Originally from Darwin, Dr. Dev Tilakaratne moved to Townsville to pursue the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program at James Cook University (JCU). Throughout the course, a distinct influence of rural, remote, Indigenous, and tropical perspectives permeated every aspect of the curriculum.
After acquiring medical experience at Royal Darwin Hospital and contributing to research at Menzies School of Health Research in the Northern Territory, Dr. Tilakaratne relocated to Adelaide to pursue specialised training in Dermatology. Throughout this period, he gained valuable experience at renowned medical institutions such as Royal Adelaide Hospital, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, The Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and Flinders Medical Centre. In 2016, Dr. Tilakaratne was honoured with the Fellow of the Australasian College of Dermatologists (FACD) recognition.
From an academic standpoint, Dr. Tilakaratne has presented at both state and national meetings of the Australasian College of Dermatologists and the Australasian Dermatopathology Society (ADS). His research findings have been published in various esteemed journals, including the Australasian Journal of Dermatology, where he currently volunteers as a reviewer. Additionally, he serves as an Associate Lecturer at Flinders University, imparting his knowledge to medical students enrolled in the NT Medical Program. Recently, Dr. Tilakaratne has collaborated with Menzies School of Health Research as an Honorary Clinical Fellow, focusing on research pertaining to scabies.
Recognising the significant demand for dermatologists in the Northern Territory, he established Darwin Dermatology, where he currently specialises in diagnosing and managing skin cancers and general Dermatology cases. Furthermore, Dr. Tilakaratne contributes his expertise to Royal Darwin Hospital, holding the position of Staff Specialist Dermatologist. As a co-founder of Dermo Direct, he aims to expand access to dermatological care for all Australians who face challenges in reaching a dermatologist. He also co-founded Acne Express, an online consultation service dedicated to addressing acne-related concerns. Through this service he offers professional advice and guidance those who struggle with acne-related issues.
Warren LJ, Tilakaratne D, Seth R. Neonatal tinea corporis. Med J Aust. 2017 Oct 16;207(8):324. doi: 10.5694/mja17.00599. PMID: 29020896.
Ma JHY, Chatfield MD, Campbell K, Tilakaratne D. A follow-up of sunscreen use and sun-protection practices in Darwin: a cross-sectional survey. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2019 Dec;43(6):589-590. doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.12924. Epub 2019 Jul 24. PMID: 31339610.
Felmingham C, Tilakaratne D. Overdiagnosis of scabies and overprescribing of scabies treatment in a scabies-endemic region. Aust J Rural Health. 2020 Aug;28(4):394-398. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12636. Epub 2020 Jun 23. PMID: 32578330.
Thomas L, Felmingham C, Tilakaratne D. Dermatological services; patient profiling in a rural tertiary hospital. Australas J Dermatol. 2021 May;62(2):195-198. doi: 10.1111/ajd.13548. Epub 2021 Mar 17. PMID: 33729555.
Tilakaratne D, Sidhu S. Heavy metal (monoclonal) bands: a link between cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and contact allergy to potassium dichromate, nickel and cobalt? Australas J Dermatol. 2015 Feb;56(1):59-63. doi: 10.1111/ajd.12182. Epub 2014 Oct 10. PMID: 25303728.
Thomas L, Howarth T, Tilakaratne D. Comparison of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus in Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Patients at a Regional Centre in Australia. Australas J Dermatol. 2020 Aug;61(3):291-292. doi: 10.1111/ajd.13281. Epub 2020 Apr 7. PMID: 32255506.
Tilakaratne D, Ryan E, Pearce A. Concurrent pyoderma gangrenosum and infection with Scedosporium apiospermum. Australas J Dermatol. 2016 May;57(2):e46-8. doi: 10.1111/ajd.12302. Epub 2015 Apr 28. PMID: 25920922.
Chng L, Holt DC, Field M, Francis JR, Tilakaratne D, Dekkers MH, Robinson G, Mounsey K, Pavlos R, Bowen AC, Fischer K, Papenfuss AT, Gasser RB, Korhonen PK, Currie BJ, McCarthy JS, Pasay C. Molecular diagnosis of scabies using a novel probe-based polymerase chain reaction assay targeting high-copy number repetitive sequences in the Sarcoptes scabiei genome. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021 Feb 24;15(2):e0009149. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009149. PMID: 33626043; PMCID: PMC7939366.
Tilakaratne D, Warren L, Menz J. A casemix study of patients seen by a dermatology trainee in rural and urban outpatient settings. Australas J Dermatol. 2016 Feb;57(1):33-8. doi: 10.1111/ajd.12273. Epub 2014 Dec 30. PMID: 25639145.