Malik Peiris

Peiris was born on 10 November 1949 in Kandy, Sri Lanka. He attended school at St. Anthony's College, Kandy,{{cite press release |date=6 January 2011 |title=World-renowned University of Hong Kong Professor to speak at "Meeting of Minds" Lecture in Colombo |url=https://www.hku.hk/press/news_detail_6336.html |location=Hong Kong |publisher=University of Hong Kong |access-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308024225/https://www.hku.hk/press/news_detail_6336.html |archive-date=8 March 2022}} and entered the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya in 1967,{{cite web |title=Prof. Malik Peiris |url=https://www.pdn.ac.lk/alumni/downloads/seminar/AAUPWebinarCOVID19.pdf |publisher=University of Peradeniya |access-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308024243/https://www.pdn.ac.lk/alumni/downloads/seminar/AAUPWebinarCOVID19.pdf |archive-date=8 March 2022}} obtaining his MBBS in 1972.

After a year with the National Health Department at the General Hospital in Matale, Peiris joined the Department of Microbiology at his alma mater, where Sarathnanda "Chubby" Arseculeratne, Peiris's future father-in-law, worked at the time. Despite his interest in immunology, Peiris started working on virology at the urge of Arseculeratne.{{cite journal |last1=Peiris |first1=Joseph Sriyal Malik |title=One world, one health |journal=Cell |date=2021 |volume=184 |issue=8 |pages=1956–1959 |doi=10.1016/j.cell.2021.03.021 |pmid=33831373 |pmc=9010072 }} He was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship in 1977{{cite magazine |last1=Chan |first1=Jeremy |title=Asia's Scientific Trailblazers: Malik Peiris |url=https://www.asianscientist.com/2018/08/features/asias-scientific-trailblazers-malik-peiris/ |location=Singapore |magazine=Asian Scientist |access-date=7 March 2022 |date=28 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307090302/https://www.asianscientist.com/2018/08/features/asias-scientific-trailblazers-malik-peiris/ |archive-date=7 March 2022}} and went to the University of Oxford for a DPhil at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, graduating in 1981. A major aspect of his DPhil study was the paradoxical role that antibodies may play in facilitating rather than blocking the entry of viruses, such as the West Nile virus and the dengue virus, into macrophages, a type of white blood cell.{{cite journal |last1=Peiris |first1=J.S.M. |last2=Porterfield |first2=J.S. |title=Antibody-mediated enhancement of Flavivirus replication in macrophage-like cell lines |journal=Nature |volume=282 |issue=5738 |pages=509–511 |date=1979 |pmid=503230 |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/282509a0 |doi=10.1038/282509a0 |bibcode=1979Natur.282..509P |s2cid=4336809|url-access=subscription }} He underwent his training in clinical pathology at the Public Health Laboratory at Birmingham and Newcastle University,{{cite web |title=Joseph Sriyal Malik Peiris |url=http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/members/20041743.html |publisher=National Academy of Sciences |access-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308024354/http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/members/20041743.html |archive-date=8 March 2022}} and completed his pathologist examination in 1982.

After his DPhil, Peiris returned to Sri Lanka as a senior lecturer and set up a virology department at the University of Peradeniya, which was created after the split-up of the University of Sri Lanka (formerly the University of Ceylon).

In 1988, because of the Sri Lankan Civil War, Peiris went back to Newcastle upon Tyne to become a consultant virologist at the Royal Victoria Infirmary. He moved to Hong Kong in 1995, tasked with setting up a clinical virology unit at Queen Mary Hospital and the University of Hong Kong.

Peiris's research interest is in emerging viral diseases, especially those passed from animals to humans, using a multidisciplinary approach termed "One-Health", which Peiris has defined as a "collaboration between the animal health, environmental health, human health, and laboratory sectors."

Currently at HKU, Malik is the Tam Wah-Ching Professor in Medical Science and Chair Professor of Virology at the Division of Public health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health. Since 2021, he has been working part time. He is also a co-director of the WHO H5 Reference Laboratory and the WHO SARS-CoV-2 reference laboratory, the Director of Centre of Influenza Research{{cite web |title=Malik Peiris |url=https://www.hkupasteur.hku.hk/professor-malik-peiris |publisher=HKU-Pasteur Research Pole |access-date=13 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314054426/https://www.hkupasteur.hku.hk/professor-malik-peiris |archive-date=14 March 2022}} and the managing director of the centre for Immunology and Infection.{{cite web |title=OUR STAFF |url=https://www.c2i.hk/staff |publisher=Centre for Immunology and Infection, Hong Kong |access-date=14 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314154226/https://www.c2i.hk/staff |archive-date=14 March 2022}} He retired from the position of co-director of the HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, jointly created in 2000 by HKU and the Pasteur Institute in France,{{cite web |title=University of Hong Kong-Pasteur Research Pole |url=https://pasteur-network.org/en/members/asian-region/hkuprp/ |publisher=Pasteur Network |access-date=13 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314054537/https://pasteur-network.org/en/members/asian-region/hkuprp/ |archive-date=14 March 2022}} and became an Honorary Director.

Peiris has been an editor of Current Opinion in Virology since 2011{{cite web |title=Editorial Board |url=https://www.journals.elsevier.com/current-opinion-in-virology/editorial-board |publisher=Current Opinion in Virology |access-date=14 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314155931/https://www.journals.elsevier.com/current-opinion-in-virology/editorial-board |archive-date=14 March 2022}} and of mBio since 2016.{{cite web |title=mBio Board of Editors |url=https://journals.asm.org/journal/mbio/board-editors |publisher=mBio |access-date=14 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314160226/https://journals.asm.org/journal/mbio/board-editors |archive-date=14 March 2022}}

Peiris has held a number of roles at the Hong Kong government, including a member of the Advisory panel on Emerging Infectious Diseases of the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP){{cite web |url=https://www.who.int/immunization/sage/members/bio_peiris/en/ |title=Professor Malik Peiris |access-date=1 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001052253/http://www.who.int/immunization/sage/members/bio_peiris/en/ |archive-date=1 October 2018 |url-status=dead }} and the Hong Kong Research Grants Council between 2007 and 2009.{{cite book |title=Annual Report 2008 |date=22 July 2009 |publisher=Research Grants Council |location=Hong Kong |page=55 |url=https://www.ugc.edu.hk/doc/eng/rgc/publication/annual/rgc_ar2008_e.pdf |access-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309150701/https://www.ugc.edu.hk/doc/eng/rgc/publication/annual/rgc_ar2008_e.pdf |archive-date=9 March 2022 |chapter=Appendix H: RGC Membership 2008/2009}} He currently sits on the CHP Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases{{cite web |title=Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases |url=https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/static/24005.html |publisher=Centre for Health Protection |access-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309144405/https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/static/24005.html |archive-date=9 March 2022}} and Scientific Committee on Vector-borne Diseases.{{cite web |title=Scientific Committee on Vector-borne Diseases |url=https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/static/24009.html |publisher=Centre for Health Protection |access-date=9 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309144718/https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/static/24009.html |archive-date=9 March 2022}}

In 1997, after the first human outbreak of the avian influenza H5N1 virus in Hong Kong, Peiris turned his attention to the virus, which claimed the lives of a third of its victims. Research in his group showed that the virus induces a high level of cytokines when a type of white blood cell called macrophage is infected.{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(02)11772-7 |title=Induction of proinflammatory cytokines in human macrophages by influenza A (H5N1) viruses: a mechanism for the unusual severity of human disease? |journal=The Lancet |volume=360 |issue=9348 |pages=1831–1837 |year=2002 |pmid=12480361 |last1=Cheung |first1=CY |last2=Poon |first2=LLM |last3=Lau |first3=AS |last4=Luk |first4=W |last5=Lau |first5=YL |last6=Shortridge |first6=KF |last7=Gordon |first7=S |last8=Guan |first8=Y |last9=Peiris |first9=JSM |s2cid=43488229 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140673602117727 |access-date=9 March 2022|url-access=subscription }} This so-called "cytokine storm" is now recognized as a major mechanism of avian influenza virus pathogenesis.{{cite journal |first1=Menno D |last1=de Jong |first2=Cameron P |last2=Simmons |first3=Tran Tan |last3=Thanh |first4=Vo Minh |last4=Hien |first5=Gavin JD |last5=Smith |first6=Tran Nguyen Bich |last6=Chau |first7=Dang Minh |last7=Hoang |first8=Nguyen Van Vinh |last8=Chau |first9=Truong Huu |last9=Khanh |first10=Vo Cong |last10=Dong |first11=Phan Tu |last11=Qui |first12=Bach Van |last12=Cam |first13=Do Quang |last13=Ha |first14=Yi |last14=Guan |first15=JS Malik |last15=Peiris |first16=Nguyen Tran |last16=Chinh |first17=Tran Tinh |last17=Hien |first18=Jeremy |last18=Farrar |title=Fatal outcome of human influenza A (H5N1) is associated with high viral load and hypercytokinemia |journal=Nature Medicine |date=2006 |volume=12 |issue=10 |pages=1203–1207 |doi=10.1038/nm1477 |pmid=16964257 |pmc=4333202 }}{{cite journal |last1=Tscherne |first1=Donna M. |last2=García-Sastre |first2=Adolfo |title=Virulence determinants of pandemic influenza viruses |journal=Journal of Clinical Investigation |date=2011 |volume=121 |issue=1 |pages=6–13 |doi=10.1172/JCI44947 |pmid=21206092 |url=https://www.jci.org/articles/view/44947 |access-date=14 March 2022 |pmc=3007163 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314160631/https://www.jci.org/articles/view/44947 |archive-date=14 March 2022}}

In 2003, Hong Kong suffered another viral disease outbreak, this time an unknown respiratory disease, termed severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.{{cite journal |first1=Priya |last1=Sampathkumar |first2=Zelalem |last2=Temesgen |first3=Thomas F. |last3=Smith |first4=Rodney L. |last4=Thompson |title=SARS: epidemiology, clinical presentation, management, and infection control measures |journal=Mayo Clinic Proceedings |volume=78 |issue=7 |pages=882–890| year=2003 |pmid=12839084 |doi=10.4065/78.7.882 |pmc=7094524 }} Peiris became known worldwide when his group became the first to isolate the virus that causes this disease,{{cite journal |title=Coronavirus as a possible cause of severe acute respiratory syndrome |journal=The Lancet |volume=361 |issue=9366 |pages=1319–1325 |year=2003 |pmid=12711465 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(03)13077-2 |pmc=7112372 |first1=JSM |last1=Peiris |first2=ST |last2=Lai |first3=LLM |last3=Poon |first4=Y |last4=Guan |first5=LYC |last5=Yam |first6=W |last6=Lim |first7=J |last7=Nicholls |first8=WKS |last8=Yee |first9=WW |last9=Yan |first10=MT |last10=Cheung |first11=VCC |last11=Cheng |first12=KH |last12=Chan |first13=DNC |last13=Tsang |first14=RWH |last14=Yung |first15=TK |last15=Ng |first16=KY |last16=Yuen|last17=SARS study group }} a novel coronavirus now known as SARS-CoV-1.{{cite journal |title=Pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome |journal=Current Opinion in Immunology |volume=17 |issue=4 |pages=404–410 |year=2005 |pmid=15950449 |doi=10.1016/j.coi.2005.05.009 |pmc=7127490 |first1=Yu Lung |last1=Lau |first2=JS Malik |last2=Peiris }}{{cite journal |last1=Normile |first1=Dennis |title=Up Close and Personal With SARS |journal=Science|date=2003 |volume=300 |issue=5621 |pages=886–887 |doi=10.1126/science.300.5621.886 |pmid=12738826 |url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.300.5621.886 |s2cid=58433622|url-access=subscription }} By June 2003, Peiris, together with his long-time collaborators Leo Poon and Guan Yi, has developed a rapid diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-1 using real-time polymerase chain reaction.{{cite journal |last1=Poon |first1=Leo LM |last2=Wong |first2=On Kei |last3=Luk |first3=Winsie |last4=Yuen |first4=Kwok Yung |last5=Peiris |first5=Joseph SM |last6=Guan |first6=Yi |title=Rapid Diagnosis of a Coronavirus Associated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) |journal=Clinical Chemistry |date=2003 |volume=49 |issue=6 |pages=953–955 |doi=10.1373/49.6.953 |pmid=12765993 |pmc=7108127 }}

In February 2020, Peiris published an article in Nature Medicine, presaging the outbreak of a new coronavirus.{{cite journal |last1=Poon |first1=Leo L.M. |last2=Peiris |first2=Malik |title=Emergence of a novel human coronavirus threatening human health |journal=Nature Medicine |date=2020 |volume=26 |issue=3 |pages=317–319 |doi=10.1038/s41591-020-0796-5 |pmid=32108160 |pmc=7095779 }} Peiris reported the next month that a Pomeranian dog was infected with COVID-19.{{cite news |last1=Cheng |first1=Lilian |title=Coronavirus: Hong Kong's infected dogs were asymptomatic and close contacts of confirmed patients, expert says |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3076480/coronavirus-hong-kongs-infected-dogs-were |access-date=11 March 2022 |work=South China Morning Post |date=24 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311023626/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3076480/coronavirus-hong-kongs-infected-dogs-were |archive-date=11 March 2022}} This was later substantiated by other COVID-19 animal infection cases across the world, including a tiger at the Bronx Zoo{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Ryan W. |title=Coronavirus sickened a tiger at the Bronx Zoo. Does that mean cats are at risk? |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/04/06/tiger-got-covid-19-what-does-mean-pets-and-coronavirus/2953922001/ |work=USA Today |access-date=25 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200525231459/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/04/06/tiger-got-covid-19-what-does-mean-pets-and-coronavirus/2953922001/ |archive-date=25 May 2020}} and a pug dog in North Carolina.{{cite news |last1=Hauser |first1=Christine |last2=Gross |first2=Jenny |title=Pug in North Carolina Tests Positive for the Coronavirus, Researchers Say |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/28/us/dog-coronavirus-positive-test.html |work=The New York Times |date=28 April 2020 |access-date=25 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200523082321/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/28/us/dog-coronavirus-positive-test.html |archive-date=23 May 2020}}

He and collaborators also developed a diagnostic test for 2019-nCoV (later renamed to SARS-CoV-2), again using real-time polymerase chain reaction,{{cite journal |first1=Daniel KW |last1=Chu |first2=Yang |last2=Pan |first3=Samuel MS |last3=Cheng |first4=Kenrie PY |last4=Hui |first5=Pavithra |last5=Krishnan |first6=Yingzhi |last6=Liu |first7=Daisy YM |last7=Ng |first8=Carrie KC |last8=Wan |first9=Peng |last9=Yang |first10=Quanyi |last10=Wang |first11=Malik |last11=Peiris |first12=Leo LM |last12=Poon |title=Molecular Diagnosis of a Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Causing an Outbreak of Pneumonia |journal=Clinical Chemistry |date=2020 |volume=66 |issue=4 |pages=549–555 |doi=10.1093/clinchem/hvaa029 |pmid=32031583 |url=https://academic.oup.com/clinchem/article/66/4/549/5719336 |access-date=11 March 2022 |pmc=7108203 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311030541/https://academic.oup.com/clinchem/article/66/4/549/5719336 |archive-date=11 March 2022}} and found that SARS-CoV-2 survives well on smooth surfaces and is susceptible to disinfectants such as household bleach, ethanol and benzalkonium chloride.{{cite journal |first1=Alex WH |last1=Chin |first2=Julie TS |last2=Chu |first3=Mahen RA |last3=Perera |first4=Kenrie PY |last4=Hui |first5=Hui-Ling |last5=Yen |first6=Michael CW |last6=Chan |first7=Malik |last7=Peiris |first8=Leo LM |last8=Poon |title=Stability of SARS-CoV-2 in different environmental conditions |journal=The Lancet Microbe |date=2020 |volume=1 |issue=1 |page=e10 |doi=10.1016/S2666-5247(20)30003-3 |pmid=32835322 |pmc=7214863 }}

• Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
• Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists
• Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health
• Fellow of the Royal Society (2006){{cite web |title=Joseph Peiris |url=https://royalsociety.org/people/joseph-peiris-12071/ |publisher=Royal Society |access-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313013927/https://royalsociety.org/people/joseph-peiris-12071/ |archive-date=13 March 2022}} (First Sri Lankan elected){{cite book |last1=奧尼爾 |first1=馬克 |title=香港的顏色：南亞裔 |date=2018 |publisher=Joint Publishing (Hong Kong) |location=Hong Kong |isbn=9789620443824 |page=153 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=esflDwAAQBAJ |access-date=7 March 2022 |language=Chinese |chapter=斯里蘭卡人—淚珠之國的旅人}}
• Asian Hero of the past 60 years, Time (2006){{cite magazine |last1=Greenfeld |first1=Karl Taro |title=Guan Yi & Malik Peiris |url=https://content.time.com/time/magazine/asia/0,9263,501061113,00.html |magazine=Time |access-date=12 March 2022 |date=13 November 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313014022/http://content.time.com/time/magazine/asia/0,9263,501061113,00.html |archive-date=13 March 2022}}
• Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, France (2007){{cite web|url=https://hongkong.consulfrance.org/Professor-Malik-Peiris-receives-the-title-Officier-de-l-Ordre-national-de-la |title=Professor Malik Peiris receives the title "Officier de l'Ordre national de la Légion d'Honneur" |publisher=Consulat général de France à Hong Kong et Macao |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313014159/https://hongkong.consulfrance.org/Professor-Malik-Peiris-receives-the-title-Officier-de-l-Ordre-national-de-la |archive-date=13 March 2022}}{{cite news |title=Visit of the Grand Chancellor of the Légion d'honneur |publisher=Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau |url=https://hongkong.consulfrance.org/Visit-of-the-Grand-Chancellor-of |access-date=13 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313014254/https://hongkong.consulfrance.org/Visit-of-the-Grand-Chancellor-of |archive-date=13 March 2022}}
• Mahathir Science Award, Academy of Sciences Malaysia (2007)
• Silver Bauhinia Star, Hong Kong (2008){{cite press release |date=1 July 2008 |title=2008 Honours List |url=https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200807/01/P200806300286.htm |location=Hong Kong |publisher=Government of Hong Kong |access-date=12 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313014343/https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200807/01/P200806300286.htm |archive-date=13 March 2022}}
• International member of the National Academy of Sciences (2017)
• Future Science Prize Life Science Prize, China (2021){{cite web |title=Joseph Sriyal Malik Peiris |url=http://www.futureprize.org/en/laureates/detail/54.html |publisher=Future Science Prize |access-date=12 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313014437/http://www.futureprize.org/en/laureates/detail/54.html |archive-date=13 March 2022}}{{cite news |title=Yuen Kwok-yung, Malik Peiris win scientific award |url=https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1610212-20210912.htm |access-date=12 March 2022 |work=RTHK |date=12 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313014530/https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1610212-20210912.htm |archive-date=13 March 2022}}{{cite news |title=HKU's Yuen Kwok-yung and Malik Peiris won US$1m scientific award |url=https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/180161/HKU%27s-Yuen-Kwok-yung-and-Malik-Peiris-won-HK$1m-scientific-award |access-date=12 March 2022 |work=The Standard |date=12 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313155401/https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/180161/HKU%27s-Yuen-Kwok-yung-and-Malik-Peiris-won-HK$1m-scientific-award |archive-date=13 March 2022}}
• John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award (2021){{cite news |title=Prof Malik Peiris receives the 2021 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award |url=http://www.ashk.org.hk/en/news/details/2102 |access-date=12 March 2022 |publisher=Hong Kong Academy of Sciences |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107230910/http://www.ashk.org.hk/en/news/details/2102 |archive-date=7 January 2022}}{{cite news |title=Malik Peiris Awarded With The Prestigious John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award |url=https://www.c2i.hk/post/malik-peiris-awarded-with-the-prestigious-john-dirks-canada-gairdner-global-health-award |access-date=12 March 2022 |publisher=Centre for Immunology and Infection, Hong Kong |date=9 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313015120/https://www.c2i.hk/post/malik-peiris-awarded-with-the-prestigious-john-dirks-canada-gairdner-global-health-award |archive-date=13 March 2022}}

Peiris is married to Sharmini Arseculeratne and they have a daughter, Shalini and a son, Shehan.

Sarathnanda "Chubby" Arseculeratne, an Emeritus Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya,{{cite magazine |date=2014 |title=Reminiscences of Oxford |url=https://www.path.ox.ac.uk/sites/www-a.path.ox.ac.uk/files/fusion_13_2014_0.pdf |magazine=Fusion |location=Oxford |publisher=Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford |access-date=14 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307083157/https://www.path.ox.ac.uk/sites/www-a.path.ox.ac.uk/files/fusion_13_2014_0.pdf |archive-date=7 March 2022}} is Peiris's father-in-law and his early mentor.

{{Reflist}}

{{Wikiquote-inline}}

• "Features", Daily News (online), June 2006, webpage: [https://web.archive.org/web/20110604113136/http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/06/24/fea01.asp DailyNews-fea01]: contains "Following the discovery of the cause of SARS, Professor Peiris was invited...".
• "HKU ResearcherPage: Peiris, JSM", The HKU Scholars Hub (online database), webpage: [http://hub.hku.hk/rp/rp00410 HKU Scholars Hub: Researcher Page]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Peiris, Malik}}

Category:1949 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of the University of Ceylon

Category:Alumni of the University of Peradeniya

Category:Fellows of the Royal Society

Category:Academic staff of the University of Hong Kong

Category:Sinhalese people

Category:Sri Lankan biologists

Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour

Category:Recipients of the Silver Bauhinia Star

Category:Alumni of St. Anthony's College, Kandy

Category:Hong Kong people of Sri Lankan descent

Category:Foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences