Kumara Dissanayake

Kumara joined the Martina Hallegger group in May 2026. His research focuses on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and the molecular mechanisms underlying disease progression. His current project investigates TDP-43 condensation using a reporter-based assay, aiming to understand how alterations in TDP-43 condensation and phase behaviour may contribute to neurodegeneration.

Kumara completed his PhD at Kobe University, Japan, in 2004. In 2006, he joined the MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit at the University of Dundee as a Research Fellow, where he studied melanoma cancer biology and cell signalling. He later joined the School of Medicine at the University of Dundee, where he worked on modelling pancreatic neuroendocrine diseases using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to identify novel therapeutic targets.

He subsequently joined Drishti Discoveries as a Senior Scientist, contributing to the development of artificial microRNA-based therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS. He led a project focused on advancing and evaluating therapeutic candidates using stem cell-derived and patient-derived motor neuron models, supporting preclinical research and development.