EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

October 2018 to December 2021 PhD in Fish Nutrition

Thesis title: Nutritional, health, and technical
properties of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) in
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) feeds.
Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway.

September 2016 to August 2018 MSc in Aquaculture and Marine Resource
Management (Specialization: Aquaculture)

Thesis title: Effect of bile supplementation on fat
digestibility in rainbow trout fed non-starch
polysaccharides containing diets.
Wageningen University and Research, The
Netherlands.

October 2009 to December 2013 BSc (Honors) in Animal Science and Fisheries

Thesis title: Hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic
potential of raw and processed cowpea (Vigna
Unguiculata L. Walp.) in Wistar rats (Rattus
Norvegicus).
University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS:

1. Weththasinghe, P., Schrama, J.W. “Chitin in Aquafeeds: A Meta-Analysis of Fish Growth Performance and Nutrient Digestibility”. Reviews in Aquaculture. 19 (1): e70212, 2027.
2. Perera, T.W.Y.K., Jayawardana, B.C., Liyanage, R., Dhamsara, M., Subhasinghe, H.W.S.S., Weththasinghe, P. “Comparative analysis of drying methods on antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-obesity, antimicrobial, and anti-aging activities of Kappaphycus alvarezii: An in-vitro study”. Journal of Applied Phycology. 2026.
3. Wijedasa, B.A.T.T., Rajapakse, R.P.N.P., Weththasinghe, P., Mendis, B.E.P. “Promoting the utilization of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty Doty) red algae through chemical and physical treatments: Disinfection, deodorisation, and microbial & sensory quality evaluation”. Ceylon Journal of Science. 55 (iPURSE 2025 Special Issue): 1028-1037, 2026.
4. Dhamsara, M., Jayawardana, B.C., Weththasinghe, P. “Spike-Topped Apple Snail (Pomacea diffusa) Meal in Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) Diets: Effects on Physical Pellet Quality, Growth Performance, Color Intensity, Stress Tolerance and Economic Efficiency”. Ceylon Journal of Science. 55 (2): 658-669, 2026.
5. Perera, K., Jahufar, M., De Seram, E., Weththasinghe, P., Karunaratne, N. “Effects of dietary synbiotics and early-life antibiotic supplementation on physiological stress, gut morphology and performance of broiler chickens”. Frontiers in Animal Science. 7: 1779197, 2026.
6. Samarasinghe, B.A.D.A., Samarakoon, S.M.R., Weththasinghe, P., Jayawardana, B.C., “Effect of storage time of dietary rice bran on growth performance and meat quality of broiler chicken”. Tropical Agricultural Research. 37(2):151-163, 2026.
7. Chandraprabha, R.A.U., Jayawardana, B.C., Liyanage, R., Jayatilake, J.A.M.S., Weththasinghe, P. “Characterization of nutritional, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of five seaweed species in Sri Lanka”. Tropical Agricultural Research. 37(1): 1-12, 2026.
8. Imesha, T.A.D.M., Jayawardana, B.C., Vidanarachchi, J.K., Wijesekara, I., Subhasinghe, H.W.S.S., Weththasinghe, P. “Development and characterization of gelatin-free set-yoghurt incorporated with seaweed phycocolloids”. Tropical Agricultural Research. 37(1): 13-22, 2026.
9. Weththasinghe P., Thilakarathne H.M.T.P., Herath H.M.U.L., Jayawardana B.C. “Meta analysis of the effects of seaweed inclusion in fish diets on growth performance”. Aquaculture. 611: 743085, 2026.
10. Subhasinghe, S.S., Wijesingha, E.I., Jayawardana, B.C., Liyanage, R., Weththasinghe, P. “Seaweed species and pre-treatment methods: Effects on fatty acid profile and performance in black soldier fly (Hermetia Illucens) larvae”. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 330: 116542, 2025.
11. Vidana Pallaththarage, I.B., Weerasooriya, S., Jayawardana, B., Weththasinghe, P. “Consumer awareness and acceptance of insect-based food and feed in Sri Lanka”. Food and Humanity. 5: 100721, 2025.
12. Karunaratne, N.D., De Silva, S., Herath, M.D., Liyanage, R., Weththasinghe, P., Jayawardana, B., De Seram, E., Pushpakumara, A., Flavel, M. “Effects of supplementing a polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract through drinking water on egg production and quality of laying hens”. PLOS ONE. 20(2): e0317292, 2025.
13. Karunaratne, N.D., Senaarachchi, R., Weththasinghe, P., Jayawardana, B., De Seram, E., Nizanantha, K., Pushpakumara, P.G.A., Flavel, M. “Impact of administering polyphenol-rich sugarcane Extract through drinking water on the growth Performance and meat quality of broiler chickens”. Sri Lanka Veterinary Journal. 71(2), 2024.
14. Warnasooriya, V., Gunawardena, S., Weththasinghe, P., Jayawardana, B.C., Qader, M., Liyanage, R. “Nutritional properties, antioxidant activity, and heavy metals accumulation in selected marine macro-algae species of Sri Lanka”. Nutraceuticals. 4, 50–64, 2024.
15. Herath, H.M.U.L., Jayawardana, B.C., Fernando, P.D.S.M., Weththasinghe, P. “A meta-analysis of the effects of dietary Spirulina on growth performance of broiler chicken”. World's Poultry Science Journal. 79(3): 497-511, 2023.
16. Weththasinghe, P., Rocha, S.D.C., Øyås, O., Lagos, L., Hansen, J.Ø., Mydland, L.T., Øverland M. “Modulation of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) gut microbiota composition and predicted metabolic capacity by feeding diets with processed black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meals and fractions”. Animal Microbiome. 4, 9, 2022.
17. Melenchón, F., de Mercado, E., Pula, H.J., Cardenete, G., Barroso, F.G., Fabrikov, D., Lourenço H.M., Pessoa, M., Lagos, L., Weththasinghe, P., Cortés, M. and Tomás-Almenar, C. “Fishmeal dietary replacement up to 50%: A comparative study of two insect meals for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)”. Animals. 12(2), 179, 2022.
18. Weththasinghe, P., Hansen, J.Ø., Rawski, M., Józefiak, D., Ghimire, S., Øverland, M. “Insects in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) diets – Comparison between full-fat, defatted, and de-chitinized meals, and oil and exoskeleton fractions”. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed. 8(11): 1235-1247. 2021.
19. Weththasinghe, P., Hansen, J.Ø., Mydland, L.T., Øverland, M. “A systematic meta-analysis based review on black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) as a novel protein source for salmonids”. Reviews in Aquaculture. 14(2): 938-956. 2021.
20. Weththasinghe, P., Lagos, L., Cortés, M., Hansen, J.Ø., Øverland, M. “Dietary inclusion of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal and paste improved gut health but had minor effects on skin mucus proteome and immune response in Atlantic salmon (Salmo Salar)”. Frontiers in Immunology. 12: 599530, 2021.
21. Weththasinghe, P., Hansen, J., Nøkland, D., Lagos, L., Rawski, M., Øverland, M. “Full-fat black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) meal and paste in extruded diets for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar): Effect on physical pellet quality, nutrient digestibility, nutrient utilization and growth performances”. Aquaculture. 530: 735785, 2021.
22. Staessen, T.W.O., Verdegem, M.C.J., Weththasinghe, P., Schrama J.W. “The effect of dietary non-starch polysaccharide level and bile acid supplementation on fat digestibility and the bile acid balance in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)”. Aquaculture. 523: 735174, 2020.
23. Liyanage, R., Perera, O., Lakmini, G.W.A.S., Weththasinghe, P., Visvanathan, R., Jayathilake, C., Jayawardana, B.C., Vidanarachchi, J.K., Sivakanesan, R. “Boiled, sprouted and raw cowpea incorporated diets modulate High-Fat-Diet induced hypercholesterolemia in rats”. Food Science & Nutrition. 1-8, 2018.
24. Liyanage, R., Kiramage, C., Visvanathan, R., Jayathilake, C., Weththasinghe, P., Bangamuwage, R., Jayawardana, B.C., Vidanarachchi, J.K. “Hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic potential of raw, boiled, and sprouted mung beans (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) in rats”. Journal of Food Biochemistry, e12457, 2017.
25. Liyanage, R., Gunasegaram, S., Visvanathan, R., Jayathilake, C., Weththasinghe, P., Jayawardna, B.C., Vidanarachchi, J.K. “Banana blossom (Musa acuminate Colla) incorporated experimental diets modulate serum cholesterol and serum glucose level in Wistar rats fed with cholesterol”. Cholesterol. Article ID 9747412, 2016.
26. Perera, O.S., Liyanage, R., Weththasinghe, P., Jayawardana, B.C., Vidanarachchi, J.K., Fernando, P.S., Sivakanesan, R. “Modulating effects of cowpea incorporated diets on serum lipids and serum antioxidant activity in Wistar rats”. Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka. 44 (1): 69-76, 2016.
27. Jayawardana, B.C., Liyanage, R., Lalantha, N., Weththasinghe, P. “Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of drumstick (Moringa oleifera) leaves in herbal chicken sausage”. LWT - Food Science and Technology. 64: 1204-1208, 2015.
28. Liyanage, R., Perera, O.S., Weththasinghe, P., Jayawardana, B.C., Vidanarachchi, J.K., Sivakanesan, R. “Nutritional properties and antioxidant content of commonly consumed cowpea cultivars in Sri Lanka”. Journal of Food Legumes. 27 (3): 1-4, 2014.

WORK EXPERIENCES:

Since September 2025: Professor, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

December 2021 - September 2025: Senior Lecturer, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Since June 2022: Visiting Lecturer, Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture (PGIA), University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

October 2014 - December 2021: Lecturer, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.