Pradeep Dewapriya

Dr. Pradeep Dewapriya is a Research Fellow at the Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS) within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Queensland. With expertise in analytical chemistry and environmental health sciences, his work focuses on detecting and identifying emerging environmental contaminants using advanced mass spectrometry techniques.

Dr. Dewapriya earned his academic credentials through an international journey:

• Bachelor of Food Science and Technology from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (2008)
• Master of Science in Biochemistry from Pukyong National University, South Korea (2013)
• PhD in Natural Products Chemistry from the University of Queensland (2019)

His doctoral research at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience focused on developing strategies to investigate novel and bioactive microbial secondary metabolites using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Following his PhD, he conducted postdoctoral research at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany, specializing in detecting small organic molecules in complex matrices. In 2020, he joined QAEHS where he continues to advance methods for monitoring human exposure to emerging environmental contaminants.

Dr. Dewapriya's recent research output demonstrates a strong focus on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), wastewater-based epidemiology, and non-target screening methodologies. His work spans environmental monitoring, analytical method development, and exposure assessment, with particular emphasis on identifying novel contaminants in water systems, consumer products, and the food chain. His publications reveal expertise in mass spectrometry-based analytical techniques and non-targeted metabolomic approaches applied to environmental health challenges.

Dr. Dewapriya has made significant contributions to environmental science through:

• Discovery of over 25 novel compounds
• Development of HRMS-based workflows for contaminant detection
• Identification of novel PFAS compounds in Australian farm animals
• Detection of tyre-related toxic compounds in surface water
• Characterization of new metabolites of psychoactive compounds in wastewater

As an active researcher and mentor, Dr. Dewapriya serves as Associate Advisor for PhD students working on PFAS capture technologies and non-target identification methods. He collaborates extensively with researchers across multiple institutions to transfer knowledge and expertise to Australian academia, advancing analytical chemistry in the region. His work at QAEHS involves cutting-edge research on environmental contaminants and their impact on human health, with a particular focus on developing innovative analytical approaches for exposure monitoring.