Overview
Background
Associate Professor Arutha Kulasinghe leads the Clinical-oMx Lab at the Frazer Institute, University of Queensland and is the Founding Scientific Director of the Queensland Spatial Biology Centre (QSBC) at the Wesley Research Institute. A/Prof Kulasinghe has pioneered spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, and interactomics in the Asia-Pacific region, contributing to world-first studies in lung cancer, head and neck cancer, and tissue atlasing studies of infectious diseases across pandemics. His research aims to understand the underlying pathobiology by using an integrative multi-omics approach. A/Prof Kulasinghe is supported by the MRFF, NHMRC, US DoD, Cancer Australia, Cure Cancer and numerous hospital and philanthropic organisations.
Availability
- Associate Professor Arutha Kulasinghe is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, Queensland University of Technology
Research interests
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Immuno-oncology
Applications in lung, skin, and head and neck cancers.
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Spatial transcriptomics
Applications across solid tumours and COVID-19
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Liquid Biopsies
Applications in lung cancer, and head and neck cancer
Works
Search Professor Arutha Kulasinghe’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Conference Publication
Spatial-specific gene signatures to predict immunotherapy outcomes in lung cancer
Aung, Thazin N., Moutafi, Myrto, Trontzas, Ioannis, Kulasinghe, Arutha, Monkman, James, Gavrielatou, Niki, Vathiotis, Ioannis, Warrell, Jonathan H. and Rimm, David L. (2024). Spatial-specific gene signatures to predict immunotherapy outcomes in lung cancer. American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024, San Diego, CA United States, 5-10 April 2024. Philadelphia, PA United States: American Association for Cancer Research. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2024-1141
2024
Conference Publication
Integration of high-plex tumor-Immune phenotyping and checkpoint interactions for deeper spatial characterization of human cancer tissues
Bodbin, Sara, Ma, Ning, Pratapa, Aditya, Nikulina, Nadya, Monkman, James, Jhaveri, Niyati, Elofsson, Hampus, Basu, Subham, Zieba-Wicher, Agata and Kulasinghe, Arutha (2024). Integration of high-plex tumor-Immune phenotyping and checkpoint interactions for deeper spatial characterization of human cancer tissues. American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024, San Diego, CA United States, 5-10 April 2024. Philadelphia, PA United States: American Association for Cancer Research. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2024-1525
2024
Journal Article
Spatial insights into immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by multiplexed tissue imaging
Monkman, James, Moradi, Afshin, Yunis, Joseph, Ivison, Geoff, Mayer, Aaron, Ladwa, Rahul, O’Byrne, Ken and Kulasinghe, Arutha (2024). Spatial insights into immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by multiplexed tissue imaging. Journal of Translational Medicine, 22 (1) 239, 239. doi: 10.1186/s12967-024-05035-8
2024
Journal Article
Tissue biomarkers of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy
Davoudi, Fatemeh, Moradi, Afshin, Sadeghirad, Habib and Kulasinghe, Arutha (2024). Tissue biomarkers of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Immunology and Cell Biology, 102 (3), 179-193. doi: 10.1111/imcb.12723
2024
Journal Article
Sounding an Alarm over Spatial Biology : Scientists from across the globe highlight spatial biology's triumphs and legal trials while issuing an urgent call for antitrust action
Orr, Miranda E., Kulasinghe, Arutha, Kolar, Grant R., Heyn, Holger, Plummer, Jasmine, Kristensen, Lasse Sommer, Kjems, Jorgen, Mills, Gordon, Garcia-Vallejo, Juan J., Nijman, I.J., West, Nicholas P. and Cox, Amanda (2024). Sounding an Alarm over Spatial Biology : Scientists from across the globe highlight spatial biology's triumphs and legal trials while issuing an urgent call for antitrust action. Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News, 44 (3), 16-17. doi: 10.1089/gen.44.03.07
2024
Journal Article
In situ single-cell profiling sheds light on IFI27 localisation during SARS-CoV-2 infection
Tan, Chin Wee, Chen, Jinjin, Liu, Ning, Bhuva, Dharmesh D., Blick, Tony, Monkman, James, Cooper, Caroline, Kharbanda, Malvika, Feher, Kristen, Phipson, Belinda, Killingbeck, Emily E., Pan, Liuliu, Kim, Youngmi, Liang, Yan, Nam, Andy, Leon, Michael, Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes, Paulo, Nagashima, Seigo, Camargo Martins, Ana Paula, Machado-Souza, Cleber, de Noronha, Lucia, Tang, Benjamin, Short, Kirsty, Fraser, John, Belz, Gabrielle T., Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes, Fernando, Kulasinghe, Arutha and Davis, Melissa J. (2024). In situ single-cell profiling sheds light on IFI27 localisation during SARS-CoV-2 infection. eBioMedicine, 101 105016, 1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105016
2024
Journal Article
Poor patient outcome correlates with active engulfment of cytokeratin positive CTCs within cancer-associated monocyte population in lung cancer
Wiegmans, A. P., Ivanova, E., Naei, V. Y., Monkman, J., Fletcher, J., Mullally, W., Warkiani, M. E., O’Byrne, K. and Kulasinghe, A. (2024). Poor patient outcome correlates with active engulfment of cytokeratin positive CTCs within cancer-associated monocyte population in lung cancer. Clinical and Experimental Metastasis, 41 (2), 219-228. doi: 10.1007/s10585-024-10270-w
2024
Journal Article
Whole transcriptome profiling of placental pathobiology in SARS‐CoV‐2 pregnancies identifies placental dysfunction signatures
Stylianou, Nataly, Sebina, Ismail, Matigian, Nicholas, Monkman, James, Doehler, Hadeel, Röhl, Joan, Allenby, Mark, Nam, Andy, Pan, Liuliu, Rockstroh, Anja, Sadeghirad, Habib, Chung, Kimberly, Sobanski, Thais, O'Byrne, Ken, Almeida, Ana Clara Simoes Florido, Rebutini, Patricia Zadorosnei, Machado‐Souza, Cleber, Stonoga, Emanuele Therezinha Schueda, Warkiani, Majid E., Salomon, Carlos, Short, Kirsty, McClements, Lana, de Noronha, Lucia, Huang, Ruby, Belz, Gabrielle T., Souza‐Fonseca‐Guimaraes, Fernando, Clifton, Vicki and Kulasinghe, Arutha (2024). Whole transcriptome profiling of placental pathobiology in SARS‐CoV‐2 pregnancies identifies placental dysfunction signatures. Clinical and Translational Immunology, 13 (2) e1488, 1-11. doi: 10.1002/cti2.1488
2024
Journal Article
Host transcriptomics and machine learning for secondary bacterial infections in patients with COVID-19: a prospective, observational cohort study
Carney, Meagan, Pelaia, Tiana Maria, Chew, Tracy, Teoh, Sally, Phu, Amy, Kim, Karan, Wang, Ya, Iredell, Jonathan, Zerbib, Yoann, McLean, Anthony, Schughart, Klaus, Tang, Benjamin, Shojaei, Maryam, Short, Kirsty R, PREDICT-19 consortium and Kulasinghe, Arutha (PREDICT-19 consortium member) (2024). Host transcriptomics and machine learning for secondary bacterial infections in patients with COVID-19: a prospective, observational cohort study. The Lancet Microbe, 5 (3), e272-e281. doi: 10.1016/S2666-5247(23)00363-4
2024
Journal Article
The in situ transcriptomic landscape of breast tumour-associated and normal adjacent endothelial cells
Ravichandran, Akhilandeshwari, Monkman, James, Mehdi, Ahmed M., Blick, Tony, Snell, Cameron, Kulasinghe, Arutha and Bray, Laura J. (2024). The in situ transcriptomic landscape of breast tumour-associated and normal adjacent endothelial cells. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease, 1870 (2) 166985, 166985. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166985
2024
Journal Article
standR: spatial transcriptomic analysis for GeoMx DSP data
Liu, Ning, Bhuva, Dharmesh D, Mohamed, Ahmed, Bokelund, Micah, Kulasinghe, Arutha, Tan, Chin Wee and Davis, Melissa J (2024). standR: spatial transcriptomic analysis for GeoMx DSP data. Nucleic Acids Research, 52 (1) e2, 1-11. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkad1026
2024
Journal Article
Leveraging spatial omics for the development of precision sarcoma treatments
Tu, Cui, Kulasinghe, Arutha, Barbour, Andrew and Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes, Fernando (2024). Leveraging spatial omics for the development of precision sarcoma treatments. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 45 (2), 134-144. doi: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.12.006
2024
Journal Article
Inhibition of Aurora B kinase (AURKB) enhances the effectiveness of 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy against colorectal cancer cells
Shah, Esha T., Molloy, Christopher, Gough, Madeline, Kryza, Thomas, Samuel, Selwin G., Tucker, Amos, Bhatia, Maneet, Ferguson, Genevieve, Heyman, Rebecca, Vora, Shivam, Monkman, James, Bolderson, Emma, Kulasinghe, Arutha, He, Yaowu, Gabrielli, Brian, Hooper, John D., Richard, Derek J., O’Byrne, Kenneth J. and Adams, Mark N. (2024). Inhibition of Aurora B kinase (AURKB) enhances the effectiveness of 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy against colorectal cancer cells. British Journal of Cancer, 130 (7), 1196-1205. doi: 10.1038/s41416-024-02584-z
2023
Journal Article
Metabolomics at the tumor microenvironment interface: decoding cellular conversations
Berrell, Naomi, Sadeghirad, Habib, Blick, Tony, Bidgood, Charles, Leggatt, Graham R., O'Byrne, Ken and Kulasinghe, Arutha (2023). Metabolomics at the tumor microenvironment interface: decoding cellular conversations. Medicinal Research Reviews, 44 (3), 1121-1146. doi: 10.1002/med.22010
2023
Conference Publication
Spatio-temporal monitoring of the tumor microenvironment in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Jhaveri, Niyati, Klymyshyn, Dmytro, Pratapa, Aditya, Cheikh, Bassem Ben, Monkman, James, Prater, Michael, Nelson, Nadine, Mammadova, Najiba and Kulasinghe, Arutha (2023). Spatio-temporal monitoring of the tumor microenvironment in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 38th Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA United States, 1-5 November 2023. London, United Kingdom: BMJ Group. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2023-sitc2023.0090
2023
Conference Publication
High-dimensional profiling of the tumour microenvironment of non-small cell lung cancer
Kulasinghe, A., Monkman, J., Moradi, A., Yunis, J., Ivison, G., Mayer, A. and O'Byrne, K. (2023). High-dimensional profiling of the tumour microenvironment of non-small cell lung cancer. 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer, Singapore, Singapore, 9 - 12 September 2023. New York, NY, United States: Elsevier.
2023
Conference Publication
Extracellular Small Vesicle Phosphorylated PD-L1 Liquid Biopsy Levels Correlate with Tumour Proportion Score (TPS) in NSCLC
O'Byrne, K., Shanmugasundaram, K.B., Ahmed, E., Kulasinghe, A., Monkman, J., Fletcher, J.A., Mainwaring, P.N., Masud, M.K., Park, H., Hossain, M.S.A., Yamauchi, Y., Sina, A.A.I., Wuethrich, A. and Trau, M. (2023). Extracellular Small Vesicle Phosphorylated PD-L1 Liquid Biopsy Levels Correlate with Tumour Proportion Score (TPS) in NSCLC. 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer, Singapore, 9-12 September 2023. New York, NY United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jtho.2023.09.432
2023
Conference Publication
High-dimensional profiling of the tumour microenvironment of non-small cell lung cancer
Kulasinghe, A., Monkman, J., Moradi, A., Yunis, J., Ivison, G., Mayer, A. and O'Byrne, K. (2023). High-dimensional profiling of the tumour microenvironment of non-small cell lung cancer. 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer, Singapore, 9-12 September 2023. New York, NY United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jtho.2023.09.173
2023
Conference Publication
From pixels to clinical Insights: deciphering spatial tumour-immune microenvironment features of immunotherapy response and resistance in lung cancer
Kulasinghe, Arutha (2023). From pixels to clinical Insights: deciphering spatial tumour-immune microenvironment features of immunotherapy response and resistance in lung cancer. Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 38th Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA United States, 1-5 November 2023. London, United Kingdom: BMJ Group. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2023-sitc2023.0099
2023
Conference Publication
Identifying a role for macrophages in predicting immunotherapy responses of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Ma, Ning, Pratapa, Aditya, Monkman, James, O’Byrne, Ken and Kulasinghe, Arutha (2023). Identifying a role for macrophages in predicting immunotherapy responses of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 38th Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA United States, 1-5 November 2023. London, United Kingdom: BMJ Group. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2023-sitc2023.0105
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Arutha Kulasinghe is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Developing predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy using deep spatial profiling
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Brett Hughes
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Master Philosophy
Spatial profiling of the tumour microenvironment in head and neck cancers
Principal Advisor
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Master Philosophy
Defining the head and neck cancer tumour microenvironment across clinical contexts
Principal Advisor
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Master Philosophy
Spatial multi-omics to study hard-to-cure lung infections
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Ahmed Mehdi, Associate Professor Fernando Guimaraes
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Doctor Philosophy
Genesis and Pathognesis of avain influenza
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Keng Chew, Professor Kirsty Short
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Doctor Philosophy
Immuno-genetic biomarkers of response in a prospective study of immune checkpoint therapy in primary CNS lymphoma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Zachary Hawula, Associate Professor Colm Keane
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Doctor Philosophy
Understanding the role of immature myeloid cells in early melanoma establishment
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Jazmina Gonzalez Cruz, Associate Professor James Wells
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Doctor Philosophy
Studying the tumour immune microenvironment in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gabrielle Belz
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Doctor Philosophy
Deciphering mechanisms of fibroblast-mediated immune regulation in dysplastic cutaneous and oral mucosal epithelium
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Debottam Sinha, Dr Janin Chandra
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Doctor Philosophy
Improved diagnostics for respiratory viral infections
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Meagan Carney, Professor Kirsty Short
Completed supervision
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
The investigation of the tumour microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to identify predictive biomarkers of response to immunotherapy
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Quan Nguyen, Associate Professor Brett Hughes
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Comprehensive characterisation of tumour microenvironment and therapeutic insights into paediatric cancers through multi-omics profiling
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Andrew Barbour, Associate Professor Fernando Guimaraes
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Arutha Kulasinghe directly for media enquiries about:
- COVID-19 biomarkers
- head and neck cancer
- immuno-oncology
- lung cancer
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