Dr Himaya Siddhihalu Wickrama Hewage
Dr

Himaya Siddhihalu Wickrama Hewage

Email: 

Background

I am a biochemist with a passion for exploring venom chemistry to develop medicinal tools. My main research focus is on the complex venom systems to elucidate structure-function of venom peptides for medicinal and biotechnological use. I have developed multidisciplinary state-of-the art approaches using proteo-genomics, pharmacology and behavioural studies to rapidly investigate venoms. This rational and systematic approch is used to unravel therapeutically valuable venom peptides while understanding the chemical evolution and origins of venom. Currently I am a lead scientist of the cone snail venom research program at IMB. I am deciphering new mechanisms of conotoxin diversification from ancestral species to relatively new lineages to establish evolutionary trajectories of venoms while investigating the structure and function of these highly optimised venom components as potential leads for treatment of pain.

Availability

Dr Himaya Siddhihalu Wickrama Hewage is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Biological Sciences Biomedical and Clinical Sciences

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Pukyong National University

Research interests

  • Developing proteo-genomic methods to understand complex venom systems

  • Understanding diversification, evolution and origin of venom peptides in cone snails

  • Discovery of ion channel modulators from venoms

  • Developing cell based methods for detection of ciguatoxins in algal extracts

Search Professor Himaya Siddhihalu Wickrama Hewage’s works on UQ eSpace

45 works between 2010 and 2023
All (45) Journal Article (30) Book Chapter (10) Conference Publication (5)

1 - 20 of 45 works

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Accelerated proteomic visualization of individual predatory venoms of Conus purpurascens reveals separately evolved predation-evoked venom cabals

Himaya, S W A, Marí, Frank and Lewis, Richard J (2018). Accelerated proteomic visualization of individual predatory venoms of Conus purpurascens reveals separately evolved predation-evoked venom cabals. Scientific reports, 8 (1) 330, 1-8. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-17422-x

Accelerated proteomic visualization of individual predatory venoms of Conus purpurascens reveals separately evolved predation-evoked venom cabals

Featured

2015

Journal Article

Comparative Venomics Reveals the Complex Prey Capture Strategy of the Piscivorous Cone Snail Conus catus

Himaya S.W.A., Jin, Ai-Hua, Dutertre, Sebastien, Giacomotto, Jean, Mohialdeen, Hoshyar, Vetter, Irina, Alewood, Paul F. and Lewis, Richard J. (2015). Comparative Venomics Reveals the Complex Prey Capture Strategy of the Piscivorous Cone Snail Conus catus. Journal of Proteome Research, 14 (10), 4372-4381. doi: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.5b00630

Comparative Venomics Reveals the Complex Prey Capture Strategy of the Piscivorous Cone Snail Conus catus

Featured

2015

Journal Article

Transcriptome and proteome of Conus planorbis identify the nicotinic receptors as primary target for the defensive venom

Jin, Ai-Hua, Vetter, Irina, Himaya, Siddhihalu W. A., Alewood, Paul F., Lewis, Richard J. and Dutertre, Sébastien (2015). Transcriptome and proteome of Conus planorbis identify the nicotinic receptors as primary target for the defensive venom. Proteomics, 15 (23-24), 4030-4040. doi: 10.1002/pmic.201500220

Transcriptome and proteome of Conus planorbis identify the nicotinic receptors as primary target for the defensive venom

2023

Journal Article

Coordinated adaptations define the ontogenetic shift from worm-to fish-hunting in a venomous cone snail

Rogalski, Aymeric, Himaya, S. W. A. and Lewis, Richard J. (2023). Coordinated adaptations define the ontogenetic shift from worm-to fish-hunting in a venomous cone snail. Nature Communications, 14 (1) 3287, 1-11. doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-38924-5

Coordinated adaptations define the ontogenetic shift from worm-to fish-hunting in a venomous cone snail

2022

Journal Article

Comparative venomics of C. flavidus and C. frigidus and closely related vermivorous cone snails

Himaya, S. W. A., Arkhipov, Alexander, Yum, Wai Ying and Lewis, Richard J. (2022). Comparative venomics of C. flavidus and C. frigidus and closely related vermivorous cone snails. Marine Drugs, 20 (3) 209, 209. doi: 10.3390/md20030209

Comparative venomics of C. flavidus and C. frigidus and closely related vermivorous cone snails

2021

Journal Article

Venom duct origins of prey capture and defensive conotoxins in piscivorous Conus striatus

Himaya, S. W.A., Jin, Ai-Hua, Hamilton, Brett, Rai, Subash K., Alewood, Paul and Lewis, Richard J. (2021). Venom duct origins of prey capture and defensive conotoxins in piscivorous Conus striatus. Scientific Reports, 11 (1) 13282, 13282. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-91919-4

Venom duct origins of prey capture and defensive conotoxins in piscivorous Conus striatus

2020

Journal Article

Characterisation of δ-Conotoxin TxVIA as a mammalian T-type calcium channel modulator

Wang, Dan, Himaya, S.W.A., Giacomotto, Jean, Hasan, Md. Mahadhi, Cardoso, Fernanda C., Ragnarsson, Lotten and Lewis, Richard J. (2020). Characterisation of δ-Conotoxin TxVIA as a mammalian T-type calcium channel modulator. Marine Drugs, 18 (7) 343, 1-13. doi: 10.3390/md18070343

Characterisation of δ-Conotoxin TxVIA as a mammalian T-type calcium channel modulator

2020

Journal Article

Venomic interrogation reveals the complexity of Conus striolatus venom

Himaya, S.W.A., Rai, Subash K., Pamfili, Giulia, Jin, Ai-Hua, Alewood, Paul F. and Lewis, Richard J. (2020). Venomic interrogation reveals the complexity of Conus striolatus venom. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 73 (4), 357-365. doi: 10.1071/ch19588

Venomic interrogation reveals the complexity of Conus striolatus venom

2019

Journal Article

Conotoxins: chemistry and biology

Jin, Ai-Hua, Muttenthaler, Markus, Dutertre, Sebastien, Himaya, S.W.A., Kaas, Quentin, Craik, David J., Lewis, Richard J. and Alewood, Paul F. (2019). Conotoxins: chemistry and biology. Chemical Reviews, 119 (21), 11510-11549. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.9b00207

Conotoxins: chemistry and biology

2019

Conference Publication

Characterization of δ-conotoxin Tx-VIA as selective T-type modulator

Wang, Dan, Himaya, S. W. A., Giacomotto, Jean, Hasan, Mahadhi, Cardoso, Fernanda C. and Lewis, Richard J. (2019). Characterization of δ-conotoxin Tx-VIA as selective T-type modulator. Brisbane Pain Research Symposium: Multidisciplinary Perspectives & Therapeutics 2019, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 29 November 2019.

Characterization of δ-conotoxin Tx-VIA as selective T-type modulator

2019

Journal Article

Toxicological characterization of Fukuyoa paulensis (Dinophyceae) from temperate Australia

Larsson, Michaela E., Harwood, Tim D., Lewis, Richard J., S. W. A., Himaya and Doblin, Martina A. (2019). Toxicological characterization of Fukuyoa paulensis (Dinophyceae) from temperate Australia. Phycological Research, 67 (1), 65-71. doi: 10.1111/pre.12349

Toxicological characterization of Fukuyoa paulensis (Dinophyceae) from temperate Australia

2018

Journal Article

Transcriptomics in pain research: insights from new and old technologies

Starobova, H., S. W. A., Himaya, Lewis, R. J. and Vetter, I. (2018). Transcriptomics in pain research: insights from new and old technologies. Molecular Omics, 14 (6), 389-404. doi: 10.1039/c8mo00181b

Transcriptomics in pain research: insights from new and old technologies

2018

Journal Article

Venomics-accelerated cone snail venom peptide discovery

Himaya, S. W. A. and Lewis, Richard J. (2018). Venomics-accelerated cone snail venom peptide discovery. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19 (3) 788, 788. doi: 10.3390/ijms19030788

Venomics-accelerated cone snail venom peptide discovery

2018

Journal Article

Toxicology of Gambierdiscus spp. (Dinophyceae) from Tropical and Temperate Australian Waters

Larsson, Michaela E., Laczka, Olivier F., Harwood, D. Tim, Lewis, Richard J., Himaya, S. W. A., Murray, Shauna A. and Doblin, Martina A. (2018). Toxicology of Gambierdiscus spp. (Dinophyceae) from Tropical and Temperate Australian Waters. Marine Drugs, 16 (1) 7, 1-19. doi: 10.3390/md16010007

Toxicology of Gambierdiscus spp. (Dinophyceae) from Tropical and Temperate Australian Waters

2015

Book Chapter

Applications of Microalgae-Derived Active Ingredients as Cosmeceuticals

Ryu, BoMi, Himaya, S.W.A. and Kim, Se-Kwon (2015). Applications of Microalgae-Derived Active Ingredients as Cosmeceuticals. Handbook of Marine Microalgae: Biotechnology Advances. (pp. 309-316) edited by Se-Kwon Kim. London, United Kingdom: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-800776-1.00020-0

Applications of Microalgae-Derived Active Ingredients as Cosmeceuticals

2015

Book Chapter

Marine nutraceuticals

Himaya, S. W. A. and Kim, Se-Kwon (2015). Marine nutraceuticals. Springer handbook of marine biotechnology. (pp. 995-1014) edited by Se-Kwon Kim. Berlin, Germany: Springer . doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-53971-8_43

Marine nutraceuticals

2014

Journal Article

Anti-proliferative effects of isosclerone isolated from marine fungus Aspergillus fumigatus in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells

Li, Yong-Xin, Himaya, S. W. A., Dewapriya, Pradeep, Kim, Hak Jun and Kim, Se-Kwon (2014). Anti-proliferative effects of isosclerone isolated from marine fungus Aspergillus fumigatus in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Process Biochemistry, 49 (12), 2292-2298. doi: 10.1016/j.procbio.2014.08.016

Anti-proliferative effects of isosclerone isolated from marine fungus Aspergillus fumigatus in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells

2014

Journal Article

si-RNA-mediated silencing of ADRBK1 gene attenuates breast cancer cell proliferation

Zhang, Chen, Chen, Xianzhen, Li, Yongxin, S. W. A., Himaya, Wu, Jie, Shi, Xiujuan, Liu, Xiaoqing and Kim, Sekwon (2014). si-RNA-mediated silencing of ADRBK1 gene attenuates breast cancer cell proliferation. Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals, 29 (8), 303-309. doi: 10.1089/cbr.2014.1653

si-RNA-mediated silencing of ADRBK1 gene attenuates breast cancer cell proliferation

2014

Journal Article

Isolation and characterization of marine- derived Mucor sp. for the fermentative production of tyrosol

Dewapriya, Pradeep, Li, Yong-Xin, Himaya, S. W. A. and Kim, Se-Kwon (2014). Isolation and characterization of marine- derived Mucor sp. for the fermentative production of tyrosol. Process Biochemistry, 49 (9), 1402-1408. doi: 10.1016/j.procbio.2014.06.004

Isolation and characterization of marine- derived Mucor sp. for the fermentative production of tyrosol

2014

Journal Article

Statistical optimization of high temperature/pressure and ultra-wave assisted lysis of Urechis unicinctus for the isolation of active peptide which enhance the erectile function in vitro

Ryu, BoMi, Kim, MinJeong, Himaya, S. W. A., Kang, Kyong-Hwa and Kim, Se-Kwon (2014). Statistical optimization of high temperature/pressure and ultra-wave assisted lysis of Urechis unicinctus for the isolation of active peptide which enhance the erectile function in vitro. Process Biochemistry, 49 (1), 148-153. doi: 10.1016/j.procbio.2013.09.019

Statistical optimization of high temperature/pressure and ultra-wave assisted lysis of Urechis unicinctus for the isolation of active peptide which enhance the erectile function in vitro

Past funding

  • 2015 - 2018
    Identification, biological evaluation and bio-delivery of conopeptides as pesticides against Australian agricultural pests
    UQ Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Himaya Siddhihalu Wickrama Hewage is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

  • Unravelling the venom complexity across phylogenetically distinct clades of cone snails

  • Characterising the evolution of defensive venom from mollusk to fish hunting cone snail lineages

  • Screening of a cone snail venom library across pain targets using high-throughput cell based assays

  • -

Supervision history

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Dr Himaya Siddhihalu Wickrama Hewage directly for media enquiries about:

  • Cone snails
  • Cultural Equity
  • Proteomics
  • Venoms
  • Women in STEM

Need help?

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communications@uq.edu.au