Sri Lankan scientist Prof. Neelika Malavige to lead International Society for Infectious Diseases

Leading Sri Lankan scientist Professor Neelika Malavige has been appointed as the President-Elect of the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID), a prestigious global

organization dedicated to advancing research and response strategies for infectious diseases.

Prof. Malavige, a renowned immunologist, will begin her two-year term as ISID President in 2027.

She currently serves as a Professor in the Department of Immunology and Allied Medical Sciences at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

With a medical degree from the University of Colombo and a doctorate from the University of Oxford, Prof. Malavige has made significant contributions to infectious disease research.

She is particularly recognized for her groundbreaking work on COVID-19 testing, sequencing, and strain identification, which has played a vital role in understanding the molecular epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Sri Lanka.

Her appointment as President-Elect is seen as a major achievement for Sri Lanka and a testament to her global leadership in the field of infectious diseases.