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Dilan Dissanayake
Research Positions
Transition Clinician-Scientist, Cell & Systems Biology
Biography
Dr. Dilan Dissanayake is a staff rheumatologist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Clinician-Scientist in the SickKids Research Institute and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto.
He received his medical degree in 2014 from the University of Toronto as part the MD/PhD Program. His graduate work was completed under the Department of Immunology, with a research focus on dendritic cells and their contribution to autoimmunity.
He subsequently completed residency programs in Paediatrics and Paediatric Rheumatology at the University of Toronto, before joining as a staff rheumatologist at SickKids, where he cares for patients in the Autoinflammatory Clinic.
Research
Using patient samples and cellular modeling, Dr. Dissanayake aims to understand how molecular and genetic changes lead to dysregulation of the immune system in disease. He leads research projects to identify and characterize new genetic inflammatory diseases and has a particular interest in the connection between abnormal responses to cellular stress and hyperinflammation, with the goal of uncovering new diagnoses and treatment options for patients with rare immunologic diseases.
Education and experience
Degrees
- 2004–2014: Doctor of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- 2006–2012: Doctor of Philosophy, Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada,
- 2000–2004: Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours), Faculty of Health Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Postgraduate, Research and Specialty Training
- 2017–2019: Clinical Fellow, Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- 2014–2017: Resident, Core Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Qualifications, Certifications and Licenses
- 2019–Present: Independent Practice License, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada,
- 2018–Present: Fellow, Pediatrics, Royal College of Physicians of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Achievements
- 2025: Hak Ming Chiu Innovator in Autoimmune Diseases, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON
- 2024: Precision Child Health Partnership Catalyst Program Award, The Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, ON) and CHU Sainte-Justine (Montreal, QC)
- 2023–Present: Inborn Errors of Immunity Expert Group Member, Ontario Health Provincial Genetics Program
- 2021: Gilead Research Scholars Program Award, Gilead Sciences Inc.
- 2014: Dr. Yumin Li Access to Excellence in Paediatric Research Award, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
- 2013: Geoffrey Samuel Gangbar Memorial Award for excellence in Haematology/Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON