Sachithra Amarin Hettiarachchi

Postdoctoral researcher with a background in applied ocean science and expertise in biotechnological applications in marine science. Skilled in experimental design, data analysis, and scientific writing, with experience in advanced laboratory techniques. Proven track record of interdisciplinary collaboration, publishing research, and presenting at international conferences. Passionate about applying biotechnological solutions to marine science and advancing both research and teaching in biotechnology.

• Best Young Scientist Award, Korean Society of Fisheries Science conference, Utilization of the 500 nm LED spectrum as a promising growth accelerator on river puffer (Takifugu obscurus)
• Travel Grant, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, Enzyme Engineering XXIV, Toulouse, France, 09/24/17, 09/28/17
• Scholarship, University of Science and Technology, Enabling the pursuit of an integrated master's and PhD degree at the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology
• Vice Chancellor's Gold Medal, Awarded to outstanding students by a university to the best student in the undergraduate batch
• Dean's Award, Presented to the best fourth year undergraduate student for exceptional academic achievement, leadership, and contributions to the academic community

• Novel human epidermal growth factor fusion protein and uses, Oh, C., Kang, D., Lee, Y., Jung, D., Jo, E., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Kang, Y., Eom, T. and Kang, Y., 2021, 10-2333650
• Novel human epidermal growth factor-TF fusion protein and uses, Oh, C., Kang, Y., Jo, E., Kang, D., Lee, Y., Jung, D., Gang, Y., Eom, T. and Hettiarachchi, S.A., 2021, 10-2020-0147113

• Date of Birth: 10/15/87
• Nationality: Sri Lanka
• Marital Status: Married

• Biotechnological Applications in Marine Science: Exploring the use of biotechnology to enhance the understanding and manipulation of marine organisms, ecosystems, and environmental interactions.
• Ecological Relationships in Marine Ecosystems: Investigating the ecological interactions between marine species and their environments, and how biotechnological methods can help optimize ecosystem sustainability.
• Marine Microbiology and Biotechnology: Applying microbiological and biotechnological tools to study marine microorganisms, their roles in marine ecosystems, and their potential for biotechnological applications.
• Impact of Climate Change on Marine Species: Studying the effects of climate change on marine organisms, particularly polar fish, and developing biotechnological solutions for adaptation and resilience.
• Marine Reproductive Biology and Biodiversity: Understanding the reproductive mechanisms of marine organisms and utilizing molecular tools like DNA barcoding and phylogenetic analysis to study marine biodiversity, with applications in conservation and resource management.
• Sustainable Management of Marine Resources: Developing and applying biotechnological approaches for the conservation, sustainable utilization, and management of marine resources, focusing on both ecological health and resource optimization.

• Best Young Scientist Award, Korean Society of Fisheries Science conference 2023 – Awarded for the abstract and presentation titled "Utilization of the 500 nm LED Spectrum as a Promising Growth Accelerator on River Puffer (Takifugu obscurus)" for harvest enhancement in aquaculture.
• Travel Grant, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology – Awarded to present at Enzyme Engineering XXIV in Toulouse, France (September 24-28, 2017).
• University of Science and Technology Scholarship – Granted to pursue an integrated master's and PhD degree at the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology.
• Vice Chancellor's Gold Medal – Awarded to the best undergraduate student in the batch for exceptional academic achievement.
• Dean's Award – Presented to the best fourth-year undergraduate student for academic excellence, leadership, and contributions to the academic community.

Research articles (SCI)

• Use of 500 nm wavelength LED light to accelerate the growth and disrupt the gonadal development in industrial-scale olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) aquaculture, Hettiarachchi, S.A., Hyeon, J., Kim, H., Byun, J., Kim, H., Kim, J.H., Park, J.E., Choi, S.Y., Oh, C.H., and Hur, S.P., 2024, Aquaculture International, Under review
• Similarities and differences in length-weight relationships and condition factors of two sister rockcod species from two locations in King George Island, Antarctica, Lee, S., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Kim, J., Kim, I.C., Lee, Y.W., Kim, J.H., 2024, Peer J, Under review
• Gastric evacuation rates and changes in postprandial appetite-related gene expression in the Antarctic black rockcod, Notothenia coriiceps, Kim, J., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Lee, S., Kim, I.C., Kim, J.H., 2024, Fish Physiology and Biochemistry, Under review
• Pseudoalteromonas agarivorans-derived novel Ulvan lyase of polysaccharide lyase family 40: Potential application of Ulvan and partially hydrolyzed products in cosmetic industry, Gajanayaka, N.D., Jo, E., Bandara, M.S., Marasinghe, S., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Wijewickrama S., Park G.H., Oh, C., Lee, Y., 2024, Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology
• Clock gene expression in eel retina and hypothalamus: response to photoperiod and moonlight, Hyeon, J.Y., Byun, J., Kim, B.H., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Han, J., Choi, Y.U., Noh, C.H., Takeuchi, Y., Choi, S.Y., Park, J.E., Hur, S.P., 2024, Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A
• Comparative Analysis of Carapace Length–Weight Relationship and Condition Factor of Panulirus stimpsoni and Panulirus japonicus, Along the Jeju, South Korea, Hyeon, J.Y., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Byun, J., Noh, C.H., Hur, S.P., 2024, Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Under review
• The complete mitochondrial genome of Trematomus hansoni boulenger, 1902 (perciformes, Nototheniidae), Jo, E., Lee, S., Kim, J., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Kim, S., Kim, I.C., Kang, S., Kim, J.H., 2024, Mitochondrial DNA Part B, 9, 6, 701–706, 10.1080/23802359.2024.2358959
• The complete mitochondrial genome of Gobionotothen gibberifrons (Perciformes, Nototheniidae), Kim, J., Jeong, J., Lee, S., Nguyen, P. T., Han, D. W., Hettiarachchi, S. A., Euna Jo, Seunghyun Kang, Kim, I.C., Kim, J. H., 2024, Mitochondrial DNA Part B
• Effects of dopamine and melatonin treatment on the expression of the genes associated with artificially induced sexual maturation in Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, Byun, J., Hyeon, J., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Udagawa, S., Mahardini A., Kim, J., Hur, S., Takemura, A., 2024, Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology
• Substrate characteristics determine the distribution and abundance of reef and reef-associated fish: A comprehensive study in protected and non-protected coral ecosystems of Sri Lanka, Priyashadi, M. S., Edirimanna, E. M., Hettiarachchi, S. A., & Deepananda, K. H., 2024, Ocean Science Journal
• DNA barcoding and morphological identification of spiny lobsters in South Korean waters: a new record of Panulirus longipes and Panulirus homarus homarus, Hettiarachchi, S.A., Hyeon, J., Mahardini, A., Kim, H., Byun, J., Kim, H., Jeong, J., Yeo, J., Kim, S., Kim, S., Heo, Y., Sathyadith, J., Kang, D. and Hur, S., 2022, PeerJ
• A Novel Agarase, Gaa16B, Isolated from the Marine Bacterium Gilvimarinus agarilyticus JEA5, and the Moisturizing Effect of Its Partial Hydrolysis Products, Lee, Y., Jo, E., Lee, Y., Eom, T., Gang, Y., Kang, Y., Marasinghe, S., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Kang, D. and Oh, C., 2021, Marine Drugs
• Characterization of glycoside hydrolase family 11 xylanase from Streptomyces sp. strain J103; its synergetic effect with acetyl xylan esterase and enhancement of enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass, Marasinghe, S., Jo, E., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Lee, Y., Eom, T., Gang, Y., Kang, Y. and Oh, C., 2021, Microbial Cell Factories
• Characterization of an acetyl xylan esterase from the marine bacterium Ochrovirga pacifica and its synergism with xylanase on beechwood xylan, Hettiarachchi, S.A., Kwon, Y., Lee, Y., Jo, E., Eom, T., Kang, Y., Kang, D., De Zoysa, M., Marasinghe, S. and Oh, C., 2019
• Corallibacterium pacifica gen. nov., sp. nov., a Novel Bacterium of the Family Vibrionaceae Isolated from Hard Coral, Hettiarachchi, S.A., Lee, S., Lee, Y., Kwon, Y., Kwon, K., Yang, S., Jo, E., Kang, D. and Oh, C., 2018, Current Microbiology,
• A Novel Glycosyl Hydrolase Family 16 β-Agarase from the Agar-Utilizing Marine Bacterium Gilvimarinus agarilyticus JEA5: the First Molecular and Biochemical Characterization of Agarase in Genus Gilvimarinus, Lee, Y., Jo, E., Lee, Y., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Park, G., Lee, S., Heo, S., Kang, D. and Oh, C., 2018, Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• A rapid and efficient screening method for antibacterial compound producing bacteria, Hettiarachchi, S.A., Lee, S., Lee, Y., Kwon, Y., De Zoysa, M., Moon, S., Jo, E., Kim, T., Kang, D., Heo, S. and Oh, C., 2017, Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology

Abstract publications (International conferences)

• Photoperiod and lunar phase regulate clock gene expression in retina and hypothalamus of eel (Anguilla japonica), Lee, J.H., Kim, B.H., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Byun, J.H., Hur, S., and Hyeon, JY., 2025, Korean Society of Fisheries Science conference, Seongsan, Jeju
• Estrogen receptor expression and eye morphological changes during sexual maturation of eel (Anguilla japonica), Ahn, T.Y., Kim, B.H., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Hur S., and Hyeon, J.Y., 2025, Korean Society of Fisheries Science conference, Seongsan, Jeju
• Application of 500nm wavelength LED in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) aquaculture: enhancing growth and modulating reproductive endocrinology, Lee, K.H., Hyeon, J.Y., Hur S. and Hettiarachchi, S.A., 2025, Korean Society of Fisheries Science conference, Seongsan, Jeju
• Expression ratios of sex-specific genes enable early sex identification in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) Seo, Y.K., Kim, B.H., Hyeon, J.Y., Byun, J.H., Hettiarachchi, S.A. and Hur, S., 2025, Korean Society of Fisheries Science conference, Seongsan, Jeju
• Utilization of 500 nm LED spectrum as a promising growth accelerator on river puffer (Takifugu obscurus), Hettiarachchi, S.A., Kim, J.H., 2023, Korean Society of Fisheries Science conference, Tongyeong, Busan
• Testis development in Japanese eel is affected by photic signals through melatonin secretion, Hyeon, J., Mahardini, A., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Jonathan, W. and Hur, S., 2021, 17th KSMB symposium, Daejeon
• Synergistic effect of acetyl xylan esterase on xylanase reaction originated from Ochrovirga pacifica, Hettiarachchi, S.A., JO, E., Lee, Y., Kang, D. and Oh, C., 2017, Enzyme Engineering XXIV, Toulouse
• Fast Screening of Antimicrobial Compounds Producing Bacteria by Colony Picking, Hettiarachchi, S.A., Lee, S., Kwon, Y., Moon, S., Jo, E., Lee, Y., Kang, D. and Oh, C., 2016, 12th Korean Society for Molecular Biology, Annual meeting and conference, Jeju
• New Approach for Screening of Antibacterial Compounds Producing Bacteria by Colony Scraping, Hettiarachchi, S.A., Kwon, Y., Lee, S., Ko, J., Oh, S., Kang, D. and Oh, C., 2016, 12th Korean Society for Molecular Biology, Annual meeting and conference, Jeju
• Proximate composition and calcium content of Tunnus obesus (Big eye tuna) processing wastes, Hettiarachchi, S.A., Radampola, K. & Cyril, H.W., 2015, 2nd International Conference on Fisheries and Aquaculture, Colombo
• Gene Characterization, Cloning and Over-expression of Two Xylanases from Streptomyces pandanus J103, Kwon, Y., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Moon, S., Lee, S., Kang, D. and Oh, C., 2016, International Conference of the Genetics Society of Korea, Jeju
• Cloning, over-expression and enzymatic characterization of recombinant acetyl xylan esterase from Ochrovirga pacifica S85, Kwon, Y., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Moon, S., Lee, S., Kang, D. and Oh, C., 2016, 12th Korean Society for Molecular Biology, Annual meeting and conference, Jeju
• Habitat preferences of marine ornamental and reef associated fish in Bonavista reef, Galle, Sri Lanka, Chamodi, K.K.D., Gamage, K.R. and Hettiarachchi, S.A., 2020, Proceedings of the Twenty Sixth Scientific Sessions of the Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Department of Zoology and Environmental Management, Science Faculty, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka,
• Recombinant protein production in Escherichia coli by combining of signal peptide originated from Bacillus subtilis, Oh, C., Lee, Y., Lee, S., Jo, E., Hettiarachchi, S.A. and Kang, d., 2017, Enzyme engineering XXIV, Toulouse
• Biochemical properties of a novel neoagarotriose-producing β-agarase from Gilvimarinus agarolyticus JEA5, Jo, E., Lee, Y., Lee, S., Oh, C. and Hettiarachchi, S.A., 2018, ECI Digital Archives
• A newly identified Glutaminase-Free L-Asparaginase (L-ASPG86) from the marine bacterium Mesoflavibacter zeaxanthinifaciens, Lee, S., Lee, Y., Jo, E., Hettiarachchi, S.A. and Oh, C., 2017, Enzyme engineering XXIV, Toulouse
• Marine Bacteria Research in Chuuk State, Micronesia, Oh, C., Kwon, Y., Su-Jin Lee, S., Lee, Y., Hettiarachchi, S.A., Heo, S. and Kang, D., 2016, 11th International Marine Biotechnology Conference, Maryland

General articles

• Education towards the sustainable development of Sri Lanka, Hettiarachchi, S.A., 2013, Proceedings of the Orator of the Year 2013 University of Ruhuna, 1, 1, 23-26
• Ocean ecosystem and climate change, Hettiarachchi, S., 2014, Sath Samudura, 4, 28-30
• Crucial needs of higher education, Hettiarachchi, S.A., 2014, The World beyond 2015, https://beyond2015.acu.ac.uk/
• Climate change and coastal aquaculture in Sri Lanka, Hettiarachchi, S.A., 2016, Sath Samudura, 3, 13-21