Academic and Professional Qualifications

Education

• B.Sc. (Hons) in Animal Science & Fisheries, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
• Ph.D. in Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, South Korea

Professional Experience

• Graduate Researcher
  Veterinary Medicine Research Institute, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
  2019–2025
• MS/Ph.D. Student
  Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
  2019–2025
• Manager (Acting)
  National Livestock Development Board – Mawathta Farm, Dankotuwa
  2018–2019

Training and Certifications

Korea Institute of HRM Development in Science and Technology

• Research Ethics for Graduate Students
• Healthy Research Environment
• Human Rights Violation and Prevention

Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology

• Research Lab Accident
• Research and Development Guidelines to Conduct Correct Research
• Education for Research and Development (R&D LMO Researcher/Research Manager)
• Awareness of Safety

Chungnam National University

• Research Ethics

Editorial and Peer-Review Work

• Invited peer reviewer for submitted manuscripts, Journal of Microbes and Infections (Taylor & Francis) – Web of Science ResearcherID: OTG-4163-2025

Conferences

• Annual Meeting & International Symposium, The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (KMB), South Korea (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025)
• Spring Conference of the Korean Society of Veterinary Science (KSVS), South Korea (2022 and 2024)
• 15th European Symposium of Porcine Health Management (IPVS & ESPHM), Leipzig, Germany (2024)
• 37th International Conference on Antiviral Research (ICAR), Gold Coast, Australia (2024)
• International Congress on Natural Products Research (ICNPR), Krakow, Poland (2024)
• Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology International Conference (KSBMB), Busan, South Korea (2022)

Awards and Fellowships

Scholarships

• Brain Korea 21 (BK21) Scholarship – Ministry of Education (MOE) and National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), South Korea (2021–2024)
• Grade A (Korea 3) Scholarship – Ministry of Education (MOE), South Korea (2019–2022)
• International Graduate Students Scholarship – Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea (2019–2022)

Awards

• Best Oral Presentation Award
  KMB 2025 International Conference, Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology
  Presentation: “African Swine Fever Virus Histone-like Protein A104R Targets KPNA to Inhibit Type I IFN Signaling”
• Poster Presentation Award
  Faculty of Agriculture Undergraduate Research Symposium (FAuRS), Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya (2018)

Memberships and Activities in Professional Bodies

Memberships and Leadership Activities

• Treasurer – Sri Lankan Students’ Forum, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea (2020–2021)
• Member – Sri Lankan Students Association – Korea (SLSA-Korea) | 재한 스리랑카학생연합회 (2019–2025)
• President – Society of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya (2016–2017)
• Presenter/Coordinator – Media Unit, University of Peradeniya (2015–2018)

Publications

Peer-Reviewed Internationally Indexed Journal Papers

1. Subasinghe, Ashan, N. A. Nethmini, Asela Weerawardhana, Nuwan Gamage, D. K. Haluwana, and Jong-Soo Lee. Foot-and-mouth disease virus VP4 interferes with host interferon response by targeting the nuclear translocation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). Veterinary Research (2026). DOI: 10.1186/s13567-026-01712-2
2. Long Hoang Tran, Anh Ngoc Bui, Hyeok-Il Kwon, Tung Duy Dao, Asela Weerawardhana, Trang Mai Tran, Hoa Thi Vu, Quy Duy Nguyen, Nuwan Gamage, Min Ho Kim, Ji-Yoon Moon, Ji-Hyeon Hong, Jin Kim, Yongkwan Kim, Yeonji Kim, Wonjun Kim, Garam Kim, Song-I Lee, Young-Sik Kim, Hu Suk Lee, Joo Young Lee, In-Joong Yoon, In Pil Mo, Weonhwa Jheong, Sung-Sik Yoo, Vuong Nghia Bui, Jong-Soo Lee. (2026). Evaluation of the vaccine candidate ASFV-MEC-01: safety, efficacy, transmission dynamics, and assessment of reversion to virulence. Emerging Microbes. DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2025.2608395
3. D. K. Haluwana, Ji-Won Cha, Asela Weerawardhana, Nuwan Gamage, Ashan Subasinghe, WeonHwa Jheong, Jong-Soo Lee. African Swine Fever Virus L11L interferes with antiviral responses by targeting the IRF3 and PKR. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 2025 Nov; 82(1):425. DOI: 10.1007/s00018-025-05956-7
4. Nuwan Gamage, Ji-Won Cha, Ji-Soo Jeong, Yebin Seong, Kiramage Chathuranga, Asela Weerawardhana, Jin Yeul Ma, Tae-Won Kim, and Jong-Soo Lee. Aster tataricus extract and its active compounds display a broad spectrum of antiviral activity in vitro and in vivo. Chinese Medicine. 2025 Jul; 20(1):113. DOI: 10.1186/s13020-025-01167-1
5. Nuwan Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. Aster tataricus and its components display a broad spectrum of antiviral effects in vitro and in vivo. Phytochemistry Letters. 2025 Oct; 69:103437. DOI: 10.1016/j.phytol.2025.103437
6. Chathuranga K, Rathnapala P, Weerawardhana A, Kim TH, Seong Y, Gayan Chathuranga WA, Subasinghe A, Haluwana DK, Gamage N, Choi YJ, Jung JU. The E3 ubiquitin ligase MARCH2 controls TNF-α-mediated inflammation by autoubiquitination. Cell Communication and Signaling. 2025 Dec; 23(1):257. DOI: 10.1186/s12964-025-02260-6
7. Ranathunga, Lakmal, Sachini Abesinghe, Ji-Won Cha, Niranjan Dodantenna, Kiramage Chathuranga, Asela Weerawardhana, D. K. Haluwana, Nuwan Gamage, and Jong-Soo Lee. Inhibition of STING-mediated type I IFN signaling by African swine fever virus DP71L. Veterinary Research. 2025 Feb; 56(1):27. DOI: 10.1186/s13567-025-01474-3
8. Min Ho Kim, Ashan Subasinghe, Yongkwan Kim, Hyeok-Il Kwon, Yehjin Cho, Kiramage Chathuranga, Ji-Won Cha, Ji-Yoon Moon, Ji-Hyeon Hong, Jin Kim, Seung-Chul Lee, Niranjan Dodantenna, Nuwan Gamage, W. A. Gayan Chathuranga, Yeonji Kim, In-Joong Yoon, Joo Young Lee, In Pil Mo, Weonhwa Jheong, Sung-Sik Yoo, Jong-Soo Lee. Development and characterization of high-efficiency cell-adapted live attenuated vaccine candidate against African Swine Fever. Emerging Microbes & Infections. 2024 Dec; 13(1):2432372. DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2024.24323
9. Lakmal Ranathunga, Niranjan Dodantenna, Ji-Won Cha, Kiramage Chathuranga, W. A. Gayan Chathuranga, Asela Weerawardhana, Ashan Subasinghe, D. K. Haluwana, Nuwan Gamage, and Jong-Soo Lee. (2023). African swine fever virus BI75L inhibits the type I interferon pathway by targeting STING and 2’3’-cGAMP. Journal of Virology. 2023 Nov; 97(11):e0079523. DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00795-23
10. Niranjan Dodantenna, Lakmal Ranathunga, W. A. Gayan Chathuranga, Asela Weerawardhana, Ji-Won Cha, Ashan Subasinghe, Nuwan Gamage, D. K. Haluwana, YongKwan Kim, Weon Hwa Jheong, Haryoung Poo, and Jong-Soo Lee. (2022). African Swine Fever Virus EP364R and C129R target cyclic GMP-AMP to inhibit the cGAS-STING signaling pathway. Journal of Virology. 2022 Aug; 96(15):e0102222. DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01022-22

Published Abstracts

1. Nuwan Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2025). African Swine Fever Virus Histone-like Protein A104R Targets KPNA to Inhibit Type I IFN Signaling. 52nd Annual Meeting & International Symposium, The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (KMB 2025), BEXCO, Busan, South Korea, p. 476.
2. Nuwan Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2025). African Swine Fever Virus Prenyltransferase Homolog B318L Blocks IRF3 Phosphorylation for Immune Evasion. 52nd Annual Meeting & International Symposium, The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (KMB 2025), BEXCO, Busan, South Korea, p. 584.
3. Nuwan Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2025). Aster tataricus extracts and its active compounds display a broad spectrum of antiviral activity in vitro and in vivo. 52nd Annual Meeting & International Symposium, The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (KMB 2025), BEXCO, Busan, South Korea, p. 512.
4. Yebin Seong, Nuwan Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2024). Extracts of Aster tataricus and its component display a broad spectrum of antiviral activity in vitro and in vivo by inducing antiviral state. Spring Conference of Korean Society of Veterinary Science (KSVS 2024), Jinju, South Korea, p. 44.
5. Nuwan Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2024). African Swine Fever Virus Histone-Like Homolog Protein A104R Inhibit Type I IFN Signaling by Targeting IRF3 and STAT1 Interaction with KPNA Proteins. Spring Conference of Korean Society of Veterinary Science (KSVS 2024), Jinju, South Korea, p. 44.
6. Nuwan Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2024). African Swine Fever Virus Prenyltransferase Homolog B318L Blocks IRF3 Phosphorylation at Key Serine Residues: A Mechanistic Insight into Immune Evasion. Spring Conference of Korean Society of Veterinary Science (KSVS 2024), Jinju, South Korea, p. 45.
7. N. Gamage and L. Jong-Soo. (2024). A histone-like protein of African Swine Fever Virus inhibits type I IFN signaling by targeting KPNAs/Importins. 27th International Pig Veterinary Society Congress and 15th European Symposium of Porcine Health Management 2024 (IPVS & ESPHM 2024), Leipzig, Germany, p. 211.
8. Nuwan Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2024). Extracts of Aster tataricus and its component display a broad spectrum of antiviral activity in vitro and in vivo by inducing antiviral state. 37th International Conference on Antiviral Research (ICAR 2024), Gold Coast, Australia, p. 116.
9. Nuwan Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2024). Aster tataricus and its components display a broad spectrum of antiviral effects in vitro and in vivo. International Congress on Natural Products Research (ICNPR 2024), Krakow, Poland, p. 419.
10. Nuwan Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2024). Unveiling a Novel Immune Evasion Mechanism of African Swine Fever Virus Histone-like Protein A104R Targets KPNA/Importins to Inhibit Type-I IFN Signaling. 51st Annual Meeting & International Symposium, The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (KMB 2024), BEXCO, Busan, South Korea, p. 93.
11. Nuwan Gamage, Ji-Won Cha and Jong-Soo Lee. (2024). Extracts of Aster tataricus and its components display a broad spectrum of antiviral activity in vitro and in vivo by inducing antiviral state. 51st Annual Meeting & International Symposium, The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (KMB 2024), BEXCO, Busan, South Korea, p. 07.
12. Lakmal Ranathunga, Buddhika Nuwan Gamage, D. S. D. Weerasinghe and Jong-Soo Lee. (2023). FCS-Like MYM Zinc Finger Protein of the African Swine Fever Virus Interacts with MITA and 2’3-Cyclic GMP-AMP to Suppress Interferon Signaling. Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology International Conference 2023 (KSBMB 2023), BEXCO, Busan, South Korea, p. 216.
13. Niranjan Dodantenna, Buddhika Nuwan Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2023). African Swine Fever Virus UK gene targets IRF3 to downregulate the cGAS-mediated IFN pathway. Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology International Conference 2023 (KSBMB 2023), BEXCO, Busan, South Korea, p. 218.
14. Buddhika Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2022). Prevention of influenza A virus infection with probiotic lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus reuteri (BSA-218). Application of Big Data and AI in Veterinary Medicine, Spring Conference of Korean Society of Veterinary Science (KSVS 2022), Sejong, South Korea, p. 68.
15. Buddhika Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2022). Mucosal administration of Lactobacillus casei surface-displayed H5N2/HA1 antigen induce protective immunity against avian influenza virus infection. Application of Big Data and AI in Veterinary Medicine, Spring Conference of Korean Society of Veterinary Science (KSVS 2022), Sejong, South Korea, p. 69.
16. Niranjan Dodantenna, Buddhika Nuwan Gamage and Jong-Soo Lee. (2021). Antiviral activity of Lactobacillus reuteri (BSA 218) against influenza virus in vitro and in vivo. 48th Annual Meeting & International Symposium, The Korean Society for Microbiology and Biotechnology (KMB 2021), BEXCO, Busan, South Korea, p. 159.

Research Interests

• Human & Veterinary Important Viral Diseases
• Industrial Microbiology
• Dairy/Meat Products
• Type I Interferon (IFN-I) (Immune Evasion/ Host Defence Mechanisms)
• Therapeutic/ Prophylactic herbal drugs (Influenza, DENV, PIV3)
• Inflammation
• Vaccine