Harsha Kariyawasam: Consultant in Allergy and Medical Rhinology in London

Training and experience

Dr Harsha Kariyawasam graduated from St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College, University of London in 1994. Following his general medical training in London, over a seven year period he undertook specialist training in allergy, respiratory medicine and rhinology at the Royal Brompton Hospital. He then went on to complete additional training in airway and allergy disease at the Hammersmith Hospital, general allergy at St Mary’s Hospital and skin allergy at St Thomas’ Hospital.

Dr Kariyawasam was awarded a Clinical Research Fellowship at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, in 2003. His research work on how allergens injure the allergic airways and defining the molecular repair response to such injury lead to a PhD and in 2008 he was awarded the National Heart and Lung Institute’s PhD Thesis Prize in recognition of outstanding research performance.

Dr Kariyasam completed further post-doctoral research training in nasal allergy before taking up his Consultant post at Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital London and University College London Hospital (UCLH), the UK’s internationally-recognised national centre for complex sinonasal disease, in 2008. He was Head of Department 2012-2017 and continues to be Lead Physician for Medical Rhinology.

In 2017, Dr Kariyasam’s clinical and management achievements as Head of Department were recognised when he was awarded a prestigious Clinical Excellence Award by University College London. The award also recognised his outstanding contributions to research and teaching as a Senior Lecturer at University College London Medical School.

Treatment

First consultation fee: £325

Follow up consultation fee: £210

Both in his NHS and private work, Dr Kariyasam works within a team structure to ensure patient safety and excellent clinical outcomes. The cornerstone of his practice is exact diagnosis and evidence based best care, training patient to eventually self-manage their care. His areas of clinical expertise are:

• Allergy medicine
  - general allergy
  - food allergy
  - drug allergy
  - immunotherapy
  - anaphylaxis
  - urticaria
  - angioedema
• Nasal and sinus disease
  - rhinitis including hayfever
  - sinusitis
  - infection
  - nasal polyps
  - problems of the nose and sinus system
• Complex/severe asthma
• Cough
• Use of vaccines and biologics in allergic disease

Research interests

Dr Kariyawasam is actively involved in research and teaching with a view to better understanding allergic diseases and problems affecting the nose-sinus system and hopefully one day finding cures. A regular contributor to the academic literature, he is a reviewer for leading respiratory and allergy journals, as well as being an invited speaker at national and international level.

Dr Kariyawasam’s current research interests are:

• Nasal polyps and Anti-IL-5 therapy
• Activin-A in severe asthma and mechanisms of immune regulation
• Aspirin desentisation therapy in nasal polyps and asthma
• Immune regulation mechanisms in chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps
• Sublingual immunotherapy (allergy desensitisation) and effects on asthma

What patients say about Harsha Kariyawasam

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