Faculty | SIU

Research Interests:

My research primarily aims to dissect the complex molecular mechanisms underlying microbial stress responses using systems biology approaches. We exclusively targeted the identification of novel post-translational protein Modifications (PTMs), such as ubiquitination, SUMOylation, and chaperone cascades, in the stress resistance of microbes (model and industrial microbial hosts). Our novel findings contribute to the understanding of cellular processes of both fundamental and industrial interest, enabling the tailoring of biocatalysts via metabolic engineering approaches for biorefinery and the production of high-value fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, biomaterials, and food ingredients from waste organic materials, including plastics. Indeed, our group works at the intersection of synthetic microbiology and green chemistry, having published >40 peer-reviewed articles and >10 patents or patent applications. For instance, we developed a novel thermo-bio-catalytic hybrid process to valorize untapped waste carbon in the agricultural biomass and plastic (i.e., high-toxic aldehydes and aromatics). Our innovative approach merged engineered microbial-based biofunneling and biofunctionalization of organic substrates to produce 1) advanced platform chemicals to replace incumbent petrochemicals. 2) microbial-based food ingredients for next-generation food production 3) pharmaceuticals.

Selected Publications:

1) Jayantha et al., Engineered Pseudomonas putida monoculture system for green synthesis of 7-methylxanthine Green Chemistry, 2025, 27, 11365 – 11379 (2025)

2) Jayakody et al., Next-generation 3D-printed nutritious food derived from waste plastic and biomass, Trends in Biotechnology 42 (6) (2025), 799-800

3) Lynd et al., Toward low-cost biological and hybrid biological/catalytic conversion of cellulosic biomass to fuels, Energy & Environmental Science 15 (3), 938-990 (2022)

4) Jayasekara et al., Opportunities in the microbial valorization of sugar industrial organic waste to biodegradable smart food packaging materials, International Journal of Food Microbiology 377, 109785 (2022)

5) Dissanayake et al., Engineering Microbes to Bio-Upcycle Polyethylene Terephthalate, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 9, 356 (2021)

Selected Patents:

2) Genetically engineered Pseudomonas strains capable of metabolizing ethylene glycol and its metabolic intermediates, US Patent 11,021,721

3) Biocatalysts for conversion of thermochemical waste streams, US Patent 10,829,731

4) Engineered microbes for the production of biopolymers from OHD-derived organic carbon,

US Patent App. 18/692,182

Selected Awards:

The Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) Innovator of the Year Award in 2022, the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition Researcher to Know in 2022, the IIN Emerging Innovator Award in 2023, the SIUC Early Career Faculty Excellence Award in 2024, and the prestigious NSF-CAREER Award in 2024.

Grants or other funding (last five years):

1) Illinois Soybean Association, Dates Funded: 10/01/2025-09/30/2026, $42,000

2) HAB-CTI (NOAA): 10/01/2025-09/30/2026, $170, 000

3) DoD-MURI: 09/15/2025-08/01/2030, $7,500,000

4) NSF-CAREER: 09/01/2024-08/01/2029, $624,500

5) Green Core LCC (Japan): 10/01/2021-08/30/2026: $289,742

6) IDCE: 09/01/2021-06/30/2026, $2,734,008

7) NASA: 12/01/2021-12/31/2023, $25,000