Dr. Prabuddha Pathinayake is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Newcastle and a member of the MUKU Research Team.

His research focuses on upper respiratory and middle ear epithelial biology, with particular emphasis on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying chronic otitis media and middle ear tissue remodelling. His work investigates how bacterial and viral infections disrupt epithelial barrier function, dysregulate mucosal immune responses, and drive persistent inflammation associated with chronic ear disease.
Dr. Pathinayake’s earlier research training in viral immunology, respiratory epithelial biology, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has provided a strong translational foundation for investigating epithelial dysfunction and inflammatory signalling within the middle ear mucosa. Drawing on extensive expertise in molecular and cellular biology, he employs advanced in vivo and ex vivo models, transcriptomic analyses, and cutting-edge molecular approaches to characterise host–pathogen interactions and epithelial signalling pathways involved in otitis media pathogenesis. His current research particularly aims to identify key molecular and immunometabolic pathways regulating mucin production, epithelial remodelling, and chronic inflammatory responses in the upper respiratory tract and middle ear epithelium.