Educational Background

2016 - Ph.D. in Chemistry - Wayne State University, MI                                      

2009 - B.Sc. in Chemistry - University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

Professional Experience

Aug 2019 - Present
Assistant Professor - Florida Institute of Technology, FL

Nov 2016 - April 2019
Postdoctoral Associate - University of Pittsburgh, PA (Supervisor: Dr. Shigeru Amemiya)

Apr 2016 - Oct 2016
Postdoctoral Fellow - University of South Carolina, SC (Supervisor: Dr. Parastoo Hashemi)

Current Courses

CHM 3301 - Analytical Chemistry 1

CHM 3302 - Analytical Chemistry 2

CHM 3312 - Analytical Chemistry Lab 2

CHM 4304/5304 - Advanced Analytical Chemistry

CHM 5305 -  Special Topics in Analytical Chemistry - Electrochemistry

CHM 1101 - General Chemistry 1

Selected Publications

1. Chen, R.; Pathirathna, P.; Balla, R.; Kim, J.; Amemiya, S.: Nanoscale Quantitative Imaging of Single Nuclear Pore Complexes by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy, Analytical Chemistry, 2024, 1021/acs.analchem.4c01890.
2. Manring, N.; Strini, M.; Koifman, G.; Xavier, J.; Smeltz, J.L.; Pathirathna, P.: Ultrafast Detection of Arsenic Using Carbon-Fiber Microelectrodes and Fast-Scan Cyclic Voltammetry, Micromachines,2024, 15(6), 733. 
3. Manring, N.; Strini, M.; Koifman, G.; Smeltz, J.L.; Pathirathna, P.: Gold Nanoparticle-Modified Carbon-Fiber Microelectrodes for the Electrochemical Detection of Cd²⁺via Fast-Scan Cyclic Voltammetry, Micromachines, 2024, 15, 294.
4. Manring, N.; Strini, J.; Smeltz, J. L.; Pathirathna, P.: Simultaneous Detection of Neurotransmitters and Cu²⁺ using double-bore carbon fiber microelectrodes using fast scan cyclic voltammetry, RSC Advances, 2023, 33844-3385.
5. Manring, N.; Ahmed, M. M.N; Smeltz, J. L.; Pathirathna, P. Electrodeposition of Dopamine onto Carbon Fiber Microelectrodes to Enhance the Detection of Cu²⁺ Via Fast- Scan Cyclic Voltammetry, Anal Bioanal Chem, 2023, 1-8.
6. Sultana, A. I; Chambers, C.; Ahmed, M.M.N; Pathiratna, P.; Reza. T. Effect of     Hydrothermal Carbonization Temperature on Hydrogen Storage, Carbon Capture, Electron    Storage, and Dye Adsorption on Loblolly Pine-derived Superactivated Hydrochar, Nanomaterials, 2022, 12(20), 3575.
7. Manring, N.; Ahmed, M. M.N; Tenhoff, N.; Smeltz, J. L.; Pathirathna, P. Recent Advances in Electrochemical Tools for Virus Detection, Analytical Chemistry, 2022, 94, 20, 7149–7157.
8. Ahmed, M. M.N; Bodowara, F. S.; Zhou, W.; Penteado, J. F.; Smeltz, J. L.; Pathirathna, P. Electrochemical detection of Cd(II) ions in complex matrices with nanopipets. RSC Advances, 2022,12(2), 1077-1083.
9. Kurpathi, N.; Pathirathna, P.; Ziegler, C; Amemiya, S.: Adsorption and Electron-Transfer Mechanisms of Ferrocene Carboxylates and Sulfonates at Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite, ChemElectroChem, 2019, 6, 5651–5660.
10. Pathirathna, P.; Balla, R.J.; Meng, G.; Wei, Z.; Amemiya, S.: Nanoscale Electrostatic Gating of Molecular Transport through Nuclear Pore Complexes as Probed by Electrochemical Microscopy,Chemical Science, 2019, 10, 7929-7936.
11. Pathirathna, P.; Balla, R.J.; Kurpathi, N.; Gramn, E.; Jantz, D.T.; Leonard, K.C; Amemiya, S.: Probing High Permeability of Nuclear Pore Complexes by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy: Ca²⁺ Effects on Transport Barriors, Analytical Chemistry, 2019, 91, 5446–5454.
12. Holmes, J.; Pathirathna, P.; Hashemi, P.: Novel Frontiers in Voltammetric Trace Metal Analysis: Towards Real Time, On-Site, In Situ Measurements, Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 2019, 111, 206-209.
13. Kurpathi, N.; Pathirathna, P.; Chen, R; Amemiya, S.: Voltammetric Measurement of Adsorption Isotherm for Ferrocene Derivatives on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite, Analytical Chemistry, 2018, 90, 13672-13679.
14. Pathirathna, P.; Balla, R.J.; Amemiya, S.: Nanogap-Based Electrochemical Measurements at Double-Carbon-Fiber Ultramicroelectrodes, Analytical Chemistry 2018, 90, 11746–11750.
15. Siriwardhane, T.; Yangguang Ou.; Pathirathna, P.; Hashemi, P.: Rapid Analysis of Electrochemically Elusive Trace Metals with Carbon Fiber Microelectrodes, Analytical Chemistry, 2018, 90, 11917–11924.
16. Pathirathna, P.; Balla, R.; Amemiya, S.:Simulation of Fast-Scan Nanogap Voltammetry of Double-cylinder Ultramicroelectrodes, Journal of the Electrochemistry Society, 2018, 165, G3026-G3032.
17. Abdalla, A.; Atcherley, C. W.; Pathirathna, P.; Samaranayake, S.; Qiang, B.; Peña, E.; Morgan, S. L.; Heien, M. L.; Hashemi, P: In Vivo Ambient Serotonin Measurements at Carbon-fiber Microelectrodes, Analytical Chemistry, 2017, 89, 9703-9711.
18. Pathirathna, P.; Siriwardhane, T.; McElmurry, S. P.; Morgan, S.L.; Hashemi, P.: Fast voltammetry of metals at carbon-fiber microelectrodes: towards a real time speciation sensor, The Analyst, 2016, 141, 6432-6437.
19. Pathirathna, P.; Siriwardhane, T.; Morgan, S. L.; McElmurry, S. P.; Hashemi, P.: Fast voltammetry of metals at carbon-fiber microelectrodes: ultra rapid determination of solution formation constants, The Analyst, 2016, 141, 6025-6030.
20. Siriwardhane, T.; Sulkanen, A.; Pathirathna, P.; Tremonti, A.; McElmurry, S. P.; Hashemi, P.: Voltammetric characterization of Cu (II) complexation in real-time, Analytical Chemisty, 2016, 88, 7603-7608.

Recognition & Awards

2023 - Outstanding Educator at a Research Institute, ACS Orlando Section, FL

2023 - Educator of the Year, United Third Bridge, Inc., FL

2016 - Honor Citation for Teaching Service in Chemistry, Wayne State University, MI

2015 - Best graduate student oral presentation, ANACHEM/SAS Detroit Section Symposium, Livonia, MI

2015 - Esther and Stanley Kirschner General Chemistry Teaching Award (Best General Chemistry Teaching Assistant), Wayne State University, MI

2014 - Honor Citation for Teaching Service in Chemistry, Wayne State University, MI

2013 - Graduate Student Professional Travel Award, Wayne State University, MI

2012 - Paul and Carol C. Schaap Endowed Distinguished Graduate Student Fellowship, Wayne State University, MI

Research

We are a multifaceted research team that develops smart, portable, fast, simple, and inexpensive sensors to probe exquisite, and complex systems (in-vivo& in-vitro). In particular, we are interested in designing and developing sensors that can be used at point-of-care (POC) to detect ingested toxic metals in blood and urine samples, in addition to in-vivo sensing. The detrimental effects of toxic metals such as arsenic, lead, and cadmium poisoning are well documented. POC detection of these metals in the clinic or direct detection inside the body remains challenging due to limited selectivity, inadequate sensitivity, and instability of the sensing component with existing analytical methods. These novel sensors will be developed using cutting-edge electrochemical technology at the liquid-liquid interface. The qualitative and quantitative speciation information that we will obtain with our novel sensors will provide a greater mechanistic understanding of the fate of ingested heavy metals in the body, leading directly to improvements in existing disease diagnostics, treatment, and preventative strategies for metal toxicity.

We are also interested in developing carbon fiber microelectrodes with multi-element sensing components to simultaneously monitor two or more substances/neurotransmitters at a single location via fast-scan cyclic voltammetry. These unique sensors will allow us to understand neurotransmitter interactions at a specific area of the brain.

Research and Project Interests

• Efficient and disposable point-of-care sensors to detect ingested toxic heavy metals in blood and urine samples
• Implantable sensors for monitoring dynamic changes in metal concentrations in kidney
• Microelectrodes with multiple sensing elements for simultaneous neurotransmitter detection
• Engineering of fast, portable, low-coast, multi-channel potentiostat