Gaya K. Amarasinghe

Gaya K. Amarasinghe is the Alumni Endowed Professor at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, affiliated with the Department of Pathology and Immunology. They hold joint appointments as Professor in Molecular Microbiology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, and are linked to the Division of Laboratory & Genomic Medicine.

Education:

• BS in Biochemistry from City College of New York/CUNY (1997)
• PhD in Biochemistry from University of Maryland, Baltimore (2001)

Research focuses on defining the molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions, particularly mechanisms of immune suppression and pathogen replication, using multidisciplinary approaches in structural biology and virology. Studies span Ebola, Marburg, Rift Valley Fever, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses.

Scientific Awards:

• Mildred Curtman Award for Excellence in Research (1996)
• Cancer Research Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship (2002)
• Early Achievement in Research Award (2010)

Mentors undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, with a commitment to training through hands-on research in host-microbial interactions.