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Lahiru Handunnetthi aims to understand how brain infections contribute to the development of psychiatric and neurological complications. His research programme leverages the power of big data, genetic information and stem cell derived model systems. 

He is involved in the functional characterisation of genetic risk alleles discovered through genome wide association studies and integration of various forms of genomic data to discover new therapeutic targets.

Lahiru combines gene editing techniques with induced pluripotent stem cell (IPSC) derived model systems to understand the effects of genetic and environmental risk factors on neurodevelopment and synaptic function. 

Lahiru has a specific interest in understanding neuro-immune interactions in psychosis. He is actively involved in modelling the effects of infections linked to psychotic symptoms. 

Lahiru completed his DPhil at the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford. His work focused on understanding the interactions between genetic and environmental risk factors in neuroimmunological disorders. He studied medicine at the University of Cambridge and currently holds a NIHR funded Clinical Lectureship in Neurology. He is open to collaboration.

Key words:  Stem Cells, Neuroimmunology, Immunopsychiatry, Neuroinfectious diseases