Inosha Nishshanka

I gained my passion for Microbiology from my father who was a Laboratory technician and a biologist. He used to narrate the story of “Amoeba turns into a human” since I was a little girl. It led me to pursue my bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and master’s degree in Applied Agriculture Science. I was curious to learn about microbes and diseases in farmed animals and loved plants and animals. Currently, I undertake my Ph.D. studies on dairy nutrition and health. Also, I work as a technical officer at the Animal Health Laboratory, Department of Natural Resources and Environment. I daily analyse a range of samples from farmed animals to identify diseases.
farmed animals like cows, sheep, pigs, poultry, and fish get sick, and get seen by vets, just like our pets do. Those diseases are usually caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Their health is extremely important to the farmers, to our food chain and to us as consumers.
Today, I am lucky enough to work with everything I ever loved. Microbes, animals, and plants. Being a scientist for me is working in a field you love and curious about, so that you will never get tired or bored of what you are doing. And, in other words, it’s a decision to be a science geek for the rest of your life. But don’t worry. In the present world, no one gets teased for being a geek anymore. Science is the new rock and roll.