Cris Silva
I blend curiosity with bioeconomy to drive impactful research.
I’m a passionate researcher modeling biological, environmental, and economic processes in industrial biotechnology. And I grow fungi too!
Hi, my name is
About Me
I am a biotechnologist with a passion for industrial application. I have a background in molecular biology and microbiology, and I have a strong interest in computational biology and modelling.
Apart from science, I make videos, take cool photos and lift weights.
Here are a few topics I've been working with recently:- Life cycle analysis
- Bioprocess design
- Transcriptomics
- Fungal biotechnology
- Genome scale modelling
- Technoeconomic Analysis
Experience
Dreamspace Biolab was the first community biolab in Sri Lanka, and I had the privilege of being a founding guardian. With support from Dreamspace Academy, I built the lab from scratch, launched the DreamFungi project, developed prototypes, and hosted workshops for experts from around the world.
- Built and maintained the community Bio Lab of Dreamspace academy.
- Facilitated collaberations between Bio Lab and international organizations.
- Coduct workshops and teaching courses on mycofabrication and bioinformatics
I worked as a research assistant at the University of Peradeniya, supported by the World Bank AHEAD ICE grant. My work focused on the Sri Lankan cinnamon industry and bioinformatics.
- Conducted market research on the Sri Lankan cinnamon industry and identified key industry problems.
- Developed a bioinformatics analysis pipeline to analyze fluorescent light emission in high-resolution melting analysis (HRM).
- Utilized supervised and unsupervised machine learning methods for clustering and classification of HRM data.
- Conducted preliminary work to utilize the no-code platform KNIME for QSAR modeling in drug discovery.
Education
2023 - 2025
Master of Biotechnology and Bioeconomy
University of Borås, Sweden
Research
- Assessing the potential of Rhizopus oligosporus as a fish feed ingredient (thesis)
- Life cycle assessment of fungal biomass as an ingredient in fish feed.
2018 - 2019
Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology
University of Northumbria, UK
- Effect of extraction solvent on antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activity of Trigonella foenum-graecum (thesis)
- Modules: Analytical methods and applied genetics, Animal biotechnology, Plant biotechnology, Bioethics, Current topics in Biotechnology, Investigative biotechnology, Research project.
2016-2018
Higher National Diploma in Biotechnology
BMS, Sri Lanka
- Optimization of real-time PCR method for detection of Salmonella spp. in meat products in Sri Lankan markets (project)
Achievements
100 Leaders of Tommorows Biotechnology (2022) | GBR Cambridge
I was selected from a large pool of applicants as one of the top 100 future leaders in the biotechnology industry. The "Leaders of Tomorrow" program recognizes high-achieving individuals from around the world who work in fields ranging from biological sciences to business and policymaking. Through a rigorous selection process, 100 leaders are chosen to attend the GapSummit, where they are challenged and empowered to become socially responsible and driven innovators, capable of creating solutions to today's challenges.
