Jonathan S.

Weerakkody!

Adapted from 2019 Design in Tech Report.

Bio

I was born and raised in the island nation of Sri-Lanka. My passion ​for research began during my undergrad at Louisiana Tech University ​(Go Bulldogs!!), where I worked on NASA's EPSCOR project. This ​experience led me to secure a full-ride scholarship from the ​European Commission to pursue a Master's at KU Leuven. There, I ​had the privilege to train at IMEC, a leading R&D hub in ​nanoelectronics, further driving my interest towards biotechnology ​with a focus on developing and commercializing micro/nano devices.

For my PhD, I joined the Yanxia Hou Lab in the Interdisciplinary ​Research Institute of Grenoble, part of the French Alternative ​Energies and Atomic Energy Commission in France. Here, I ​collaborated with the start-up Aryballe Technologies to develop an ​optoelectronic nose, contributing to several technical papers that ​supported the commercialization of the device. Aiming to bridge my ​expertise to biomedical technologies, I continued my postdoctoral ​training in the Ramakrishnan lab and Rothman lab, focusing on in ​vitro technologies for neurodegenerative disorders.

I am currently in the final phase of my postdoctoral training at the​ Pitt Lab, where I am applying clinical insights to deepen our ​understanding of multiple sclerosis progression. This endeavor ​represents the culmination of my experiences in science and ​engineering, each steering my research, hopefully, towards ​meaningful advancements in biomedical applications.

Research ​Philosophy

My research journey has spanned multiple continents, with each ​location uniquely enriching my knowledge and broadening my ​experiences. At the core of this global exploration is my commitment ​to equity and diversity, which shapes every interaction and ​collaboration. We are like vessels, continuously gathering diverse ​experiences throughout our lives. As scientists, we blend these ​experiences, much like an artist with their palette, to create a ​cohesive body of work. This synthesis not only deepens our ​understanding of the world but also reshapes the landscape of ​research, emphasizing inclusivity and expanding perspectives in our ​pursuit of justice.

Education

Doctoral

Fellowship

Foundation Nanoscience - French ​Alternative Energies and Atomic ​Energy Commission (2018-2021)

Erasmus+ ​Masters ​Scholarship

EU Commission (2015-2017)

Outsanding

Junior

Louisiana Tech University (2014)

Freshman ​Engineer of the ​year

Tau Beta Pi - Louisiana Gamma ​Chapter (2011)

Current ​Research

Extracellular Vesicles - ​‘FedEx for your cells’

Discovering Invisible Messengers in the Fight Against ​Neurodegenration: In cellular communication, tiny ​carriers known as extracellular vesicles (EVs) are ​revolutionizing our understanding of neurodegenerative ​diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS) and ​Alzheimer’s disease [1]. Once dismissed as mere ​cellular debris, these nanoscale particles have ​emerged as potent biomarkers for the early detection of ​disease progression. By analyzing the molecular ​signatures carried by plasma-derived EVs in patient ​blood, we are gaining vital insights into how ​neurodegenerative conditions alter cellular ​communications. This approach advances our ​diagnostic capabilities ushering in a new era of ​targeted interventions and personalized care for ​neurodegenerative disorders.

Previous Research

Exploring Exocytosis

Biomimetic Opto-electronic Nose

Select Publications

1. Weerakkody JS, Tseng T, Topper M, et al. Photosensitive Nanoprobes for Rapid High Purity Isolation ​and Size-Specific Enrichment of Synthetic and Extracellular Vesicle Subpopulations. Advanced ​Functional Materials. 2024 Patent Pending - Yale Ventures
   
2. Thoduvayil S, Weerakkody JS, Sundaram RVK, et al. Rapid Quantification of First and Second Phase ​Insulin Secretion Dynamics using an In vitro Platform for Improving Insulin Therapy. Cell Calcium. 2023
3. Kalyana Sundaram RV, Bera M, Coleman J, Weerakkody JS, Krishnakumar SS, Ramakrishnan S. ​Native Planar Asymmetric Suspended Membrane for Single-Molecule Investigations: Plasma ​Membrane on a Chip. Small. 2022
4. Ramakrishnan S, Weerakkody JS. Suspended lipid bilayer: a versatile platform for nextgen drug ​discovery and biomedical applications. Accounts of Materials Research. 2022
5. Weerakkody JS, El Kazzy M, Jacquier E, et al. Surfactant-like peptide self-assembled into hybrid ​nanostructures for electronic nose applications. ACS nano. 2022
6. El Kazzy M, Weerakkody JS, Hurot C, et al. An overview of artificial olfaction systems with a focus on ​surface plasmon resonance for the analysis of volatile organic compounds. Biosensors. 2020
7. Brenet S, Weerakkody JS, Buhot A, et al. Improvement of sensitivity of surface plasmon resonance ​imaging for the gas-phase detection of volatile organic compounds. Talanta. 2020.
8. Gaggiotti S, Hurot C, Weerakkody JS, et al. Development of an optoelectronic nose based on surface ​plasmon resonance imaging with peptide and hairpin DNA for sensing volatile organic compounds. ​Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical. 2020
9. Weerakkody JS, Brenet S, Livache T, Herrier C, Hou Y, Buhot A. Optical index prism sensitivity of ​surface plasmon resonance imaging in gas phase: Experiment versus theory. The Journal of Physical ​Chemistry C. 2020

Community Outreach

nEWS