.
  • Rajakaruna, Rupika S; Jayawardena, Uthpala A.; Piyatissa, P.M.J. Rasika; Navaratne, Ayanthi; Amerasinghe, Priyani H.(2007). Trematode Infections, Biocides and Amphibian Deformities: Evidence from an Amphibian Hotspot. Joint meeting of ichthyologists & herpetologists complied by M.A. Donnelly, pp-3.
  • Jayawardena U. A., Rajakaruna R. S., Navaratne A. N. and Amerasinghe  P. H.(2006). Biocides enhance the severity of parasite induced abnormalities in the hourglass tree frog (Anura: Ranidae). Proceedings and the abstracts of the Peradeniya University Research Sessions, pp-131.
  • Jayawardena U. A., Rajakaruna R. S., Navaratne A. N. and Amerasinghe P. H.(2006). Effect of biocide exposure on the survival, growth and development of abnormalities in hourglass tree frog (Anura; Ranidae), Proceedings and abstracts of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, pp- 73.
  • Jayawardena U. A., Rajakaruna R. S., Navaratne A. N. and Amerasinghe P. H.(2006). Are parasites responsible for the amphibian decline in Sri Lanka? Proceedings of the 11th Biological Graduate Congress, Thailand, pp-69.
  • Jayawardena U. A., Rajakaruna R. S. and Amerasinghe P. H. (2005). Prevalence of cercariae of Digenetic trematodes in freshwater snails (Gastropoda) in Sarasavi Oya. Proceedings and the abstracts of the Peradeniya University Research Sessions.
Ongoing Research:

Cytogenotoxic evaluation of drinking water from disease endemic areas of the chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in the Anuradhapura District.

Research Supervisions:

Cytogenotoxic evaluation of drinking water from disease endemic areas of the chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) in the Anuradhapura District. (Principle investigator of the reserch project- ZLU3288)

Publications:
  • Uthpala Jayawardena (2012). ‘Rosy; Aruma Urumaya’- Translation of ‘Rosy is my Relative’ by Gerrald Durrell. ISBN: 978-955-652-888-6.
  • Uthpala Jayawardena (2012). ‘Math Wanaya’- Translation of ‘Drunken Forest’, by Gerrald Durrell. ISBN: 978-955-652-932-6
The Open University of Sri Lanka
Apply Online