Ms. Hashini Kalhari

Education

• M.Sc. in Fisheries Sciences, Kunsan National University, Republic of Korea – 2026
• BBST (Hons) in Bioprocess Technology, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka – 2022

Biography

Ms. W.A.A.H. Kalhari is an alumna of the Department of Bioprocess Technology and of the first batch of the degree program. During her undergraduate studies, she actively volunteered in departmental and collaborative research activities. After graduation, she served as a Temporary Demonstrator attached to the department. Next, she started her fully funded postgraduate program at Kunsan National University in the Republic of Korea in 2023. She completed her master’s degree in 2026, specializing in Aquatic Life Medicine. During the postgraduate program, Ms. Kalhari was able to grasp a wide range of knowledge on marine biotechnology and to develop related skills, including the isolation, culturing, and molecular characterization of marine parasites.

Ms. Kalhari’s research interests are in bioprocess technology, particularly in the areas of biotechnology, molecular biology, and microbiology, with her expertise in molecular diagnostic methods, microbial isolation and culturing, and plant tissue culture techniques. She has also contributed to several SCI-indexed publications and conference presentations.        

Teaching Courses

• BPT 2206 : Bioreactor Operation and Design
• BPT 4205 : Plant Cell Culture

Grants/Awards/Scholarships

• Fully Funded M.Sc. Scholarship holder – National Research and Development Project on Offshore Wind Power, Fisheries, and Environmental Technology, Republic of Korea (2023)
• Best poster – International Conference of the Korean Federation of Fisheries Science and Technology Societies (2023)
• Best Poster Presenter (Gold Medalist) – Undergraduate Research Symposium, Faculty of Technology, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka (2022)

Collaborative Research Experience

• Research collaborator for Kaley Tea Project, a multidisciplinary research initiative on soil health improvement, microbial-based plant growth promotion, and development of value-added tea products, focusing on sustainable agriculture and bioprocess-based solutions (ongoing).
• Voluntary member for the collaborative research project on Molecular genetic comparison and phylogenetic diversity of the parasitic nematode Strongyloides stercoralis in humans and animals, hosted by the Max Planck Institute, Germany, and Rajarata University of Sri Lanka (2024).
• Voluntary student representative for the collaborative research project on Developing drought-tolerant rice varieties in Sri Lanka, jointly organized by Michigan State University, USA, and Rajarata University of Sri Lanka (2020).

Publications

Peer-reviewed, Indexed Journal Articles

• Chen, Y., Udayantha, H. M. V., Long, J., Kim, S. H., Kalhari, W. A. A. H., Bathige, S. D. N. K., & Park, K. Il. (2026). First molecular documentation of a bucephalid trematode in Ostrea denselamellosa (South Korea): Phylogenetic placement, histopathology, and seasonal prevalence. Aquaculture, 619, 743851. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2026.743851
• Long, J., Chen, Y., Kim, S. H., Bathige, S. D. N. K., Udayantha, H. M. V., Kalhari, W. A. A. H., Lee, H. M., & Park, K. Il. (2026). First report of two cultured mesomycetozoean isolates from Ostrea denselamellosa on the west coast of South Korea: phylogeny, development, and temperature–salinity responses. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 216, 126084. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2026.108572
• Kim, Y.-U., Kim, S.-H., Su Kim, M., Song, T.-S., Lee, D., Long, J., Kalhari, W. A. A. H., Cruz, A., & Park, K.-I. (2025). 한국과과 포르투갈갈 이매패에서서 나타나는는 Perkinsus olseni 감염의의 지역적적 차이: 유병률·병리학적적 특성 (Regional Disparities in Perkinsus olseni Infection: Prevalence and Pathological Characteristics in Clams from Korea and Portugal). Korean J. Malacol, 41, 2. https://doi.org/10.9710/kjm.2025.41.2.71
• Kim, S. H., Bathige, S. D. N. K., Lee, D., Kalhari, W. A. A. H., Kim, H. J., & Park, K. Il. (2025). Molecular phylogeny, morphology, and ultrastructure of a Mesomycetozoea member, Sphaeroforma nootkatensis isolated from Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, on the Southern coast of Korea. Protist, 176, 126084. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.protis.2024.126084
• Bathige, S. D. N. K., Kim, S. H., Chen, Y., Kalhari, W. A. A. H., Lee, D., Jeon, H. B., Kim, H. J., & Park, K. Il. (2024). Molecular and ultrastructural characterization of a novel cryptic species of the Mesomycetozoea clade isolated from Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, on the west coast of Korea. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 207, 108202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2024.108202

Short Communications

• Kim, S. H., Lee, D., Lee, H. M., Chen, Y., Kalhari, W. A. A. H., Long, J., Udayantha, H. M. V., Kim, H. J., Bathige, S. D. N. K., & Park, K. Il. (2026). First sequence-verified detection of Perkinsus chesapeaki in Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas) from South Korea. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 217, 108603. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2026.10860

Book Chapters

• M.P.T. Virajini, & Kalhari, W.A.A.H. (2025). Anti-Viral Properties of Seaweeds. In Thilina L. Gunathilaka & Hiruni S. Kumarasinghe (Eds.), Seaweeds as Silent Healers (1st ed., 9). Cambridge Scholars

Conference Presentations

• Kalhari W.A.A.H. et al. (2025). Preliminary study of cage culture of Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum): growth, reproduction, and disease dynamics in an open-water wind farm area. KOFFST International Conference 2025 (Oral presentation).
• Kalhari W.A.A.H. et al. (2025). Isolation and characterization of two Oblongichytrium spp. from Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas) in Korean coastal waters. KOFFST International Conference 2025 (Poster presentation).
• Udayantha H.M.V., Kim S.H., Kalhari W.A.A.H., et al. (2024). Protease-Mediated Antagonism: Investigation Parasite-Parasite Interactions Between Perkinsus olseni and MCPX Identified from Manila Clams. KOFFST International Conference 2024 (Poster presentation).
• Kalhari W.A.A.H. et al. (2023). Characterization of a novel protist belonging to the Mesomycetozoea class isolated from Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum. KOFFST International Conference 2023 (Poster presentation).
• Kalhari W.A.A.H., Wijegunawardana N.D.A.D. (2022). Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Sandfly Species Identification, in North Central Province of Sri Lanka. URSoT Undergraduate Research Symposium 2022, FOT, RUSL (Poster presentation)

Academic and Administrative Roles

• Academic Sub Warden – Vihara Maha Devi Girls’ Hostel, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka (2023)
• Temporary Demonstrator – Department of Bioprocess Technology, Faculty of Technology, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka (2022–2023).

Professional Qualifications

• Training Course in Immunological Techniques – Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Colombo (2023)
• Certificate Course in Tamil Language – Rajarata University of Sri Lanka (2018)
• Certificate Course in Spoken English – Institute of Human Resource Advancement, University of Colombo (2016)
• Elocution Examinations (Junior Preliminary to Senior Level) – Institute of Music, Speech, and Speaking Skills (2004–2014)