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Commission member. National Science and Technology Commission- 
Naturally occurring therapeutic agents as potential neutraceuticals
General Research Award (2017) from the SLAAS for lifetime contribution to research in Sri Lanka
Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences
Presidential award for research: 2002, 2012, 2013, merit award 2014
SUSRED award from the National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka for supervision of a post graduate student- 2013, 2016
CIDA/NSERC scholarship 1988-1989
Life member, Institute of Chemistry, CeylonBiomed Research International
S.R. Samarakoon, M.K. Ediriweera, C. D. U. Nwokwu, C. J. Bandara, K.H. Tennekoon, P. Piyathilaka, D. N. Karunaratne, V. Karunaratne. (2017). A study on cytotoxic and apoptotic potential of a triterpenoid saponin (3-O-α-L-arabinosyl oleanolic acid) isolated from Schumacheria castaneifolia Vahl in human non-small cell lung cancer (NCI- H292) cells.,. Biomed Research International, Volume 2017, Article ID 9854083: 8 pages.
Drug Deliv. Lett. 2017
D.N. Karunaratne, Nwokwu C. Daniel, S.R. Samarakoon, K. A. N. P. Katuwavila, M.K. Ediriweera, K.H. Tennekoon (2017). Chitosan Nano-Encapsulation Enhances Gedunin Cytotoxicity against Human Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NCI-H292) Cell Line. Drug Deliv. Lett. 2017, 7 (3): 219-226.
Trop J Pharm Res.
Nwokwu C. Daniel, S.R. Samarakoon, D.N. Karunaratne, K. A. N. P. Katuwavila, K.M.G.K Pamunuwa, M.K. Ediriweera, K.H. Tennekoon (2017). Induction of apoptosis in response to improved gedunin by liposomal nano-encapsulation in human non-small-cell lung cancer (NCI-H292) cell line. Trop J Pharm Res., 16(9): 2079 -2087.
Food control
I. R. Ariyarathna, R.M.P.I. Rajakaruna, D. N. Karunaratne. (2017). The rise of inorganic nanomaterial implementation in food applications. Food control, 77: 251 -259.
Journal of Biophysics
P. V. G. M. Rathnayake , B. G. C. M. Gunathunge , P.N. Wimalasiri , D. N. Karunaratne, R. J. K. U. Ranatunga. (2017). Trends in the binding of cell penetrating peptides to siRNA: A molecular docking study. Journal of Biophysics, Volume 2017: Article ID 1059216, 12 pages.
Current Nanomedicine
D. N. Karunarathna, I.R. Ariyarathna, D. Welideniya, A. Siriwardhana, D. Gunasekara, V. Karunaratne. (2017). Nanotechnological strategies to improve water solubility of commercially available drugs. Current Nanomedicine, 7: 1-27 .
Int J Pharmaceutics
K. A. N. P. Katuwavila, A.D.L.C.Perera, D. Dissanayake, V.Karunaratne, G. A. J. Amaratunga and D.N.Karunaratne (2016). Alginate nanoparticles protect ferrous from oxidation: potential iron delivery system. Int J Pharmaceutics, 513(1-2): 404-409.
J Nanomaterials
K. A. N. P. Katuwavila, A.D.L.C. Perera, S.R. Samarakoon, S.S.S.B.D.P Soysa, V.Karunaratne, G. A. J. Amaratunga and D.N.Karunaratne. (2016). A novel chitosan-alginate nanoparticle system efficiently delivers doxorubicin to MCF-7 cells. J Nanomaterials, vol. 2016: Article ID 3178904, 12 pages.
Food Packaging and Shelf life
I. R. Ariyarathna, D. N. Karunaratne (2016). Microencapsulation stabilizes curcumin for efficient delivery in food applications. Food Packaging and Shelf life, 10: 79-86 .
Ceylon Journal of Science
R. M. P. I. Rajakaruna, I. R. Ariyarathna, D. N. Karunaratne (2016). Challenges and Strategies to combat Global Iron deficiency by food fortification. Ceylon Journal of Science, 45(2) 2016: 3-14 .
Int J Pharmaceutics
E. P. N. Premarathne, D. N. Karunarathna and A.D.L.C. Perera . (2016). Controlled Release of Diclofenac Sodium in Glycolipid Incorporated Micro emulsions. Int J Pharmaceutics, 511(2): 890- 898 .
J Nanomaterials.
K. M. G. K. Pamunuwa, V. Karunaratne, D. N. Karunaratne. (2016). Effect of lipid composition on in vitro release and skin permeation properties of curcumin encapsulated liposomes. J Nanomaterials., vol. 2016: Article ID 4535790, 9 pages, 2016 .
J. Natn. Sci. Foundation Sri Lanka
M. A. S. K. Menikarachchi, K.A.N.P. Katuvawila, A. Ekanayake, V. Thevanesam, V. Karunaratne and D. N. Karunaratne (2016). Release behaviour of amoxicillin from chitosan coated liposomes derived from eggs. J. Natn. Sci. Foundation Sri Lanka, 44 (2): 167-173 .
Int J Chemical Engineering
K. M. G. K. Pamunuwa, V. Karunaratne, D. N. Karunaratne (2016). Effect of Lipid Composition and Preparation Method on Properties of Ferulic Acid Encapsulated Liposomes. Int J Chemical Engineering, 3(1): 22 - 26.
https://seekdl.org/journal_page_papers.php?jourid=122&issueid=193
Procedia Food Science
L.L.W.C. Yalegama, R. Sivakanesan, D. N. Karunarathna (2016). Effect of coconut kernel residues on serum lipid concentrations of rats. Procedia Food Science, 6: 186 -189 .
J Nanomaterials.
K.A.N.P. Katuwavila, A.D.L.C. Perera, V. Karunaratne, G. A. J. Amaratunga and D. N. Karunarathna (2016). Improved delivery of caffeic acid through liposomal encapsulation. J Nanomaterials., Volume 2016 (2016): Article ID 9701870, 7 pages .
J. Chem. Pharm. Res.
C. J. Bandara, A. Wickramasinghe, BMR Bandara, D. N. Karunaratne, DSA Wijesundara, V. Karunaratne (2015). Chemistry and bioactivity of compounds of genus Schumacheria and its close chemotaxonomic relationship to the genus Dillenia. J. Chem. Pharm. Res., 7 (10): 586 – 592 .
Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst.
E. P. N. Premarathne, D. N. Karunarathna and A.D.L.C. Perera. (2015). Hexadecyl-H-D-Glucopyranoside: A Liquid Crystal with Surfactant Properties for Stabilization of Microemulsions. Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst., 613 (1): 23 – 38 .
Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst
D. M. D. S. Dissanayake, D. N. Karunaratne, and A. D. L. C. Perera. (2015). Enhanced Liposomal Encapsulation of Ascorbic Acid by the Liquid Crystal E-sitosteryl---D-glucopyranoside. Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst, 613 (1): 94 – 102 .
Current Pharmaceutical Design
D. N. Karunarathna, M. Jafari , R.J.K.U. Ranatunge, A. Siriwardene. (2015). Natural carriers for siRNA delivery. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 21 (31): 4529 – 4540 .
J. Chem. Pharm. Res.
K.M.G.K. Pamunuwa, C. J. Bandara, V. Karunaratne and D. N. Karunaratne. (2015). Optimization of a Liposomal Delivery System for the Highly Antioxidant Methanol Extract of Stem-bark of Schumacheria castaneifolia Vahl. J. Chem. Pharm. Res., 7 (4): 1236 – 1245 .
Food and Bioproducts Processing
P.G.I.R. Ariyarathna and D. N. Karunarathna. (2015). Use of chickpea protein for encapsulation of Folate to enhance nutritional potency and stability. Food and Bioproducts Processing, 95: 75 – 82 .
International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
V. Karunaratne, C. J. Bandara, D. N. Karunaratne, A. Wickramasinghe, DSA Wijesundara, BMR Bandara. (2015). Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the Sri Lankan endemic plant genus Schumacheria. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 7 (3): 465 – 467 .
Journal of the National Science Foundation
R. Ratnayake, D. Perera, D. N. Karunarathna, D.S.A. Wijesundara, G. Carr, D. E. Williams, R.J. Andersen and V. Karunaratne. (2014). Antioxidant activity and a new butanolide from the primitive endemic genus Hortonia. Journal of the National Science Foundation, 42 (3): 273 –276 .
International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
D. N. Karunarathna, A.C. Dassanayake, K.M.G.K. Pamunuwa and V. Karunaratne. (2014). Improved skin permeability of dl-α-tocopherol in topical macroemulsions. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences., 6 (6): 53 -57.
https://www.ijppsjournal.com/Vol6Issue6/8289.pdf
PLoS ONE
M. Jafari, W. Xu, R. Pan, C. M. Sweeting, D. N. Karunaratne, and P. Chen. (2014). Serum stability and Physicochemical Characterization of a Novel Amphipathic peptide C6M1 for SiRNA delivery. PLoS ONE, 9(5): e97797.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0097797
Journal of the National Science Foundation
A. Weerasinghe, S. Puvanendran, A. Wickramasinghe, D. N. Karunarathna, S. Wijesundera and V. Karunaratne. (2013). Potent bioactivities of the endemic Annonaceae heightens its dire conservation status. Journal of the National Science Foundation, 41(4): 345-350.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jnsfsr.v41i4.6251
Journal of the National Science Foundation
A.R.N.M Abeyrathne, A.D.L.C Perera and D. N. Karunarathna. (2013). Surfactant behavior of five carbohydrate liquid crystals. Journal of the National Science Foundation, 41(3): 185-194.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jnsfsr.v41i3.6055
Journal of the National Science Foundation
K.M.D. Gunathilake, R.R. Ratnayake, S.A. Kulasooriya and D. N. Karunaratne. (2013). Evaluation of Cellulose Degrading Efficiencies of Fungal and Bacterial monocultures and Fungal-Bacterial Biofilms. Journal of the National Science Foundation, 41(2): 155 -163.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jnsfsr.v41i2.5710
Biochemistry
M. Jafari, D. N. Karunaratne, C. M. Sweeting, and P. Chen. (2013). Modification of a designed amphipathic cell penetrating peptide and its effect on solubility, secondary structure and efficiency. Biochemistry, 52 (20): 3428–3435.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/bi4001326
Food Chemistry
L.L.W.C. Yalegama, D. N. Karunaratne, R. Sivakanesan and C. Jayasekara (2013). Chemical and functional properties of fibre concentrates obtained from by-products of coconut kernel. Food Chemistry, 141: 124 - 130.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.02.118
Journal of the National Science Foundation
A R N M Abeyrathne, A D L C Perera and D N Karunaratne. (2012). Liquid crystal behaviour of three novel glycosides. Journal of the National Science Foundation, 40: 115 -121.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jnsfsr.v40i2.4439
Current Medicinal Chemistry
M. Jafari, M. Soltani, S. Naahidi, D. N. Karunarathna and P. Chen. (2012). Nonviral approach for targeted nucleic acid delivery,. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 19: 197 – 208 .
Journal of the National Science Foundation
A R N M Abeyrathne, A D L C Perera and D N Karunaratne. (2012). Liquid crystal behaviour of three novel glycosides. Journal of the National Science Foundation, 40: 115 – 121 .
Journal of the National Science Foundation
S. Puvanendran, T. Manoranjan, A. Wickramasinghe, D. N. Karunarathna, D.S.A.Wijesundara, V. Kumar, G. Carr, R.J. Andersen, V. Karunaratne. (2010). Alkaloids from Xylopia parvifolia and Xylopia nigricans (Annonaceae). Journal of the National Science Foundation, 38: 75 – 76.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jnsfsr.v38i1.1728