• Council member of the Nutrition Society of Sri Lanka
• Member of Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLASS)
• Member of Nutrition Society of UK
• Member of American society for Nutrition
• Founder member of Society for studying obesity in Sri Lanka

Main research interests are investigating the nutritional influences of increased cardiovascular disease risk and metabolic syndrome development, including nutrient-gene interactions and assessing cardio metabolic risk factors of different populations groups. Of particular interest is the impact of dietary and meal fat composition on vascular reactivity, insulin resistance and lipid metabolism in different population groups.

• Commonwealth Scholarship Award – 2013 for a PhD study in University of Reading, UK
• ‘NRC merit award for scientific publication’-2015 (PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION 2015, Vol 18, Iss 18, pp 2874-2880
• ‘NRC merit award for scientific publication’-2014 (BMC PUBLIC HEALTH 2014, Vol 14, Art No. 1291)
• ‘NRC merit award for scientific publication’- 2013 (BMC PUBLIC HEALTH 2013, Vol 13, Art No. 994)
• ‘NRC merit award for scientific publication’- 2010 and 2012 (Food Nutr Bull 31 (4), 475-482 and BMC research notes 5 (1), 469)
• Postgraduate research award-2012-Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLASS)
• Ceylon college of Physicians Best publication award 2012 (Diabetol Metab Syndr 2012, Vol 4 (1): 13)
• Young scientist award at 12th congress of the international society for the study of fatty acids and lipids (ISSFAL), 5-9 September 2016, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
• Young scientist award and ALASK OMEGA travel grant at 13 th congress of the international society for the study of fatty acids and lipids (ISSFAL), May 27-31, 2018, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
• Best presenter award for the paper presented on “High Prevalence of Malnutrition and Household Food Insecurity in the Rural Subsistence Paddy Farming Sector”in the Food and Nutrition session of the 19^th Annual Congress of the Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
• The certificate award for the Most Attentive Participant in the Certificate Course on Staff Development (CCSD) 2007/2008.
• The certificate award for the recognition of presentation skills in the seminar presentation of the   Certificate Course on Staff Development (CCSD) 2007/2008.
• Received a fellowship to attend regional course on “Nutrition Assessment” conducted by SEAMEO-TROPMED, Regional Centre for Community Nutrition (RCCN), University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia, 2009.
• Received a travel award to attend 19th International Congress of Nutrition (ICN 2009), Bangkok, Thailand from 4th to 9th October 2009.
• Awarded the best abstract in the Hugh Sinclair Nutrition Research Group Doctoral conference on February, 2015 at University of Reading, UK.

Refereed Journal Papers

• KM Rathnayake, M Weech, KG Jackson, JA Lovegrove (2019). Impact of the Apolipoprotein E (epsilon) Genotype on Cardiometabolic Risk Markers and Responsiveness to Acute and Chronic Dietary Fat Manipulation (https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/9/2044)
• KM Rathnayake, M Weech, KG Jackson, JA Lovegrove (2018). Meal fatty acids have differential effects on postprandial blood pressure and biomarkers of endothelial function but not vascular reactivity in postmenopausal women. The Journal of nutrition 148 (3), 348-357 (https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxx042).
• KM Rathnayake, M Weech, KG Jackson, JA Lovegrove (2018). Impact of meal fatty acid composition on postprandial lipaemia, vascular function and blood pressure in postmenopausal women. Nutrition research reviews1-11. (https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954422418000033).
• KM Rathnayake, K Silva, R Jayawardena (2016) Effects of zinc supplementation on obesity: study protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial. Trials 17 (1), 534 (https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-016-1651-3).
• KM Rathnayake, M Wimalathunga, M Weech, KG Jackson, JA Lovegrove (2015) High prevalence of undernutrition and low dietary diversity in institutionalised elderly living in Sri Lanka. Public health nutrition 18 (15), 2874-2880 (https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980015000749)
• KM Rathnayake, Tharrmini Roopasingam and Michael J Dibley (2014) High carbohydrate diet and physical inactivity associated with central obesity among premenopausal housewives in Sri Lanka. BMC Research Notes 7:564  (https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-7-564)
• KM Rathnayake, Tharrmini Roopasingam, V P Wickramasighe (2014) Nutritional and behavioral determinants of adolescent obesity: a case–control study in Sri Lanka. BMC Public Health 14:1291 (https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-1291).
• KM Rathnayake, Aberna Satchithananthan, Senarath Mahamithawa, Ranil Jayawardena (2013) Early life predictors of preschool overweight and obesity: a case–control study in Sri Lanka. BMC Public Health 13:994 (https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-994)
• KM Rathnayake, PAE Madushani & KDRR Silva (2012) Use of dietary diversity score as a proxy indicator of nutrient adequacy of rural elderly people in Sri Lanka. BMC Research Note 5:469 (https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-0500-5-469)
• R Jayawardena, P Ranasinghe, P. Galappatty, RLDK Malkanthi, GR Constantine and Prasad Katulanda (2012) Effects of Zinc supplementation on Diabetes Mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome 4 (1):13 (https://doi.org/10.1186/1758-5996-4-13)
• Malkanthi RLDK, Silva KDRR & Jayasinghe JMUK (2010) Risk factors associated with high prevalence of anaemia among children under 5 years in the rural subsistence paddy farming households in Sri Lanka, Food Nutr Bull, 31(4): 475-482 (http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/156482651003100401).

Conference proceedings

2002-2003

• Malkanthi RLDK, Adikari AMNT & Silva KDRR (2002) Who have the better nutritional status: vegetarians or non-vegetarians? Proceedings of the 58^th annual session Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science-07 December 2002
• Malkanthi RLDK & Adikari AMNT (2003) Who have better nutritional status: vegetarians or non-vegetarians? Abstracts of the 1^st Symposium on Food and Nutrition. Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, 2003.

2007-2008

• Malkanthi RLDK, Silva KDRR, Chandrasekera GAP & Jayasinghe JMUK (2007) High prevalence of malnutrition and household food insecurity in the rural subsistence paddy farming sector. Tropical Agricultural Research Vol: 19:136-149.
• Malkanthi RLDK, Silva KDRR, Chandrasekera GAP & Jayasinghe JMUK (2007) High prevalence of malnutrition and household food insecurity in the rural subsistence paddy farming sector. Tropical Agricultural Research Vol: 19:136-149 (https://www.pgia.ac.lk/files/Annual_congress/journel/v19/16_High_prevalence_of_malnutrition.pdf).
• Rathnayake  RMGELK, Thilakarathne  SMEK, Malkanthi RLDK,  Silva KDRR & Jayasinghe JMUK (2008) Household food and nutrition security in the rural subsistence paddy farming sector in Sri Lanka, Abstracts of the 5^thSymposium on Food and Nutrition, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka Vol: 5:11.

2009-2010

• Malkanthi RLDK, Senaratne PUH, Silva KDRR, & Jayasinghe JMUK (2009) Dietary Diversity and energy adequacy of children in the rural farming families in Sri Lanka, Abstracts of the Annual Scientific Sessions of the Nutrition Society 2009.
• Niranga HAG, Malkanthi RLDK, Silva KDRR & Jayasinghe JMUK (2009) Food and nutrition security in rural subsistence paddy farming sector in Sri Lanka and use of geographic information system for mapping food and nutrition insecurity, Abstracts of the 6^th Symposium on Food and Nutrition, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka Vol: 6:8.
• Senaratne PUH, Malkanthi RLDK, Silva KDRR & Jayasinghe JMUK (2009) Dietary diversity score is a proxy indicator of nutritional adequacy of children in the rural paddy farming families in Sri Lanka, Abstracts of the 6^th Symposium on Food and Nutrition, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka Vol: 6:10.
• Malkanthi RLDK, Silva KDRR & Jayasinghe JMUK (2009) High prevalence of nutrition insecurity in rural paddy farming households in Sri Lanka, Abstracts of 19^th International Congress of Nutrition, Ann Nutr Metab, 55 (Suppl 1):121.
• Malkanthi RLDK, Madhushani PAE & Silva KDRR (2010) Use of dietary diversity score as a proxy indicator of nutrient adequacy of rural elderly people, Abstracts of the Annual Scientific Sessions of the Nutrition Society 2010.

2011

• Malkanthi RLDK, Shakira MSF, Silva KDRR, Jayawardena MAR and Herath KPB (2011) Association of Serum Zinc level and percentage of body fat in healthy adults: a case control study; The 7th Asia Pacific Conference on Clinical Nutrition (7th APCCN 2011) 5-9 June 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand (434).
• Malkanthi RLDK and Manage RP (2011) Validation of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for measuring nutrient intake of 2-5 year old children in Sri Lanka; The 7th Asia Pacific Conference on Clinical Nutrition(7th APCCN 2011) 5-9 June 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand (738).
• Malkanthi RLDK, Madushani PAE and Silva KDRR (2011) Use of dietary diversity score as a proxy indicator of nutrient adequacy of elderly people in Sri Lanka (2011) The 7th Asia Pacific Conference on Clinical Nutrition (7th APCCN 2011) 5-9 June 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand (435).
• Malkanthi RLDK and J Arun (2011) Association between central obesity and physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) among adults in Sri Lanka; XI Asian Congress of Nutrition (XI CAN 2011) 13-16 July 2011 in Singapore (PD 3-088).  
• Malkanthi RLDK,  Silva KDRR and Jayasinghe JMUK (2011) Measuring household food security in subsistence paddy farming sector in Sri Lanka: Development of Household food insecurity index (HFSI); Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 70 (OCE4), E207 Summer meeting of the Nutrition Society of United Kingdom  4-6 July 2011, UK.
• Arun J & Malkanthi RLDK (2011) Association between body fat and physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) among  adults in Sri Lanka; Annual research conference of American institute of cancer research on Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer November 3 – 4, 2011 in Washington, DC (102).

2012

• J Arun & RLDK Malkanthi (2012) International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ): a study of concuurent and construct validity in Sri Lanka, Abstracts of the Annual Scientific Sessions of the Nutrition Society 2012.

2013

• A Satchithananthan, KM Rathnayake, A Mahamithawa (2013) Rapid weight gain is an early risk factor for preschool overweight and obesity: a case control study in Sri Lanka Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 63, 787-787
• J Arun, KM Rathnayake, DR Peiris (2013) Development of anaemia assessing index (AAI) to assess the risk of anaemia among 6 to 24 months old children Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 63, 1104-1104.
• T Roopasingam, KM Rathnayake, VP Wickramasinghe (2013) Breakfast skipping and first born status are associated with obesity among adolescent school girls in Sri Lanka, Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 63, 509-509

2014

• A Satchithananthan, KM Rathnayake, A Mahamithawa (2014) Preschool obesity can be prevented by early lifestyle modification: a case control study. Abstracts of the Annual Scientific Sessions of the Nutrition Society 2014
• S Rahanan and KM Rathnayake (2014) Development of local nutrition screening tool for institutionalised elderly in Sri Lanka Proceedings of the Wayamba University International Conference, Sri Lanka, 29 – 30 August 2014.
• KM Rathnayake, MPPM Wimalathunga, M Weech, KG Jackson and JA Lovegrove (2014) Undernutrition and dietary pattern in Sri Lankan institutionalised elderly. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, Summer meeting of the Nutrition Society of United Kingdom 14-17 July 2014, UK

2015

• Kumari M Rathnayake, S Rahanan, Michelle Weech, Kim G Jackson and Julie Lovegrove (2015) Undernutrion risk assessment tool for institutionalised elderly in Sri Lanka: Elderly Undernutrition Screening Tool (EUST). Abstracts of the 12th Asian congress of Nutrition, 14-18 May 2015, Yokohama, Japan.
• S Mahamithawa, KM Rathnayake, R Gajatheepan and VP Wickramasinghe (2015) Nutritional and behavioral determinants of childhood obesity: a case control study in Sri Lanka. Abstracts of the 12^th Asian congress of Nutrition, 14-18 May 2015, Yokohama, Japan.

2016

• Kumari M Rathnayake, Michelle Weech, Kim G Jackson and Julie Lovegrove (2016) Meal fatty acid composition has a differential effect on postprandial blood pressure in postmenopausal women.  Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, Summer meeting of the Nutrition Society of United Kingdom 11-14 July 2016, UK.
• Kumari M Rathnayake, Michelle Weech, Kim G Jackson and Julie Lovegrove (2016) Impact of meal fatty acids on postprandial blood pressure: Preliminary results of the DIVAS-2 study 12th congress of the international society for the study of fatty acids and lipids (ISSFAL), 5-9 September 2016, Stellenbosch, South Africa.

2017

• KM Rathnayake, M Weech, KG Jackson, JA Lovegrove (2017) Meal fat composition has differential effects on biomarkers of postprandial endothelial function in postmenopausal women. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 76 (OCE4)

2018

• Kumari M Rathnayake, Michelle Weech, Kim G Jackson and Julie Lovegrove (2016) Greater ex-vivo IL-1β production after sequential saturated than unsaturated fat-rich meals in postmenopausal women. 13 th Congress of the international society for the study of fatty acids and lipids (ISSFAL), May 27-31, 2018, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Overseas trainings and courses completed

• Regional course on “ Nutrition Assessment” conducted by Professor Rosalind S. Gibson hosted by SEAMEO-TROPMED, Regional Centre for Community Nutrition (RCCN), University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia from 31^st August to 11^th September 2009.
• Short course on “Nutritional and Lifestyle Epidemiology-Evidence in Nutritional Research”conducted by the Graduate School  VLAG in co-operation with the Division of Human Nutrition, Waganingen University, Waganingen, the Netherlands from 21^st to 25^th September 2009.
• Worked within the Eurreca (European micronutrient recommendations aligned) Network of Excellence(http://www.eurreca.org) – systematically reviewing and extracting data of peer-reviewed scientific articles from 22^ndto 30th September in Waganingen University, Waganingen, the Netherlands.
• Successfully completed one-day workshop on statistics for nutrition researchconducted by Nutrition Society of UK, 2014.
• Successfully completed preparing for teaching programmefor international university academics conducted by the Graduate school University of Reading, UK.
• Sucessfully completed PhD plus programme for international university academics conducted by the Graduate school University of Reading, UK.
• Successfully completed one-day workshop on dietary assessmentmethods conducted by Nutrition Society of UK, 2016.
• Successfully completed the NuGO short course in Personalised Nutrition: from scientific discovery to Interventions hosted by the Newcastle University Human Nutrition Research Centre 5 – 7 July 2016, UK.
• Successfully completed Food Safety in Catering course, Level 2-2015, UK
• Successfully completed and updated the Good Clinical Practice Course-2015 and 2017, UK. 

Oral communications at international conferences

• Attended as a delegate in the 19^thInternational Congress of Nutrition (ICN 2009), Bangkok, Thailand from 4^th to 9^thOctober 2009.
• Attended as a delegate in the 7^thAsia Pacific Congress of Clinical Nutrition (APCCN-2011), Bangkok, Thailand from 5^th to 9^th June 2011.
• Attended as a delegate in the Summer meeting of the Nutrition Society of United Kingdom 14-17 July 2014, Glasgow, UK
• Attended as a delegate in the 12th Asian congress of Nutrition, 14-18 May 2015, Yokohama, Japan.
• Attended as a delegate in the postgraduate conference of Nutrition Society, UK, 7 – 8 September 2015, University of Cambridge, UK.
• Attended as a delegate in the nutrition Society Summer meeting, 11-14 July 2016, UK, University college of Dublin, Ireland.
• Attended as a delegate in the 12th congress of the international society for the study of fatty acids and lipids (ISSFAL), 5-9 September 2016, Stellenbosch, South Africa.