- Cancer pharmacology, Evaluation of medicinal activity of natural products specially on plant species, Development of nutraceuticals/food supplements for various diseases
Cancer pharmacology
Cancer is a complex disease and the global burden is increasing. In the recent years many scientists are investigating novel drugs or investigating new ways to use existing drugs for cancer in order to treat cancer better. Despite many advances there is still a huge need for novel therapies due to adverse effects and drug resistance seen in the clinic. Natural products play a major role in cancer therapies. Natural products comprise a vast amount of structural and chemical diversity. Therefore, they remain as one of the best sources of drugs and drug leads because they are evolutionarily optimized as drug like molecules. KDU-CARE focuses on researching about numerous plants, herbs and traditional formulae for their anti-cancer activity by determining the mechanism of action using various in-vitro assays.
Evaluation of medicinal activity of natural products such as plants and development of nutraceuticals/food supplements for various diseases
Throughout our history, natural products have played a dominant role in the treatment of human illnesses. Natural compounds are an important research area for drug discovery. These products, especially phytochemicals of plants have been investigated and they have exhibited various medicinal effects. Currently, these natural products have obtained significant attention in the global healthcare industry. KDU-CARE focuses on determining the medicinal activity of numerous medicinal plants and herbs, especially from Sri Lanka for disease such as dengue. Currently there is an upward trend in the development of nutraceuticals/food supplements for various diseases and we at KDU-CARE are interested in this aspect.
Book chapters and web documents
- Kuruppu AI, The role of HER family signalling in breast cancer. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham, UK, February 2016
- Kuruppu AI, Paranagama P and De Silva R. Anticancer potential of natural products: a review focusing on Sri Lankan plants, Scholars Press, May, 2019
- Kuruppu AI. Apoferritin as a Nano carrier: Its applications in medicine. Pharma Focus Asia Magazine, Issue 35, 19-21, May 2019
Referred journal article
- Kuruppu AI, Turyanska L, Bradshaw TB, Manickam S, Galhena BP, Paranagama P, and De Silva R. Apoferritin and Dps as drug delivery vehicles: Some selected examples in oncology. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – General Subjects, volume 1866, December 2021
- Kuruppu AI, Paranagama P and De Silva R. Anticancer potential of natural products: a review focusing on Sri Lankan plants. Frontiers in Bioscience,
volume 11, 161-177, March 2019 - Kuruppu AI, Paranagama P and Goonasekara C. Medicinal plants used against cancer in traditional medicine formulae in Sri Lanka. Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal, volume 27, 565-573, February 2019
- Sirisena ND, Adeyemo A, Kuruppu AI, Neththikumara N, Samaranayake N, Dissanayake VHW. Genetic Variants Associated with Clinicopathological Profile of Sporadic Breast Cancer in Sri Lankan Women. Journal of Breast Cancer, volume 21, 165-172, June 2018
- Sirisena ND, Adeyemo A, Kuruppu AI, Neththikumara N, Samaranayake N, Dissanayake VHW. Genetic determinants of sporadic breast cancer in Sri Lankan women. BMC Cancer, volume 18, 180, Feb 2018
- Luzzani G, Callero M, Kuruppu AI, Trapani V, Flumian C, Todaro L, Bradshaw TD and Loaiza Perez A. In vitro antitumor effects of AhR ligands Aminoflavone (AFP 464) and Benzothiazole (5F 203) on human renal carcinoma cells. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, volume 118, 4526-4535, Dec, 2017
- Han L, Stanley PA, Wood PJ, Sharma P, Kuruppu AI, Bradshaw TD, and Moses JE. Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons approach to Piperlongumine analogues with potent anti-cancer activity. Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, volume 14, 7585-7593, Aug, 2016
- Kuruppu AI, Zhang L, Collins H, Turyanska L, Thomas NR and Bradshaw TD. An apoferritin based drug delivery system for the tyrosine kinase inhibitorGefitinib. Advanced Healthcare Materials, volume 4, 2816-2821, Nov, 2015
Conference papers
- Kuruppu AI, Zhang L, Turyanska L, Thomas N and Bradshaw TD. Targeting HER2 positive breast cancer cells by affibody labelled, gefitinib loaded apoferritin nanoparticles. General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University International Research Conference, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 9th-10th September 2021.
- Kuruppu, AI, Wijayasinghe YS, Galhena BP, Pranagama P and De Silva R. The anti-cancer effect of an ancient traditional medicine formula of Sri Lanka. Frontiers in Chemical Technology, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 20th-22nd July 2020
- Kuruppu AI and Hettigoda L. Evaluating benefits of Moringa oleifera as a dietary supplement. Plant biology and Plant Science, Bangkok, Thailand. 24th25th October 2019
- Kuruppu AI, Stocks M and Bradshaw TD. The effect of combination therapy in targeting dual signalling pathways in the treatment of breast cancer. Gordon Research Conferences, New Hampshire, USA. 4th – 9th August 2019
- Kuruppu, AI, Wijayasinghe YS, Galhena BP, Pranagama P and De Silva R. Anticancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity of extracts and fractions obtained from endemic plant species of Sri Lanka. Gordon Research Seminars, New Hampshire, USA. 3rd – 4th August 2019
- Kuruppu AI, Paranagama P and De Silva R. Therapeutic effects of traditional medicine formulae of Sri Lanka. The 8th World Ayurveda Congress, Ahmedabad, India. 14th – 17th December 2018
- Kuruppu AI, Paranagama P and De Silva R. Screening of medicinal herbs and plants from Sri Lanka for their bioactivity. The Asian Symposium on Medicinal Plants, Spices and other Natural Products XVI, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 12th – 14th December 2018
- Kuruppu AI and Hettigoda L. A herbal food supplement for the prevention of liver diseases. The Asian Symposium on Medicinal Plants, Spices and other Natural Products XVI, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 12th – 14th December 2018
- Kuruppu AI, Paranagama P and De Silva R. Health benefits of endemic plant species Wrightia antidysenterica and Osbeckia octandra. International conference on Health Sciences, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 7th – 9th October 2018 Kuruppu AI. Anticancer effects of Plumeria rubra in HER2 positive breast cancer cell lines. Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 6th – 7th December 2017
- Kuruppu AI, Al-Hayali M, Zhang L, Parmenter C, Weston N, Turyanska L and Bradshaw TD. Tabernaemontana divaricate illustrating potent anticancer activity in HER2 positive SKBR3 breast cancer cells. TradMed International Conference. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23rd – 25th November 2017
- Kuruppu AI, Al-Hayali M, Zhang L, Turyanska L and Bradshaw TD. A study on the potential anticancer activity of Plumeria rubra. TradMed International Conference. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23rd -25th November 2017
- Kuruppu AI, Paranagama P and De Silva R. Evaluation of functional activity of Wrightia antidysenterica- An endemic plant species. TradMed International Conference. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23rd -25th November 2017
- Sirisena ND, Kuruppu AI, Neththikumara N, Samaranayke N, Dissanayake VHW. Genetic determinants of sporadic breast cancer in Sri Lankan women. 130th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 13th-16th July 2017
- Sirisena ND, Adeyemo A, Kuruppu AI, Neththikumara N, Samaranayke N, Dissanayake VHW. Genetic determinanats of sporadic breast cancer in a cohort of Sri Lankan postmenopausal women. Global Breast Cancer Conference, South Korea. 20th-22nd April 2017
- Kuruppu AI, Zhang L, Thomas NR and Bradshaw TD. An apoferritin based drug delivery system for the tyrosine kinase inhibitor-Gefitinib. Centre for Biomolecular Sciences Researchers’ Symposium, Nottingham, UK. 2nd June 2016
- Kuruppu AI and Bradshaw TD. Targeting the ErbB, Ras/MAPK, PI3K/AKT and AhR network for the treatment of breast cancer. Flow cytometry meeting, Nottingham, UK. 12th November 2014
- Kuruppu AI, Zhang L, Thomas NR and Bradshaw TD. Evaluation of agents targeting ErbB2 in breast cancer. European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC9), Glasgow, UK. 19th-21st March 2014
- Kuruppu AI and Bradshaw TD. EGF and tyrosine kinase inhibitor Gefitinib inhibit growth and signalling in ErbB2 overexpressing breast cancer cells. Signalling 2013: from Structure to Function, York, UK. 17th-19th July 2013
- Kuruppu AI, Zhang L, Thomas NR and Bradshaw TD. The role of ErbB receptors in breast cancer. Centre for Biomolecular sciences Research Symposium, Nottingham, UK. 30th May 2013
- Goonasekara HWW, Kuruppu AI, Wijewardene I, Jayasekara RW, Dissanayake VHW. JAK2 (V617F) rs 12343867 mutation prevalence in patients with Myeloproliferative Neoplasms and Thrombophilia in Sri Lanka. 125th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 2nd- 6th July 2012
- Goonasekara HWW, Kuruppu AI, Jayasekara RW, Dissanayake VHW. Hereditary thrombophilia in a cohort of patients with thromboembolism in Sri Lanka. 125th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 2nd- 6th July 2012
- Kuruppu AI, Jayasekara RW, Dissanayake VHW. Life style, Hormonal and Reproductive Risk Factors in a Cohort of Postmenopausal Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer in Sri Lanka. Global forum of Sri Lankan scientists, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 13th- 15th December, 2011
- Kuruppu AI, Jayasekara RW and Dissanayake VHW. The prevalence of risk factors for breast cancer in a cohort of postmenopausal women diagnosed with breast cancer in Sri Lanka. Mitochondria, Apoptosis and Cancer (MAC) International Conference, National University of Singapore, Singapore. 27th29th October, 2011
- Kuruppu AI, Wijewardene I, Goonasekara HWW, Jayasekara RW and Dissanayake VHW. The prevalence of JAK2 (V617F) mutation among patients referred for genetic thrombophilia screening. 12th Annual Academic Sessions of the Sri Lanka College of Haematologists, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 15th- 17th July, 2011
- Kuruppu AI, Wijewardene I, Weerasekera LY, Goonasekara HWW, Jayasekara RW, Dissanayake VHW. The prevalence of JAK2V617F mutation and MTHFR 677C>T and 1298A>C variants in thrombophilia patients in Sri Lanka. 124th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Sri Lanka Medical Association, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 7th- 10th June 2011
- Kuruppu AI, Sandamal LYS, Weerasekera LY, Goonasekara HWW, Jayasekara RW, Dissanayake VHW. A comparative Study of genetic thrombophilic polymorphisms in patients with Cerebrovascular Accidents (CVA), Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD) and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) with that of the Sri Lankan population. International conference on frontiers in molecular life sciences, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 16th- 18th September 2009
- Kuruppu AI, Ranawaka, G. Prevalence and intensity of trematode cercarial infections in the snail host at a selected study site in the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) premises. OUSL annual academic sessions, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 18th- 19th December, 2008
Graduate supervision
- Co-supervisor for H. K. Sin, S. Singh, Y. Tan and M. Barham during their MPharm degree research projects at the University of Nottingham, UK.
