Lanka Weerasiri is a Postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Hertfordshire. 

What are you working on as part of the Hub?

My research work is divided between two main projects: developing an elution device for ESP, nicknamed “Drag-Drop,” and working on the Compact Integrated Biological Detection (CIBD) project for the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). Additionally, I co-supervise two PhD students investigating collection techniques for airborne DNA and eDNA.

What is exciting you the most about your current research? 

Firstly, developing the low-cost elution device is an exciting project with wide-ranging possibilities for collaboration and future research. The potential outcome of creating a device that enhances accessibility for researchers using ESP devices is immensely rewarding.

Secondly, contributing to the evolution of the Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) and Electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) devices to achieve their goal of becoming user-friendly, reliable, and effective tools for operators is both thrilling and fulfilling work.

What difference do you hope your research will make?

I hope our research will generate knowledge and products to better understand aerosols' impact on people and tools for operators to safeguard the population.

What are you most proud of in your research career?

My recent participation in the 2024 Bioaerosol Sampling Field Trial held by Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) was a career highlight. Being part of this event with collaborators from DRDC, the National Research Council Canada (NRC), and Université Laval was truly memorable. The diverse backgrounds, technologies, and expertise present were immense and incredibly enriching.